Ah, the awful waiting period between fantasy drafts and the first pitch is over, and the new baseball season has finally begun. While the worst thing a fantasy owner can do is overreact to an incredibly small sample size, the first week did bring up many burning questions. While overreacting to anomalies can be treacherous, some decisions made in the first few weeks will be the most important ones made all season long. These are the choices you don’t want to mess up. The start of each new Major League Baseball season brings happiness, joy, and a boatload of stressful questions for fantasy owners.
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Who are some early-season batting candidates to potentially sell high?
Dee Gordon (2B/SS/OF – SEA)
Gordon currently sits towards the top of the player rater with a .281 AVG and four steals. His peripherals are nearly identical to last year, however, when he was a major disappointment. Gordon is firmly entrenched in the nine spot in Seattle’s lineup. Couple that with the fact that he’s played two more games than most players a week into this year, and he’s not exactly enticing. Seeing four stolen bases and a high number next to his player ranking might lure some owners in, though, and get you a nice deal in return.
Wil Myers (3B/OF – SD)
There’s no debating Myers has gotten off to a terrific start at the dish. His storied five-tool potential has definitely shown thus far. Careful treading for owners of Myers, nevertheless, because this is the same player who has played only two full seasons in his entire six-year career. Yes, he is and has always been dripping with potential, but that’s another reason to deal him. Myers should be an easy guy to flip right now for much more than his draft value, which seems like a very wise decision.
A.J. Pollock (OF – LAD)
Read Myers, Wil above. Myers and Pollock are in nearly identical situations. And for the exact same reason I’d trade Myers away, I’d be looking to deal Pollock. Pollock himself has mind-bogglingly only played one full MLB season. Not to mention, he’s 31. He is playing in an exciting Dodgers offense, so it wouldn’t be shocking to find another owner willing to take him off your hands for a great return.
Who are some early-season batting candidates to potentially buy low?
Jose Ramirez (2B/3B – CLE)
While no Ramirez owner should be panicking yet, you may find one or two willing to deal him. He’s somehow put owners through the wringer thus far, and we’re only one week into the season. One thing to keep in mind is that Ramirez got off to an absolutely brutal start last season. On April 9, he had only three hits to his name and was sporting an .086 AVG. We all know how 2018 turned out for Ramirez. Keep an eye on him, but if any Ramirez owner is willing to sell for less than first-round value, hop on it.
Trevor Story (SS – COL)
This is another player off to a very rough start. Again, we’re dealing with such small sample sizes here that there’s absolutely no reason to even bat an eye. Owners do silly things, though, and Story has been a bit of a volatile player throughout his short career. If anyone is willing to sell Story, take them up on the offer. He’s going to have a monster year.
Eugenio Suarez (3B – CIN)
Suarez had one hit without a single counting stat before going 2-for-3 with a double and home run on Monday night. He was a bit divisive heading into the drafts. On one hand, the third baseman isn’t a household name. He also provides no speed (only one steal in 2018) and his power may have been a bit flukey. On the flip side, Suarez is only 27 years old, is coming off of a breakout season, and is hitting on a good team in a great park. There’s lots of upside there, but drafters might freak out a bit to a slow start. I believe in Suarez and his power, however, and this is a prime guy to scoop up at a potential bargain.
Who are some low-ownership guys who should absolutely be rostered?
Jorge Soler (OF – KC): 35% Owned
Soler should be owned on upside alone. At this point in the season, most fantasy teams have (or should have) at least a couple of high-ceiling players on their bench. Most of the time, one of them will pay off. Soler could easily be that guy this season. He’s healthy, and I’m a firm believer that with all that potential, Soler has to have one good season eventually. This could be the year. He’s currently hitting in the four hole in Kansas City’s lineup, behind some guys who can get on base. Pick up Soler where he’s available.
D.J. LeMahieu (2B – NYY): 55% Owned
Everyone just wrote LeMahieu off this year when he left Colorado. Truth be told, it’s not like he hit a bunch of home runs in Colorado anyway. The move out of Coors Field might not even be as detrimental to him as previously thought. With Miguel Andujar facing a lengthy absence, LeMahieu should become 3B eligible on top of 2B, making him even more valuable. On top of all of that, he has hit as high as fifth in the Yankees’ lineup.
Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA): 22% Owned
Alcantara just might be the next young stud pitcher. He was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis, and the Cardinals may wish they had never done that deal. In his first start, Alcantara spun eight scoreless innings against the Rockies while striking out six. This is a big right-hander who has nasty stuff and is pitching in Miami. We could be seeing the start of a breakout campaign.
Domingo Santana (OF – SEA): 77% Owned
Sorry for throwing him onto the list, but Santana just eclipsed the 75-percent ownership mark in Yahoo leagues. He’s number two on the player rater for crying out loud. If you play in a league where Santana isn’t owned, grab him and win your league. Remember, this guy hit .278 with 30 dingers and 15 swipes in 2017.
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Alex Altmix is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Alex, check out his archive or follow him @Altmix_23.
