Bernie on the Scene: NL Fantasy Roster Expansion

LEADING OFF

One of the most impactful decisions made last week in MLB's negotiations with the players to open the 2020 season regards the use of the designated hitter in National League lineups.

If the season does begin, a universal designated hitter will be in place for this season. If the concept is to become permanent, it must be collectively bargained in the new basic agreement.

This is tremendous news for fantasy team owners. It's like a massive roster expansion that should help bring down prices in auctions. Simply put, more hitters will be available on National League teams — 15 more per game if a full slate of National League games are scheduled.

Rosters will expand with the availability of a taxi squad. I have selected a potential left-handed DH which I list first, followed by a potential right-handed DH. There are others on each team, but this is a general idea.

Here are my projections of the players who could see time at DH for each club:

Arizona - Jake Lamb, Tim Locastro

Atlanta - Nick Markakis, Adam Duvall

Chicago - Kyle Schwarber, Steven Souza (Schwarber no longer plays defense)

Cincinnati - Jesse Winker, Aristides Aquino^

Colorado - Raimel Tapia, Ian Desmond.

Los Angeles - Matt Beaty, Chris Taylor#

Miami - Matt Joyce, Garrett Cooper

Milwaukee - Brock Holt, Ryan Braun

New York - Dominic Smith, Eduardo Nunez%

Philadelphia - Jay Bruce, Neil Walker (Alex Bohm?)

Pittsburgh - JT Riddle, Jose Osuna

San Diego - Wil Myers, Brian Dozier

San Francisco - Steven Duggar, Hunter Pence*

St. Louis - Brad Miller, Tyler O'Neill

Washington - Asdrubal Cabrera, Howie Kendrick

^Reds are loaded with options and Aristides Aquino might be on the taxi squad

#Like the Reds, the Dodgers are loaded with options.

%If Yoenis Cespedes proves he is healthy enough to hit, he'd be ideal

*Steven Duggar might come from the taxi squad

STARTING LINEUP

Alec Bohm, Phillies, 3B/1B, BR, 6-5, 225, Age 23

I want to establish two facts right off the bat. Alec Bohm can flat out hit. Alec Bohm can not field well. At all. He is destined to become a designated hitter if and when the DH is approved for the National League. However, he might not quite be ready for this season. But watch that carefully.

Bohm was a first-round Phillies pick in the 2018 draft out of Wichita State University.  He smoked 33 homers and drove in 125 runs in his 722 at-bats there. He was the third player chosen overall behind only Casey Mize and Joey Bart. Bohm signed for $5,850,000, less than Nick Madrigal signed for right behind him.

Bohm was assigned to three Phillies levels in his first professional season. He has played only parts of two minor league seasons and has already made it to Double-A Reading, where he was challenged a bit by improved pitching.

I saw Bohm in the 2019 Arizona Fall League and he was explosive. The ball just jumped off his bat to all parts of the field, but I was most impressed with his ability to hit all types of pitches.

Tall and lanky, Bohm is strong enough to hit the ball out of any park. He'll have a nice home park advantage playing in Philadelphia, where his power will show.

I see Bohm hitting for both power and average. I see him clogging bases with little to no speed and poor footwork. 

Defensively, he is slow to the ball at both corners with a lack of agility and unrefined baseball instincts. But you don't need him for defense. You need his bat, and you'll get it. GRADE: 55

Brandon Marsh, Angels, OF, BL, 6-4, 215, Age 22

Brandon Marsh looks even bigger in person than his listed height and weight. He has a powerful frame that bodes well for the Angels' power production.

The Angels selected Marsh in the second round of the 2016 draft out of Buford High School in Georgia. He was the 60th player taken, and the Angels had to pay him only a $1,073,300 signing bonus. He could become a real steal.

When I saw Marsh in this past Arizona Fall League, he was dominating pitchers with hard line drives that he took up the middle of the diamond. For a big, strong slugger type hitter, he has little trouble making contact with a fairly consistent swing from an upright stance. He abandoned a crouch when I saw him in the fall, and it worked.

Marsh has been able to hit for a solid batting average early in his career and his power should arrive soon. He may even add more strength to his already strong frame.

One aspect I really liked when scouting Marsh was his ability to be patient at the plate and accept a walk. In fact, last season he walked 47 times at Double-A Mobile. In his 412 plate appearances, Marsh struck out 92 times. That's very credible.

Marsh plays hard. He has endured both elbow and ankle injuries that have cost him playing time. Those injuries don't concern me.

I look for an Angels outfield of Brandon Marsh, Mike Trout and Jo Adell as soon as 2021.

Grab him now while he's still a bit of a secret. He'll just get better. GRADE: 60

Khalil Lee, Royals, OF, BL, 5-10, 170, Age 21

(By reader request)

I am not a fan for fantasy. 

I think Lee is a much better defensive than offensive player. He has a strong arm and fair speed, but his hit tool and power are lacking.

The Royals made Lee a third-round draft pick out of Flint High School in Oakton, Va. He pitched there as well as play the outfield.

Lee does have solid baseball instincts, but he doesn't generate power from his trunk or forearms. He hasn't been able to consistently refine his hitting mechanics and it shows.

To me, there seems to be almost a panic in his approach at the plate, as he puts pressure on himself to hit. Last year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, he struck out 154 times in 546 plate appearances. For this old scout, that's way too many strikeouts from a guy that offers little to no power. He hit only eight home runs last year, and has 37 in parts of four minor league seasons.

To his credit, he did walk a whopping 65 times. Does that show he has good plate discipline, or is he too passive early in the count? I think it may be both.

I just see this guy as being greatly challenged by breaking balls and good pitching. 

He has that strong pitcher's arm, fairly good speed and can play well on defense. But in fantasy, defense doesn't pay off. In a word, meh! GRADE: 45

Mitch Keller-Pirates-RHP-6-2, 210-Age 24

Mitch Keller is the best prospect on a woeful baseball team with very few quality prospects.

A second-round 2014 selection out of Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Pirates have been waiting for Keller to join their rotation full time. He started 11 games last year and compiled a 1-5 record. He threw to a 7.13 ERA in 48 innings. Walking 65 and yielding 72 hits in those 48 innings left him with a 1.83 WHIP. He gave up six home runs.

True, Keller has a nice repertoire that includes a fastball that touches 95 and a slider, changeup and curveball. Other than his fastball, I consider his arsenal to be mediocre.

When I saw Keller pitch in the 2017 Arizona Fall League he had great difficulty holding runners on base. His delivery was slow to the plate and a bit too methodical.

For Keller to succeed at the big league level, he will have to command his breaking ball and throw more strikes. It really is a fairly simple recipe, but it hasn't happened yet. The fastball is good. The slider and curve are sharp enough, but he doesn't repeat his delivery and he gets wild and behind in counts.

Last year, Keller was equally bad against both right and left-handed hitters, so you can't trust him yet against a lineup heavy with one type hitter or the other.

Maybe Keller comes around. But. But he pitches for the Pirates. Strike One. But. But he can't throw strike one. Strike Two. But. But he gets the ball up in the zone and yields too many home runs. Strike Three. I'm out. GRADE: 50 (and that's a stretch.)

Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pirates, 3B, BR, 6-1, 210, Age 23

Ke'Bryan Hayes was the No. 32 selection in the 2015 draft. The Pirates chose him out of Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas. He was the second Pirates player taken that year, as Kevin Newman went at No. 19. Newman was paid $2,175,000 for signing. Hayes received $1,825,000. The left side of the Pirates infield may include both Newman and Hayes as early as 2021.

Hayes is a really good defensive third baseman with a very strong and accurate arm.  

Hayes has good speed and does well hitting against right-handed pitching. In an oddity, he has a bit of trouble hitting against lefties as a right-handed hitter.

I see Hayes as a quality big league hitter, but not much of a slugger. I don't see home runs in his future, even if he gains a bit of depth in his frame. His swing is designed to be measured and consistent. His hitting mechanics are good. He won't be self defeating with a reckless approach.

Making good contact at the plate, Hayes has always had relatively low strikeout rates in parts of five minor league seasons. He also has good pitch recognition and patience at the plate, with good walk rates and an ability to see lots of pitches.

Hayes has a chance to supplant Colin Moran at third base for Pittsburgh, which would be very welcome, indeed. I give Hayes a good chance to be helpful, but not great. GRADE: 50

HEADING HOME

Major league baseball management and players best be careful. Their contentious negotiations have become more about money than health. They risk turning off even the most ardent baseball fans with bickering over money. They simply have to negotiate their way to a compromise.

If you wish me to profile a player on these pages, please leave a note in the message area below. If the player has at least two years of professional experience, I will consider including the player in my reviews. There simply isn't enough data or a visible body of work on players drafted as recently as last year.

Follow me on twitter @BerniePleskoff and read my baseball columns at forbes.com.

Stay safe and healthy out there.