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2015 Fantasy Baseball: Top 10 Bounce-Back Candidates

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By @bradberreman24

2015 Fantasy Baseball: 10 Players Headed For Bounceback Seasons

Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Fantasy Baseball 2015
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy baseball owners are left disappointed by previously reliable players every year, and every year some players are more likely to rebound coming off a bad season.

Here are my top-10 rebound candidates for fantasy baseball in 2015.

10. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pedro Alvarez Fantasy Baseball
Tommy Gilligan USA TODAY Sports

10. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pedro Alvarez Fantasy Baseball
Tommy Gilligan USA TODAY Sports

After making 25 errors at third base last year, Alvarez is moving to first base. His ineptitude against left-handers means he may lose some at-bats, but power hitters like Alvarez are rare right now and I'm willing to pencil him in for at least 30 home runs again this season after he hit just 18 in 2014.

9. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals

Eric Hosmer fantasy baseball
Jamie Squire Getty Images

9. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals

Eric Hosmer fantasy baseball
Jamie Squire Getty Images

Hosmer set career-lows in home runs (nine) and RBI (58) in 2014, and his batting average also fell 32 points (.270) from 2013. His September finish after returning from a hand injury (.290, three home runs, 12 RBI) coupled with postseason production (.351 with 12 RBI) brings hope for a rebound back to 2013 (.302, 17 HR, 79 RBI, 11 SB), and the potential for more.

8. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Texas Rangers

Shin-Soo Choo fantasy baseball
Mike Ehrmann Getty Images

8. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Texas Rangers

Shin-Soo Choo, fantasy baseball
Mike Ehrmann Getty Images

Elbow and ankle issues that required surgery late in the season dogged Choo when was in the lineup last season, and brought lackluster production (.242, 13 HR, 40 RBI and three stolen bases). Choo's days as a 20-20 threat are probably over, but 15 home runs, double-digit steals, a batting average in the .270 range and 75-80 runs scored is a reasonable expectation this year.

7. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

Justin Verlander, fantasy baseball
Leon Halip Getty Images

7. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

Justin Verlander, fantasy baseball
Leon Halip Getty Images

Verlander topped 200 innings and 30 starts again in 2014, but otherwise his fantasy owners were left disappointed (4.54 ERA) as his K/9 rate fell off a cliff (6.9) and his average fastball velocity continued to decline. A 3.74 FIP suggests a bit of bad fortune though, and even if Verlander is not the pitcher he was five years ago I'm willing to bet on some improvement this year.

6. Joe Mauer, 1B, Minnesota Twins

Joe Mauer fantasy baseball
David Maxwell Getty Images

6. Joe Mauer, 1B, Minnesota Twins

Joe Mauer fantasy baseball
David Maxwell Getty Images

Mauer is now not as valuable in fantasy circles without catcher eligibility. But his 2014 season (.277, four home runs, 55 RBI) is about as bad as it can get for him, and if Mauer can stay in the lineup he can be an asset in at least three categories .

5. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Joey Votto fantasy baseball
Andy Lyons-Getty Images

5. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Joey Votto fantasy baseball
Andy Lyons-Getty Images

A left quad injury wrecked Votto's 2014 campaign, limiting him to 62 games and a .255/.390/.409 slash-line along with six home runs and 23 RBI. It's worth noting that Votto has missed fairly substantial time due to injury in two of the last three seasons, but I like him to hit right around .300 with 20-25 home runs and 80-85 RBI in 2015.

4. Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians

Jason Kipnis fantasy baseball
Jason Miller-Getty Images

4. Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians

Jason Kipnis fantasy baseball
Jason Miller-Getty Images

Kipnis may have been a bit over-hyped at this time last year, and injuries (oblique, hamstring) held him back at various points during the season. His recovery from offseason surgery on his left ring finger bears watching during the spring, but all signs point to Kipnis being at full strength and re-establishing himself as a top fantasy second baseman this year.

3. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Jay Bruce Fantasy Baseball
Rob Tringali Getty Images

3. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Jay Bruce Fantasy Baseball
Rob Tringali Getty Images

Bruce spent time on the DL in May with a left knee issue, and it may have affected him over the rest of the season as he hit .217 with 18 home runs and 66 RBI. Better health should drive a rebound in Bruce's peripheral numbers and bring a return of his previous plate approach this year, so 30 home runs and 90-100 RBI are a distinct possibility.

2. Jason Heyward, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Jason Heyward fantasy baseball
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jason Heyward, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Jason Heyward fantasy baseball
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Heyward served as Atlanta's leadoff hitter in 94 of his 148 starts last season, which he acknowledged sapped some of his aggressiveness at the plate. Hitting a bit lower in the Cardinals' lineup should be a breath of fresh air, and Heyward is in line to help fantasy owners in four or five categories during his contract year.

1. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres

Jedd Gyorko fantasy baseball
Jake Roth USA TODAY Sports

1. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres

Jedd Gyorko fantasy baseball
Jake Roth USA TODAY Sports

Plantar fasciitis put Gyorko on the disabled list for most of June and July last season, and overall he had a proverbial sophomore slump (.210, 10 home runs and 51 RBI). But he did look better after returning to the lineup on July 28 (.260, five home runs and 27 RBI over 196 at bats), and a revamped Padres' lineup should help all of Gyorko's counting stats in 2015.

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