Ehire Adrianza

Adrianza was coming off his best season at the plate in 2019 as Minnesota's utility infielder, but took a step back last year. He hit just .191 with a .557 OPS. Despite drawing more walks (10.9%), he struck out more frequently (22.8%). His power took a hit, as he failed to hit a home run and had a .270 SLG. He did bounce back after an off year with the glove, posting positive metrics at shortstop (1 SRS), second base (1 DRS) and decent marks at third base (-1 DRS). Adrianza doesn't do much for fantasy purposes with few home runs and stolen bases. However, his versatility (he played the outfield and first base in 2019), above-average glove and switch hitting will likely find him in a utility role again.

Adrianza had the best season of his career at the plate as he showed increasing power and made better contact. Still, it was just his first season with an above-average bat (102 wRC+). Adrianza was Minnesota's primary utility infielder who could also be used in the outfield in a pinch. He somehow ended up starting 20 games at first base even though better hitting options were usually on the bench and he struggled with the glove. Despite a reputation for a being a strong defender, he was below average in most defensive metrics at second base and shortstop (both -2 DRS). He did miss a month with an abdominal issue. He'll need to bounce back with his glove because his bat isn't strong enough to keep a big-league job with just average fielding skills. He doesn't do much for fantasy purposes with few home runs and stolen bases. However, he should begin the season as Minnesota's utility infielder.

Adrianza entered last season as Minnesota's utility infielder but was pressed into more regular duty with Jorge Polanco's 80-game suspension and Miguel Sano's demotion to the minors. Adrianza showed a little more pop in his bat with six home runs, but most of his metrics dipped. After showing an improved eye in 2017 with an 89.8% contact rate, Adrianza struck out 22.4% of the time last season, which is too much for a player of his ilk. Seen as a versatile utility man with an above-average glove at shortstop, Adrianza actually graded poorly at shortstop in advanced metrics (26th at SS in DRS among qualifiers) and was below average at second base and third base. He'll need to bounce back with the glove to keep a spot on the roster as a utility player. He doesn't add much for fantasy purposes with minimal power and speed. His health could also be an issue this spring after surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder in September.

Minnesota grabbed Adrianza off waivers before last season as a versatile utility man with an above-average glove at shortstop who had shown little at the plate in the majors. After missing most of the first half of the season with an oblique issue, Adriana showed promise at the plate by hitting .262 with a .735 OPS after the All-Star break. He significantly improved his contact (career-high 83 percent contact rate) and drew more walks. He offers some speed and improving power, but may not see many at-bats in a utility role.

Primarily known for his defensive prowess, Adrianza took a step forward with his bat in 2016. He saw upticks in batting average (.254), slugging percentage (.381) and isolated power (.127) over his 2015 totals while serving as a utility infielder for the Giants. San Francisco's infield will be just as crowded in 2017 as it was last season, so the switch-hitting middle infielder will begin the year as a bench bat, leaving him off the standard fantasy radar. Deep leaguers will want to familiarize themselves with Adrianza in the event that he continues to improve offensively, because he could have some value if he falls into regular playing time at any point next season. However, it'll be tough for him to get many opportunities after being claimed by the Twins, a team that also has a good amount of infield depth at the major league level.

The Giants starting middle infielders suffered significant injuries in 2015, opening up playing time for the 26-year-old Adrianza. He didn't take advantage of the career-high 135 plate appearances, slashing just .186/.303/.265 with three stolen bases. The switch-hitting shortstop isn't known for his hitting prowess, so his lack of fantasy production came as no surprise. Despite his struggles, the Giants will likely give him another chance to compete for a spot on the 25-man roster out of spring training due to his plus defense. From a fantasy perspective, he should be ignored in all but the deepest formats.

The switching-hitting Adrianza was limited to just 59 games between Triple-A Fresno and San Francisco in 2014, losing the second half of his season to a severe hamstring strain. Over the course of his minor-league development, Adrianza has flashed more offensive ability than Joaquin Arias, but as long as Arias is in the mix, Adrianza seems destined to be on the outside looking in as the team's utility infielder. It's expected that he'll begin his 2015 campaign with the Giants' new Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento (if he clears waivers), where he will await an injury at the big-league level to clear his path back to the 25-man roster. As long as Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik are healthy, the Giants figure to have very few at-bats up for grabs in the middle infield over the next couple of seasons.

The 24-year-old rookie got his first taste of the majors last September after spending seven years in the Giants' minor league system. True to his "all glove, no bat" scouting profile, Adrianza dazzled with his defense, but left a lot to be desired with his bat (.222/.263/.444). He will likely spend the majority of 2014 at Triple-A Fresno, barring any sort of serious injury to the Giants' starting infielders.

Adrianza was one of the biggest disappointments in the Giants' system in 2012, putting together his worst professional season to date. While he is still considered a top defender at the position, his .220/.289/.310 slash line and .276 wOBA in Double-A were dismaying and reinforce some of the criticisms that he does not have enough of a bat to make an impact in the majors. Adrianza's 17.6 percent strikeout rate did not increase, and much of his drop in batting average is due to his .266 BABIP. Expect him to stay in Double-A for most of 2013.

Adrianza struggled out of the gate last year following thumb surgery, but he picked it up as the season progressed. He finished with a .300/.375/.470 line over 230 at-bats after moving up to High-A, which wasn’t bad for a 21-year-old with a plus glove at shortstop. After stealing 33 bases the year before, that number fell to just eight last season, so he’s likely to be more helpful to the Giants than a fantasy team, though there’s plenty of time for things to change. Adrianza won’t be a big-league option for at least a couple years.