Kuzul

Sometimes, the moves that make the biggest impacts in sports are the ones that are swept under the rug in favor of more high-profile transactions. 

It’s no different in baseball than it is in any other sport. Would the Kansas City Royals have won a World Series title without the additions of Kendrys Morales and Edinson Volquez? Jed Lowrie and Colby Rasmus paid huge dividends for the Houston Astros last season, while A.J. Burnett worked out just fine for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In a winter filled with big names and even bigger contracts, there are many impact moves flying under the radar once again.

While the baseball world was fixated on the trades of Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman, the Astros improved significantly with the addition of Ken Giles. The New York Mets didn’t re-sign playoff hero Daniel Murphy, but Neil Walker is more than a consolation prize. 

Those are just a few of the players we’ll touch on over the following slides. What other moves are flying under the radar this winter? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below.

Let’s dive right in with our fifth-most underrated move. 

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Every year in MLB, we’re treated to the out-of-nowhere emergence of more than one new star. 

While it may be out of the blue to most of the baseball world, players like Matt Duffy, Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts all showed signs that a breakout was on the horizon during the previous season. 

There are a handful of MLB players that fit that mold once again as we close in on the start of the 2016 campaign. Over the next few slides, we’ll identify a handful of under-the-radar players that are poised to become the league’s next breakout stars. 

Hurlers like Anthony DeSclafani and Trevor May provided their teams with quality production last season, even if their ERA said otherwise. Digging deeper into the stats proves that with a year of experience and a little better luck, both hurlers are candidates to take the next step in 2016.

In terms of position players, Enrique Hernandez, Ender Inciarte and David Peralta provided glimpses of their abilities last season, too. If each player can put together a full season of production, they’ll continue their ascent to MLB stardom. 

Let us know what you think in the comments section below. Are you excited to see these players on your team this season? Who else do you think has breakout potential? 

Let’s dive right into our list. 

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It’s never too early to deem offseason acquisitions busts or steals, and there’s already been plenty of moves we can analyze so far this winter. 

Over the next few slides, we’ll identify a handful of those transactions that fall under those two categories. 

What constitutes a bust or a steal? In short, teams that overextend themselves either financially or with prospects have overpaid for a player. This winter, Ben Zobrist and Shelby Miller were involved in deals that teams may regret down the road. 

On the other hand, deals that are team friendly in relation to the free-agent and trade markets normally earn steal status. Johnny Cueto’s $130 million deal looks like a bargain when considering what other hurlers have gone for this winter, while Todd Frazier and John Jaso can each make an impact with their new teams for relatively little cost. 

Let us know what you think in the comments section below. Are you thrilled that your team added one of these players for the price that they did? Disappointed? Who else can be considered a steal or bust from this busy winter?

The games still need to be played, and each of the players on this list are talented enough to live up to their price tag. But as of now, we can still make some assumptions based off the data at hand. 

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Merry Christmas to all of you loyal B/R readers!

As you’re enjoying the opening of gifts this morning, there will likely be gear from your favorite MLB team underneath the wrapping paper. Representing your team is your duty as a fan, but some will sport their team’s logo with a little more excitement than others. 

Those fanbases are the ones we’ll profile over the next few slides—the supporters that have the most to be excited about this Christmas. 

Of course, teams like the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox that hit home runs this offseason made their way onto the list. How can Arizona fans not get excited about its newly constructed starting rotation? Red Sox fans for the acquisitions of David Price and Craig Kimbrel? Cubs fans for the additions of Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and John Lackey? 

Those aren’t the only fanbases that should be buzzing about the futures of their organizations, though. A young, exciting Minnesota Twins team is well ahead of schedule in terms of its rebuild, while the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have made significant strides toward contending sooner than expected through trades for prospects. 

Every team has different expectations, and the games still have to be played next season. Still, the following fanbases should be thrilled with the direction of their teams this Christmas. 

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The MLB offseason always captivates the baseball world, but the moves that are made each winter affect teams that are involved in more ways than one. 

Once the dust settles and pitchers and catchers begin to report to spring training, the magnitude of offseason deals can truly be felt. When new players are added, old names are often left fighting for their jobs in the next season. 

That’s happening across MLB once again heading into 2016. Over the next 10 slides, we’ll provide an early preview of some of the most fascinating position battles that figure to take place this spring. 

What do the additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller mean to the back end of the Arizona Diamondbacks rotation? Who will close games for the Houston Astros, Luke Gregerson or the freshly acquired Ken Giles? Who will be the odd man out in the rotations in San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto? 

Those situations aren’t cut and dry and will require a month’s worth of data this spring for managers to make an educated decision. However, there are early favorites to win each of those competitions, and we’ll identify those players in the slides ahead. 

Depth is always a good thing for a club, but it sets up debates on which players are the right men for the job. There are still plenty of dominoes left to fall this winter, but enough has happened for us to start gauging what will happen when players compete for their spots this spring. 

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It’s almost Christmas, and 2016 is right around the corner. It’s hard to believe that we’re just over two months away from hearing those fateful words: “pitchers and catchers.”

Before we get there, though, there are still plenty of moves left to be made. Most of the heavy lifting has already been done, but several quality players with immense value remain on the market.

David Price, Zack Greinke, Jason Heyward and other high-profile names have understandably received most of the attention this winter. There’s very little doubt that MLB‘s top free-agent targets will have a huge impact in 2016 and beyond.

But in many cases, it’s the underrated, low-profile moves that are directly responsible for success in the following year. By not breaking the bank in free agency, teams can improve and stay out of long-term contracts that may serve as an albatross for years to come.

That’s where the likes of Howie Kendrick, Ian Kennedy, John Jaso and Mitch Moreland come in. No, those names won’t be universally celebrated by acquiring fanbases. But each of those players brings value to the table, and can be had at a reasonable price.

Finding that value is what separates the good teams from the great ones. Let’s look at a few candidates who could provide that spark for needy teams next season. 

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While the attention of the baseball world remains fixated on the never-ending news machine that is the MLB offseason, some well-known prospects are making cases for 2016 roster spots in winter leagues across the Caribbean. 

Over the next few slides, we’ll move away from the rumor mill and look at a handful of prospects making waves in various offseason leagues. 

Some prospects choose not to play when the season ends. For many, it’s just more games in which they can lower their stock or become injured.

But for others, the winter presents a wonderful opportunity to stay hot coming off their minor league seasons or rekindle some of the fire they may have lost while suffering through rough campaigns. 

Tyler White of the Houston Astros and Joey Rickard of the Baltimore Orioles are hoping that fine minor league seasons and solid stretches of at-bats in the winter leagues will lead to success this spring. If so, don’t be shocked to see either player on a big league roster when camp breaks for Opening Day. 

For the Detroit Tigers’ Steven Moya, winter competition has given him an opportunity to regain some of the shine he lost over the last season. Texas Rangers’ Hanser Alberto is hoping to accomplish the same feat, as he struggled mightily in his first taste of the majors last year. 

We get it: It’s hard to get hyped for winter league stats. But stick with us. The following players won’t show up in many headlines over the coming months, but their play this winter could lead to banner moments in 2016. 

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There are always winners and losers in every aspect of life.

The 2015 MLB offseason has been no different. While teams like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks have made serious statements regarding their contention in 2016, several organizations are reeling in disappointment. 

Although 2016 may look bleak at the moment, those organizations are still in position to enter spring training with the coveted title of “offseason winner.” Over the next few slides, we’ll identify those clubs with opportunities to improve their rosters significantly before play begins next spring. 

The teams on this list have two things in common: valuable resources and the need to upgrade their roster.

In the cases of proud franchises like the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, they need to make moves to keep up with improving squads in their respective divisions.

The Kansas City Royals find themselves in the same boat, hoping to match impressive deals made by the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox and the young, talented rosters of the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians.

And judging from the Baltimore Orioles’ offer to free-agent slugger Chris Davis, the O’s are willing to spend big in order to add a proven bat. 

Attention spans for the casual MLB fans are short. Teams that make flashy moves in free agency may earn the headlines, but there’s still plenty of time for desperate squads to regain the faith of their fanbase before pitchers and catchers report in February. 

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If the 2015 MLB season proved anything, it’s that prospects are more valuable than ever before. 

Young talent made immediate impact on virtually every MLB team this past season. Young players like Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa dominated the headlines in October, proving that there should be no timeline on when prospects can contribute at the major league level. 

Many prospects graduated to the big leagues this past season, but there are still a handful of high-upside talents ready to make a name for themselves in 2016. Over the next few slides, we’ll identify those impact prospects poised to become household names next season. 

The players on this list are extremely talented. Some, like Michael Fulmer and Max Kepler, are late bloomers who finally put it all together in 2015. Others, like Blake Snell and A.J. Reed, will ride a wave of momentum from award-winning seasons into 2016. Then there are the likes of Orlando Arcia and Nomar Mazara, major league-ready talents who are often swept to the side in favor of other young players. 

We’ll touch on those names and plenty more in the slides to come. What do you think about our selections? Which prospect are you most excited to see play this season? How quickly can the names on this list reach the big leagues? Your forum is in the comments section below, just one click away. 

Whether it’s to keep up with your favorite team or to get a leg up in your fantasy league, knowing where the next impact youngster is coming from is a must for today’s MLB fan. The prospects on this list may not be well-known names just yet, but that figures to change over the course of the coming months. 

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The 2015 MLB winter meetings have come and gone, and plenty of notable moves have already changed the landscape of MLB. 

Now that the winter meetings are behind us, we have a better sense of the trade market and which players could potentially be moved before the beginning of the 2016 season. Over the next few slides, we’ll try to predict where each of the top 15 trade targets will eventually wind up. 

Some of the players on this list are as good as gone. Jay Bruce, Mitch Moreland, Andrew Cashner and others have been linked to trades all winter and have very little chance of returning to their current squads. 

On the other hand, there are several trade targets that teams would be better suited holding onto. Carlos Carrasco, Jonathan Lucroy and Brett Gardner may have heard their names constantly uttered in the ever-present trade winds, but there’s plenty of reason for their current organizations to retain their services in 2016. 

Let us know what you think about our predictions in the comment section below. Who would you like to see your team target over the next few months? What type of package do you think it will require to add any of the players on this list? 

Judging by the lucrative contracts MLB teams are shelling out to free agents this winter, upgrading through trades may be the best option for teams to add players. The next few slides will identity the top available targets and where we think they’ll call home beginning in 2016. 

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