Crystal Ball: Fantasy predictions for the 2015 baseball season

Fantasy owners, rejoice! The (mostly) meaningless games of spring are nearing an end and the start of the 2015 MLB regular season is nigh. With that in mind, we've asked the Yahoo fantasy experts to gaze into their crystal balls and reveal their visions for the upcoming 2015 season. Here's what our fantasy Four Horsemen had to say:

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Fantasy MVP

Brandon Funston: I'm not going to try and get cute with this one. If I had the first pick in a fantasy draft this spring (which, unfortunately, I did not), I'd have taken Mike Trout without hesitation. The fact that one of his main goals for '15 is to increase his stolen bases should be music to his fantasy owners' ears. A return to the 30/30 club is looking good for the biggest fish in the fantasy pond.

Andy Behrens: I'd love to be a contrarian here, but, well ... there's really only one answer I can give, based on ranks: Mike Trout. He's the best bet to be an asset in all hitting categories.

Scott Pianowski: Mike Trout is everyone's default answer (mine too), but please note I've moved Miguel Cabrera back into the No. 2 slot on the Pianow Big Board. In a few weeks people are going to look back and laugh at the Miggy discounts at play earlier this month. We've seen Cabrera's absolute floor, it was last year, when he played through a major injury. He looks fine now, maybe a little angry. Pinball numbers to come.

Dalton Del Don: Mike Trout is an extremely boring choice, but he’s so clearly the No. 1 overall pick it's tough to say otherwise (especially since we aren’t talking about ROI here).

Fantasy Cy Young (among those not named Clayton Kershaw)

Funston: The Mariners are a trendy pick to make a postseason splash and, for that to happen, it's going to require that ace Felix Hernandez be his usual bad-ass self. Backed by perhaps the best offense he's seen in his career, and still more than a year shy of his 30th birthday, there's plenty of reason for optimism here. Good luck trying to poke a hole in his fantasy game. He keeps getting better with age. "Long live the King!"

Behrens: We have several strong candidates here, but I'll go Max Scherzer. He finds himself in the friendlier league, tied to a team that should win 90-plus. What's not to love?

Pianowski: Look how horrendous the NL East is. The Phillies are MLB's worst team and Atlanta's lineup has one good hitter in it - one. If Chipper Jones unretired tomorrow, he'd bat third or fourth for these guys. Max Scherzer didn't just to go Washington for the money, he went for the coconut stroll. Good work if you can get it.

Del Don: Max Scherzer is the clear No. 2. He won the AL Cy Young in 2013 and is now joining the NL on a team that’s favored to win the most games in MLB by a wide margin. There’s a strong argument he should be a top-10 overall pick.

Return on Investment MVP

Funston: I think Arizona OF A.J. Pollock is an absolute steal going on average as the No. 184 overall pick in Yahoo drafts. A broken hand cost him half of '14, but he hit .302 in 75 games with a 162-game pace for 15 home runs and 30 steals. He's on fire this spring and, at age 27, he's ripe for a true breakout campaign.

Behrens: Take your pick from any of these pitchers: Phil Hughes (ADP 135.7), Andrew Cashner (140.9), Chris Archer (150.0), Brandon McCarthy (198.5), Michael Pineda (202.1), Taijuan Walker (228.3). I can't choose just one. Filthy values, all.

Pianowski: A.J. Pollock can do everything you want on a baseball field, he just needed his team to love him as much as fantasy owners do. Looks like the Snakes finally got the memo. An injury screened a partial breakout season last year; this time around, everyone will see how gifted Pollock is.

Del Don: Matt Harvey still has an ADP in which he’s being drafted in the middle of the sixth round. He’ll be a common first round pick in 2016 drafts.

Return on Investment LVP (Least Valuable Player)

Funston: I think Freddie Freeman is a fine hitter, but he doesn't offer the kind of power that is a prerequisite for a first baseman being taken as high as he is (34.3 Yahoo ADP). And there's a real good argument that the Braves may have the worst offense in baseball this season - that's certainly not going to help Freeman's fantasy bottom line.

Behrens: I'm with Pianowski on the subject of Yoenis Cespedes. I don't understand the enthusiasm, given the player's history. Modest power by the standards of his position, few steals and an unhelpful batting average.

Pianowski: No one disputes Masahiro Tanaka's ridiculous ability, but you can almost hear his elbow ticking with every pitch. I have a lesser, but similar, fear about Adam Wainwright, one of my long-time favorites. And yes, I want every one of my rivals to fall for the big lie of Cespedes.

Del Don: I’ll go with Ian Desmond. This is someone approaching 30 years old who hit .255 last year while scoring just 73 runs in 593 ABs. Seems bizarre he’s being taken so high (ahead of Josh Donaldson, Bryce Harper and Ryan Braun, to name a few).

Which player will be the biggest fantasy surprise of '15

Funston: Blue Jays rookie Devon Travis combines for at least 25 home runs/steals and finishes as a top 12 fantasy second baseman. He's a gamer, and I love the Toronto hitting environment.

Behrens: Billy Burns, your spring leader in hits, is gonna run away with an outfield job in Oakland. That kid can fly.

Pianowski: Christian Yelich takes the Michael Brantley leap and is a consensus second-round pick in 2016. Alex Rodriguez posts 475 handy at-bats.

Del Don: Carlos Carrasco not only lives up to his breakout last year, but he’s a top-10 fantasy starter in 2015, which isn’t anywhere near his (way too low) ADP in which he’s typically available in round 12.

What is your most outrageous player prediction that you think has a decent chance to come true

Funston: After all the outrage of being demoted to start the season, Cubs rookie Kris Bryant presses upon his arrival in Chicago, with strikeouts piling up fast and furious. Bryant manages to right the ship after a mid-season demotion but his final '15 fantasy line is well below expectations. (Hey, remember, we are shooting for outrageous here, right?)

Behrens: Nolan Arenado is the top-ranked fantasy third baseman, a consensus first-rounder in 2016.

Pianowski: Jake Arrieta gets some first-place Cy Young votes. Chris Davis leads the majors in home runs and bats over .250. Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez are uninjured through Colorado's first homestand. Joc Pederson is jerked in and out of the lineup and never gets comfortable. Mookie Betts is all the wonderful things everyone wants him to be. Joey Votto has another high-OBP, low-homer season and practically begs the Reds to deal him. Tim Lincecum no-hits the Padres again, but loses his rotation spot for partying at the moon tower. Four San Diego starting pitchers are more roto-valuable than Andrew Cashner.

Del Don: Mookie Betts is a top-three second baseman, Kris Bryant is a top-five third baseman while Gerrit Cole is a top-10 starter. Take your pick.

Which prospect (excluding Kris Bryant) do you think will be the most impactful in-season call-up

Funston: Carlos Rodon will be a major reason why the White Sox, and many fantasy owners, make it to the postseason.

Behrens: I'll stick in Chicago and say Carlos Rodon. His stuff is pure evil, and the back end of the White Sox rotation desperately needs him.

Pianowski: They're already writing sonnets about Carlos Rodon's slider. His demotion might be just as egregious, for different reasons, than Kris Bryant's.

Del Don: Rusney Castillo looks like the biggest impact player who’ll start in the minors, as I think he’ll still win the AL ROY despite not beginning the year in Boston. He looks legit and has the advantage of playing in a hitter’s park and in likely MLB’s best lineup.

Five players hit 20 HRs with 20-plus steals in '14. Who do you expect to make the 20/20 club in '15?

Funston: Mike Trout, Carlos Gomez, Andrew McCutchen, Yasiel Puig, Ian Desmond, George Springer, A.J. Pollock

Behrens: Mike Trout, Carlos Gomez, George Springer, Todd Frazier

Pianowski: Mike Trout, Carlos Gomez, Andrew McCutchen, Michael Brantley - Not George Springer, and A.J. Pollock also misses by a couple of homers.

Del Don: Mike Trout, Carlos Gomez, Andrew McCutchen, Joc Pederson, George Springer.

World Series prediction

Funston: White Sox over Nationals in seven

Behrens: Nationals over Red Sox in six.

Pianowski: Dodgers over Mariners in six, despite Don Mattingly getting fired after Game 3.

Del Don: Dodgers over Indians.

What MLB team will lose the most games?

Funston: Assuming Cole Hamels is dealt (and probably even if he isn't), Philadelphia

Behrens: Philly, comfortably.

Pianowski: The Phillies are already 2-17 in their heads. I don't pity you, Jimmy Salz.

Del Don: Philadelphia Phillies. And it’s not close.