Nick Senzel

Your assessment of Senzel's 2019 season depends on your expectations. The 2016 second overall pick was sent down before Opening Day and subsequently injured his ankle in spring training, delaying his major-league debut until May. Upon his arrival, Senzel didn't exactly dominate, turning in a .256/.315/.427 season with a 24.7 K% and 14 stolen bases. That's not a bad season for an average rookie, but insufficient considering his 198 ADP in the NFBC Main Event. A red flag was his 87.7 mph average exit velocity, which ranked well below league average. One thing to watch for is to see if he starts pulling the ball more -- in the minors he consistently pulled the ball over 40% of the time, but last year that dropped to 34%. Senzel also still hasn't had a full healthy season. Between the ankle injury and a season-ending torn shoulder labrum that required surgery, he played only 104 games in 2019.

Senzel has hit at least .305, notched an ISO of at least .171 and a wRC+ of at least 147 in every full-season league he's played in while never striking out more than 20.2% of the time. He exhibits five-category potential, stealing eight bases on 10 attempts in 44 games last year and grading out as an above-average runner. Unfortunately, vertigo was an issue for the second straight season -- he missed the final week of 2017 with the condition and it cost him most of May last year. He also missed the final two months of 2018 with a broken right index finger. There is little precedent for the vertigo issue, and it adds a small layer of risk to what would otherwise seem like a risk-free profile. Defensively, Senzel can play second base and third base, but worked in left field during instructs and may eventually debut in center field, given the Reds' offseason moves. He could retain multi-position eligibility in a handful of his early big-league seasons.

A five-tool third baseman, Senzel has separated himself from the rest of the hitting prospects who went in the first round of the 2016 draft. His above-average speed makes him unique among corner-infield prospects, and in the second half of last year he started to tap into his plus raw power. Senzel hit 11 professional home runs in 130 pro games before being promoted to the Southern League, where he hit 10 long balls in just 57 games and led the league with a 184 wRC+, despite playing his home games in the pitcher-friendly ballpark in Pensacola. His season came to an odd conclusion when he was shut down in late August with symptoms of vertigo -- a condition worth tracking as spring training begins. Assuming everything checks out OK on the health front, he should begin the year at Triple-A Louisville and enter the big-league lineup as soon as the Reds find a way to make room for him at third base, which may prove difficult, given how well their infielders performed in 2017.

Cincinnati continued the trend of teams taking advanced college hitters early in the draft over top arms, selecting Senzel with the second overall pick in June. He quickly established himself as the class of the farm system, posting a .982 OPS with Low-A Dayton. His excellent approach and plate skills were on full display, with Senzel managing a 12.9 percent walk rate and a sub-20 percent strikeout rate while hitting for notable power in a spacious home park. In fact, Senzel finished third on the team in home runs despite playing only 58 games. He also runs well for his size, and could offer 10-20 steals annually in his first couple years in the big leagues. With a well-rounded skill set, Senzel could rise quickly through the Reds' system, perhaps reaching the upper levels before the end of 2017. He's already a top-30 prospect for fantasy purposes and may be in the top-10 discussion by season's end.