NL FAAB Factor: More Prospects coming

This is our weekly look at National League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your free-agent budget you should bid on them.

One size does not fit all, and we could never hope to encompass all league structures, so bids are based on:

• 12-team league (either NL or Mixed, we'll specify)
• 5x5 categories
• $100 FAAB budget

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, especially to my incredibly tolerant wife, my mother, mother-in-law, sister and sisters-in-law.

Starting Pitching

Odrisamer Despaigne, Padres – Despaigne, who made two starts in April when Ian Kennedy was sidelined, has stepped into the injured Brandon Morrow's spot in the rotation. Despaigne pitched well in those two outings in April, but was hit hard Thursday and is a pitcher who relies on junk and deception, so don't overrate him. However, pitching in San Diego usually helps a pitcher, so roll with him in the short term with Morrow maybe missing only two starts. Mixed: $1; NL: $4.

Marco Gonzales and Tyler Lyons, Cardinals – Gonzales, out since April 20 with a tight left pectoral muscle; will start for Triple-A Memphis on Saturday. He will be on a pitch count in that outing and is likely to need at least two starts with Memphis before being considered for a promotion. Gonzales, drafted in the first round in 2013 out of Gonzaga, pitched well for the Cardinals when called upon in 2014, posting a 4.12 ERA (2.94 FIP) in seven starts and striking out 39 in 43.2 innings. He just missed earning a rotation spot this spring and will ultimately battle Jaime Garcia (elbow) to replace Adam Wainwright, who will miss the rest of the season recuperating from a torn Achilles. Lyons went 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 26:6 K:BB ratio in 21.2 innings for Triple-A Memphis to earn a promotion to fill Wainwright's open rotation spot. That start didn't go particularly well, as Lyons gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over 4.1 innings Tuesday against the Cubs. Lyons could get one or two more starts, but once Garcia or Gonzales is ready, he'll head back to the minors. Gonzales - Mixed: $2; NL: $7. Lyons - Mixed: No; NL: $2.

Tanner Roark, Nationals – Roark could be pressed into starting duty if Stephen Strasburg's shoulder irritation forces him to miss his next start. If Strasburg will only miss a few days, the Nationals could push Max Scherzer up a day, enabling Strasburg to not miss a turn. If not, Roark, who made 31 starts for Washington last season and was pushed to the bullpen when Scherzer was signed, could get the nod. Mixed: $2; NL: $7.

Noah Syndergaard, Mets – The Mets began 20 games in 20 days Friday, which was expected to prompt the promotion of Syndergaard or Steven Matz for a spot start. That start would be necessary to give either Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom an extra day off or due to Dillon Gee's slight groin strain. Well, Gee landed on the DL with that groin strain, resulting in the promotion of Syndergaard. He had dominated opponents his last three starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, allowing just two runs on 11 hits and two walks with 27 strikeouts in 22 innings. Syndergaard uses a mid-90s fastball that bears in hard on righties with a 12-to-6 hard-biting curveball and much-improved changeup. Syndergaard is only supposed to be up for two starts initially, but he could stick if he pitches well and it's only a matter of time before he is a stalwart in the Mets' rotation. Mixed: $4; NL: $11 (higher in keeper leagues or if you believe he sticks in rotation).

Injury activation/updates:

Henderson Alvarez, Marlins – Alvarez, out since April 13 with right shoulder inflammation and tightness in his right elbow, will pitch in a rehab game with for High-A Jupiter on Tuesday. That outing comes on the heels of him throwing 50 pitches Thursday. Alvarez's fastball was in the low-90s Thursday, prompting Miami to progress him to the next step in his rehab. He'll likely need 1-3 outings before rejoining the Marlins. Tom Koehler or David Phelps will be the odd man out when Alvarez returns. Just an FYI as he should be owned in all leagues.

Archie Bradley, Diamondbacks – Bradley, who suffered sinus damage when hit by a Carlos Gonzalez liner through the box on April 28, will be activated and start May 16. It remains to be seen if Bradley will have any issues mentally stepping back on the hill, but he is fortunate that he didn't suffer a worse injury. Bradley allowed just four runs over 20 innings of work while striking out 14 in his first four starts in the majors. Mixed: $0; NL: $5.

Matt Cain, Giants – Cain, who had bone chips removed from his elbow last August and has been sidelined since April 3 with a strained flexor tendon, is about two weeks away from pitching in an extended spring training game. He started playing catch a few weeks ago, so he is starting to trend in the right direction. If Cain does not have setbacks, he could be back with the Giants by late June or early July, but given what we have seen from him the last two years, tread lightly. Mixed: $0; NL: $3 (early spec return bid).

Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks – Corbin, recovering from March 2014 Tommy John surgery, is on track to begin a rehab assignment next week or the following week. He will need to build up arm strength and make several rehab starts before being ready to return. Assuming Corbin has no setbacks, he could be back by June. Mixed: $0; NL: $3 (early spec return bid).

Jamie Garcia, Cardinals – Garcia will begin his rehab assignment Sunday pitching for Triple-A Memphis. He progressed to that step in his recovery after throwing 70 pitches in a live batting practice session Tuesday on the heels of five innings (54 pitches) in a simulated game the previous Thursday. Garcia could spend up to 30 days on the assignment, though he likely will be ready after 3-4 starts. With Adam Wainwright out for the season, Garcia has a shot at getting a chance in the Cardinals' rotation at some point this season, though that will depend on his ability to stay healthy. Mixed: $1; NL: $4 (upped early spec return bid).

Charlie Morton, Pirates – Morton, who had offseason hip surgery and was shut down earlier this month, threw 93 pitches in six innings in an extended spring training game last Saturday and a side session Tuesday. He is slated to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, which could last for up to 30 days. Once Morton is ready to return, he likely will rejoin the Pittsburgh rotation, but it remains to be seen if Jeff Locke or Vance Worley is bounced. Mixed: $2; NL: $7 (early spec return bid).

Jake Peavy, Giants – Peavy, sidelined since mid-April with various issues in his lower back, threw 40 pitches off the mound Friday without any incident. He hopes to progress to facing batters in a simulated game and then a rehab assignment once he is deemed ready. Peavy could still rejoin the Giants' rotation in late May or early June, though given his back issues, that timeframe may be optimistic. Mixed: No; NL: $3 (early spec return bid).

Relief Pitching

Brandon Cunniff, Frank Garces, Shawn Kelley, , Brandon Kintzler, Williams Perez and James Russell - This week's key relief call-ups/activations, as well as expected call-ups, were/will be in Atlanta, San Diego, Milwaukee, Atlanta and Chicago. None have any substantial value save for Perez, who started 89 of his 109 games in the minors. In five starts for Gwinnett this season he went 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks in 27 innings, so he could provide some strikeouts and be a possible option for spot starts despite his rough first effort after his promotion. All save for Perez - Mixed: No; NL: $0; Perez – Mixed: $0; NL: $3.

Jim Johnson, Braves – Jason Grilli was unavailable Saturday due to an undisclosed illness, and if Grilli is sidelined for any length of time, Johnson is likely next in line to close for the Braves. Johnson was dominant from 2011 to 2013, but fell off precipitously last year. He has been fairly solid this year and his closing history likely gives him the edge over Luis Avilan and Cody Martin, though Martin has been excellent this year. Mixed: $5; NL: $14 (upped value in case he closes).

Seth Maness and Kevin Siegrist, Cardinals – Maness and Siegrist will fill the setup role vacated when Jordan Walden landed on the disabled list. Walden will miss 6-10 weeks with strained shoulder muscle, opening the door for Maness and Siegrist to notch holds and be next in line when Trevor Rosenthal needs a day off. Maness had 15 holds in 2013 and 11 last year, using his fastball/sinker/changeup repertoire with the occasional slider and curveball to generate groundballs and retire hitters. Siegrist, the main lefty in the pen, had a horrific 2014 after a brilliant 2013, but still notched 16 holds and has gotten off to a strong start this year. The pecking order is likely Maness before Siegrist, given the expected righty/lefty usage pattern. Maness - Mixed: $2; NL: $7. Siegrist – Mixed: $1; NL: $4.

Catcher

Austin Hedges, Padres – Hedges, whose defense has always been ahead of his offense, struggled mightily at Double-A last year, posting a .589 OPS and a 23:89 BB:K ratio. This year, he got off to a strong start at Triple-A El Paso – he posted a .343/.413/.552 slash line over 75 plate appearances with two home runs, eight strikeouts and eight walks – and earned a promotion to San Diego. Hedges will back up Derek Norris, but his best shot for true playing time may be for Norris to see action at first base, which could happen now that Yonder Alonso is on the DL, but Norris has only played one game at first base in his career, and that was in 2013. Mixed: $3; NL: $9.

Johnny Monell, Mets – Monell was promoted this week to give the Mets a third catcher and lefty bat off the bench. He had a big spring training, but got caught in a roster squeeze and was sent down. Monell was raking at Triple-A Las Vegas and the Mets need a solid lefty bench bat with Kirk Nieuwenhuis off to a slow start. Mixed: No; NL: $0.

Wilin Rosario, Rockies – Rosario was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Friday with Tyler Matzek heading down. He will see some spot starts against lefties at first base, giving Justin Morneau a day off, as well as provide some power off the bench. Mixed: $0; NL: $3.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Diamondbacks – Salty signed a minor league deal with the D-Backs after clearing waivers following his release from the Marlins. With Arizona's catching situation sub-optimal, Saltalamacchia, despite his 2-for-29 start to the season, figures to be D-Backs starter before too long. Mixed: $4; NL: $11.

First Base

Justin Bour, Marlins – Bour, promoted two weeks ago, has seen additional playing time due to his hot start. With Christian Yelich (back) returning to the lineup, Bour's playing time will have to continue to come at the expense of Mike Morse at first base, as Morse's only other position (left field) belongs to Yelich. Bour hit .306/.372/.517 with 18 home runs and 72 RBI in 103 games with Triple-A New Orleans last year. Mixed: No; NL: $2.

Second Base

Steve Lombardozzi, Pirates – The Pirates called up Lombardozzi to take the roster spot of the injured Andrew Lambo (foot). Lombardozzi had gotten off to a great start with Triple-A Indianapolis, slashing .379/.460/.483 with 13 RBI in 24 games. He will serve as a utility man, seeing time at second, third and the outfield. Mixed: No; NL: $2.

Cory Spangenberg, Padres - Spangenberg made his fifth consecutive start Saturday with Jedd Gyorko remaining on the bench. During that stretch, Spangenberg is 6-for-16 with five walks – four of them Friday – and three runs scored. Spangenberg is known as a contact hitter with some speed and could settle in nicely to the two-hole in the Padres' lineup. Mixed: $3; NL: $9.

Shortstop

Jung-Ho Kang, Pirates – Kang, who hit .297 with 40 home runs for the Nexxen Heroes last year, signed this past offseason with the Pirates. Initial speculation was that he would start the year in the minors, but Pittsburgh decided to keep him with the parent club. Kang has earned more time lately - mainly at short - and rewarded the team with solid hitting, resulting in a .289/.349/.447 line in 38 at-bats. If he continues to hit, Kang could eat away at Jordy Mercer's playing time. Mixed: $4; NL: $11.

Third Base

Mark Reynolds, Cardinals – Reynolds will likely be the primary beneficiary if Matt Carpenter's ailment sidelines him longer than the past several days. By now you know what you will get with Reynolds - home runs, strikeouts and a low batting average - but he is better option for St. Louis than Pete Kozma, who will see the occasional game when Reynolds plays first against tough lefties in place of Matt Adams. Mixed: $2; NL: $7.

Injury activation/update:

Jake Lamb, Diamondbacks – Lamb, who has been on the disabled list since April 21 with a stress reaction in his left foot, will be sidelined a few more weeks. He had the walking boot removed Tuesday, but is not yet ready to progress to the next stage of his recovery. Lamb will need two weeks without the boot to readjust to normal activity and then an additional 7-10 days after that to get back into game form. He was one of the Diamondbacks' better hitters before he went down, hitting .414 with three doubles, one triple and one home run in his first 29 at-bats. While Lamb has been sidelined, Yasmany Tomas has stepped in at third, and after a slow start, Tomas has been hitting the ball well for Arizona, albeit with no power. It remains to be seen what will happen when Lamb comes back, though Arizona does miss his left bat in the lineup. Mixed: $4; NL: $11 (in case he was dumped when Tomas was promoted).

Outfield

Abraham Almonte, Padres – Almonte was promoted to take the place of Yonder Alonso, who landed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. Almonte gives the Padres a switch-hitter capable of playing all three-outfield positions while Wil Myers may play first base with Alonso sidelined. Mixed: No; NL: $2.

Chris Heisey, Dodgers – Heisey was promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque to provide some additional depth to the L.A. outfield due to the injuries to Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig. However, the Dodgers are still fairly crowded there, so Heisey's playing time figures to be minimal and come mainly against left-handers. In addition, he is likely to be sent down once Puig is activated, which could be soon (see below). Mixed: No; NL: $0.

Injury activation/updates:

Hunter Pence, Giants – Pence, who fractured his left forearm in late March, played five innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday. He will progress to full games at this level before rejoining the Giants. That return could take place in around 10-14 days. When he returns, Pence will assume his usual spot as the starting right fielder and will bat fourth or fifth. Just an FYI as he should be owned in all leagues.

Yasiel Puig, Dodgers – Puig, out with a hamstring injury, was expected to be activated Monday. However, he left a rehab game Friday with tightness in his hamstring and will have an MRI on Sunday. Once he returns, Puig will slot back into his usual right field. For now though, Andre Ethier and Scott Van Slyke will continue to replace him in right field. Just an FYI as he should be owned in all leagues.

Melvin Upton Jr., Padres – Upton, recovering from sesamoiditis in his left foot, is close to starting extended spring training games. He will likely get 40-50 minor league at-bats before joining the Padres, where he will serve as outfield depth. Maybe the move to San Diego will revive his moribund bat, but don't count on it. Mixed: No; NL: $1 (early return bid).

Christian Yelich, Marlins – Yelich, out since April 20 with a lower back strain, rejoined the Marlins on Friday. That activation came after a three-game rehab assignment at High-A Jupiter. Yelich had played in 11 games, batting .200 with four RBI before he was sidelined. He is coming off a breakthrough season in which he hit .284 with nine home runs, 54 RBI and 21 stolen bases. Yelich's activation sends Ichiro Suzuki back to a fourth-outfielder role. Just an FYI as he should be owned in all leagues.