Milwaukee Brewers Hitters: 2015 Team Preview

Jul 30, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Ryan Braun (8) runs to first base against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

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Carlos Gomez is a surefire first-rounder in 2015 for his big time numbers in every category.  He is the only player in Major League Baseball to hit 20+ homers and steal 30+ bases in the last two seasons.  With Gomez, you are drafting an incredibly high floor in a player in his prime that should finish among the top 15 at worst.  When you factor in his great defense in centerfield, Carlos Gomez has developed into one of baseball’s best players.

Quite frankly, I just do not believe in investing in catchers.  Jonathan Lucroy is a fine player who should produce, but you are paying for fewer games played and higher risk of injury when you draft a catcher.  I would rather take my chances on the inexpensive catcher who could be “next” instead of overpaying for mediocre counting stats.  However, if Jonathan Lucroy hits Tanner’s projections, then he will easily be the #2 catcher in fantasy this year.

I am still very disappointed that Ryan Braun is no longer a fantasy superstar.  His incredible production in 2011 and 2012 had me believing that he would be the best player in fantasy for years to come.  Even with the PED suspension in 2013 and the thumb issues the last two seasons, I still have Braun as a top 30 player.  Ryan Braun is a ship that I am willing to sink with because I am holding out hope that the former fantasy god still has it in him to once again lead the Brewers.

Aramis Ramirez will never stop being fantasy relevant.  I wrote about his age in this article, but I am still confident that he will hit 15 home runs and have a batting average in the .280’s even as he turns 37 this year.  Aramis Ramirez has been a great fantasy option since 2001 when he exploded on to the scene with 83 runs, 34 homers, 112 RBI’s, and a .300/.350/.536 slash with the Pirates.  The NL Central lifer will continue to defy age in 2015.

Khris Davis will supply some power for the Brewers, and he is a very inexpensive option if you need 20 to 25 homers from an OF spot.  He was a big breakout candidate after his 56-game stint in 2013, and I would say he met expectations last season.  Now, we have more data on Khris Davis, and I believe that his solid 2014 numbers are very repeatable.

Tanner Bell of Smart Fantasy Baseball has created all of the projections seen in this post.  You can read about how he develops his projections here.  His projections are invaluable to this site.  You can also visit his site at www.smartfantasybaseball.com.