It seems like just yesterday that we were drafting our teams, and so you may think there hasn’t been much movement in my rankings. You’d be wrong, however, as we have received loads of clarity in terms of position battles, closer depth chart and via injuries. Plus, there have been legitimate breakouts like Matt Boyd and Dansby Swanson (really) that fantasy owners need to pay attention to. We’ll get to the rankings in a moment, but first I’ll tell you about four players I am especially bullish on the rest of the season compared to their consensus rankings.
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Miguel Sano (3B #22 vs ECR #29)
Sano is gearing up for his rehab assignment, and while you may have given up on him after his rough 2018 seasons, he still has loads of potential. Believe it or not, Sano is younger than Rhys Hoskins! We likely haven’t seen the best of Sano yet, which is saying something considering he has slugged 36 homers and driven in 100 RBIs per 162 games played. If he can get over his weight issues, which appears to be the case, we might see a top 100 overall player from the moment he returns. Sano needs to be owned in every single league before he comes back.
Lewis Brinson (OF #62 vs ECR #85)
Brinson is also a former top prospect who is oozing with potential. You wouldn’t know it from his .199/.240/.338/.577 line last season, however. His pedestrian .560 OPS with 0 HR and 2 RBIs this season may seem to be the same, but the 24-year-old has actually been crushing the ball. This spring, he was among the best hitters in the Grapefruit League with 5 homers and an .896 OPS. Now through two regular season weeks, Brinson has been among the most unlucky hitters in baseball with a -.095 difference in his wOBA and xwOBA. Essentially, he has been hitting the ball much better than his early numbers indicate so don’t be surprised if that turns into quality numbers before long.
Drew Pomeranz (SP #80 vs ECR #113)
I know what you are thinking: there is no way I’m adding that guy. Look, I never said it was going to feel sexy but if you want to win your league, it might be the right move. After struggling in Coors Field, Pomeranz pitched 257 innings for the A’s and Padres, posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over two and a half seasons. Now that he is back in a pitcher’s park with the Giants, we should see solid ratios again. Add in that his fastball velocity is up 2.7 MPH (best in baseball) and he just might be the surprise fantasy asset of the year. I’d nab him now before everyone else catches on and it costs you FAAB money.
Freddy Peralta (SP #49 vs ECR #72)
Peralta’s first start was dreadful but the second start showed everyone why we were so optimistic when he struck out 11 and allowed just 2 baserunners. Peralta may only have two pitches, but with that limited repertoire, he was top 5 in batting average against and top 10 in K/9 last season. The only other pitchers who managed that were Blake Snell, Max Scherzer and Chris Sale, and while Peralta’s sample size was more limited and he has some command issues, his stuff is dominant and you just can’t teach dominant. If his command improves, we could be looking at a bonafide ace who helps fantasy teams win their leagues. He is still available in over 50% of leagues right now.
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