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In a fantasy baseball draft, it is incredibly important to have identified not only some of the most talented players in the MLB who can help guide your roster to a championship, but also the most versatile who can help you in many different ways. Balance is not only important when considering how many different statistics a player excels at, but also in how many different spots he is eligible to play for your team. Perhaps no player is more versatile of an offensive player in fantasy baseball than the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ Martin Prado.
Prado is a very similar fantasy baseball option as the Tampa Bay Rays‘ Ben Zobrist, in that while neither will overwhelm with statistics, their stats are very solid and they are eligible in the outfield and the infield, giving them the opportunity to stay in your lineup virtually every day. Prado is eligible at second base, third base and outfield on most fantasy baseball host sites.
In 2013, Prado played in a healthy 155 games and hit a respectable .282 with 14 HRs and 83 RBIs. His on-base percentage left something to desire at .333, but he scored 72 runs and of his 172 hits, 52 were for extra-bases (36 doubles, 14 HRs as mentioned and two triples), which was surprisingly one more than Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton (51).
Prado is currently ranked as the 114th best overall fantasy player and carries a 115.6 average draft position (ADP) across many sites, according to the fantasypros.com charts. He is considered the 11th best 3B option, the 9th best 2B option, and the 36th best outfield option, making him a borderline must-draft player in standard leagues and an absolute must in National League only settings.
Prado clearly holds the most value for your roster using him in the 2B role. He is currently sandwiched between Brandon Phillips (109.4 ADP) and teammate Aaron Hill (116.8 ADP) on most sites. While I like Phillips to rebound this season and Hill is probably a better offensive player, I implore you to take Prado if the situation arises, simply because he will affect your roster more throughout the season due to the fact that he is so versatile and fits into so many roles.
Timothy Downs is a fantasy sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can add him on Google or follow on Twitter @Tidow1212.
