NL FAAB Factor: Memorial Day Edition

Normally, this would be my weekly look at National League free agents. But as we all know, we are not in normal times. First and foremost, I hope you and all of your loved ones are safe and well and remain that way.

To provide you some fresh reading material during this mandated hiatus, this article will look at some interesting NL players to draft and/or add off waivers. The LABR and Tout Wars NL-only leagues are our starting point for the column. Players drafted late or reserve picks are the main focus, though I probably will touch on others whose values I think will exceed their costs. My plan is to cover a handful of names each week, hopefully saving several over for the following column, allowing a new population of players to be covered weekly.

To make this somewhat interactive, as always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask in the comments and I will touch on those the following week. We will see how many weeks this lasts, and hopefully by the time we exhaust all the names we want to cover, we will have baseball or an idea when games will resume, enabling a resumption of the normal column.

Major league baseball proposed the use of a Universal DH two weeks ago in its submission to the Players Association. All signs point to the ratification of this change — presuming the revenue sharing issues can be ironed out and baseball played — meaning that National League games will mirror those of the Junior Circuit. My first few columns of the year highlighted a few players who will benefit from the Universal DH, while last week's column focused heavily on those players. The week's column includes additional hitters who figure to benefit from the addition of another position player in the batting order.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! Thank you to all those who served and continue to serve. 

STARTING PITCHER

Josh Lindblom, Brewers: We are receiving an education on Korea Baseball with ESPN airing KBO games. The exposure to that league should aid all of us in our evaluation of Lindblom, who parlayed two brilliant KBO seasons, including an MVP campaign in 2019, into an incentives-laden three-year, $9.125 million deal with the Brewers that can earn him up to $18 million. Lindblom's career took over after he ditched his two-seamer for his high-spin four-seamer, giving him six pitches as his disposal. He ended the shortened spring as Milwaukee's third starter. LABR: $5; Tout Wars: $6 

RELIEF PITCHER

Tyler Rogers, Giants – Rogers' funky, submarine delivery and ability to generate groundballs at a copious rate earned him a prominent role in the SF bullpen after his August 2018 call-up. A 26th-round pick in 2013, Rogers was developed as a reliever since Day 1, moving steadily up the ladder. Rogers delivered a 1.02 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB over 17.2 innings while recording five holds for the Giants last summer, and due to the lack of set options in the SF bullpen, he should continue to late-inning duty with potentially the ability to close. LABR: Not owned; Tout Wars: Reserve pick

CATCHER 

Kurt Suzuki, Nationals: I have focused on backup catchers in several columns, believing that the potential condensed schedule with necessitate turning to the second backstop more frequently. You could argue that Suzuki is at worst 1B and maybe the top dog behind the plate in Washington, where Yan Gomes struggled last season. Suzuki was scheduled to serve as the primary catcher for Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez during the regular season with Gomes slated to catch 4-5 times a week. But the condensed schedule could change that alignment, which also could be impacted if Gomes further declines as a hitter. One caveat is that Gomes graded out better than Gomes pitch framing and pop time from behind the plate. LABR: $7; Tout Wars: $7

FIRST BASE

Kevin Cron, Diamondbacks: I profiled Jake Lamb last week, but in that coverage, I gave a shot out to Cron , writing: "Lamb, who in 2016-17 averaged 29.5 home runs and 98 runs batted in, should play against righties, against whom he has a career .814 OPS, with Cron, a minor-league masher who belted 44 home runs between Triple-A Reno and Arizona in 2019, starting vs. righties." At-bats are at-bats, and however Cron can get ion the field, we saw that his power did come with him to the big leagues, albeit with an inability to make consistent contact and high-K rate. LABR: $1; Tout Wars: Reserve

SECOND BASE

Jason Kipnis, Cubs: Kipnis spent the first nine years of his career with Cleveland, who declined his 2020 option. Chicago signed the veteran second baseman to a minor-league deal, which included a spring training invite in February. Kipnis, who hit .245/.304/.410 with 17 home runs in 2019, was one of four players in the mix to start at second base. Nico Hoerner may be the favorite to open the season as the starter, but Kipnis is in the mix to see at bats as the DH. He faces somewhat of an uphill battle as Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ and Steven Souza also are in the mix. Starting one as DH frees up a spot in the crowded Cubs' outfield and allows strong defenders like Albert Almora and Jason Heyward to patrol the field. LABR: $0; Tout Wars: $1 

THIRD BASE 

Matt Carpenter, Cardinals: St. Louis signed Carpenter to a two-year, $37 million contract extension with the in April 2019. Due to that contract, which also includes vesting of team option for 2022, the Cardinals are stuck with Carpenter, who showed signs of decline last season. Moving Carpenter periodically from the hot corner to DH would keep Carpenter fresh and possibly enable him to revert back to even his 2015-16 form. St. Louis could then shift Tommy Edman from left field to third base when Carpenter is the DH, providing Lane Thomas and Dylan Carlson, see below, additional playing time. LABR: $10, Tout Wars: $13 

SHORTSTOP 

Josh Rojas, Diamondbacks: Playing Rojas at shortstop in your league would require the use of minor-league games played and a 15-game eligibility threshold, as Rojas played all 41 games he saw in the majors last season in the outfield. Presuming those criteria is allowable, Rojas, who saw time at second base and shortstop this spring, makes a perfect back end roster filler in NL-only leagues. Rojas came to Arizona from Houston as part of the haul for Zack Greinke with a power-speed combination, which he displayed signs of in the majors. That flexibility and upside coupled with the use of the DH adds to Rojas' value. LABR: $0; Tout Wars: $1

OUTFIELD

Dylan Carlson, Cardinals: Carlson exploded on the scene last season, moving from prospect to top-tier prospect. Question remain as to whether he is ready for major-league pitching, but he did not look out of place this spring, carrying his 2019 performance forward. Despite just playing 18 games at Triple-A, Carlson has made a major impression on the Cardinals' major-league coaching staff and is considered "a lock" for the big-league club this coming regular season now that expanded rosters are strongly expected to be implemented. Dexter Fowler, Tyler O'Neill, Harrison Bader and Lane Thomas are battling for playing time in the outfield, but the Universal DH could allow Carlson to make the team when play baseball resumes. LABR: $3; Tout Wars: $8

Josh Naylor, Padres: Last week, Franchy Cordero was profiled, this week, it's another San Diego outfielder. Naylor, originally selected by Miami, is better served to manning first base, but Eric Hosmer is locked at the position with Wil Myers also possibly in the mix. The Padres tried Naylor in left field, but it's pretty clear he is ill-suited for playing the outfield. One potential option is to start Myers in right, then platoon the right-handed-hitting Brian Dozier, who hits much better against left-handed pitching, and the left-handed-hitting Naylor versus right-handed pitching at DH. But San Diego also has Cordero, Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham who need to receive playing time, impacting Naylor's ability to see consistent at bats. LABR: $0; Tout Wars: Reserve