2019 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Bellinger has emerged as a league-winning talent, batting over .400 with 17 homers in late May Everything in his portfolio supports this early surge. The 23-year-old has nearly slashed his strikeout rate in half while exchanging ground balls and pop ups for line drives. An all-or-nothing slugger as a rookie suddenly touts an above-average contact rate (80.6% as of May 21) and has also stolen seven of 10 opportunities. If drafting now, he'd probably go in the first round, and it wouldn't be much of an overreaction.

Goldy's strikeout rate has continued to climb and his stolen base attempts have continued to fall, so his fantasy outlook isn't quite what it used to be. He's still got the 30-HR power, though, and while he may not be able to hit .290-.300 any longer, .275 seems doable.

Freeman remains a perennial .300 hitter who is capable of hitting 25-30 home runs, but this year he's stopped attempting stolen bases. He's still a good bet to finish as a top-five fantasy first baseman once again.

At 25 years old, Hoskins has quickly established himself as one of the premier power hitters in the game. He doesn't project to be a major asset in stolen bases or batting average going forward, but should continue to drive in plenty of runs in Philadelphia.

Rizzo's batting average is down a bit this season, but it is mostly due to poor batted ball fortunes and should improve as the season progresses. Otherwise he's the same player he's always been, and stands a good chance to reach 30 home runs after failing to do so last year for this first time since 2013.

Gallo is what he is: a terrific power hitter and a batting average liability. His batting average has been higher this season, but he's still striking out just as much as ever, so expect it to be closer to his career .208 mark going forward.

Abreu's strikeout rate has risen to the extent that he's unlikely to hit .290-.300 like he used to, but he is on pace to easily top 30 home runs for the fourth time in six seasons.

Merrifield has picked up right where he left off last year as one of the best five-category producers in the game. He's even hitting for a bit more power in the early going, suggesting his first 20-HR season could be within reach.

Alonso has been one of the biggest power hitter breakouts of 2019, and he should be able to tally 30-35 home runs by the end of the season. He does swing and miss quite a bit, however, so expect his batting average to continue to tumble into the .240 range.

Even in a down year, Encarnacion topped 30 homers for the seventh straight season, a span during which 2014's 98 RBIs was the only time he fell short of 100. That bankable power is comforting at his depreciated price, but career worsts in contact (75.7%) and strikeout (22.9%) rate led to his lowest average (.248) since 2010. A repaired strikeout rate has not led to a higher average (.219) as a result of a lower BABIP (.192) and depreciated hard-hit rate. The durable slugger also missed time with a biceps injury during his age-35 campaign, so don't count on a return to peak form.

Voit is hitting for plenty of power and driving in plenty of runs, and his batting average should improve significantly as the season progresses. It seems quite clear at this point that last season was not a total fluke.

Murphy's season has not gone according to plan so far, as he's missed time with a fractured finger and back stiffness, and struggled at the plate when he has been able to play. He's even been benched a few times against left-handed pitchers. But Murphy simply hasn't had enough at-bats to justify panicking. As an excellent hitter in a terrific home ballpark, expect him to be much better going forward.

Bell is well on his way to being one of the breakout players of 2019. With a massive spike in both his hard contact and fly ball rates, he appears set to breeze past his previous career high of 26 home runs, set in his first full Big League season in 2017. His batting average is due for a decent amount of regression, but he looks to be here to stay as a mixed league fantasy asset.

Votto was horribly disappointing in fantasy leagues last season and he's been even worse this year. He's still hitting the ball fairly hard, but he's striking out more than ever and walking less than he has since 2009. He is due for a bit of positive regression, but at age 35, it may be time to give up hope of a sizable rebound.

Despite entering 2018 with health woes and batting .155 in April, Carpenter went scorched earth to hit .257/.374/.523 with a career-high 36 homers. Those who bet on a repeat can only hope his 2019 plays out the same way. The third baseman is batting .206/.319/.353 with six homers in 36 games. MLB's leader in hard-hit rate last year is now in the bottom-20 percentile, and his xSLG has dropped from .546 to .387. We saw his ability to adjust and heat up in a seismic way last year, so don't give up just yet.

Muncy isn't much of an asset in batting average or stolen bases, but he remains a decent bet to reach 30 home runs again this season and his positional flexibility is a nice bonus.

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 kept him out of action for all of April. A tricky injury from which to recover, he may also need some time to rediscover his power upon returning. He is on the verge of beginning his rehab and could be back in May, so at least grab him if dropped outright. Despite the injury, there's too much power upside from someone who slugged .651 as a rookie and clubbed 29 home runs in an underwhelming 2018.

Following a tame rookie showing, Dozier is tearing the cover off the ball early in 2019. The 27-year-old first baseman is batting .331/.427/.661 with nine homers through May 8. While some regression obviously must be expected, he has made enough improvements not to completely dismiss the breakout. A .409 xwOBA is far below his actual .451 mark, but it still ranks 15th among all hitters with at least 70 plate appearances. He's now a mixed-league mainstay who needs to be owned in all leagues.

Although Mancini hit 24 homers in each of the last two seasons, his wRC+ fell from 118 to 93 in 2018. He looks ready to rebound, slapping six homers with a 187 wRC+ through 14 games. Even if it's just a hot streak, he's assured playing time and a prominent batting-order placement as one of few competent hitters in Baltimore's lineup. He should at least split the difference between 2017 and 2018, which would make him a .260 hitter with steady counting numbers. He's a sell-high candidate in shallow mixed leagues, but a solid corner infield/fourth outfielder in meatier formats.

Expected to serve the short side of a platoon, Walker has instead demolished righties early in the season. A quad injury to Jake Lamb secures the 28-year-old righty regular playing time at first base, so it could be worth riding the hot hand. He's likely still just a long-term power piece in deeper leagues.

Given how quickly the Brewers moved on from Eric Thames last year following a breakout 2017, one must worry about them doing the inverse and abandoning Aguilar, who has gone 22 games without a home run. He has spent three consecutive games on the bench, so shallow-league investors may soon have no choice but to cut their losses on a slugger who pounded 35 homers last season.

Realmuto hasn't really gotten going with the bat in 2019, but he's still on pace to eclipse 100 runs and 100 RBIs, thanks to his spot in the middle of the Phillies' ever-dangerous lineup. If there's once concern here, it's that Realmuto's launch angle is currently much lower than last year, leading to a lot more ground balls -- and fewer home runs. It's something to keep an eye on.

Hosmer is elevating the ball more and hitting it harder this season, which suggests he could get back into the 20-25 HR range after hitting just 18 last season. But he isn't much of a batting average help and hasn't attempted a single stolen base this season, so he is a pretty marginal corner infielder in mixed leagues.

A smooth selection (sorry) for OBP managers, Santana is a durable compiler who could again broach 80 runs and RBIs apiece with around 25 home runs. He batted .229 in 2018 after back-to-back .259 campaigns, but he's risen that mark to .273 (as of May 18) with help from a .305 BABIP above his career .266 norm. Although contact gains pointed to bad luck last season, he hasn't made the necessary improvements to sustain his current mark. Look for him to return to the .250 range with solid power and an elite batting eye. He could especially pile up the RBIs if Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez heat up. That all adds up to a sturdy corner infielder.

Available for cheap because of playing-time concerns last year, Martinez immediately hit his way into a regular role. It took longer this year. Paul Goldschmidt has first base on lock, and the Cardinals didn't want to expose Martinez's limited defense in the outfield. Injuries to Harrison Bader and Tyler O'Neill gave him a chance, and he hit to well to take out of the lineup. The career .313/.375/.476 hitter is a tremendous source of batting average whenever given the chance, so ride his hot bat as long as St. Louis decides to do so.

Braun has been getting regular days off, as expected, but he continues to produce solid fantasy numbers when he's in the lineup. He's poised to once again top 20 HRs and 10 SBs, making him quite valuable in daily lineup leagues.

Cabrera's 2019 numbers look an awful lot like the 2018 numbers he compiled prior to suffering a season-ending torn biceps tendon. In both admittedly small samples, he provided little more than an empty batting average, and it is possible he doesn't even manage that if he continues to strike out so much. In his age-36 season, Cabrera is fast becoming a dicey hold in standard mixed leagues.

Vogelbach had come crashing down from a sensational start with four hits in 10 May games. Then he went yard in three straight contests. He's still slugging .615 with a 167 wRC+ this season. While another prolonged slump could cost him playing time, the Beefy Baseball Boy is currently batting in the heart of Seattle's lineup. It looks like there's still some juice to squeeze out of him.

While Smoak fell off from 2017's 38 homers and 133 wRC+, he still chipped in 25 homers and a 121 wRC+ with help from a stellar 14.0% walk rate in 594 plate appearances. He also dealt with a wrist injury early in the season while maintaining impressive hard-hit (41.5%) and barrel (10.5%) rates. He has gone ice cold after a strong April, but rises in exit velocities in walks point to better days ahead. Thirty homers is still in play, in which case he'll make a great corner-infield bargain.

The breakout appeared to be arriving a year later than anticipated for McMahon, who made the Rockies' Opening Day lineup after hitting .424 with nine doubles and three homers in spring. An elbow injury, however, sent him to the IL in early April. He homered in his return, but then tumbled into the Rockies promoted uber prospect Brendan Rodgers. McMahon's playing time is now in jeopardy.

It took a bit longer than expected, but Profar finally emerged as a strong major leaguer by batting .254/.335/.458 with 20 homers and 10 steals in 2018. The Rangers oddly moved him to the A's, a move that presents a major ballpark downgrade after he slugged .511 in Arlington. Aside from a possible average uptick, the skills didn't portend another leap forward. He instead took several steps backward, exiting April with an anemic .218 wOBA. Slowly turning a corner with three homers in the last nine games, his multi-position eligibility could help investors if already abandoned in standard mixed leagues.

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.

Drafters slept on Bruce after a down 2018 (.223/.310/.370). While still not hitting for much contact in Seattle, he has already scorched six long balls through 11 games. This is a slugger who belted at least 25 homers in seven of the last nine seasons and 36 in 2017, so it'd hardly be a surprise to see him tally 25-30 long balls with a regular gig. He's worth a look in five-outfielder formats, but the average will likely hurt too much to trust in shallower formats.

On the bright side, Bauers has created some distance from the Mendoza line after batting .201 in his MLB debut. He has bolstered his contact rate by over 10 percent, but he's also generating fewer hard hits. Without much of a power bump, the hope is that he chips his way to a stealthily productive 20/10 campaign with a passable batting average. That will play in five-outfielder formats, though he hasn't shown much to buy into anything more.

No player has had a greater gap in actual and fantasy value than Desmond. He went 20/20 for the fifth time in his career, joining just 10 players to hit both benchmarks. He was also the worst position player in baseball last year, recording -0.7 fWAR with a .315 wOBA and mediocre defense at first base. He couldn't even cash in at Coors Field, where he hit a robust .239/.319/.404. This year Desmond has gotten even worse, as he wields a 37 wRC+ with no steals. He's gone from better in fantasy to just bad all around. The Rockies would have benched him by not if not for his bloated salary, but he's testing their patience.

The only first basemen to bat at least .290 in each of the last two years? Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, and Yuli Gurriel. Houston's career .288 hitter is an underrated stabilizer in batting average who can also drive in 75-85 runs in a stacked lineup. He even popped five homers in September after a long power drought, so the veteran should at least offer double-digit long balls. Having turned the corner from a gloomy April with a sunny May, he's a boring, but productive depth piece for a team with average liabilities.

Hernandez's production has risen (67, 92, and 118 wRC+) along with playing time (244, 342, 462 PAs) over the past three seasons. The latter trend could at least continue, as he opened 2019 as the Dodgers' starting second baseman. Yet he has cooled down considerably from a hot start, currently batting .226/.308/.431 as of May 14. Rises in exit velocity and launch angle have led to a .331 xwOBA right in line with last year's .334, so he's still a useful contributor who should up his average with solid power and significant positional flexibility. The latest swoon, however, appears to have put him back into the weak end of a platoon. He's only rosterable in deeper leagues until he regains more reps against righties.

Belt still hasn't surpassed 20 homers in any season and over the last two seasons, his batting average has dropped down below .255. If he can stay healthy for once, however, Belt may reach 25 homers if he keeps up his HR-rate.

Posey's power has not rebounded at all from last season, and he's also missed time with a concussion. He's pretty clearly no longer the difference-making fantasy catcher he once was, but should still play more than the vast majority of catchers and is still fully capable of providing a plus batting average. It's unlikely those who drafted him have a better option floating around on the waiver wire.

After batting .163/.266/.281 through 40 games, Shaw went on the IL with a hand injury. The Brewers promoted top prospect Keston Hiura, who could run away with the starting job at second base. Those in shallow mixed leagues now have an excuse to move on from Shaw unless they can tuck him away in a vacant IL spot. Yet this is a slugger who has topped 30 homers in consecutive years, so there's a chance he returns to a starting role and heats up in a few weeks.

Nine games into his promotion, Lowe surprisingly got shipped back to Triple-A. Many fantasy managers had already rushed to the waiver wire or spent a sizable portion of their FAAB budget on the rookie, who brandishes a strong batting eye and plenty of power potential. With little left to prove in the minors, the 23-year-old first baseman should eventually work his way back to Triple-A. Those who added him in deep leagues may want to hold on for a couple of weeks.

 

Sano, who has never recorded 500 plate appearances in a big league season, is unlikely to reach that mark in 2019. After injuring his heel during the offseason, he's not expected to be ready until May, at the earliest. There's still the matter of him hitting .199/.281/.398 with a 38.5% strikeout rate last season. While he makes too much hard contact to again bat below the Mendoza line, all the punchouts make him unlikely to climb much higher than his career .244 clip. Because of these holes, it's still possible to stash a 25-year-old with a high walk rate and top-shelf power. Add him before his upcoming return if needing power and/or playing in an OBP league.

 

Alonso wasn't especially impressive last year with a .250 batting average and just 23 homers, but he is just one year removed from posting an .866 OPS with Oakland and Seattle so don't discount a big bounce-back campaign.

 

Thames isn't playing enough to be too exciting, but like Ryan Braun, Wil Myers and Michael Brantley in years prior, when Thames plays, he is a lock for your lineup. Even with last year's injury-riddled disaster 2018 left in the equation, we are talking about a guy who carries an .848 OPS with 52 homers, 116 RBIs and 137 runs in just 779 at-bats since returning to America. That is #good, folks. He might not reach 30 homers as a result of sharing playing time, but per game, he can be expected to mash balls at a 35-homer per 550 at-bats clip.

 

Following a tremendous conclusion to 2018, Zimmerman started 2019 with a whimper. The 34-year-old batted .212/.302/.373 before landing on the injured list plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He'll miss at least a couple of weeks and is a hard player to stash in most mixed leagues. Unlike last year, the Statcast data (.212 xBA, .290 xwOBA) doesn't suggest he'll find a higher gear when healthy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The A's, who acquired Morales from the Blue Jays early in the season, shipped him off to the injury-bitten Yankees. Despite his listless .211/.321/.289 slash line, the Statcast expected numbers (.279/.380/.469) likes his far more. He could see some reps at DH with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined and Miguel Andujar out for the season, so give him a look in AL-only and 15-team mixed leagues.

 

 

 

 

Injuries briefly gave Bird a path to playing time, but he joins many of his Yankees teammates on the IL with left plantar fascia tear. This isn't Bird's first foot-related injuries, so don't expect a quick recovery. He's not rosterable anywhere, and it might be time to abandon hope of a post-hype breakout.