13. Kris Bryant– Chicago Cubs
2018 stats- 102 games .272/.374/.460 13 homers 52 RBI
2019 steamer- 143 games .275/.382/.504 29 homers 89 RBI
Let’s face it. If you drafted Kris Bryant in fantasy baseball you weren’t thrilled in 2018. Injuries. A strikeout rate that rose four percent while his walk rate dropped four percent. Career lows across the board. I wouldn’t be as concerned going into 2019. I think he should get back to his normal, productive self this year and the fact that he has some positional flexibility makes him that much of an asset.
He was able to get a full winter of workouts in and his shoulder should be good to go. This is a player who’s entering his age 27 season, which is smack dab in his prime. This is a player who has been an MVP in the past.
Over the past three seasons, Bryant is tied for fourth in homers, third in runs, tied for sixth in batting average, first in OBP, fourth in slugging and second in WRC+.
I expect Bryant to dip a little bit in fantasy baseball drafts this year. He was top pick over the past couple of years, but won’t be this year. I would take the chance on him and expect a rebound in production for 2019.