Debate Team: Assessing Jose Reyes' Potential Fantasy Impact

SS Jose Reyes looks set to sign with a major league team shortly, whether it's a reunion with the New York Mets or another club. Likely available in your fantasy league's free-agent pool, Reyes has long been an elite source of runs, stolen bases and batting average. Will he be a top-10 shortstop for the rest of the season?

Ken Conrad: I certainly think Reyes is worthy of a pickup in most fantasy leagues, if only to see what the veteran has left. He won't cost anything other than a waiver claim, after all. Still, I'd temper expectations of a top-10 ranking at the position.

Last season, spent with the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies, he posted a career-low .310 OBP. He did experience a boost from playing in Coors Field, slashing .323/.351/.462 in 93 at-bats there in 2015, but owners can't count on that anymore. If he does end up joining the Mets, he'll be expected to help revive an offense which ranks 28th in runs scored.

While he's undoubtedly well-rested after having only featured in nine game with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate this season, injuries have always been a hindrance to the now 33-year-old Reyes. After playing in 160 games in 2012, he featured in 93, 143 and 116 in each of the subsequent three seasons.

By the time he signs, there will likely be 80-85 games remaining, and it's difficult to foresee him being active for all of them.

Whether he has the green light to run will be key for his fantasy value, wherever he signs. Again, the Mets have just 13 stolen bases as a team, ahead of only Baltimore, so it's difficult to say whether they simply lack speed or prefer having their runners take a cautious approach.

Esten McLaren: There's no doubt Reyes' best days of production are behind him, and he also can't be expected to play a full 80 or 85 games after signing. Should he sign immediately, owners should temper expectations based on a 70-75 game schedule for Reyes, regardless of his future team.

The shortened schedule is based only on the high risk of injury, as whichever team is willing to take the chance on his character and the media backlash which would ensue would undoubtedly need him to play an every day role in their middle infield.

Of the top 10 shortstops to date thus far, five have hit at least 10 homers and five have at least 10 steals. Only Texas Rangers SS/OF Ian Desmond has done both. None of the top-10 shortstops have a batting average below .263, and the lowest OPS is Jonathan Villar's .800 mark.

Reyes has a career average of .290, and an OPS of .770. His career BB/K ratio is 0.66, and he'll likely fill a hole at the top of the lineup for whichever team he signs with. Owners can reasonably expect about five home runs and 15 steals from Reyes, a .280/.340/.420 slash line, and between 30 and 40 runs scored.

Ken Conrad: I don't think Reyes' career averages are relevant anymore, as he put up some great early-career statlines which prop up his overall totals. If Villar's .800 OPS is the baseline for anyone within the top-10, then Reyes looks destined to fall short. Last year's mark of .688 was his lowest since 2005, and he hasn't topped .800 since the 2011 season.

A more realistic comparable player would be Texas' Elvis Andrus, who is slashing .288/.335/.400, with three home runs, 31 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Andrus' OPS is .735, and he's a solid contributor worthy of ownership in the majority of leagues, but he currently resides in the early teens as far as shortstops go.

Esten McLaren: The influx of talented young shortstops, as well as veteran players like Desmond maintaining shortstop eligibility despite playing the entire season in the outfield, surely makes it an uphill climb for Reyes. Of those currently in the top 10, players like Villar and St. Louis Cardinals 2B/SS Aledmys Diaz have been quickly dropping down the ranks, after strong starts.

With these players likely to continue more modest levels of play, a half-season stat line similar to what Reyes put up in 2014, when he had a .321 wOBA - fifth among qualified shortstops - would get him into the top 10 for the rest of the season.

Ken Conrad: We're ultimately just speculating until Reyes officially joins a team and we know more about where he'll slot into the lineup and whether he'll benefit from any potential offense-boosting park factors.

Even if he doesn't quite finish among the top-10 shortstops, he could still have fantasy value if he can maintain a respectable average and steal a few more bases than expected. Who knows, maybe he'll immediately hit a run of BABIP-infused luck and I'll look foolish for doubting him. If he ultimately ends up elsewhere, the added positional eligibility could help his fantasy viability.

Esten McLaren: You nailed it there. In a condensed season, Reyes' production could certainly be determined by a run of luck, good or bad.

He's typically been a slow starter throughout his career, but July and August have typically been his best two months of the season. Still, with his competition either regressing, battling injuries, or just feeling the effects of a long season, Reyes will represent an injection of production to any fantasy team, and he carries value for that reason alone.