2008 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Cameron Maybin

by faketeams on Jan 16, 2008 6:59 AM EST in Baseball

The centerpiece of the package the Florida Marlins received from the Detroit Tigers for 3B Miguel Cabrera and LP Dontrelle Willis was CF Cameron Maybin. He is a player who projects to be the power and speed combination that fantasy players drool over.

However, he is just 20-years-old and had a very disappointing 49 AB major league stint last season when he "produced" a slash stat line of 143/208/265. It is the kind of effort that logically leads to the conclusion he was rushed and won't be ready to contribute positively in the 2008 season. (John Sickels of Minor League Ball offers his prospect analysis.)

To illustrate this conventional wisdom being reflected in fantasy terms, Mock Draft Central has his ADP at 297 while being drafted in just 17.8% of the drafts so far. Over the past two weeks, his ADP has dropped 36.1% further demonstrating the acceptance by the fantasy baseball community that he is not going to be a viable 2008 contributor.

However, I still think he will be a major sleeper in 2008. The Marlins have effectively given him the CF job by not bringing in any players who can play CF, and, more importantly, the Marlins gave-up two very desirable major leaguers to get him (and LP Andrew Miller!)

I can't help sensing the Marlins see something in Maybin that brings to mind Hanley Ramirez. Only in Maybin's case, he had not stagnated under the burden of can't-miss-prospect status as Ramirez was doing when the Red Sox dealt him three off-seasons ago in the Josh Beckett deal.

If my spider sense is correct Maybin could be in for a monster fantasy season in 2008 - 20 HRs and 40 SB!

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wow

those are lofty numbers for a 20 yr old with 49 major league ABs. I'll be surprised he breaks camp with the Marlins.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 16, 2008 8:49 AM EST reply actions

Who's drinking the Kool-aid!?!

I agree raygu, I just do not have any sense that Maybin will be anywhere that good ...YET.

If he even has half the year Chris Young had last year, I would consider that a success.

by Ratdog90 on Jan 16, 2008 9:16 AM EST up reply actions

WHOA!!!

20hr and 40stl?!?

I agree with Raygu, theres not even a certainty he makes the big league roster.

And while he may one day be a 20hr threat, much of his power he showed last year was in a two or three week time period, beyond that he was over matched.

I also think hitting in Florida is going to hurt him, not to mention his age and extreme 'raw-ness'.

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by brandini on Jan 16, 2008 8:26 PM EST reply actions

I was surprised

to see Maybin on the Marlins 40 man roster. This doesn't guarantee he breaks camp with Fla, but why would they do that with a 20 yr old?

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 17, 2008 9:38 AM EST reply actions

RE: 40 man

Was he not added to Detroits in August? That means his service time clock has already started, so no harm in keeping him on it.

Even if he doesn't break camp, theres no way he doesn't get at least a mid season call up, so this just saves some energy for the FA.

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by brandini on Jan 17, 2008 10:47 AM EST up reply actions

By FA

I mean FO.

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by brandini on Jan 17, 2008 10:47 AM EST up reply actions

Maybin

While this is just my spider sense, I cannot shake the Hanley Ramirez situation. He had never done anything close to what he did in his first two seasons with the Marlins while in the minor leagues.

I suspect something similar based on nothing but the heightened senses acquired via the bite of a radioactive spider.

by faketeams on Jan 17, 2008 12:19 PM EST reply actions