Fantasy 411: 30 teams, 30 tips for draft day

Opening Day is nearly here. Are you ready to dominate your fantasy league this season?

Sure you are, especially if you downloaded the Fantasy 411 Cheat Sheet and have been following the MLB.com Fantasy Player Preview daily since its launch on Feb. 6.

But just in case you want a little extra preparation before the cry of "Play Ball!" on April 2, MLB.com has compiled 30 fantasy tips -- yep, one per team -- to help you heading into the 2017 campaign.
Positions listed denote players' season-opening fantasy eligibility in most leagues.
AL EAST
Blue Jays
Devon Travis, 2B
Travis is a potential buy-low candidate after missing most of Spring Training following offseason knee surgery. He's set to hit at the top of the lineup and could be in position to double last season's total of 54 runs in 101 games. Travis doesn't steal many bases, but he's a lifetime .301 hitter with underrated power (19 home runs in 627 career at-bats). The risk is health, as Travis had lengthy stints on the disabled list during each of his first two big league seasons.
Orioles
Kevin Gausman, SP
With Chris Tillman's injury, Gausman looks to be the go-to guy in Baltimore, meaning the Orioles should be expected to use the righty as much as possible with April's early off-days. Gausman was 9-12 with a 3.61 ERA in '16, but he picked up eight of those wins -- and posted a 3.10 ERA -- in the second half of the season.

Rays
Mallex Smith, OF
Acquired in the trade that sent Drew Smyly to the Mariners, Smith appears likely to claim a roster spot. The speedy outfielder will see a lot more playing time early on if Colby Rasmus begins the season on the DL. Smith can fly, as evidenced by his 229 stolen bases in 399 career Minor League games and 16 steals in 72 Major League games for the Braves last season. If you want to take a flyer on stolen bases, Smith is your guy.
Red Sox
Andrew Benintendi, OF
Benintendi should be well-positioned to have a strong rookie year batting second in a loaded Red Sox lineup. The outfielder will be hitting behind on-base machine Dustin Pedroia and in front of MVP candidate Mookie Betts. Benintendi could score 100 runs with 40 doubles, 10-15 homers and 15-20 steals.

Yankees
Greg Bird, 1B
After missing all of '16 to injury, Bird said he feels 100 percent and has shown it by hitting six homers in his first 18 games of Grapefruit League play. His sweet left-handed stroke has been compared to John Olerud's, and the Yankees believe that Bird should be able to take advantage of Yankee Stadium's dimensions with extra-base power this year.
AL CENTRAL
Indians
Trevor Bauer, SP
Bauer worked extensively over the offseason and this spring on a splitter that should give him an added tier of velocity and a pitch that he can drop low inside or just outside of the zone. Already boasting solid strikeout numbers, Bauer could jump from fringy option to solid fantasy starting pitcher with an uptick. Any improvement in performance should also result in bigger win totals on one of the American League's top teams.
Royals
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Shrewd fantasy players will remember that Moustakas was off to a great start in '16 -- with seven home runs by mid-May -- and perhaps headed for a career year. Then he blew out an ACL in the collision with Alex Gordon and missed the rest of the season. Well, there's a good chance Moustakas bounces back with his career year in '17. He has had a terrific Spring Training and manager Ned Yost has hinted that he could very well be back in the No. 2 spot in the batting order. He'll be well-positioned to put up some decent offensive numbers across the board in terms of average, OBP and runs scored, and he also could be a 25-30 homer guy.

Tigers
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Castellanos is in position for a potential breakout year, especially if he bats second in the lineup in front of Miguel Cabrera as expected. An August hand injury that cost him most of the season's final two months shrouded a 30-point improvement in batting average, a 106-point swing in OPS, a 77-point rise in slugging percentage, and a better conversion rate with RISP and less than two outs. A leaner frame and aggressive mentality on the basepaths should lead to more doubles and a further uptick in slugging, while Cabrera's presence gives him a chance to take advantage of more strikes if he doesn't chase bad pitches.
Twins
Byron Buxton, OF
Fans have long been waiting for a breakout from Buxton, who was considered the game's top prospect by MLB Pipeline in '14 and '15 and No. 2 overall entering last year. That finally happened late last year, as he hit .287/.357/.653 with nine homers and 22 RBIs in his final 29 games. Buxton began to pull the ball with more authority and it's carried over this spring. Strikeouts remain an issue for his batting average, but he has the potential to be a 20-20 player with his elite speed and developing power. He's expected to see time at leadoff hitter, which could lead to plenty of runs with players such as Brian Dozier and Miguel Sanó hitting behind him.
White Sox
Yoán Moncada, 3B 
Moncada won't break camp with the White Sox, but the switch-hitting No. 2 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has a good chance to arrive in Chicago during the '17 campaign. Once he gets to the White Sox, Moncada should become the everyday second baseman. And while Moncada is still raw, he has the five-tool potential to fill up the stat sheet. He combines power from both sides of the plate with easy speed featuring a second gear shown off in Arizona.

AL WEST
Angels
Cam Bedrosian, RP
With Huston Street injured, the right-handed Bedrosian figures to open the season as the Angels' closer. The 25-year-old relief ace has not allowed a run in five innings this spring and has struck out six over that span. Bedrosian shifted toward the back end of the Angels' bullpen after posting a 1.12 ERA over 40 1/3 innings with a 1.09 WHIP and an 11.4 K/9 ratio in '16. Only Orioles closer Zach Britton logged a better ERA (0.54) than Bedrosian last year (min. 20 innings).
Astros
Ken Giles, RP
Unlike last year, Giles will be the closer from Day 1. The right-hander struck out 14 batters per nine innings last year, ranking fifth in MLB, and finished as one of eight full-time relievers with at least 100 K's. An effective Giles should get 35-plus saves for a loaded Astros team in 2017.

Athletics
Jharel Cotton, SP
Cotton may have just five big league starts under his belt, but his upside is undeniable. He shined in five starts last September, striking out 23 batters in 29 1/3 innings and compiling a 0.82 WHIP.
Mariners
Jarrod Dyson, OF
The speedy Dyson averaged 31 stolen bases over the past five years with the Royals despite never logging more than 337 plate appearances during a single season in that span. He should get a lot more opportunities this year, as he'll lead off for the Mariners against all right-handers and get a chance for an expanded role against lefties if he proves able to get on base at a reasonable clip in those matchups.

Rangers
Carlos Gómez, OF
Gomez has not been a great pickup for fantasy owners the past two years. But he flourished in Texas over the final six weeks of '16, recording eight homers with five steals and a .905 OPS in 33 games. If he can carry that over into '17, he could be a steal.
NL EAST
Braves
Arodys Vizcaíno, RP
Jim Johnson will begin the season as the Braves' closer, but Vizcaino looks like he's once again capable of filling the role and collecting saves at some point this year. Having distanced himself from last year's shoulder ailment, Vizcaino has touched 98 mph with his heater and regained his swing-and-miss slider this spring.
Marlins
Marcell Ozuna, OF
Ozuna's keys for success this year are finding a more consistent approach and understanding how he is being pitched. The club is urging Ozuna to use the entire field and avoid focusing so much on lifting the ball in the air. He has enough power to hit homers without trying, so they'd like him to stay with a line-drive, opposite-field approach.

Mets
José Reyes, 3B/SS
Health may always be an issue for Reyes, but the 33-year-old had little problem fending off injuries last year. Batting every day atop New York's lineup card, Reyes could conservatively score 80 runs with 15-plus steals and a batting average north of .270. If nothing else, Reyes is a must-start against lefties, whom he mashed for a .380/.456/.740 slash line last season.
Nationals
Koda Glover, RP
The Nationals haven't named their closer for the '17 season, but they are giving the right-handed Glover serious consideration for the job. If he is chosen, he will have some intriguing fantasy potential. Glover racked up 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings during his rise through the Minors last season, and he has allowed just one run in eight innings with 11 strikeouts this spring. While fantasy owners may take pause considering his 5.03 ERA last season in his 19 games in the Majors, Glover was feeling the effects of a torn labrum in his hip that may have derailed his progress after a strong start.
Phillies
Tommy Joseph, 1B
Joseph hit .257 with 21 home runs and 47 RBIs while sharing time with Ryan Howard last season, but the starting first-base job is now his. He's worth a look in the later rounds, as he could put up better numbers with regular playing time. Joseph changed his approach to finish the '16 season strong, hitting .327 with a 1.024 OPS over his final 64 plate appearances.

NL CENTRAL
Brewers
Keon Broxton, OF
Broxton broke out in a big way after being recalled in late July, putting up a .294/.399/.528 slash line in the second half while flashing both power (eight home runs) and speed (16 steals). This spring, all he's done is hit. He was a flyer last year at this time, became an excellent waiver-wire pickup and now should be firmly on your radar among outfielders.

Cardinals
Michael Wacha, SP
Wacha has reestablished himself as a potential frontline starter with a strong spring. If he can keep his shoulder strong, the right-hander may be able to turn back the clock and pitch as he did over his first three Major League seasons (3.21 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.0 K/9).
Cubs
Addison Russell, SS
Russell began to show signs of a power breakout late last season, hitting nine home runs in August and September and then adding three more in October for good measure. He ended up with 21 home runs and 95 RBIs for the regular season. Projected to bat fifth or sixth again this year, he could use his emerging power and a plethora of opportunities to produce a 25-home run, 100-RBI season or better.
Pirates
Gerrit Cole, SP
Some fans might shy away from Cole after a disappointing, injury-plagued '16 season. But rest assured, he has been healthy and in top form this spring. General manager Neal Huntington said a March 8 start against the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic team was as good as we've seen the right-hander in a long time. Keep in mind, Cole is only a year removed from a 19-8, 2.60 ERA campaign in which he struck out 202 batters in 208 innings over 32 starts.

Reds
Amir Garrett, SP
Garrett has zoomed toward the big leagues since dropping college basketball in '14 to focus on baseball. Once he arrives -- which may happen sooner than many think -- the lefty should rack up K's. And while wins might be hard to come by for the rebuilding Reds, his WHIP and ERA should be solid given his arsenal -- which features three decent pitches, including a 96 mph fastball -- and ability to induce grounders. The latter trait in particular will give him a good chance to succeed at homer-happy Great American Ball Park.
NL WEST
Dodgers
Julio Urías, SP
The Dodgers are playing things safe with their young stud left-hander. Although he averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings last year, management might not let him pitch in April to protect his arm. But when he gets the call, he should rack up wins and strikeouts.

Giants
Matt Moore, SP
Moore's fortunes were definitely rising as the '16 campaign drew to a close. He won six of his final eight regular-season outings before dazzling the Cubs with an eight-inning two-hitter in an NL Division Series matchup. Being another year removed from his '14 Tommy John elbow surgery should make Moore even stronger.
Padres
Hunter Renfroe, OF
Renfroe figures to get the bulk of the playing time in right field for the Padres and may bat behind Wil Myers in the order, making him a prime candidate for RBIs. He's been an impressive power threat throughout his career, and he has a good chance to continue along that path in the Majors.

Rockies
Charlie Blackmon, OF
Blackmon established career highs in all three slash-stat departments (.324/.381/.552), home runs, RBIs and doubles a year ago. Followed immediately in the order by NL batting champion DJ LeMahieu and then Nolan Arenado and Carlos González, Blackmon figures to get plenty of pitches to hit again. He'll turn 31 on July 3, but because of physical improvements -- especially with his lower half -- he has the look of a guy who will keep excelling into his mid-30s.

D-backs
Chris Owings, SS/OF
The ball has been jumping off Owings' bat this spring. Even if he doesn't win the starting shortstop job, he should end up playing there a bunch and also getting at-bats in the outfield and possibly second base. Don't overlook his value on the bases, as he was 21-for-23 in stolen-base attempts last year.