2022 Fantasy Player Profile: Fernando Tatis Jr.

Our 2022 Fantasy Player Profiles continue with Fernando Tatis Jr., a popular top pick in keeper and one-year leagues.

By Dusty Baker | November 12, 2021 | | 0

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 15: Fernando Tatis Jr #23 of the San Diego Padres gestures skyward as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on August 15, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres have a superstar running the show at the shortstop position for the foreseeable future. Despite have a shoulder injury during the heart of the season, Fernando Tatis Jr. may have somehow seen his fantasy value increase in 2021.

I am a big position versatility guy. If you are in a deep league (keeper or one-year), it is important to draft players that can fill multiple positions in the off-chance a key player is hurt or is given a Sunday off. Normally the shortstop position is a premium position. Over the last few years, shortstop has presented the fantasy community with some of the most premiere players in the league. With Tatis Jr. playing outfield in the second half of 2021, he has now established himself as a fantasy shortstop with outfield eligibility that nobody expected.

.@tatis_jr hits it OUT OF DODGER STADIUM! pic.twitter.com/EXJIOq2iWG
— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2021

The numbers Tatis Jr. brings to the table are elite at either position you use him at, posting a .282/.364/.611 slash line with 31 doubles, 42 homers, 97 RBI’s, and 99 runs scored while having only 478 at-bats under his belt this past season. Tatis Jr. can also bring speed to a lineup, stealing 25 bases this on a team that generally loves to steal in any given situation.

Fernando Tatis Jr. has exited the game with an apparent elbow injury
pic.twitter.com/9UGarbBWTC
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) April 6, 2021

The only problems with Tatis Jr. from 2021 were health and clubhouse issues. The left shoulder that Tatis Jr. partially dislocated is still not at full health and will remain a concern heading into the 2022 season. Tatis Jr. has elected to not get shoulder surgery according to MLB.com and could therefore be a more volatile choice for a top pick in a one-year league if he re-aggravates it.

Tatis Jr. missed 30 games in the 2021 season, something that many believed would wind up being a season-ending injury before San Diego plugged him into the outfield to protect his shoulder.

Listen to the whole thing. Manny Machado and Tatis addressing the situation we all witnessed the other day.

They say it’s unfortunate everyone had to witness it but it was important to getting back on track and they are brothers! #padres pic.twitter.com/HwVyFaa39d
— Allison Edmonds (@aedmondstv) September 21, 2021

Fantasy players should not be too concerned about Tatis Jr. and his tiff with Manny Machado. However, the two players certainly feed off each other from a fantasy perspective. One hopes their little feud is over and they can move forward into the 2022 season with a clean slate.

However, if there are issues between the two again in the upcoming season, expect the Padres to address the issue in any way possible to accommodate their star shortstop. That could mean the worst for Machado and the locker room, something that can always hurt the numbers of a player. I don’t expect this to happen and wouldn’t put too much stock into this being a key concern when drafting Tatis Jr.

These stars were the best of the best in 2021. pic.twitter.com/qKK8TGKUC4
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) November 9, 2021

Fernando Tatis Jr. might be the best player in baseball and is an easy top-five pick in any league. This kid is special and has the potential for a 40-40 season in the near future. Let’s not forget this stud is only heading into his age-23 season.