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15 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidates for 2015

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By @bradberreman24

Fantasy Baseball: 15 Breakout Candidates For 2015

Bryce Harper, Fantasy Baseball
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Unearthing potential breakout players is a challenge for fantasy baseball owners, and being right can set the stage for league titles at season's end.

With that in mind, here are 15 players I have honed in on as potential breakout candidates for fantasy baseball in 2015.

15. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas, Fantasy Baseball
Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

15. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas, Fantasy Baseball
Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Moustakas hit five home runs last postseason, which may be a sign he is starting to figure things out. His batting average is likely to continue being a drag for fantasy owners, but otherwise there's a lot to like here.

14. Michael Saunders, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Michael Saunders, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

14. Michael Saunders, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Michael Saunders, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

If Saunders can stay healthy (78 games in 2014), an offseason trade from the Seattle to Toronto should significantly boost his fantasy stock. Solid four category production (batting average, home runs, stolen bases and runs scored) is well within reach.

13. Drew Hutchison, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Drew Hutchison, Fantasy Baseball
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

13. Drew Hutchison, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Drew Hutchison, Fantasy Baseball
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Hutchison went 11-13 with a 4.48 ERA, but perhaps most importantly he made 32 starts after a long recovery from 2012 Tommy John surgery. If can reduce his fly ball rate (45.2 percent last season) and fix some struggles against left-handed hitters (17 home runs allowed), Hutchison has good enough peripherals outside of that to drive a breakout this season.

12. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Oakland Athletics

Brett Lawrie, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jonathan Ernst-Getty Images

12. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Oakland Athletics

Brett Lawrie, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jonathan Ernst-Getty Images

Lawrie missed time with injuries again last season, and the Blue Jays traded him to Oakland in late November. Moving away from the artificial turf of Rogers Centre should help Lawrie stay on the field, and it's worth noting he hit 12 home runs in just 70 games last season.

11. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Cleveland Indians

Lonnie Chisenhall, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jason Miller-Getty Images

11. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Cleveland Indians

Lonnie Chisenhall, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jason Miller-Getty Images

Chisenhall hit .345 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in April-June (220 at-bats), and just .225 with five home runs and 23 RBI after that (258 at-bats). There is no one to seriously threaten his playing time, and it would only take better consistency for Chisenhall to reach 20 home runs to go along with a batting average in the .280 range.

10. Brandon Belt, 1B, San Francisco Giants

Brandon Belt, Fantasy Baseball
Kelley L. Cox-USA TODAY Sports

10. Brandon Belt, 1B, San Francisco Giants

Brandon Belt, Fantasy Baseball
Kelley L. Cox-USA TODAY Sports

A fractured left thumb and the lingering effects of a concussion limited Belt to 61 games in 2014, but he did hit 12 home runs over 214 at-bats. A upward trend in his home run/fly ball rate (18 percent last season) makes better health the only barrier to 20-25 home runs.

9. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Kansas City Royals

Lorenzo Cain, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Ed Zurga-Getty Images

9. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Kansas City Royals

Lorenzo Cain, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Ed Zurga-Getty Images

Cain set career-highs virtually across the board last season, most notably in games played (133) and at-bats (471). A strong finish (.310 with 13 stolen bases from August 1 on) and a good postseason (.333, eight RBI) brings potential for more in 2015.

8. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox

Xander Bogaerts, Fantasy Baseball
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

8. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox

Xander Bogaerts, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bogaerts did not have a great rookie season in 2014 (.240/.297/.362, 12 home runs, 46 RBI and two stolen bases), but he did hit .313 with a .490 slugging percentage in September and he's just 22 years old. 2015 is unlikely to represent his ceiling, but Bogaerts is in line to produce well for fantasy owners in his second full big league season.

7. Gerrit Cole, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Gerrit Cole, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jamie Sabau-Getty Images

7. Gerrit Cole, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Gerrit Cole, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Jamie Sabau-Getty Images

Cole was limited to 22 starts last season due to some shoulder issues. But he finished well, with a 2.67 ERA and a 33:3 K/BB ratio over his final four starts (27 innings), and as long as he is healthy the first overall pick in 2011 could become a fantasy ace this year.

6. Travis d'Arnaud, C, New York Mets

Travis d'Arnaud, Fantasy Baseball
Jim McIsaac-Getty Images

6. Travis d'Arnaud, C, New York Mets

Travis d'Arnaud, Fantasy Baseball
Jim McIsaac-Getty Images

D'Arnaud hit 13 home runs for the Mets last season, including seven over his final 53 games. Offseason surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow does not appear to be a concern, so D'Arnaud could finally breakout in his age-26 season.

5. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Jake Odorizzi, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

5. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Jake Odorizzi, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Some of Odorizzi's peripherals, most notably his 9.3 K/9 rate last season, are trending the right way even if his surface numbers (4.13 ERA) didn't reflect it. 200 strikeouts are realistic for Odorizzi in 2015, and if his fly ball rate (48.7 percent in 2014) drops a little his ERA should easily follow.

4. Dellin Betances, RP, New York Yankees

Dellin Betances, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

4. Dellin Betances, RP, New York Yankees

Dellin Betances, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees signed Andrew Miller to a contract befitting being of a closer (four years, $36 million), but Betances has the peripheral skills (13.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 last season) to take the role and succeed at a high level.

3. Wil Myers, OF, San Diego Padres

Wil Myers, Fantasy Baseball
Brian Blanco-Getty Images

3. Wil Myers, OF, San Diego Padres

Wil Myers, Fantasy Baseball
Brian Blanco-Getty Images

Myers missed a big chunk of last season with a right wrist injury, and the Tampa Bay Rays promptly traded him to the Padres in December. A very pitcher-friendly new home park is not a great development, but otherwise I like Myers to take a big step in 2015.

2. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

Nolan Arenado, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Spors

2. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

Nolan Arenado, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Arenado had 18 home runs and 61 RBI last season, despite being out around six weeks with a finger injury and having his season end early due to a chest contusion and a bought of pneumonia. Nine home runs over his final 39 games, and peripherals to support potential power growth, brings the possibility for bigger things this coming season.

1. Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

Bryce Harper, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Ezra Shaw-Getty Images

1. Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

Bryce Harper, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Ezra Shaw-Getty Images

A left thumb injury that required surgery derailed Harper's 2014 season, but he is still just 22 years old with two 20-home run seasons in his career. Things may come together this year for Harper, and making a tentative bet on his upside during drafts would be a well-calculated move.

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