Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~183

CURRENT ADP: ~246

ANALYSIS: Many fantasy owners were already excited about Bird heading into the 2016 season after he hit 11 HR in only 46 games following a late season call-up in 2015. But fans received the disappointing news prior to spring training that Bird would miss the season after having shoulder surgery. Fast forward to 2017 and the excitement is back as Bird is now recovered and slated to be the primary first baseman for the Bronx Bombers.

Bird Dog combined across multiple levels to hit at least 20 HR in three straight seasons prior to missing 2016. In his short big-league exposure, he showed he hits a ton of flyballs (51.4 percent) and he hits them hard (44.8 Hard%). This will fit in perfectly to Yankee Stadium, which saw the highest park factor boost in HR in 2016, and has always been known to favor LHB.

Joe Girardi has already stated Bird is the Yankees starting first baseman, even after the signing of reigning NL HR king Chris Carter. If Bird can work his way into the heart of the lineup with the likes of Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Gary Sanchez, and Matt Holliday, he will have a break-out campaign in 2017. We're looking at a potential 75-30-90 fantasy season from a 24-year-old, and you can grab him in the 21st round.