Brandon Marsh

Marsh took steps forward in several areas during his first full season in Philadelphia, going from a player who posted a .248/.303/.374 line (88 wRC+) over his first two seasons to one who hit .277/.372/.458 (125 wRC+). His 30.5 percent strikeout rate remains a notable weakness, but it also represents a big step forward from the 34.5 percent mark he carried into last season. Marsh has enough other tools between his glove, legs and above-average power (9.1 percent barrel rate) that all he needs to do is keep his strikeouts tolerable and he could be a productive player for a long time, though fantasy players might be hoping for a little more category juice. Despite that good barrel rate and his 82nd-percentile sprint speed, Marsh managed only a modest 12 homers and 10 steals. His opportunities against lefties dried up in the second half, limiting him to 472 plate appearances and hurting his counting stats. Marsh's career .591 OPS against lefties may continue to limit him to a platoon role going forward, especially due to the emergence of Johan Rojas.

Marsh was a well-regarded prospect, but after he hit .239/.299/.354 in his first 583 plate appearances, the Angels decided to move on. They traded him to the Phillies at the deadline in exchange for catcher Logan O'Hoppe. Marsh would miss time after crashing into an outfield wall, but the change of scenery seemed to do him well as he slashed .288/.319/.455 in 41 games down the stretch in the regular season, numbers propped up by a .398 BABIP. Entering his age-25 campaign, Marsh remains a work in progress with his only bankable skill being speed. He has struck out in more than one-third of his big-league PA to date. The fact that he was able to hit 11 homers and steal 10 bases last season between Los Angeles and Philadelphia speaks to his natural ability and athleticism. but until he's able to make more contact, he will have a lid on his fantasy upside.

Marsh appears to be on the precipice of his first legit chance at regular playing time with the Angels. He played in 98 games over three levels last season, most of which were spent with the big-league club with below-average production. His stolen base efficiency was nice and will likely be rewarded by the aggressive Joe Maddon this season, but Marsh showed more gap power than over-the-fence power, with both homers going the opposite way last season. One of those homers was a Camden Yards special that would not be a homer this year while the other was a fence scraper in Chicago. He will accept his walks just as he will strike out, so he is going to hit down in the lineup until his overall game improves. He has the athleticism to take the step forward, but Marsh could also find himself losing playing time to what's left of Justin Upton in a platoon situation.

Despite standing 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Marsh's game power is the weakest of his five tools. He hit nine home runs in 115 games at Double-A and the Arizona Fall League during his age-21 season. His 26.5 Hard% and 52.6 GB% in the Southern League point to why this has been an issue. Even if he never fully taps into his above-average raw power in games, there is still a lot to like with Marsh. He could be a high-end defender in center or right field, and he has even seen work at first base in case that's the only open spot for him in the big-league lineup. His plus speed is an asset on both sides of the ball, and he could develop into a lefty-hitting No. 1 or No. 2 hitter if his hit tool maxes out. Availability has been an issue for the 23-year-old, but if he stays healthy, he should spend a chunk of 2021 in the big leagues.

Marsh (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) looks like he should hit for power, but that has been a struggle for him in pro ball. He hit nine home runs in 115 games at Double-A and the Arizona Fall League during his age-21 season. His 26.5 Hard% and 52.6 GB% in the Southern League point to why this has been an issue. There is still a lot to like: he used the whole field and hit .304 with an 11.1 BB% and 22.0 K% across those two stops. He also put his plus speed to work and stole 22 bases on 29 attempts. With the speed for center and the arm for right, he will provide the Angels with valuable defensive versatility. Even without any swing changes, he may lead off for the big-league club in a year or two, thanks to his command of the strike zone. The decks are clear for Jo Adell to take one outfield spot early this season, and when Marsh is ready in 2020 or 2021, he should push Justin Upton to a part-time role.

A tooled up outfielder who missed time due to injuries early in his career, Marsh came into 2018 poised for significant upward momentum. Everything went according to plan at Low-A, where he displayed his plus power (.174 ISO) and above-average speed (4-for-4 on SB attempts). His .400 BABIP at that level warrants mentioning, but that's not an outrageous mark for a player at Low-A who hits the ball as hard as he does. Marsh earned a promotion to the Cal League in mid-May, where he struggled for much of the summer. He salvaged his High-A slash line late in the season, hitting .294/.368/.461 over his final 24 games, although he was still striking out at a 25.4% clip. The Angels will send him to Double-A for his age-21 season, where he will likely go through another adjustment period. Marsh can play all three outfield spots, and has 25-15 potential, but he is a better bet in OBP leagues, and will eventually slow down (already 6-foot-4, 210 pounds).

The only knock on Marsh is that he has just 39 games under his belt entering his age-20 season. Injuries have limited him, but he has legitimate five-category potential. The Angels gave him a little over $1 million in 2016 and he went on to miss the whole season with a stress fracture in his back. He also missed a month last season with a thumb injury. However, when healthy, his tools have really stood out. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Marsh is very physical in the box, on the bases and in the field. He has the speed for center and the arm for right. An above average runner, Marsh's speed plays up on the bases due to his aggressive style and base-stealing acumen (10-for-12 in 2017). He displayed plus raw power in his pro debut, and could eventually be a 30-homer threat. Given the lost developmental time, the most impressive aspect of his season was his exceptional all-fields approach and 18.2 percent strikeout rate. Marsh has the polish and impact potential to move quickly through the lower levels.