Washington Nationals 2017 Fantasy Outlook: Hidden Gems

5. Michael A. Taylor

By 2017, Washington Nationals fans will have heard this name and been disappointed far too much, but once again he is impressing in spring training.  He is capable of hitting 20 home runs if given the time. Someday, he is going to click and hit above .280. Maybe 2017 is that year.

Taylor’s path to playing time is not too crowded. All it would take is one injury from Werth, Harper or Eaton, who outside of Eaton, aren’t the best at staying healthy. If selected as the fourth outfielder, Taylor will get some meaningful playing time weekly in an effort to keep the others healthy. That type of playing time is not enough to roster him on your fantasy team but if one of the stars get injured he is next in line.

If he becomes a full time player due to injury, he would be someone that I would take a serious look at on the waiver wire. It isn’t often that you can find someone who has the ability to steal bases and hit home runs.

Although it is less proven, Taylor also has the ability to hit well. In 76 games last year, Taylor stole 14 bags and hit seven home runs. Those types of numbers would easily fit into your fantasy team if you are looking for steals or home runs in category leagues or if you need someone to fill in while someone is injured.

If given the time to play this year, Taylor is going to have some sort of impact. If he finally gets that batting average up to par, he may actually turn into a fantasy star.