Two years ago, Marcell Ozuna looked like a rising star, coming off a season in which he clubbed 23 homers and hit .269 as a 23-year-old. He slumped in a big way last year, however, ultimately winding up with a dubiously deserved trip to the minors to work on his swing. Which Ozuna should Fantasy owners expect this season; the one who could hit 30 homers, or the barely replacement-level player we saw for most of last season.
Ozuna's power largely disappeared last season, especially prior to his demotion. He hit just four homers in his first 79 games, and it's not hard to see why -- he stopped hitting the ball in the air. Ozuna's swing was all out of whack, and he sported a 53.3 percent groundball rate in the first half of the season. However, he lowered that groundball rate to 38.9 percent after returning from the minors, and hit six homers in 42 games, while hitting .278/.320/.469.
Ozuna's Fantasy value is going to depend on his ability to hit 20-plus homers, and he can't do that if half of his batted balls are on the ground. With the adjustments he made in the second half of the season, there is reason to believe he can get back to his 2014 levels, if not improve on them.