Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2022 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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10.
Mike Trout
CF
He's destined to end up in Cooperstown, but Trout has been plagued by injuries in what should be the prime of his career. He hasn't played more than 140 games in a season since 2016, and a calf injury last year limited him to just 117 at-bats. If he can stay healthy, he'll hit a bunch of bombs and make major contributions in runs, RBI and batting average. Trout once stole 49 bases, but that was a long time ago, and the SBs might not come back now that he's in his 30s. You're bound to get an injury discount on Trout, and with good reason - the risk of continued health problems is very real. But if you're lucky enough to get 150+ games out of him, you're going to turn a big profit.
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28.
Shohei Ohtani
SP
He's Japan's greatest gift to MLB since Ichiro, and he offers the greatest combination of hitting and pitching since Babe Ruth. Ohtani's 9.1 WAR in 2021 was more than a full win higher than anyone else's. It's unfortunate that the rules in most fantasy leagues make it impossible for investors to fully tap all of Ohtani's skills. As a hitter, he provides prodigious power, scores runs in bunches and makes meaningful SB contributions. He batted .257 last year, but would it shock anyone if he gave us a .300 season? As a pitcher, Ohtani got his walks under control, struck out 10.8 batters per nine innings, and posted a 9-2 record. It's a dazzling skill set, and if Ohtani stays healthy, he's likely to return something close to first-round value as a hitter. He's a valuable pitcher, too, but to most fantasy owners that's just gravy.
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74.
Raisel Iglesias
RP
The Angels' closer keeps getting better and better. His K rate has risen in each of the last three seasons. His walk rate has shrunk in each of the last four seasons. Iglesias struck out 103 batters in 70 innings last year and walked only 12. He's notched at least 28 saves in each of his last four full seasons going back to 2017, and he's cemented his reputation as one of the best, most reliable closers in the game. If you don't have the stomach for saves speculation and are willing to pay for quality, Iglesias is well worth the price.
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96.
Anthony Rendon
3B
A medley of injuries limited Rendon to 58 games and 249 plate appearances in 2021. He batted over .300 in each of his last three seasons with the Nationals, but Rendon's BA slipped to .286 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and bottomed out at a career-low .240 last year. When he's at his best, Rendon is a choosy hitter who racks up extra-base hits and makes significant contributions in every category except stolen bases. He's slightly past prime age, but we should still expect a bounce-back season from Rendon, and he's very affordable in drafts.
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104.
Jared Walsh
1B,RF
Walsh was outstanding in his rookie year, blasting 29 home runs and batting .277. His expected batting average (.257) and slugging percentage (.436) lagged significantly behind his actual numbers, but his 114.8 MPH maximum exit velocity was in the top six percent of MLB and suggests his power is real. Walsh couldn't hit a lick against lefties last year, as he batted just .170 against them with a .565 OPS. But, even if he loses time against them, his success against righties should be more than enough to keep him relevant. Buy him as a 30-homer bat but take at least 10 to 20 points off his batting average from last year.
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181.
Patrick Sandoval
SP
Sandoval didn't get much respect from fantasy managers despite a solid year last season, probably for two reasons. The first is that his control is middling (9.9% walk rate), which leads to an inflated WHIP. The second is that his fastball is just mediocre, and it's really difficult to trust a pitcher who doesn't want to throw that pitch. But all that ignores that he has a glorious changeup and a passable slider, which he uses to great effect. He ended his season with a stress fracture in his back but he's reportedly fully recovered now. There's some risk with him but, chances are, his ADP won't reflect his upside. Take a chance on him, but make sure to draft some other "boring" and safe options.
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186.
Jo Adell
LF,RF
Adell has massive power but hit just four home runs in 35 games in the majors last year. But his strikeout rate was a very manageable 22.9% after it was an incredibly bloated 41.7% in 2020, and that generally bodes well for a prospect. He worked on a swing change this offseason and looks much, much more comfortable in the spring. As fantasy managers know, prospect growth is not linear, so Adell's mediocre performance in the majors to this point shouldn't give you much pause. You'll have to pay more for him than his numbers suggest you should, be he's got the type of upside that should make the price worth it.
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231.
Noah Syndergaard
SP
Syndergaard has pitched two innings since 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and then having setbacks last season, and he'll get a fresh start with the Angels. Fantasy managers know what he brings to the table when he's at his best. A high-90s fastball, and excellent curveball, changeup, and slider, and the ability to dominate any lineup he faces when he's on. There are obvious injury concerns, but considering his low ADP, he has more upside than any pitcher going around him. Take comfort in the fact that he took a one-year deal in an effort to rebuild his value, and accept the discount on someone who could easily be an SP2 or SP3 if he stays healthy.
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330.
David Fletcher
2B,SS
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345.
Reid Detmers
SP
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359.
Max Stassi
C
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371.
Brandon Marsh
LF,CF
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470.
Aaron Loup
RP
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498.
Mike Mayers
RP
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514.
Ryan Tepera
RP
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549.
Jose Suarez
SP,RP
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592.
Griffin Canning
SP
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605.
Tyler Wade
2B,3B,SS,CF
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613.
Jose Quijada
RP
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688.
Austin Warren
RP
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755.
Archie Bradley
RP
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829.
Michael Lorenzen
SP,RP
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832.
Jhonathan Diaz
P
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840.
Wander Suero
RP
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871.
Andrew Wantz
RP
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901.
Kurt Suzuki
C
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928.
Jimmy Herget
RP
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932.
Cooper Criswell
SP
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1011.
Janson Junk
SP
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1019.
Ty Buttrey
RP
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1099.
Austin Romine
C
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1103.
Taylor Ward
LF,CF,RF
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1123.
Grant Dayton
RP
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1135.
Chad Wallach
C
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1141.
Jaime Barria
SP,RP
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1145.
Cesar Valdez
RP
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1181.
Chris Rodriguez
RP
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1243.
Juan Lagares
LF,CF,RF
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1256.
Oliver Ortega
RP
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1260.
Brian Moran
RP
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1264.
Matt Duffy
1B,2B,3B
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1280.
Luis Rengifo
2B,3B,SS,RF
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1296.
Monte Harrison
Util
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1325.
Jack Mayfield
2B,3B,SS
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1334.
Kyle Barraclough
RP
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1361.
Jose Rojas
2B,3B,RF
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1385.
Elvis Peguero
RP
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1388.
Andrew Velazquez
SS
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1410.
Matt Thaiss
1B
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1413.
Jose Marte
RP
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1430.
Magneuris Sierra
LF,CF
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1493.
Dillon Thomas
Util
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1550.
Michael Stefanic
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1558.
Kean Wong
2B
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