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2015 Fantasy Baseball Profile: 3B Manny Machado

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By @bradberreman24

Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles, Fantasy Baseball 2015

Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Recovery from left knee surgery delayed Manny Machado’s 2014 debut until May 1, and after a slow start (.220 batting average in May) he hit .307 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 55 games (218 at-bats) from June 1-August 11. But another injury, this time to his right knee, ended his season early and the young third baseman finished with a slash-line of .278/.324/.431 along with 12 home runs and 32 RBI over 327 at-bats.

It’s easy to forget that Machado is still just 22 years old, and all indications are is he is on track to be ready for Opening Day after progressing well through his rehab.

Here’s my look at Machado from a fantasy baseball perspective for 2015.

Machado’s 2013 season gave us as snapshot of his potential, as he hit .283 with 14 home runs, 71 RBI and an American League-leading 51 doubles over 667 at-bats. He nearly matched that home run total in just under half the at-bats last season, as a significant spike in his home run/fly ball rate (15 percent; 7.9 percent in 2013) turned some of those doubles into home runs.

They key for Machado this season is staying healthy. Knee surgery in back-to-back years has to be a concern for fantasy owners, and the Baltimore Orioles until proven otherwise, so any fantasy owner that drafts him will have to embrace some risk.

Third base is not very deep in fantasy again this year, with very few top-notch, reliable options and a lot of question marks. Machado fits right in among those question marks at the hot corner, but his upside is unique and should particularly be noted if you’re in a keeper league and he is available.

This looks like the last year to get Machado at a discount in fantasy drafts and auctions, since a full healthy season in 2015 could easily make him the top-ranked third baseman at this time next year. Any projection for Machado may represent his low-end if he can stay healthy all season, but durability concerns have to be built-in.

Manny Machado 2015 Fantasy Projection: .280 batting average, 21 home runs, 75 RBI, 65 runs scored

Brad Berreman is a Columnist/Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Connect with him on Twitter or Google +.

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