Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2020 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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42.
Nelson Cruz
Util
If you removed Cruz's age from the equation, he'd be a top pick in fantasy. Despite missing nearly a quarter of the season to injury last year, he again put up elite numbers, topping 40 home runs and 100 RBI while batting .311. Cruz will be 40 this year, never plays the field and is starting to miss more time to injuries. But he's essentially forgotten in most drafts and has shown very little skills decline. Don't shy away from him on draft day even though he clogs your utility spot.
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71.
Eddie Rosario
LF,RF
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72.
Josh Donaldson
3B
Donaldson played it right, betting on himself with a one-year deal and turning in a patented monstrous power season with the Braves. He'll now move on to the Twins where you can expect more of the same. Not only do the Twins boast one of the best all-around lineups in baseball, but park factors actually favor Target Field over Truist Park for home runs and doubles. Expect a repeat of 2019, with perhaps a little more.
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87.
Jose Berrios
SP
Berrios reached 200 innings but didn't really take the step forward that most fantasy owners had hoped for. His strikeout rate dropped, his WHIP increased, and batters made better contact. Still, Berrios was a pitcher who fantasy owners could start each and every time out, contributed well in wins, and rarely walked batters. When you add it all up, Berrios remains a starter that fantasy owners should covet, but perhaps temper expectations until he shows that he's ready to take that next step.
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110.
Taylor Rogers
RP
Rogers didn't have the Twins' closer role at the outset of the season, but he proved himself as Minnesota's best reliever pretty quickly. He built on his strong gains in 2018, further upping his strikeout rate and lowering his walk rate. He likely won't see all of the save chances this year for the Twins, but he should lead the way in opportunities. That, along with his strong overall numbers, makes him a reliever to target in fantasy.
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112.
Max Kepler
CF,RF
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115.
Jorge Polanco
SS
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145.
Kenta Maeda
SP,RP
Maeda should be the rare pitcher who benefits from a move to the American League. The Dodgers have moved him back and forth from the bullpen to the starting rotation to manipulate his innings and avoid paying him bonuses for years. Now, he should stick in the Twins' rotation, and approach the 175 innings he threw in 2016. Given that he had the highest swinging strike rate (14.6%) and chase rate (34.8%) of his career last year and will be moving to a division that saw three of the other four teams rank in the bottom seven in runs scored in 2019, consider the needle on Maeda moving up.
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146.
Miguel Sano
1B,3B
Sano tested positive for COVID-19, though he's asymptomatic. There have been few updates since his test in early July, and it's certainly possible that he'll return healthy before the start of the regular season. For now, drop him down your draft board a hair, but don't shy away entirely.
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159.
Mitch Garver
C
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160.
Byron Buxton
CF
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176.
Jake Odorizzi
SP
Odorizzi just refused to fail last year, and he was a reliable pitcher all year long. His continued gains in strikeouts and drop in walks, to go along with his 15 wins, led to a remarkably profitable season. But his xFIP remained at 4.33 and Odorizzi just never felt quite like a pitcher who was going to dominate every time out. Fortunately, you don't have to pay for his 2019 numbers given his ADP, so draft him at his price without much worry.
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239.
Rich Hill
SP
Hill is as predictable as they come nowadays. He'll give you outstanding innings with excellent strikeout numbers, but will top out at 135 innings and likely less. He'll likely be sidelined until June with his elbow injury but that may be just in time for the start of the season now. That should move Hill far up your draft boards, from afterthought to late-round sleeper.
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270.
Luis Arraez
2B,3B,LF
Arraez came to the majors and did exactly what he has done throughout his minor-league career. He hit for a high average (.334), rarely struck out (7.9%), and offered nearly no power or speed. Even though his expected batting average was nearly 45 points lower than his actual average, he still should be a major contributor in the category. Is that worth the complete lack of production he offers in three other categories? All depends on your team construction.
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297.
Michael Pineda
SP
Pineda will miss the first 39 games of the 2020 season as he finishes serving his PED suspension. When he does pitch, he'll offer roughly a 4.00 ERA, a decent WHIP, and slightly below average strikeout numbers. On a good Minnesota team, wins may be his best attribute, but he's hardly a pitcher to target in fantasy.
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417.
Trevor May
RP
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426.
Homer Bailey
SP
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446.
Tyler Duffey
RP
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458.
Marwin Gonzalez
1B,2B,3B,LF,RF
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461.
Sergio Romo
RP
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533.
Randy Dobnak
SP
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620.
Tyler Clippard
SP,RP
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628.
Royce Lewis
SS
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676.
Zack Littell
RP
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707.
Devin Smeltzer
SP,RP
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718.
Willians Astudillo
C,1B,3B
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762.
Lewis Thorpe
RP
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775.
Alex Avila
C
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789.
Ehire Adrianza
1B,2B,3B,SS,RF
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841.
Jake Cave
LF,CF,RF
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895.
Matt Wisler
SP,RP
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922.
Cody Stashak
RP
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973.
Alex Kirilloff
RF
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996.
Fernando Romero
RP
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1022.
Sean Poppen
RP
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1177.
Cory Gearrin
RP
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1178.
Blaine Hardy
RP
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1216.
Jorge Alcala
RP
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1391.
LaMonte Wade Jr.
CF
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1435.
Travis Blankenhorn
2B
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1442.
Nick Gordon
SS
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1471.
Juan Graterol
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1480.
Tomas Telis
C
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1481.
Gilberto Celestino
CF
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1494.
Brent Rooker
LF
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1574.
Lane Adams
LF,CF
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