Trea Turner's upside worth gambling on
The Nationals have received big contributions from young players in recent years, and they will need another big prospect to step up if they want to get back to the playoffs in 2016. Shortstop Trea Turner got his first taste of the majors last season and struggled a bit, but has plenty of upside for Fantasy players to dream on this season.
Turner hit just .225 in his 44 plate appearances a year ago, with a strikeout in 27.2 percent of his trips to the plate, an uncharacteristic struggle for a player who hit .322 with a 19.9 percent strikeout rate in the minors. If Turner's game is going to translate to the majors, it will be because he can get that average up near .300, allowing his gap power and baserunning abilities to play up.
His struggles last season likely mean he won't have a job from day one -- thanks Dusty Baker! -- but he is the highest-upside play the Nationals have to choose from, and that upside -- 35 steals, 10 homers, .300 average -- makes him worth stashing even if he isn't starting from day one.
