Just make sure you're not paying for his MVP iteration on draft day. He ended with an ERA of 3.19 and WHIP of 1.16, and 174 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings. Just make sure you have enough IL slots. If anyone needs a change of scenery in order to maximize his talent, Bryan Reynolds is that guy. While Father Time will claim all athletes at some point, the 39-year-old Morton seems to have an agreement in place to avoid being claimed yet. Atlanta has a number of closer options, though Iglesias is the most experienced of the bunch and should get the first crack at it. If you drafted Lucas Giolito in 2022, chances are good you spent a great deal of time debating whether or not to drop him, trade him, or hold. College Recruiting Rankings. Let them. Hoskins makes for a nice CI option. The Home Field Sports fantasy baseball rankings series continues with second basemen and shortstops, which are normally tough positions to navigate with not many reliable hitting threats. His K/9 rate dipped to 8.24, but his BB/9 improved from 3.22 to 2.33. The switch hitter did everything better when St. Louis put him in the leadoff slot, which led to an overall .265/.324/.400 slash line. While chances are good Diaz will not repeat these numbers in 2023, there is nothing to suggest that he won't return as an elite closer option with job security on a team that should win plenty of games. He still struck out 190 batters and maintained a 3.05 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, but the missed time and increased average exit velocity allowed left something to be desired for fantasy managers. There's a younger player who might ve even more electrifying than Turner with a ton of upside to boot. When he returned, he dazzled fantasy managers with his 11.41 K/9 and 3.49 xFIP. His BABIP was a little high (.290), which led to his .293 batting average, so fantasy managers should consider that regression and expect more in the .270 range. The Blue Jays traded Teoscar Hernandez to the Mariners this offseason, which should be a similar situation to the one he just left regarding young talent. Semien is a great, reliable 2B option, which at this point, looks like a very shallow position heading into 2023. The regression happened across the board everywhere but stolen bases, where he actually increased from 15 to 25 in 2022. The good . He only pitched 153 innings; he missed time due to a diagnosis of Raynaud's Syndrome, which affected the index, middle, and ring fingers on his pitching hand. He hit 16 homers, his most since 2019, but he only stole 18 bases, a severe drop off from the 47 he snagged the year before. With an ADP in the 150s, there is no reason to shy away from him in 2023. Unranked. His BABIP and LOB% are both due for regression, and his xFIP was 3.53, so it's important to temper expectations in those departments. Lindor is the definition of a "safe" pick in a good lineup with some upside, but he won't be returning to 2017-2019 numbers anytime soon. Steamer projections have him at 43/109/104 for the upcoming season, and his ratios should see a small decline as well. As Mookie Betts enters his age-30 season, there is some expected decline in a few areas (fly ball rate increased but led to a lower ground ball EV/BABIP). After three years of single-digit steals, Altuve stole 18 bags while only being caught once in 2022. Francisco Lindor had an abysmal 2021 after signing a huge contract with the Mets, but he returned to form in 2022, tallying 26 HR, 107 RBI, 98 runs, and 16 SB. The positives are his solid floor, and a good surrounding lineup will keep the numbers afloat. Unfortunately, he also offers 3.4 BB/9 as he sometimes isn't sure where his 100-mph throws will end up. Coming in at No. He is still only 25 years old and should be a durable righty on fantasy staffs in 2023. He may not duplicate his .325/.407/.511 line again, his three-year average of .312/.415/.563 says that range is possible with his elite skills. His K% and Whiff% remain in elite status, and he still walked away with 36 saves. Even with the big contract, Swanson has proven that his durability is consistent, and he should bat at the top of the order, both of which make him a valuable fantasy asset. He ended the first half with 14 HR, five SB (out of 10 attempts), and a slash line of .259/.301/.430. Suzuki struggled to adjust to the different levels of pitching, but he is a prime candidate for a bounceback season. 1 with a farm system led by Julio Rodriguez and George Kirby. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez might be the safest player available. He is a Top 3 third baseman, providing a bankable 30/100/100 while slashing in the .300/.360/.500 range for fantasy managers who decide to power their infield early in drafts. Whether or not you draft Luis Robert depends entirely on how risk-averse you are to injuries. Judge is the guy if fantasy managers want to shore up their slugging early. His HR tally dropped from 34 to 14 and games played went from 132 to 96. Once again, Jacob deGrom is the pitcher on the board with the wildest range of outcomes possible. Writing that article even helped me think about how to approach drafts. Kershaw has always pitched as though allowing walks offends him to his core, and he is still in the 93rd percentile in walk rate. He has elite curveball and fastball spin rates, but he was a bit wild with the breaking pitches, which is pretty typical for pitchers coming back. When he returned, it looked like all of the skills that made him so highly sought after had disappeared. The steals are why he goes so early in drafts because it is certainly not his patience at the plate. Still, his elite on-base skills continue to increase his value in fantasy leagues, especially considering that he bats leadoff in one of the most explosive lineups in baseball. However, he can be a mid-round source of stolen bases either way. These polls, along with the Perfect Game USA poll, rank the top 25 teams nationally. The annual Fantasy Extra issue of USA TODAY. Julio Rodriguez led the 2022 youth movement throughout MLB, skipping Triple-A to win Rookie of the Year with 29 of 30 first-place votes and electrifying the crowd at the HR Derby in July. Expect a little over 10.0 K/9, an ERA closer to 3, a microscopic WHIP from the third-year player, and the latest entry into the Tampa Bay pitching echelon. Alex Bregman started 2022 off slowly, but his bat came alive in the second half of the season. He might be an empty batting average/OBP player, though, so don't expect much more than 15 HR if you pick him. The 29-year-old's Steamer projections show a 2.96 xFIP and a K/9 north of 11, and his current ADP is 92. Torres played a much better second base than shortstop, and he should have a lock on the position. Riley sits in the 95th percentile or higher in HardHit%, xSLG, Barrel%, avgEV, MaxEV, and xwOBA, which puts him in a tiny group of batters who can provide power numbers without destroying your ratios. His Statcast page could be the official symbol of Valentine's Day, with the only non-red stat being his fastball spin rate. It's a risky proposition, but the payoff could be incredible. In 2022, everyone in fantasy baseball circles knew Marcus Semien would experience some serious regression in Texas after his career year in Toronto. If spin rate is your jam, you'll love what Ryan Pressly has to offer. $26 Teoscar Hernandez. What it will not make a difference in, however, is his incredible talent on the field. Jeremy Pena arrived to Houston and promptly hit 22 HR and stole 11 bases. Fantasy managers need only remember that his days of 30 starts are long gone, and he will have one or two IL stints during the season. However, he still offers clear 20-20 potential at the shallower 2B position with the hope he will continue where he left off in 2022. The concerns with Alcantara are related to over-drafting him coming off his career year and an xFIP that was an entire run above his ERA. Machado is a safe but exciting draft pick in the second round. 1 - 50. March 2, 2023. If we look at his three-year trends from the last three full seasons he played, the 25-year-old projects to be in the 20/15 range for HR and SB. He bats at the top of an improved batting order, so 100 runs should be bankable. Beyond that, Alcantara threw 228 innings with a 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 207 strikeouts, winning the NL Cy Young with all 30 first-place votes. All the same, Romano struck out 73 batters in 64 innings while maintaining a 2.11 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. The Official Site of Major League Baseball. To see all the great stories in this issue, CLICK HERE. He is not projected to be quite as much of a disaster in 2023 - his HR total should creep back above 20 instead of 13 - but a 20/70/70/5 guy with a .260 batting average and low OBP isn't someone you have to reach for in a draft. He is no slouch, though, and will serve as a great SP2 on fantasy rosters. He used a four-pitch arsenal to get 33 saves with a 2.98 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. Two years into his St. Louis tenure, the 31-year-old has put to rest most fantasy manager fears about the lack of the Coors effect. After the ASB, he hit the IL with a back strain and had four saves, an ERA of 4.44, and a 25:13 K:BB ratio. He would make for a good SP2 on regular 5x5 fantasy teams. If you can stomach the idea of spending a high-round draft pick on an injury risk with a high ceiling, Robert could be a steal. Josh Hader may come at a discount in 2023 due to those who fixate on a stretch of outings in August 2022 or look only at his final ERA. 2023 fantasy baseball 2B, SS rankings: Target Jazz Chisholm, avoid Fernando Tatis? News. Including the postseason run, Verlander threw 195 innings last season, and even though he has been a workhorse for his entire career, it is fair to question how many more years he can continue to flirt with 200 innings. He hit 11 homers, stole 18 bases, and slashed .283/.312/.403 in 153 games. Steamer projections have him hitting another 40 and maybe crossing the century mark on runs and RBI if anyone aside from Shohei Ohtani shows up to play in L.A. His xwOBA and xSLG are both near the 90th percentile, and he hit particularly well at Camden Yards in spite of the extended left field fence. When he is healthy, he is a slash machine (career .279/.357/.479), and even though his running days are over, he will make an excellent SS2 or middle infielder on fantasy rosters. His .353 BABIP is unsustainable, so he will bat closer to his xBA of .257 than his .297 line from last year. Up to you. At the age of 21, he didn't take many walks and struggled with strikeouts, but these numbers should improve based on his profile in the minors. Daulton Vasho has catcher eligibility, which is one of the primary draws to him being drafted in the 40-50 range. Webb utilized his slider and changeup more last season, which helped to protect his ERA and WHIP. However, if he stays healthy, he has all the makings of an SP1. Toronto also helped sort out its overload of catchers by traded heralded prospect Gabriel Moreno to Arizona for Daulton Varsho. Dansby Swanson will enter his age-29 season with a freshly signed 7-year, $177 million with the Chicago Cubs. The Yankees were the best team in Defensive Runs Saved, which furthered his effectiveness. His strikeout rate remains quite high, and he won't bat for much average, but the addition of Trea Turner should boost his counting stats high enough for fantasy managers not to care much. He collected 37 saves, while pitching 57 2/3 innings and striking out 85 batters. He had an ERA of 4.90 but an xFIP of 3.66. Injuries plagued him and led to UCL surgery in his left thumb in the first half of the season. Or he could clog your IL for two-thirds of the season. 2. Corbin Carroll mashed his way through the minor league system and arrived in Arizona for his debut in 2022. 1? Only 17 miles separates the nation's best high school baseball and softball players. *Rankings for 2023 Grad and younger are available to Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports and Scout subscribers. In 2022, Kenley Jansen led the NL in saves with 41. He is in the top 10 percent in maxEV and xBA, and the new SB rules could benefit someone with his speed. When he makes contact, Arozarena's elite maxEV will allow good things to happen. However, he threw 166 innings, struck out 219 batters, and maintained a 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP to finish fourth in Cy Young voting. But he will play every day, and with the new base-stealing rules boosting that category, he may run every day, too. Reports also surfaced that he had turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from Washington, and soon, the HR Derby winner headed to San Diego with expectations as big as the contract he turned down. If someone could guarantee his health, an argument could be made to take him in the first round. His K% dropped from a super-elite 34.1% to a basic-elite 30.6%. Nathaniel Lowe became something of an on-base machine in 2022. Health is the big issue with him though, as he hasn't played over 120 games since 2019. His true asset, though, is his ability to score runs in a potent lineup. While his slugging percentage was down significantly, a lot of that can be attributed to working back from the injury. Bieber will not dazzle you with an overpowering fastball, and he occasionally gets lit up by hard contact, but his K/BB ratio of 5.50 will provide a great floor to rely on. The 30-year-old comes with some red flags for 2023, however. On the other hand, those 40 HR and .347 ISO probably won some leagues last year for patient managers who could ride out the injuries. He is not the clear-cut SP1 he's been in years past, but he should still be one of the first off the board. He is in the 90th percentile and above in nine of 12 categories on Statcast, and even some slight regression in his overall numbers still leaves him in "elite" territory. The shortstop position feels deeper than in years past, but heading into his age-29 season, Seager remains at or near the top. The 25-year-old pitched 166 1/3 innings, struck out 194 batters, and blessed fantasy managers with a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. His BB% actually went up, and his K% stayed in the 90th percentile at 14.4. His homers fell from 31 to 27 as a result, but he increased his runs and RBI by 11 each, and he stole 25 bases to boot. Who should be the No. The 29-year-old scored 101 runs and tallied 100 RBI, often batting behind Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in L.A. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect a repeat RBI performance, given that he is almost assuredly going to bat leadoff in Philly, but repeating a 20 HR/100 R season is likely as Citizens Bank plays well to right-handed power. He is not as highly sought after as the overpowering, high-strikeout guys above him, but he will provide everything fantasy managers need in a closer and then some. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Default = Experts with most recent updates. George Kirby arrived in the majors in 2022 and immediately showed off his meticulous control which led to a 6.05 K:BB ratio. Other concerns include the fact that Judge will be 31 years old for the majority of the season and played in a career-high 157 games last year. Willy Adames had the second-most home runs by a shortstop (31) in 2022, finishing only two behind Corey Seager for the lead. Where do you draft the superstar who will only play half the season at most? As long as the 27-year-old continues to rein in the free passes, the saves should be plentiful and competition for the role won't be. He played in 84 games last season, slashing .295/.358/.500 with 16 HR, 54 RBI, and 40 runs. Some fatigue appeared to set in following the All-Star Break, but overall, his numbers remained elite, with an xFIP of 2.85, a K/9 of 10.83, and a WHIP of 0.97. His slash line was impressive at .284/.345/.509 with a wOBA of .366. Spencer Strider arrived in MLB in 2022 and promptly helped many a fantasy manager make the playoffs. The park switch to Wrigley Field could add one or two homers, but he may benefit from the new rules regarding swiping bags. Luis Severino returned from Tommy John surgery, and the Yankees applied restraint to his workload early in the season. He made his way back in July and pitched 5 2/3 innings before a line drive fractured his pinky finger. His K% was much higher (18.7) than at lower levels, but this should normalize as he becomes more comfortable. After he signed a six-year, $75 million contract, the Braves should allow him to throw more innings, probably in the 150-160 range, and he should still have RP eligibility, making him a points-league stud as well. Two IL stints in 2022 are the only thing suppressing McClanahan's draft value in 2023. Really, unless you are playing in a stolen base premium league, Alvarez offers little downside heading into 2023. He hit 23 homers with 93 RBI and 93 runs scored while batting smack in the middle of one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. Gerrit Cole demonstrated some decline in 2022, allowing 1.48 HR/9 on his way to a 3.50 ERA and a career-high total in homers allowed with 33. Barlow will still get his fair share of save opportunities, but this smells like a closer by committee to start the season. His Statcast leaves a lot to be desired, though he is in the 82nd percentile in BB%. If you miss the first half dozen third basemen, Chapman can provide some value at his current ADP. Nola is in the last year of his contract with the Phillies, so he will have plenty of motivation to demonstrate his ability to serve as the ace of any staff. 2023 Projections Baseball stats for 1B. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity . . Fantasy managers should trust that he will get first crack at saving games, but they should also be aware that the 37-year-old benefited from a career-low .221 BABIP. He played in all 162 games in 2022, swatting 25 HR with 96 RBI, 99 runs, and 18 stolen bases. When he did take the mound, the 38-year-old continued his march of dominance in his new digs. . He bats in the middle of a stacked Dodgers lineup, driving in 87 runs and swatting 24 home runs. The Diamondbacks traded Varsho to the Blue Jays in the offseason; Rogers Centre should support another 25-HR, 15-SB season and he could see a bump in runs and RBI with the better lineup around him. 2023 Consensus Fantasy Baseball Outfield Rankings By Fantrax Staff On Feb 14, 2023 Spring has sprung! 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 50 catchers Check out how the fantasy baseball catcher position shakes out for 2023 draft season in our expert rankings. You might have to draft him in the fifth or sixth round to get him, but he has the potential to make it worth your while. Cron hit 22 home runs with a .302 average and .400 wOBA when he played at Coors Field in 2022. At the end of the day, he is still Mike Trout, for better or worse. His primary downfall when it comes to fantasy value is his 58.6% ground ball rate, which limits his HR and RBI totals. His Statcast page looks concerning at first, finishing above the 50th percentile in only three categories - extension, fastball velocity, and BB%. Logan Gilbert flashed the goods in 2021 and returned for a great year in 2022. Will Smith is the catcher you draft when you want productivity from the position but don't want to pay J.T. Jake McCarthy is a vessel for stolen bases in the later rounds of drafts. His BABIP was slightly lower than his career average, meaning fantasy managers could see a small bump in batting average. He will turn 26 in May, and 2023 will show us what kind of long-term fantasy asset he may be. Even with his torn UCL last season, he still slashed .286/.364/.514 and powered the Phillies to the World Series. He should easily be in the top 10 relief pitchers taken on draft day. He had 27 of them in 2022, but if the new baserunning rules indeed make it easier to run, his elite 24.7 ft/sec sprint speed could see him flirt with 40 in 2023. The biggest downside is that he most likely does not have OF eligibility in your league, so make sure your UTIL slot is free for him. Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez delivered an epic 2022 season, so expect him to be in the running for the top pick in drafts, too. His ratios were down across the board, but he improved his K% and BB% and suffered from some bad luck with BABIP. Baltimore Orioles. Both San Francisco and New York balked at Correa following a physical that reportedly raised concerns about his ankle injury and how it would hold up in such long contracts. Seiya Suzuki arrived to MLB and kicked off his career in the States with a bang, hitting four HR and getting on base at a .398 clip. He is an OF5 being drafted in the OF4 range because of the cliff the position drops off of in drafts. His Statcast page is filled with red in every area except barrel% and sprint speed. Christian Walker was ridiculously underrated/ignored in 2022 given the fantasy production he was putting out. He has power to all fields, bats in the middle of a World Champion lineup, and will protect your ratios in traditional 5x5 leagues and those with advanced categories. He pitched 72 2/3 innings, striking out 77, and maintaining a microscopic 1.36 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. With that of course comes a nice normal preseason of fantasy baseball draft prep. If you think he'll cross the century mark in innings pitched, he's a steal at his current ADP. Use our first base rankings, tiers and analysis to win your fantasy baseball drafts. With no clear-cut SP1 in fantasy this season, Burnes is a solid choice, as he will buoy your pitching categories while pitching in front of a Top 10 defensive team. There is hope that the White Sox have realized that Eloy Jimenez is a designated hitter and will deploy him as such in an effort to keep the 26-year-old healthy. Soto is worth every penny of a top draft pick. Marcus Semien and Jose Altuve. Fantasy managers are scared because of injury risk or age, but Stanton is going to mash. His EV and HardHit% certainly showed no signs of slowing down, and he remains an on-base machine batting at the top of a fearsome lineup.