Welcome back to the Belly Up fantasy baseball profile series we are doing during spring training. We last took a look at two starting pitchers, Trevor Bauer and Shane Bieber. Now we turn out attention to one of most exciting young position players in all of baseball. He has been getting plenty of attention in recent days, having signed a mammoth new contract. That’s right kids, buckle up as we examine his prospects on this fantasy profile Fernando Tatis.

Fernando Tatis- Major League Debut

Tatis made his major league debut in 2019, and what a debut it was! Even though he only played roughly half the season in the bigs, Tatis wasted no time showing that he belonged. In 84 games, Tatis hit .317-22-53. He also stole 16 bases and scored 61 runs. In addition, his OBP was a lofty .379, his slugging .590 and his OPS an All-Star level .969.

Further, his OPS+ was 154. The late start didn’t get in the way of Tatis receiving recognition when the season was over. Tatis finished third in the rookie of the year voting in the National League behind Pete Alonzo and Mike Soroka. His only negative stat was an alarming 110 strikeouts in 334 at bats. To be sure, striking out is how baseball is played in this day and age. However, to be truly elite, especially in fantasy, that percentage was something Tatis would have to get under control. The question- what would his second season look like?

Fernando Tatis- His 2020 Season

The answer to the above question was that Tatis cemented himself as one of the true superstars of the game. Even with the shortened season and everything that circled around it, Tatis was superb in 2020. In 59 games, Tatis hit .277-17-45. He stole 11 bases and scored 50 runs. His stats were almost a mirror to his first year with a .355 OBP, .571 slugging and a .937 OPS.

In addition, Tatis’ walk and strikeout percentages all improved over his rookie season. His strikeout rate fell from 29.6 to 23.7 and his walk rate rose 8.1 to 10.5. These numbers indicate that Tatis is moving in the right direction to make himself a more complete hitter. It is also significant that Tatis’ stats were elite despite his BABIP falling over a hundred points from .410 to .306. For his efforts, Tatis finished fourth in the N.L. MVP award voting. With spring training 2021 upon us, what does all this mean for Tatis and fantasy managers?

Fernando Tatis- His Prospects Going Forward

Without doubt, everything is coming up roses so far for Tatis. Before spring training, Tatis signed a 14 year contract for a guaranteed $340 million. Such a contract is unheard of for a player not even eligible for arbitration. With the deal done, there should be no off field distractions Tatis will have to deal with. All he has to do is concentrate on his activities on the baseball diamond.

Additionally, Tatis is clearly one of the best young stars in the game. Further, his team, the Padres, are making a lot of noise in the off season trying to make themselves serious championship contenders. Tatis should have plenty of teammates on the bases to drive in this season. If he meets his season projections of .301-39-98, 27 steals and a .366/.571.937 slash line, Tatis will make a lot of 2021 fantasy managers extremely happy.

However, there are concerns. One is that Tatis has yet to play a full major league season or even come close to one. Whether he can maintain that high level of play over 162 games is unknown. Any fantasy owner that is considering Tatis must be aware of that fact when drafting him this year.

The second concern is that Tatis happens to man a position that is overloaded with star players. The list of names features many of the best in the game- Trea Turner, Trevor Story, Francisco Lindor, Xander Bogaerts, Corey Seager. Then comes players that are just below that tier with names like Bichette, Mondesi, Anderson, Torres and Baez, to name just a few.

In the final analysis, it might make more sense to select another, more seasoned player at the top of the draft and wait for a shortstop that will put up similar numbers. There is no question that Tatis belongs in the first round discussion. However, he should not be the first player off the board and probably not taken in the first four picks, either. If an owner has the fifth pick or later, however, and Tatis is on the board, do not hesitate to call his name with confidence.

Thanks all for joining me for this fantasy profile Fernando Tatis! As always, I welcome all input and comments from my readers. Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea, and be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks for all the latest MLB and sports news!