Building a Better Bench: What to Look For in a Reserve

Failure to make proper use of bench spots is a common mistake made by beginner fantasy players. With only so many spots to go around in a fantasy lineup and nearly every player playing every single day throughout the season, production often goes to waste on the bench.

Here's a rundown of the types of players who should be targeted to round out a team as a reserve:

Positional Versatility

With off days in the heart of the MLB season so rare and sporadic, it doesn't make sense to have more than a couple of position players serving as reserves. To maximize the value of these spots, positional eligibility is key.

Players like Boston Red Sox 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF Brock Holt may not have the upside of some other players, but he holds value due to his ability to slot into any open lineup spot. He's rarely worthy of a regular spot in the lineup, but he can replace any player who happens to have a day off.

Any production he provides can be viewed as a bonus and is a better option than leaving an empty spot in your lineup. Players like this should only be taken in the last few rounds of a draft.

Platoon Specialists

Another type of potentially valuable position player is the platoon hitter. Seattle Mariners 1B Adam Lind is an excellent example, due to his extreme career splits:

Lind, and players like him, aren't worthy of an everyday roster spot as they'll decrease a fantasy team's batting average, while not offering upside in the other statistics. They should be simply started when facing their favorable split - and avoided altogether when they aren't.

Go SP Heavy

As mentioned above, it doesn't make sense to roster more than a couple of extra position players. The value comes in having an abundance of pitching. With starters only playing every fifth day, they can easily be cycled in and out of lineups on their days off. In leagues without innings caps, the more starts the better, as they result in a higher potential for more strikeouts and wins.

In leagues with daily roster changes, pitchers with favorable matchups should be streamed throughout the week. Even a replacement-level pitcher can provide value by picking up a few strikeouts and a win against a bad team.

Owners in leagues with weekly lineup locks should always be searching for two-start pitchers in order to maximize innings and production.

Value in Middle Relievers

Middle relievers hold plenty of fantasy value. They can pick up the occasional win or save, while also having the potential to spot start or even move into the closer role.

They also play more often than designated closers, as they're not situation dependent. While a manager is likely to save his closer when his team is losing or leading by more than three runs in favor of resting him for a potential save the next day, middle relievers can always be used.

New York Yankees RP Dellin Betances was the seventh most valuable reliever in fantasy last season, despite picking up just nine saves.

Stash Prospects

Teams have several reasons to keep their top prospects in the minors to begin the season. Many of the reasons relate to service time and finances, while some final fine-tuning in is often deemed necessary following Spring Training.

This shouldn't diminish their value in the eyes of fantasy owners. As demonstrated by Chicago Cubs 3B/OF Kris Bryant and Houston Astros SS Carlos Correa last season, many of these players are ready and capable of making immediate fantasy impacts when called up.

Fantasy owners need to do their research prior to their drafts in order to have an idea of when these players might make their debuts. It could be very worthwhile to keep them stashed for a couple of weeks, or even months, as opposed to possibly missing out on them via the waiver wire.