With a current Average Draft Position of 8th overall, Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor has a very high floor and is one of the few low-risk players being picked in the first round of fantasy baseball drafts.

The four-time MLB All-Star might be playing his last season with the Indians as his contract negotiations have stalled during the coronavirus. Nonetheless, Sports Illustrated’s fantasy baseball analysts Shawn Childs and Jaime Eisner both say Lindor is one of the safest and most productive first-round picks for the 2020 season.

Read the full transcript from their interview:

Corey Parson: Hey, what's up? It's Corey Parson, fantasy executive here for si.com Major League Baseball could be on the way back. That means fantasy baseball to be on the way back. Joining me to break down Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor is SI fantasy and gambling analyst Shawn Childs and Jaime Eisner. Shawn, let me kick it off with you. What do you think of Lindor coming into this upcoming season? 

Shawn Childs: He's been a great player over the last three or four years, really coming on with the power he's got, you know, with 30 home runs, three years in a row, is RBI lower because he hits at the top of the order. But last year he came into the season. You know, missed the first weeks with a calf injury and came off a little slow in his first 10 games. He really, really came on the next half of the half the season, 15 home runs, plenty of runs plenty RBI's. As you know, hit four high batting average. But he finished off the year in the last quarter, two months or whatever, with only hit .244, which, you know, hurt some as is counting stats. But he does it all. He's going to get drafted in the first round. It's just a matter of is Cleveland's offense behind him going to be strong enough to support some of the higher counting categories? But there's a lot to like here. And the other question is, you know, he's the shortstop position is deep behind him where you can probably maybe fade him as a first-round pick and try to find another value. So, you know, talent-wise, it's all there. It's just, you know, how you view the other pieces to the puzzle at shortstop.

Corey Parson: Jaime, I want you to piggyback off of what Shawn said. Talk about the shortstop position in general, not to mention all the bats around Lindor enough for him to bring back fantasy value.

Jaime Eisner: Yeah, look to talk all spring was what where did you draft these top three shortstops from the first round with Lindau, with Trevor Story and with Trey Turner. I'll give you somewhat different skill sets. But in the case of Lindor's story, you're getting that power-speed combo. The needs are going to be interesting this year because I am expecting a bounce back from Jose Ramirez. I like the fact that Franmil Reyes is gonna be there for the entire year. So maybe that can push Lindor back into that 110 plus run range for him. I had him ranked as my number six overall player as my top shortstop. I know volume won't matter quite as much now in the shortened season because a lot more players are going to play. But he led the league and plate appearances in 2017 and 2018 and he probably would've done it again last year if he didn't miss the first three weeks of the season. He's going to be out there every day and touch every one of your major categories in fantasy. 

Corey Parson: All right. Yes. Good job right there from Shawn and Jaime. For the latest from the majors and rotto baseball. Keep it locked right here on si.com

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