Fantasy Spotlight: Maikel Franco

Throughout the month of March, theScore examines hitters who represent their team's most intriguing fantasy plays. This edition focuses on Philadelphia Phillies third basemen Maikel Franco.

2015 in Review: 335 PA, .280/.343/.497, 45 R, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 1 SB

The Good: Franco hit 31 homers between high-A and Double-A ball in 2013 and hit 16 HRs in Triple-A in 2014, so there is optimism that his 60-grade raw power tool can yield 20-plus HRs over a full MLB season. Considering his BABIP was essentially a league-average .297, his rate stats through 80 games appear to be a truthful representation of his hitting profile.

The Bad: The Phillies' lineup has sizable question marks at nearly every position. With few high-OBP bats ahead of him in the order, Franco won't see as many opportunities to drive in runs as the average three-spot hitter, while having Ryan Howard anywhere near the clean-up role will suppress his run-scoring potential.

Best Comparison: Kansas City Royals 3B Mike Moustakas

What's in Store: The only aspect of his game that suggests a certain degree of luck was the uptick in HRs; 15.9% of his fly balls left the park, well above the league average of 10%. A full season of MLB-level conditioning could improve his hard-hit percentage and make up for an expected power regression.

He has a patient approach at the plate; natural maturation in several areas as well as a full, healthy season could lead to 75-plus runs, 75-plus RBI and 20 HRs - just as long as his teammates don't hold him back too much.

Draft Outlook: On average, Franco has been the 15th 3B off the board and should be considered a steal anywhere past the 9th round in 10-team mixed leagues. He should be drafted as corner-infield depth. Veteran 3Bs like the Mets' David Wright and the Rays' Evan Longoria can be found at this point in the draft but offer limited upside given their age and injury histories.