Fantasy Baseball: Arizona Diamondback SS Stephen Drew

Stephen Drew was a highly touted prospect at the beginning of the 2007 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was touted as a power hitting SS with a good glove and was handed the everyday SS job coming out of spring training at the age of 24. In 2007, he hit .236-12-60-60. Not bad for his first full year, but more was expected of him, especially with an older brother, the backstabber (sorry) named J.D.

In my NL only snake draft league, he was the 9th SS taken in the 7th round behind the following: Ramirez, Rollins, Reyes, Tejada, Furcal, Tulo, Greene and Theriot. In one of my keeper leagues, I traded him for Adam Wainwright. Drew answered all the naysayers in 2008, hitting .291-21-91-67. Only Hanley Ramirez and J.J. Hardy hit more HRs, and only Hardy and Jose Reyes had more RBI than Drew.

Going into 2009, he could be the 4th SS off the board in NL only snake drafts depending on where Rafael Furcal signs in the offseason. I think he will end up with more HRs than any SS not named Hanley since he hits in a hitter friendly ballpark in Arizona. He also could easily lead all NL shortstops in RBI should Arizona find a legitimate leadoff hitter and drop him in their batting order.

Where would you draft Drew amongst NL shortstops in 2009?