Scott Sizemore

Sizemore was slated to be the A's starting third baseman in 2012, but he tore the ACL in his left knee on the first day of spring training and missed the entire season. He returned in 2013 as a platoon partner for Eric Sogard at second base but tore the ACL in the same knee in his second game of the year. Sizemore showed nice pop in his bat during his 2011 stint with the A's (11 homers in 305 at-bats), but one must wonder now if the once high-level prospect can return after two full missed seasons. He'll compete for a roster spot with the Yankees in spring training after signing a minor league deal in January.

Sizemore was set to be the starting third baseman for the A's in 2012 and appeared primed to live up to some of his earlier hype with a full-time job. Unfortunately, Sizemore tore his ACL on the first day of spring training during a routine fielding drill. By all accounts, his rehab went well and he will be 100 percent ready to go for spring workouts in 2013. With the announcement from general manager Billy Beane that Sizemore will be returning to second base, he enters the season in a battle with Jemile Weeks (and possibly Grant Green) for the starting job. If Sizemore wins the job, he has the potential to provide power from a middle-infield slot, but it remains to be seen how much he will run coming off the surgery.

Sizemore seems to have settled into a regular role with the A's after being bounced around a bit by the Tigers prior to a midseason trade. His 11 homers in 305 at-bats for the A's shows some power promise, but he fanned a whopping 93 times in the process. He strikes out too much to sustain a decent batting average, especially given his home park, and his lack of qualifying at second base in most formats (18 games) really limits his value as a third-base only option. He may swat 20 homers in a full-time roll, but it could come with a .240 average over 500-plus at-bats.

Sizemore was a popular sleeper heading into the 2010 season, but after hitting just .206 and struggling with his glove, Detroit opted to send the 26-year-old back to Triple-A Toledo for more seasoning in late May. He responded to the demotion by hitting .298 with nine home runs and 37 RBI in 76 games with the Mud Hens. The Tigers later recalled Sizemore after rosters expanded, and he showed improvements at the plate with a .261 average and two homers over his final 46 at-bats of the season. Most of the buzz surrounding Sizemore has faded, but he still remains a quality prospect who showed fantasy potential with his combination of power and speed in the minors. He'll likely start the season as a bench player if he nabs a spot on the Opening Day roster, but deep AL-only leagues will want to keep an eye on him in case playing time opens up later in the season.

Sizemore is the Tigers’ prospect that should be on everyone’s radar this season. The 25-year-old is in line to take over the starting second-base gig after posting a .308/.389/.500 line with 17 homers and 21 steals while splitting time at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo in 2009. His combination of power and speed will make him a valuable addition to fantasy rosters if his success translates to the big league levels. He suffered a broken bone in his ankle during Arizona Fall League play, but he’s expected to be back at full strength by spring training. Assuming he recovers fully and the Tigers don’t look for help at second base outside of the organization, don’t hesitate to throw a late-round dart at Sizemore if you’re shopping for an up-and-coming middle infielder.

Sizemore has received an invite to spring training but he's unlikely to earn a job having not played above Single-A yet. He's considered Detroit's best option to take over for Placido Polanco but a 24-year-old that hasn't hit Double-A shouldn't be of much interest in fantasy leagues at the moment.

The Tigers selected Sizemore, a second baseman from Virginia Commonwealth, with their fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft. He was solid yet unspectacular at Low-A last season but did put together a very strong performance in the Arizona Fall League. Expectations should be tempered, however, as Sizemore is 23 and hasn't even reached Double-A yet. He doesn't profile as anything more than a utility infielder at this point and that's assuming he can even make it to the majors.