We round out the early look at the 2022 Projected Keeper Rosters with notes on the St. Joseph Jokers, Spokane Fightin' Fish and Meinert Hops. The Fish enjoyed another strong season as they lengthened their RDBL-leading $3,375 in lifetime cash earnings with a 2nd place finish and Masters Division Title in 2021.
The Jokers and Hops stand out as two of the clubs with a largely blank slate while Mike Trout (3/$71) enters his final season under control for the Hops who face a difficult decision on his option following an injury-plagued year.
For the complete Eligible Rosters and Projected Keeper Rosters, visit the RDBL Draft Spreadsheet here.
St. Joseph Jokers
The Jokers will face a crossroads in their roster construction for 2022 and off-season plan as the roster is largely a blank slate outside of star Trea Turner (2/$49) and outfield Teoscar Hernandez (2/$10). The club has five of the first 36 picks in the Reserve Draft and could choose to play the long game, especially considering the new Reserve Draft rules for 2022 that allow a contract to be retained for a third season at $15. If GM Rick Steen is confident in his ability to turn over the roster into a contender, the club could use those draft assets in trades this off-season for what looks to be a strong market of available Keepers.
Catcher Omar Narvaez (2/$7) stood out as a bright spot on the Jokers roster and is another player certain to return unless the club can plug other holes by utilizing him in the trade market.
Right-handers Nathan Eovaldi (2FA/$5) and Kyle Gibson (2FA/$5) will return in the starting rotation but expect Steen to make a heavier investment in that piece of the roster than they did in 2021. The club spent a league-low $31 on their pitching staff a season ago and just $18 combined on their starters. The results weren't pretty as the unit ranked 14th in pitcher scoring with a 4.30 ERA, tied for the worst in the RDBL.
DL Hall (Minors) and JJ Bleday (Minors) appear to be the closest prospects in the Farm System that could aid the Active Roster but both look like longshots to make their MLB club's Opening Day Roster.
The remainder of the Giants off-season could determine the fate of Darin Ruf (2FA/$5) who had a surprisingly strong 2021 season and certainly looked the part of a Keeper in the 2nd Half by earning starts against right-hander pitchers.
Spokane Fightin' Fish
A wave of trades last season will leave GM Michael Tirabassi with a busy off-season as he looks to carve out the 12 best Keepers for 2022. The club will face difficult choices in the rotation, starting with the looming decisions on the two highest priced starting pitchers in RDBL History in Gerrit Cole (2/$73) and Shane Bieber (2/$72).
The safe bets to return in the rotation are Luis Castillo (3/$10) and the ageless Charlie Morton (2/$12) while Alex Cobb (2FA/$5), Alex Wood (2FA/$5) and Eric Lauer (2FA/$5) could all make a case for a starting spot as well.
The club is still awaiting word on right-hander Trevor Bauer's legal situation as a decision on his 3/$55 will be due by March. All indications are that Bauer will be cut leading to a fascinating Free Agency in the RDBL where the results could range anywhere from a Auction purchase, Reserve Draft Pick or potentially going undrafted.
The Fish struck quickly on Draft Day last season, dealing Casey Mize and a 2022 1st Round Pick for Trevor Story (3/$38). A solid yet unspectacular 364.5 point season and impending move out of Coors Field could shift Story onto the trade market this off-season.
With the emergence of 2021 National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India (2R/$3) and a crowded Fightin' Fish offensive lineup, the club might be out of room for Front Office favorite David Fletcher (3/$1).
Another big name to watch on the trade market will be outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (2/$31) who appeared in 139 games last season, the most he has played since 2018. A 386.5 point season at $31 is certainly Keeper worthy, though Tirabassi could look to spread his cap space elsewhere or retain Cole as an alternative to keeping Stanton making him a primary trade candidate this Winter.
Given their roster crunch, the Fightin' Fish might not have room to retain both Tucker Barnhart (2/$1) and Mitch Garver (2/$8) making either or both potential trade candidates in an always small market for backstops.
Injuries derailed Ke'Bryan Hayes' first full season in Pittsburgh, making Tirabassi's decision to hold the third baseman in the Minors look awfully smart. A healthy Spring from Hayes should result in his Opening Day activation this season while elite prospect Julio Rodriguez hopes to be a factor for a potential Playoff run in 2022.
Meinert Hops
Much like the decisions looming on Gerrit Cole (2/$73), Shane Bieber (2/$72) and Max Scherzer (3/$68), the Meinert Hops face a difficult choice on outfielder Mike Trout (3/$71) who owns the highest hitter contract in RDBL History. The club wrestled with the decision last season and were unable to build enough depth around Trout to contend before losing the perennial MVP candidate to a calf injury that sidelined him for 4+ months.
The Hops were ravaged by injuries in 2021, losing Anthony Rendon (2/$44) and Luis Robert (2R/$3) for significant stretches. Rendon looks unlikely to return at his price point while Robert's stellar finish to 2021 has him looking like a core piece of the Hops that GM Garrett Shelley can build around.
While injuries were an issue, the club failed to build any depth at the big league level, ranking last in at-bats (1,238 fewer than the leading Goutfish), innings pitched (299.0 fewer than the leading Fightin' Fish). Both marks were the lowest in RDBL History.
The emergence of Logan Webb (2FA/$5) gives the Hops a strong starter to build around with Shane McClanahan (Minors) likely to be activated for the back half of the rotation.
The Hops hold a pair of strong catching options for 2022 in Austin Nola (2/$7) and Max Stassi (2/$2). The club could look to explore deals to strengthen their pitching staff with teams like the Alamo Short Stacks, Asti Grape Stompers, Lunatic Fringe, Lake Merced Goutfish, Las Vegas Aristocrats and Maltese Falcons all currently projected to enter Draft Day without a catcher.
The club aggressively activated Andrew Vaughn (2R/$3) last season after he was pressed into action to replace injured outfielder Eloy Jimenez. Vaughn showed flashes of the bright future he has ahead but with just two years remaining on his contract with the Hops, the pressure will be on to produce a 400 point season in 2022.