2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings (AL)

Congratulations on landing the first pick. Your reward is Trout, a super-duper-star who is somehow getting better. The Angels stud set career highs in walk rate (20.1%), OBP (.460), wOBA (.447), and wRC+ (191) during his seventh season. He has cleared a .300 batting average in each of the last three years and averaged 33.6 homers per season after popping 39 in 2018. The floor and ceiling remain sky-high despite missing time over the past two years.

It may be tempting to snag Betts with the 1st pick over Trout, after the ridiculous season he just put together, but remember that he is just one year removed from batting .264 with 24 homers. There is a chance Betts outproduces Trout, but that isn't a risk you should gamble on.

Martinez is a rare first-round hitter who rarely runs, but he'll make up for it in every other spot. While the 31-year-old probably won't win another batting title at .330, he's a .307 hitter since 2014's breakout who has exceeded .300 in three straight years. He boasts an MLB-high .655 slugging percentage in the past two seasons with 88 long balls. Last season, he placed within the 97th percentile or better in exit velocity, hard-hit%, xAVG, xSLG, and xWOBA. Hitting in the middle of Boston's lineup also makes him a strong bet to drive in and score over 100 runs. Limited fielding reps helped him stay healthy, but he played enough OF (25 games) to maintain fantasy eligibility, making him a strong four-category star.

A second-half slump removed Ramirez from the AL MVP and No. 1 pick conversations. Don't punish him too severely for the .218 batting average after the All-Star break, as the 26-year-old infielder still tallied 39 homers, 34 steals and 26 more walks (106) than strikeouts (80). Given his excellent plate approach and career 88.0% contact rate, his average should improve from .270 closer to his .285 career norm if he curtails last year's pop-up woes (13.0%). After giving everyone a late scare in spring with a knee injury, he's expected to be ready for Opening Day.

There are a handful of starting pitchers that stand out above the rest, but Sale and Scherzer may belong in a tier of their own at this point. Sale posted an unfathomable 0.861 WHIP last season and 13.5 K/9. As long as he returns to health, we could be looking at a 340 Ks

It can be easy to be discouraged by Altuve "only" batting .316 with limited power and steals, but the injury seemed to influence his performance much more than most realize. You can expect a return to his 20 homer, 30 steal, 110 runs season with a batting average north of .330

Judge had a down year in 2018 which means his OPS was merely .919. If he can get back to playing 150 games this year, fantasy owners can bank on 45 homers, 110 runs and 100 RBIs. That may have you ready to grab him in the first round, but he comes with more injury risk than anyone else in the top 20

Bregman had 83 extra-base hits last season to go with 105 runs and 103 RBIs despite being just 24 years old. Chances are high that his fantasy value continues to trend north. With that said, he is currently recovering from elbow surgery so be sure to keep an eye on his progress before picking him up in the 1st round this spring.

After obliterating pitchers in 2017, Stanton cooled off in a big way last year, striking out 211 times and hitting just .266 with 38 homers. There is upside for 60+ bombs this year, but believe it or not, he has only hit 40 or more once his entire career

Verlander may be turning 36 years old soon, but his velocity is still as impressive as ever and he 2018 was actually his best K% (34.8%, second best 28.1%) of his career while his BB% (4.4%) was his lowest. Don't avoid him because of his age. He is rocking better than ever before

Originally expected to return from a calf injury in early April, Lindor suffered an ankle ailment while rehabbing. There's now no timetable for his recovery, and it's increasingly hard to see Cleveland letting him run once back on the diamond. Investors have little choice but to wait and hope for the best, but they shouldn't expect him to return first-round value.

You can look at Cole's 3.50 second half ERA and assume he got worse over the season, but all the underlying numbers suggest he was actually better. Don't shy away from him because of a false fear of his risk. Rather, expect another 250+ strikeouts with plenty of wins and excellent ratios

Benintendi is a spectacular real life player, but in fantasy, he was extremely similar to Jean Segura who happens to be going five rounds later. The arrow is pointing up for Benintendi, but not enough to warrant a top 30 draft pick

Each of the past five years, Kluber has given fantasy owners 200 innings while compiling 1,228 strikeouts. In four of those five seasons, he has provided 18 or more wins. If you draft him in the second round, you can be certain to get a true ace

Snell may have posted the single greatest second half of any pitcher in the last 50 years with a 1.17 ERA, .155 BAA and 12.7 K/9. There is a chance he finishes as the #1 fantasy pitcher this season, but both Scherzer and Sale are safer bets because of their sustained reliability

Although Cleveland doesn't pay him like it, Carrasco has been a true ace for five straight years, posting a sparkling 3.27 ERA with 193 Ks per season in that time. There is more upside with a pitcher like Syndergaard or Strasburg, but Carrasco's floor makes him one of the top 15 pitchers in this year's fantasy drafts

Looking for 40 homers? Draft Davis and write it in ink. He has knocked 133 over the last three seasons with 335 RBIs in that time. The floor is as high as you'll find in the first five rounds but the batting average is almost certainly going to be around .250 again

With the Royals not expected to compete in 2019, there is little doubt that Merrifield will surpass 40 stolen bases again. He doesn't have much in the way of power, nor will he score a load of runs in this offense, but the batting average should end up around .300 once again

Xander has been around for so long that it is easy to forget he is still just 26 years old. Although there have been periods of disappointment in the past, Bogaerts still has averaged 15 homers, 91 runs, 84 RBIs and a .295 BA over the last four seasons. Add in that 2018 was his best yet and we may be looking at another big step forward this season

Correa has missed a significant chunk of time in each of the past two seasons, and while he struggled in 2018, don't forget that he is still just 24 years old and one year removed from being the MVP front-runner prior to his injury. There is major upside here and he may prove to be a league winner

Springer is one of a handful of stars who started off their season with a rough patch. He started to turn in around in the second half before his injury, but only enough to get his final line to 22 homers and a .265 batting average. If he can stay healthy, Springer might lead the AL in runs scored along with plenty of homers and RBIs, but the speed has essentially disappeared

Few people could have foreseen the impact Mondesi would make down the stretch last season, finishing as a top-five overall hitter in standard roto/categories leagues from August 1 on. His plate discipline left a lot to be desired, but his 14 HRs and 32 SBs in 75 games led a lot of fantasy managers to the championship circle. If you believe most of the projection systems, he's due for a 20-40 kind of season in 2019, production that would again place him right alongside the very best roto options in the game. His limited track record makes him a risk-reward pick, but his skills are very real and his current sixth-round draft cost is very reasonable.

Forget the groundhog seeing his shadow; there's no better sign of spring's arrival than seeing Cruz get drafted criminally late. After merely clobbering 37 homers-his lowest tally since 2013-the stud DH has a consensus ADP outside of the top 100. That's an absurdly low price for a dependably elite slugger who finished in the 98th percentile of hard-hit rate, exit velocity, xwOBA, and xSLG. Despite logging a .282 xBA for the third straight year, his actual average dropped from .287 and .288 to .256. Even if he merely splits the difference and reverts to .270, he'd be a better version of Rhys Hoskins going multiple rounds later. So what if he doesn't have a position? Were you planning on leaving a utility spot empty?

Since Abreu joined the league, he is fifth in the majors with 288 RBIs and #1 among that group with a .295 batting average. As you know, he provides plenty of homers and runs as well. It may not feel interesting to draft Abreu, but with first base more shallow than years past, he is an excellent 6th round pick

Paxton has posted back-to-back seasons with an excellent strikeout rate and WHIP, but his ERA grew by nearly a run last year thanks to a spike in his home run rate. Under normal circumstances that could be chalked up to an outlier season, but Paxton is moving to a much more homer-friendly home park this season so it is possible the long ball issue could linger. Last season's 160 1/3 innings also represented a career-high for Paxton, who is not exactly known for his durability. Expect him to be quite good when he's on the mound, but don't expect more than about 150 innings and an ERA in the mid-3.00s.

Puig was a steady-if-unspectacular performer over his last two seasons in Los Angeles, settling in as a player who could hit around .265 while approaching 30 HRs and 15 SBs. He'll get a nice ballpark upgrade in his new home of Cincinnati, Ohio, and there is some belief that he will also benefit from being away from the distractions of LA, but it is hard to justify drastically raising our expectations for Puig until we see some evidence of it on the field. Don't overrate him, but he's certainly worth considering at his current ADP of 91.3.

Despite playing 34 fewer games than Andrew Benintendi over the last two seasons, Pham has outplayed him from a fantasy perspective. Pham is being drafted four rounds later and is coming off one of the best second-halfs in the MLB

Rosario produced nearly identical stat lines in 2017 and 2018, suggesting he is a pretty safe bet to produce around 25 HRs, 10 SBs, and a batting average in the .290 range. He may lack the upside of some of the other names coming off the board around pick 80, but if you're looking for a steady across-the-board contributor, don't hesitate to call Rosario's name.

Nobody is doubting Guerrero's skills. Especially not Steamer, as the typically pessimistic projection system has the 19-year-old batting .306/.368/.511 with 22 homers in 550 plate appearances. Toronto's teenage prodigy has nothing left to prove in the minors after collectively batting .381/.437/.636 in Double-A and Triple-A. The problem is opportunity, with the Blue Jays almost certain to hold baseball's top prospect back for service-time manipulation. Since he was never going to make the Opening Day roster, supporters shouldn't get cold feet because of an oblique injury that guarantees a delay to his anticipated arrival. With Ronald Acuna's sensational debut fresh in everyone's mind, there's still little chance of snagging Vlad Jr. at a discount. Don't bite so soon in re-drafts, but it'll get tougher to resist if he lasts to the late fifth or sixth round.

Greinke's age is now 35 and he did have a rough season three years ago, but besides then, he has been phenomenal since 2009. Expect plenty more of the same in 2019 with excellent ratios, about 15 wins and around 200 strikeouts. This makes him a top 20 starting pitcher for 2019 fantasy leagues

Haniger built on his impressive 2017 debut with the Mariners in 2018, producing a .285/90/26/93/8 roto line that ranked 10th among outfielders. The power and speed numbers look completely sustainable for Haniger, but his batting average could be due for a bit of regression and it may be challenging to produce 90+ runs and RBIs again in a rebuilding Mariners lineup. Haniger is unlikely to be a bust, but last season's numbers are probably closer to his ceiling than his floor.

Treinen was simply phenomenal for Oakland last season, and he enters 2019 neck-and-neck with Edwin Diaz for the title of fantasy's number one closer.

Torres is a former elite prospect who is coming off an excellent rookie season in New York. He strikes out a bit too much at this stage of his career to be a reliable asset in batting average, but he won't kill you there and should be able to match or exceed last season's 24 home runs while also chipping in 5-10 steals and solid run and RBI totals. At just 22 years old, there's also a chance that Torres takes a big step forward this year and jumps into the upper echelon at the position, but his fifth-round ADP means you'll be paying for that upside if you draft him.

After dominating in a smaller 2017 sample size, Clevinger took it up another notch in 2018, this time with 200 innings of proof. He might not win 16 games or strikeout 240 batters like some of the top tier aces, but his ratios and 200 Ks put him firmly in the 6th-8th rounds of this season's drafts

Berrios' 2018 season was pretty similar to 2017. He made some strides in strikeout rate and WHIP, but it didn't help his ERA much thanks to a spike in home runs allowed. Berrios is a good but not great strikeout pitcher and his walk rate is just ok, so he'll need to make further improvements to live up to the hype he had as a prospect. That could certainly happen in his age-24 season, but it isn't guaranteed.

After hitting .265 with 16 HRs in 279 at-bats in 2017, Aguilar got the chance to be a full-time player in 2018, and took advantage to the sweet tune of a .274/80/35/108 line that made him a top-three first baseman in standard 5x5 roto leagues. Aguilar is a zero on the base paths and he strikes out too much to be of much help in batting average, either, but the power is very real and his run production numbers should continue to be excellent in a loaded lineup and great home park. Call Aguilar a HR/RBI specialist if you must, but at least recognize that he is one of the better HR/RBI specialists in the game.

How why are you willing to take a guy who batted .186 last season? Turns out the answer is pretty high for Sanchez, who's challenging J.T. Realmuto as the top catcher off the board. He did, after all, hit .284/.354/.568 in 754 prior MLB plate appearances. A groin injury also hampered his production, and he additionally underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He struggled mightily against breaking balls, but actually deposited more walks without significant contact declines. The average could easily rise back to .250 with around 30 long balls, but is that enough to justify an investment around pick 60? Catcher is worse than usual, but that's still too steep in one-catcher formats.

Aroldis Chapman was his typical dominant self last season and enters 2019 as the clear closer in the Bronx. This shapes up as arguably the best bullpen in baseball, however, so the Yankees will have no shortage of potential replacements should Chapman struggle or get hurt.

A Cy Young Award contender though June, Severino imploded with a 5.20 ERA over the final three months. That inconsistency is perilous for a staff headliner, but he still finished 2018 with a 3.39 ERA, 2.95 FIP, and 220 strikeouts. Despite his start-by-start inconsistency, he has delivered on a macro level in consecutive seasons. However, he will miss at least all of April with a shoulder injury, Previously a viable top-10 candidate, he's now too risky to draft as a top-25 starter.

Gallo has reached 40 HRs in each of his two full Major League seasons, and will enter 2019 as one of the best pure power hitters in the game. Unfortunately, that power comes attached to a .203 career batting average, meaning that fantasy owners who draft Gallo in standard 5x5 formats will need to either punt batting average or make a concerted effort to offset the damage he'll do there. Whether you draft Gallo or not is largely a matter of roster construction, but expect him to finish right around the top-100 players in terms of overall fantasy value. He does walk quite a bit, giving him a major boost in OBP formats.

Erratic over the course of a season, Upton is consistent on a year-to-year basis. Even if he never lived out Ken Griffey Jr. comparisons, the outfielder has logged over 600 plate appearances in each of the last eight seasons with at least 30 homers in the last three. A rise in ground balls and fall in fly balls, however, puts that streak in jeopardy. So does a toe injury that will likely send him to the IL to start 2019. That's a big blow since stability was a major driving force in drafting Upton.

Andujar flew under the radar until his major breakout last season. We've seen players like that face major challenges in their sophomore campaign so beware of the risk associated with picking him, but as we've seen, the upside is tantalizing and may prove well worth a mid-round pick.

The Indians let Andrew Miller and Cody Allen walk in free agency, clearing the path for Brad Hand to serve as the team's clear-cut closer this season. At age 28, Hand has put together three straight seasons with an ERA under 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.11 or better, and his already impressive K/9 rate grew to 13.25 last season. Hand didn't experience any drop-off after moving from San Diego to Cleveland, and with little in the way of competition, he is fully capable of being one of the very best closers in fantasy baseball this year.

While it may be appealing to draft incredible real-life players, there is a major difference between fringe AL MVP candidate and top 80 fantasy baseball player. Chapman's defensive prowess doesn't transfer over, unfortunately, so rather, we are looking at a mediocre power hitter with some batting average concerns.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch has affirmed that Osuna will again serve as the team's closer, a role he inherited last year upon returning from a 75-game suspension and getting traded from the Blue Jays. Osuna was a dominant closer from 2015-2017, but his K/9 rate alarmingly fell to 7.58 between Toronto and Houston last year. The good news is that he maintained an above-average 14.7 percent swinging-strike rate, indicating that he should return to striking out over a batter per inning while maintaining elite control. Save opportunities should also be plentiful on the World Series-contending Astros, so it makes sense for Osuna to get drafted as one of the first 10, if not five, closers off the board.

For all the hype bestowed upon Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jimenez is oddly getting a bit lost in the shuffle. He has nothing left to prove in the minors after hitting .355/.399/.597 with 12 homers in 55 Triple-A games, so the White Sox can't justify keeping him down too much longer. He should now start the season in Chicago after signing a six-year extension that eliminates any need to manipulate his service time. Jimenez could brandish top-shelf power from the start. Steamer agrees, projecting .293/.341/.502 with 25 homers in 130 games. Often available beyond the top-100 picks before the signing, the hype hadn't gotten out of hand yet. Barring a substantial uptick, he's especially an intriguing upside pick in shallower mixed leagues with three starting outfielders.

After back-to-back 30 HR campaigns, Odor managed to hit just 18 in 129 games last year, but there is little in his batted ball profile to suggest the power drop-off will be permanent. Of greater concern is the fact that Odor's strikeout rate has increased significantly over the last two seasons, and his stolen base success rate plummeted last season. Odor is certainly capable of producing a .250-30-15 season, but that outcome feels a little closer to his ceiling than his floor at this point. Still, unless he gets the red light on the base paths, Odor is a solid bet to again finish among the top-12 second basemen in standard 5x5 leagues.

Price isn't going to thrill anyone as a workhorse ace anymore, but he still posts plenty of Ks to go with useful ratios each and every season. With Boston's lineup behind him, we can expect plenty of wins as well, making him one of the most appealing third-tier starting pitchers this year.

Batting average tends to be an underrated ability in fantasy baseball, and that is an area in which Brantley excels. But durability is also an underrated commodity, and that has been Brantley downfall for big chunks of his career. If Brantley can just manage to stay healthy, he should be able to contribute enough balanced production across all five roto categories to be a valuable third outfielder in mixed leagues.

Villar was Adalberto Mondesi version 1.0, posting an unreal .285-19 HRs-62 SBs line in 2016 before falling back to .241-11-23 in 2017. He split the difference last year, and with regular playing time ahead of him in Baltimore, he seems likely to post another .250-15-30 season. It's rarely pretty with Villar, but he could be a solid roto/categories league value going outside the top-100 picks in fantasy drafts.

After nearly a decade of mediocrity, the Astros turned Morton into a high-end starter in 2017, and he was even better in 2018. At this point, he feels relatively safe to pencil in for a mid-3.00s ERA, 10.0 K/9 rate, and WHIP in the 1.15-1.20 range. The concerns are his advancing age and durability -- he's never thrown more than 172 innings in a season. The move to Tampa Bay is also a mild concern, less so for the change of division than for the move away from a Houston team that seemingly knew how to get the best out of him.

Encarnacion may be getting up there in age, but there are few hitters who have produced consistent power at the rate he has. There is little reason to expect a sudden drop-off but with that said, his RBIs and runs should take a hit with Seattle losing some of their best offensive pieces.

Tanaka was basically the same pitcher last year as he was in 2017, but he shaved a run off of his ERA thanks to slight improvements in BABIP allowed, home runs allowed, and left-on-base percentage. Still, home runs remain an issue for Tanaka, which explains why his ERA generally lags behind his WHIP. He's also never made it to 200 innings, so he's not exactly a workhorse. At this point we should just accept Tanaka for what he is: a solid third or fourth fantasy starter.

Gordon is going to absolutely destroy you in two categories and his batting average isn't anything to write home about. With that said, the potential of 60 stolen bases makes him worth the price of admission toward the middle of drafts.

Devers was somewhat disappointing in his first full Major League season, hitting just .240 and missing some time with a hamstring strain. But the low batting average was largely due to an unusually low .281 BABIP -- his batted ball profile was nearly identical to his promising 2017 debut. He also managed to produce 21 homers and five steals in just 121 games, not too shabby for a guy who was just 21-years old. The full breakout could be coming this year.

For a guy who just tallied 27 homers and 11 steals in 137 games, Hicks isn't getting much love. He also scored 90 runs thanks to sporting a 15.5% walk rate in a stacked Yankees lineup. Even without adding in the stats gleaned by his lineup replacement, the outfielder still performed well enough to demand top-100 consideration. A rise in contact (78.0%) and hard-hit rate (39.5%) should lead to a higher average and sustained power, and his cost more than bakes in the substantial injury risk. He's an especially wise choice in shallower three-outfielder mixed leagues, where it's easier to fill in the gaps when he misses some time. That will happen early, as a back injury will keep him out to start 2019.

Having hit 20 homers in each of his first three MLB seasons, Mazara has yet to validate his high prospect pedigree as an above-average hitter. Drafters paying for upside instead keep receiving a boring compiler with a career .258/.320/.425 slash line. Last year, he needed a career-high 20.0% HR/FB rate on a career-low 26.6% FB rate just to reach his usual 20, half of which he notched in May. All of this points to a steady hand rather than an upside play, but Mazara only turns 24 in April. His upside hasn't expired just yet, but don't overpay for unfulfilled hype.

Leclerc emerged from relative obscurity in 2018 to become a dominant closer, producing a 1.56 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 13.27 K/9. That performance clearly impressed manager Chris Woodward, who has left no doubt that Leclerc will be the Rangers' closer again in 2019. He could be one of the better fantasy closers in the league even if Texas doesn't win a ton of games.

Smith had a very impressive first full season in the Big Leagues, nabbing 40 stolen bases while hitting .296. He may not be able to quite duplicate that batting average again, but he won't kill you there and another 40 steals seems very possible.

You may be inclined to believe Cabrera is done since he has had two subpar seasons in a row, but he is apparently in the best shape of his life. Add in the fact that he will be spending most of his time as the Tigers DH and we might just have the biggest bounceback player on our hands.

Anderson was remarkable in the first half but really slowed down to close the season. Even still, he managed 20 homers and 26 steals. While he may be hard pressed to repeat that this year, 15 and 15 would make him a useful mid-round pick so long as his batting average doesn't plummet further.

Bieber is the rare pitcher who may throw too many strikes. His pinpoint control is helpful for his WHIP, and he's shown the ability to strike out close to a batter per inning, but he gave up so many hits as a rookie that his ERA ballooned to 4.55. That is due for quite a bit of positive regression, but Bieber's ERA may always trail behind his WHIP. For now, expect his ERA to settle in the mid-to-high 3s.

Piscotty waited to get dropped in most leagues before delivering a bounce-back season. After batting .160 in May, he hit .286 with 24 homers and a .386 wOBA (.365 wOBA) from June 1 onward. Given his down 2017 (.235, 9 HRs), drafters should seek a near repeat of 2018 rather than extrapolating his late surge to a full season. Last year's 27 homers already set a career high, so aim for 25 from a solid, mid-tier option.

Moncada has both double-digit power and speed, but the batting average is lackluster. You can make the case that he has more potential as a former #1 overall prospect, but more likely, the holes in his game will prove too much for a big breakout to be a possibility.

An intriguing option when healthy, Rodriguez took another step forward with a 3.82 ERA, 3.65 FIP, and 10.13 K/9 in 2018. Good luck getting a full season out of the lefty. Knee and ankle injuries contained him to 129.2 frames, so he has yet to make 25 starts for more than 137.1 frames in a single season. He flaunted a high ceiling by mixing in fewer four-seamers in favor of a cutter, and he has reportedly spent the offseason working on his slider with help from Chris Sale and Pedro Martinez. Drafters must prepare to make up the lost innings elsewhere, but he's nevertheless the type of high-strikeout hurler worth targeting after locking down sturdier rotation anchors.

The undervalued Happ massively out-performed his 2018 draft pick despite posting his highest ERA (3.65) since 2014. He now owns a 3.49 ERA and 8.45 K/9 over those past four seasons, and yet many drafters have scoffed at him going around the pick-150 range. Seems like a reasonable price for someone who accompanied his career-high 193 strikeouts with a career-high 10.3% swinging-strike rate and career-low 78.3% contact rate. He looked comfortable in pinstripes (2.69 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) and could once again reap the rewards of run support to a crooked wins tally. Don't run away just because the southpaw is 36.

The Blue Jays took on Ken Giles in the Osuna trade last year. Although Giles' 2018 stats don't look pretty at first glance, his underlying numbers - including a terrific 53-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio - weren't too bad. Giles actually makes for a decent bounce-back candidate and potential draft-day value if your leaguemates are scared off by last year's 4.65 ERA.

Profar finally got a full chance last year for Texas and posted 20 homers and 10 stolen bases. He takes a hit in projections moving from Texas to Oakland's ballpark, but keep in mind that he just turned 26 years old and very likely hasn't hit his prime yet.

Andrus was downright awful in the 97 games he played last year, batting .256 with 6 homers and 5 steals. With full health, however, don't be surprised if he returns to the .300 hitting, 20 homer, 25 steal player that finished 2017 as a top fantasy shortstop.

Santana had some of the worst BABIP luck in baseball last year so you can expect his batting average to jump back into the .250s this year to go with his usual 20+ homers and 80+ runs. That makes him a quality late-round corner infielder as always.

Schoop takes a hit this season in home ballpark factor, but even still, has been a consistent enough source of power that fantasy owners can accept his .233 batting average from last year. Keep in mind, also, he carried a .293 mark in 2017 so the upside is there for a big season again.

Because he stalled in Triple-A and was blocked by a crowded Pirates outfield, Meadows' arrival came later than anticipated. Yet he promptly made up for lost time, storming out of the gate with a 1.221 OPS, four homers, and three steals in May. He then struggled and lost playing time before and after a midseason trade to Tampa Bay. This time, however, he clobbered Triple-A pitchers to 10 dingers in 27 games after offering 12 in 636 prior Triple-A plate appearances for the Pirates. Don't forget that Meadows, once considered an elite prospect, still boasts an enticing power and speed profile. Plus, he only turns 24 in May. He could go 20/15 in an untethered starting role.

Always one of baseball's hardest-throwing starters, Eovaldi finally parlayed his high-90s heater to a career-high 22.2 K% supported by a 10.7% swinging-strike rate. He also lowered his walk rate to a career-low 4.4%, leading to a 1.13 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, and 3.23 Deserved Run Average (DRA, per Baseball Prospectus). After re-signing with the Red Sox, he'd be one of the spring's top breakout picks if not for glaring durability and inconsistency concerns. Last year, he went from yielding one run in three combined starts to 21 in his next four. Eovaldi might give investors some headaches on the way to strong SP4 numbers in 150 innings.

Santana, who submitted 30 homers and 15 steals in 2017, once again has a regular role after getting shipped from Milwaukee to Seattle. He also struggled in scarce playing time last year, settling for five homers and 77 strikeouts in 235 plate appearances. Don't expect a full bounce-back to 2017; he was never going to sustain a 30.9% HR/FB rate. As a late pick for those who drafted before his two home runs in Tokyo, 20-25 long balls and a handful of steals would get the job done. But consider selling high if he stays hot in the U.S. in early April.

The Rays appear to be in no hurry to name a closer, and they may not assign the job to a single pitcher. But the early frontrunner should be Jose Alvarado, who earned eight handshakes last year while posting helpful ratios.

 

A former elite prospect, Glasnow couldn't quite get his act together in Pittsburgh, but things started looking up when he was moved to the Rays. He struggled mightily with the long ball during his brief stint in Tampa, but the much more important thing is that he nearly cut his walk rate in half. Glasnow can miss bats with the best of them, so if he can stop giving away so many free passes we could suddenly be looking at a pitcher who can provide solid ratios to go along with the elite strikeout numbers. He's an exciting breakout candidate.

Before most of the majors even started the season, Olson got hit on his right hand by a pitch in Tokyo. He underwent hamate surgery, which will keep him out of action for at least a month. A tricky injury from which to recover, he may also need some time to rediscover his power upon returning. Just like that, a popular breakout pick throughout the offseason becomes someone to ignore -- unless given a sizable discount -- in drafts right before the league-wide Opening Day.

Polanco batted .288 for fantasy owners in a shortened season last year and offers respectable power and speed. Don't be surprised if he knocks 15 homers with 15 steals this season.

Signed by Seattle this winter, Kikuchi heads to the U.S. with a career 2.77 ERA in eight seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. The Japanese signee is expected to make his MLB debut in the Tokyo Dome, giving some last-minute drafters a sneak peek that could vastly sway his cost. Since Kikuchi is accustomed to working in a six-man rotation, Seattle plans to limit him to around five innings per start, which jeopardizes his win potential but could help fortify his ratios. He's a bit of an unknown without a sky-high ceiling, but the 27-year-old southpaw could make a solid mid-rotation piece if competitors get scared off by his uncertainty.

Voit was extraordinary for the Yankees once they acquired him from St. Louis last year. In fact, he may have been one of the best hitters in baseball. Don't expect that for all of 2019, but don't be shocked if he puts up a Jesus Aguilar type of season either.

Once deemed a future superstar, Buxton spent most of 2018 in Triple-A after batting .156 with a -3 wRC+ in 94 dreadful big league plate appearances. It's understandable to write him off, but he remains an elite defender who posted Statcast's highest sprint speed. While his 20-homer, 40-steal hasn't vanished, it's an increasingly less likely dream that would get accompanied by a minuscule batting average. He should have to fall beyond the top-200 picks before taking the high-risk plunge.

It is too bad we can't track web gems for fantasy baseball because Simmons just isn't as valuable in fantasy. Despite the lack of power, he doesn't offer some value in the fact that he should hit in the .280s with double-digit steals and near 70 runs scored.

A quiet difference-maker down the stretch, Laureano batted .288/.358/.474 with five homers and seven steals in 48 games with the A's. He's unlikely to sustain that average with a 28.4% strikeout rate, and his .388 BABIP is likely to fall in a larger sample. He also had no answer for major league breaking balls (.188 wOBA), a weakness pitchers should attack after getting a better scouting report. Yet the 24-year-old outfielder, who offered 14 homers and 11 steals in Triple-A before last summer's promotion, offers an intriguing power-speed repertoire as an OF4 or 5. His glove should also keep him on the field. He hits the ball hard enough to reasonably draft for a .260, 15/15 output while hoping for more.

Smoak may not have hit 38 homers with 90 RBIs again like he did in 2017, but there is certainly nothing wrong with the 25 and 77 line he put together. His .242 batting average hurts, but at this stage in the draft, you have to give a little to get this type of power.

It is too bad that we don't get to see Ohtani pitch this season since he was so dominant, but his bat is very nearly on the same level. His full season pace last year had him at 34 homers, 16 steals, 95 RBIs, 92 runs and a .285 BA. That is a second round level season. Granted, he likely won't debut until May since he is recovering from an injury, but remember that he was only 23 last year and will finally get to focus on just hitting for the first time in his life.

You won't get much help from Semien in terms of batting average, but he is a good bet for 15 homers and 15 steals, plus last season he provided fantasy owners with 89 runs scored. Expect more of the same from this durable and reliable depth piece.

 

McHugh was terrific in relief for the Astros last season and is now slated for a return to the starting rotation. This is a pitcher capable of helping in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts, and the win potential is certainly there as well. He's a nice sleeper.

Following a rocky return from Tommy John surgery, Heaney made major strides by submitting 180 strikeouts in as many innings last season. Since he also issued just 45 walks, a 3.74 SIERA hints at improvement from last season's 4.15 ERA. The spotty health history and mediocre sinker present concerns, but he flashed ace upside with five double-digit strikeout gems. Don't sleep on Heaney as a borderline top-40 starter with breakout appeal. Early elbow discomfort, however, will push back his 2019 debut.

 

Kepler's incremental raises in home runs (17, 19, 20) and wOBA (.313, .315, .316) suggest he's still a boring player not progressing nearly rapidly enough to target in most mixed leagues. Yet he made some significant gains in 2018 that point to more significant development. The outfielder improved his walk (11.6%) and strikeout (15.7%) rates to personal bests while also making notable leaps in fly balls (46.2%) and hard hits (37.1%). These gains should yield a higher batting average than last year's .224 with the potential for 25 homers if given another 611 plate appearances. Most drafters have already closed the book on Kepler as a meddling depth piece after three full seasons, but the 26-year-old could finally expedite his growth with a full-fledged breakout.

Although Bauers was awful last year with a .201 batting average, there is plenty of reason for optimism. Bauers should provide 15 to 20 homers with double-digit steals and a significantly better batting average in 2019.

 

Gurriel isn't going to mash 25 homers like many of the others going in his late-round range, but he is a sure-bet to boost your batting average which is difficult to find as the draft comes to a close.

 

Mancini's batting average dropped 50 points last year, but much of that was due to a rough BABIP. While he likely won't bounce-back up to the .290's his batting average likely won't kill you while he provides another 25 homers for fantasy owners.

While he won't help much in batting average, Cron did hit 30 homers in just 140 games last season. He may see a further bump with full playing time and a ballpark upgrade from Tampa to Minnesota.

Although Baltimore may only win 50 games, Givens is one of the closers who has no competition for saves on his team. Even 25 save opportunities is better than what someone like Josh Hader or Zach Britton will get. Pair that with another 80 strikeouts and respectable ratios and we are looking at a top 30 fantasy reliever.

Although you may expect Herrera to be the closer battle in Chicago, some reports are suggesting that Colome has the upper-hand in the competition. This will be one to watch in spring training to see how it plays out. If Colome gets the job, he would be a top 25 closer.

Assuming Craig Kimbrel does not return, Barnes is reportedly the favorite to serve as Boston's closer. Barnes is coming off an impressive 2018 campaign in which his 14.01 K/9 was fourth-highest among all pitchers who threw at least 60 innings. His struggles with command (3.85 career BB/9) should keep his ERA north of 3.00 and WHIP above 1.20, but he can still be a pretty significant mixed-league asset if he's earning most of the team's saves.

 

With LeMahieu now away from Coors, you can't expect him to hit .348 again, or even .300. His stolen bases have essentially disappeared over the past few seasons and we aren't likely to get double-digit homers either. At this point, LeMahieu is a replacement level fantasy asset.

After batting .323 across three minor league levels in 2017, Jansen hit .275 with 12 homers and five steals through 88 games in AAA in 2018 before earning an August call-up to the Blue Jays. He hit .247 with three homers over 31 games in Toronto, and it's reasonable to expect him to maintain a similar pace over his first full Big League season with the potential for more. Given the sorry state of the catcher position, it could make sense to take a chance on Jansen's unknown upside once the seven or eight surefire starters at the position are off the board.

Adames broke onto the scene last year as a 22-year-old posting a 19-homer, 11 stolen base pace with a .278 batting average. It was a limited sample size, however, and there are still some holes in his swing. Think of him on the same terms as Dansby Swanson who also had a nice rookie campaign before everyone realized he had quite a bit to go offensively.

Plenty are suggesting that Blake Parker was brought in to be the closer for Minnesota, but

Betances is merely a closer in waiting, but besides Josh Hader, the best in the game. He is a sure bet for 90+ Ks, with upside ranging to nearly 130. Likewise, his ratios will be terrific each year and you can even rely on a handful of wins and saves too.

Peacock has been very effective as both a starter and reliever for the Astros over the last two seasons and looks likely to open the season in Houston's rotation this year. While it's possible he's eventually pushed out by Josh James or Forrest Whitley, Peacock can be nearly as valuable as a reliever, particularly in innings-capped roto leagues. He's well worth drafting.

On a 162-game pace, Gurriel was a 27 homer hitter with a .281 batting average and 87 RBIs. He may not keep up that pace with a full season's worth of at bats, but you can argue that is his upside which would make for an exceptional value late in drafts.

 

 

 

Sano is out until at least May with a heel injury so he may not be worth drafting unless your league has DL spots available. If not, he is a great waiver wire pickup a few weeks into the season as his career per-162 profile is near identical to fifth round pick, Rhys Hoskins.

Josh James went from one of the best sleepers in fantasy baseball this year to a draft and stash when news surfaced that he has a strained quad and is now out of the rotation battle. Chances are that he will start in the minor leagues and be called up the moment a spot in the rotation becomes available. From the moment it happens, he should be a top 30 starter.

Outside of Marwin's huge 2017 season, he hasn't offered much from an offensive perspective. There is some power, but his batting average will hurt fantasy teams and the depth chart doesn't guarantee even 450 at-bats for him.

It is easy to look at a .300 batting average and assume a rookie will only get better. Wendle likely played over his head last year, though, and was a 28-year-old rookie. There is no power to his game, and while he may offer 15 to 20 steals, it won't be enough to make him anything more than a late-round pick.

 

Castillo only saw 49 games worth of action last season, but his bat was still quality when he played. Over the last five years, he averages 26 homers with a .261 BA and 85 RBIs per 162 games, so now that he is starting, fantasy owners can expect useful production out of him.

 

 

 

 

 

The Astros don't currently have a spot for Tucker with Michael Brantley now joining George Springer and Josh Reddick in the outfield. With prospects like Tucker, however, there is no need for a spot. He is good enough that they will make room. When he gets the call, expect him to be a top 35 fantasy outfielder right away, and perhaps even more. Tucker may be the top draft and stash prospect this year if you've got room on your bench.

Seager is starting the season on the DL after hand surgery and may miss the first six weeks. As a result, you may not want to draft him, but he should be in the back of your mind as a waiver wire pickup within a couple of weeks. He is a reliable source of power and shouldn't hurt you in batting average as much as we saw last year.

There is nothing sexy about drafting Candelario, but you can anticipate his batting average coming up 20 points this year, as he was among the most unlucky hitters in that department last year. Along with that, fantasy owners should get around 20 homers from him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zunino killed his fantasy teams in batting average last year, but he was up at .251 the year before so you'd have to think he will settle somewhere in between this year. When it comes with 20 homers and 50 RBIs at the catcher position, the batting average is much easier to swallow.

Initially a candidate for an early-season promotion, Luzardo was shut down for four-to-six weeks in late March because of a strained rotator cuff in his left shoulder. The 21-year-old southpaw still has a bright future, and he could conceivably headline Oakland's weak rotation by the summer. This setback, however, lessens the appeal of drafting and stashing him in shallower re-draft formats.

Stewart is expected to start for the Tigers, but their offense is so barren that he can't be relied on for many RBIs or runs. His batting average might be ok, but more likely, his power would be the calling card. He is one worth keeping an eye on, but shouldn't be on your draft radar in standard-sized mixed leagues.

 

 

Assuming the Red Sox keep their word and don't re-sign Kimbrel, Braiser will be battling it out with Matt Barnes for one of the most coveted closer jobs in the league. If he wins it, you can count on stellar ratios to go along with all the save opportunities.

Pressly isn't expected to pick up more than a save or two this season because of Roberto Osuna's presence, but if Osuna were to suffer an injury, Pressly would likely take over the job and be a top 10 closer right away.

 

The Astros replaced Keuchel with Wade Miley and Charlie Morton with rookie Josh James, but now that he is hurt, you'd better believe that as soon as Whitley is ready, the Astros will call him up. Assuming that is before the All-Star break, Whitley is an excellent draft and stash option if you have enough bench spots. He could have a Walker Buehler like impact from the get-go.

 

 

 

Richards carried a 4.42 ERA with 4 wins last year and formerly played independent baseball after going undrafted. It helps, however, that he has the best changeup in baseball. Richards' changeup is Trevor Hoffman-esque. It carried a 41.2% whiff rate with a .214 xWOBA. It certainly helped his performance when he adjusted by throwing it 38% of the time instead of 23% of the time at the start of the season. In those closing months, hitters were so focused on his filthy change-up that his slider suddenly became even more deadly than the changeup. With two of the most useful pitches in baseball, Richards could breakout this year in Miami much like Jake Peavy did in in 2004 after a rough start to his career.

 

Herrera was presumably signed to close for the White Sox, but they also added Alex Colome who has closing experience. This one is too close to call for now so you may want to add both in a late round just to make sure you get some saves.

 

Most depth charts have Shane Greene slotted into the closer role for Detroit but this job is up in the air. Jimenez was an all-star last season, and while he pitched poorly down the stretch, don't sleep on him winning the job this spring.

Chirinos likely won't get 450 at-bats like some of the other names above him, but he is the starter for Houston which should come with it's share of runs and RBIs. The batting average clearly won't be ideal, but his 15 to 20 HR power off-sets that pain.

 

Kipnis has been around forever and reached his peak long ago, but he is still just 32 years old and has plenty of baseball left in him. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, it will come without any speed or a quality batting average. Still, 20 homers and 70 RBIs will do the trick as a late-round pick.

 

 

 

 

Green wasn't as electric in 2018 as the year before, but he still registered 94 strikeouts with excellent ratios and 8 wins. He isn't the closer, nor does he have a path to saves, but you can certainly make a case for drafting him even in standard sized leagues.

 

Ottavino might be stuck behind Chapman, Betances, Britton and Chad Green for the closer job, but he is a force of nature who could strike out 100 batters this season to go with sparkling ratios and a handful of wins. Don't hesitate to add him late in drafts to boost you in three categories.

 

 

If you play in a deeper league, Castillo can be a ratio master that racks up plenty of saves, or better yet, if you employ the Marmol Strategy, Castillo qualifies as a starting pitcher so you can plug him on days where you don't have enough starters going.

 

 

 

Cozart may miss time at the start of the season with a mild calf strain, and after his 2018 performance, it is fair to forget about him, but don't be so quick to forget how excellent he was in 2017 with the Reds, knocking 24 homers with a .297 batting average in just 122 games.

Gregorius should be plenty useful with power and batting average when he returns, but it likely won't be until after the all-star break, so unless you have plenty of DL spots available, he is better left undrafted in standard-sized leagues.

 

It is tempting to draft everyone's favorite short chubby catcher, but the fact of the matter is that he likely won't even open the season on the big league club. There is some intrigue here if/when he gets called up, but until then, he belongs on the waivers.

 

 

 

Initially an intriguing post-hype flier, Calhoun lost a roster spot to Hunter Pence following a dreadful spring. After getting held in the minors because of his glove, his bat (.602 OPS) didn't keep him in the majors last season. The 24-year-old still carries considerable contact and power upside, but managers can't afford to wait on him in smaller mixed leagues.

 

 

 

 

 

Britton isn't going to be the closer in New York, nor is he likely the next man up since Dellin Betances is also ahead of him, but Britton is still well worth owning if your league allows you to start four or five relievers. He will help your ratios significantly while adding nearly 80 Ks as usual.

 

Boxberger is expected to have the closer job in Kansas City to start the season, but he is among the worst closers in baseball so keep Peralta on speed dial in case he takes over the job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May and Parker are seemingly in a batter at the top of Minnesota's depth chart, but Rogers is the type of guy who could find himself in the role at some point, and if it were to happen, he would dominate.

 

Honeywell was ready for the MLB rotation last year before he was shut down for the season. There is a chance he breaks camp with the big league club in Tampa, but more likely, he will get more seasoning in the minors before making the jump. When he does, we are probably looking at a top 60 fantasy starting pitcher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bichette is an excellent prospect and has a polished bat with plenty of speed. With that said, Bichette has never played above Double-A and the Blue Jays have no need to rush him (see Vlad Jr. last year) so don't be surprised if he doesn't sniff the bigs until September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The closer job in Chicago seems to be between Herrera and Colome, but don't be shocked if Fry jumps in at some point in the season, as he has the best raw stuff and numbers.