Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman: Needs to elevate ball in 2017

Zimmerman's poor performance at the plate in 2016 can be traced to his inability to get the ball in the air, MLB.com's Mike Petriello reports.

Analysis:

The veteran slugger finished last season 12th in exit velocity at 93.7 mph but 150th in launch angle at 7.9 degrees, indicating that while Zimmerman was regularly hitting the ball hard, he was also mostly hitting it on the ground. If he can tweak his swing to add some more loft, he could rebound in a big way, but it's fair to ask whether the shoulder issues that forced his move to first base have also contributed to his inability to elevate the ball. Keep a very close eye on his performance this spring -- especially whether he's hitting more line drives and fly balls -- before you take a chance on adding Zimmerman to your fantasy roster.