J.J. Hardy (SS, BAL) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target as SS2 or MI

ANALYSIS: When identifying a fantasy baseball draft sleeper, I like the guy to be “under the radar,” but I also need there to be proof that there’s potential upside.

J.J. Hardy is entering his age 32 season and his fifth with the Orioles, but is coming off a season in which he hit just nine home runs and a .372 SLG.

Hardy didn’t hit the ball any shorter than in past years, but his total number of batted balls was down, thanks to a 18.3% K rate. However, despite a 16.2% K rate in 2011, he managed an extremely impressive 30 HR in 129 games played.

Hardy is a lower-tier shortstop on draft day, but definitely one worth monitoring. I’m comfortable saying that he approaches 20+ home runs again this year in a bounce-back season, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he outperforms some unproven shortstops like Javier Baez and Xander Bogaerts, or injury-prone players like Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes.