Top 5 Texas Rangers Sleepers - Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide 2009

1. Chris Davis (1B)

2. Nelson Cruz (RF)

3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C)

4. David Murphy (LF)

5. Matt Harrison (LHP)

Player Projections and Details

1. Chris Davis (1B)

Chris Davis is one of the Rangers' brightest young stars and was an absolute monster at the plate upon his arrival in Arlington late last June. Having a reputation for racking up home runs in the minors, he continued that trend in the big leagues and hit 17 homers and drove in 55 runs in only 295 at-bats. Just so you know how impressive that is, his Rangers teammate Josh Hamilton hit 13 homers and drove in 50 in his final 295 at-bats of the season. Even more impressive is the fact that Hamilton was batting 3rd or 4th in the lineup, while Davis was typically hitting in the bottom third and therefore received less RBI opportunities. Still, "Crush" Davis has not yet played a full major league season, and expectations should be tempered accordingly. He could very well put up those numbers for a full season, but there are definitely more reliable options out there. Assuming no sophomore slump, you can expect at least 25 home runs and 90 RBIs from the young slugger.

2. Nelson Cruz (RF)

Nelson Cruz, 28, has long been expected to break out and become an offensive force. Every year he tears through Triple-A pitchers, but when he gets called up to the majors he struggles. Last year he was especially productive at Triple-A Oklahoma, where he hit 37 homers in 383 at-bats, and was able to carry some of that momentum up to Texas when he was called up in late August. Over the final few weeks of the season Cruz hit .330 with 7 home runs and 26 RBIs. If he truly did figure something out in Oklahoma, he just might make someone's fantasy draft go from good to championship-caliber. His manager Ron Washington has shown enough confidence in Nelson to name him the Rangers' probable cleanup hitter going into spring training, and in the Rangers' offensive machine that could easily mean a 100 RBI season for Cruz. He is a risky pick, and a bold one, but if his recent production was not a mirage he could hit for a good average while throwing in 25-30 home runs.

3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C)

The man with the longest last name in baseball history is loaded with offensive potential at the catcher position. If all goes well with Salty he could be one of the best fantasy catchers in the game. But right now he's stuck in a likely platoon at catcher with rookie Taylor Teagarden, and it's unlikely he'll be a break-out star this year. If he is traded or if Teagarden gets hurt his value could climb quickly, as he's capable of hitting .270 with 20 home runs and 75 RBIs over the course of a full season. The catching situation in Texas merits watching, as you could find a nice catching option in the later rounds on draft day if things unfurl just right.

4. David Murphy (LF)

David Murphy will go into spring training hoping to edge out Marlon Byrd for the starting left fielder job. If he goes into the season starting and gets a full season of at-bats, Murphy could easily hit .270 with 15-20 home runs and 80 RBIs. He would be a good 4th outfielder on a fantasy baseball team, particularly if your league gives points for doubles, which he gets in bunches. Murphy is the type of player who always outperforms expectations--he did it last year, serving as a catalyst for the Rangers' offense and, for a stretch, leading the league in doubles--and this year should be no different. Keep his name in the back of your mind, and feel comfortable taking a flier on him in the later rounds of your draft.

5. Matt Harrison (LHP)

Last year the young lefthander arrived in Arlington as just another kid rushed to the majors to bail out the injury-riddled pitching staff, but just three months later Matt Harrison had tied the Rangers rookie record for most wins in a season with 9. It's a success story no doubt, and lefties do tend to fare better than right-handed pitchers in Rangers Ballpark (see: Kenny Rogers), but Harrison will not be the savior of anyone's fantasy rotations. He could win 10-15 games next season if he keeps pitching the way he did last summer, but that will come with an ERA around 5.00 with few strikeouts and a 1.50 WHIP. If you're hurting for wins, Harrison could be a great help, but wait and see how he fares in the first few weeks of the season before grabbing him.

Not Worth The Risk: Omar Vizquel (SS), Marlon Byrd (OF)