2019 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Despite once again residing among baseball's laggards in swinging strikes and outside-swing rate, the jovial infielder is batting .285/.319/.541 with 22 homers. He's pummeling balls with a 92-mph average exit velocity and is in line to once again produce triple-digit RBIs and runs. However, he has drawn three walks in 38 games since the start of June and has stolen just five bases all season. Maybe skeptics were right not to want him as first-round anchor.

Whit has done exactly what fantasy owners have hoped for up until the break. He is on pace for both 20 homers and 30 steals to go with a batting average north of .300. While he doesn't possess top-tier upside, fantasy owners can continue to rely on him as a 3rd or even 2nd round value.

After an offseason to heal from a knee injury, Altuve initially looked to have regained some power with nine home runs. Following an early outburst, he wound up batting .243 with one steal in three attempts before going on the IL. While rehabbing from a hamstring injury, he suffered a setback when hurting the knee he had surgically repaired last year. He's hitting .309 since returning in June, but the former MVP eventually needs to start running again to return into a top-shelf fantasy asset.

Although last year's sample wasn't quite large enough to draw a full conclusion, fantasy owners can be sure now that his rookie season wasn't a fluke. Torres is a safe source for batting average and homers with the lineup continuing to prop up his RBIs and runs as well.

Marte has been spectacular with an astonishing 21 first-half homers to go with a batting average well over .300. While he is clearly no fluke, the notion that he is suddenly one of the top offensive middle infielders in baseball won't stick around for long so sell him high if you can find a taker willing to pay enough.

Muncy has now been one of the best hitters in baseball over the last calendar year. He has shown no signs of slowing down so don't be shocked when you look up at the end of the season and see 40 homers and 100 RBIs with a solid batting average.

Albies bounced back nicely after last season's awful second-half. He isn't an elite source of either power or speed, but he contributes nicely in both areas while adding plus batting average and plenty of RBIs and runs thanks to the strong Braves lineup.

If you are ever looking for an example of a post-hype sleeper, turn to Moncada who was all but left for dead by disappointed fantasy owners this winter. He finally broke out with both power and average while producing what will likely be double-digit steals by the end of the season.

Fantasy managers couldn't scroll through Twitter or go grocery shopping without encountering a heated debate about Mondesi in the preseason. Infatuated by his 11 homers, 27 steals, and .353 wOBA in 54 unbelievable second-half games, some supporters were happy to jump as early as the fourth round to draft a potential first-round contributor. Yet some experts, not buying the small sample and dubious of his poor plate approach, had the 23-year-old middle infielder outside of the top 100 altogether. The optimists are winning so far, as he's once again overcoming an aggressive approach to tally an MLB-high 31 steals in 82 games. Health has unfortunately interfered with his breakout. A groin injury sent him to the IL on June 20. Two weeks after returning, a left shoulder subluxation sidelined the speedster once again. The Royals are still waiting to learn the severity of this injury, so keep him stashed.

Don't look now, but Jose Ramirez is back to obliterating baseballs over the past month. He may not finish the season like the first round pick we all expected him to be, but he will at the very least reward to owner who was patient enough to hold onto him.

There is no doubt about it that LeMahieu has been an incredible surprise, but that doesn't mean that he will continue hitting .340 with power. Granted, the runs and RBIs will continue to help fantasy owners, but you may be able to sell high right now and will want to take advantage of that opportunity.

Villar was excellent after the trade to Baltimore last season and hasn't slowed down this year. Going into the break, he already had double-digit homers and was on track for both 100 runs and 30 stolen bases. The batting average isn't killing fantasy owners either which is a major surprise.

Unfortunately, Murphy is playing like a shell of his former self. There is even less power than before and his batting average has dropped south of .290. While that is still helpful and possible to increase, fantasy owners are right to be disappointed.

Senzel has merely been mediocre for fantasy owners up into the break with a .258 average and limited power, but he does have 8 steals already and we know he has the potential to breakout much like Scott Kingery did earlier this season.

No, McNeil isn't going to bat .350 forever, but .320 and an NL batting title is quite possible. There won't be a ton of power or speed, but enough that he won't drag you down in any area. McNeil should be a top 100 pick next spring in re-draft leagues.

Gordon already stole a dozen bags in 45 games before getting sidelined with a right wrist contusion, and three home runs represent a seismic power tear for the slap-hitting second baseman. Because of Mallex Smith's resurgence, Gordon has returned to the bottom end of Seattle's depleted lineup. When healthy, he's a one-category asset who could potentially regain some value in the runs and average columns.

Gurriel was so awful to open the season the Toronto sent him back to the minors. He responded by earning his job back then taking the league by storm. Heading into the break, he was one of the most exciting middle infielders in the game and that should continue throughout the remainder of the year.

Scooter missed the vast majority of the first half and hasn't quite been playing every day since returning from injury. With that said, he was so exceptional over his previous 1000 plate appearances that it should be considered only a matter of time before he returns to hitting like Freddie Freeman.

Lowe has slowed down considerably and hit the IL after fouling a ball off his shin, but he will be back any day and when he does, fantasy owners have a reliable player who will contribute in all five primary categories, but without carrying you in any.

Hiura crushed five home runs in his first 17 big league games, but Milwaukee nevertheless sent him back down when activating Travis Shaw from the IL. Less than a month later, the premier prospect is back from Triple-A, where he batted .329 with 19 homers and seven steals in 57 games. Now batting .323 with nine homers and five steals in 33 games, he isn't going anywhere this time. While his strikeouts have risen this year, the 22-year-old still profiles as someone who can hit for contact and power. He should be rostered in all mixed leagues.

Cano was exceptional in 2018 when he wasn't suspended but apparently, he finally hit the wall towards the end of a player's career. Neither the batting average or power are here nor are the expected to return.

You may not feel sexy running Hernandez out there in your lineup every day, but as is always the case, Hernandez isn't making anyone regret spending a late round pick on his reliable production in all five categories.

It may not be the Schoop of old, but there is certainly value in what the Twins' second basemen has accomplished for fantasy owners thus far. He should finish the season with 25 homers while offering plenty of RBIs and runs thanks to everyday at-bats in the strong Twins' lineup.

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 2019 repeat are running out of time. The third baseman entered the All-Star break batting .216/.325/.381 with 10 homers in 77 games. He went on the IL with illness and back spasms. Shortly after returning, he went back on the shelf with a foot injury. MLB's leader in hard-hit rate last year is now in the bottom-30 percentile, and his xSLG has dropped from .546 to .404. We saw his ability to adjust and heat up in a seismic way last year, but it's getting tougher to hold out hope.

Odor did his thing for a while where he was a total trainwreck, and while the batting average is still below .200, he has started to play much better of late and is, as always, producing in both the homer and stolen base departments.

Gone are the days where Dozier will flirt with 40 homers, but he still has sufficient power that outweighs his often lousy batting average. He is a useful fantasy asset in deeper leagues and one worth keeping an eye on in more shallow formats.

It is tempting to get excited when you hear Biggio's name, but he was not a top prospect by any stretch of the imagination and while he may provide some power and speed, the batting average will likely kill you.

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. Although McMahon is hitting an unexciting .263/.334/.431 with just nine home runs, he should keep playing with Rodgers out for the season. Keep him in mind as a streamer when the Rockies are home.

For years, Wong has flashed excellent fantasy skills at times then proceeded to burn everyone who had the nerve to pick him up in the midst of his hot streak. There may be another flash left at some point this season, but you certainly can't count on much if you own Wong.

In what may be the most surprising breakout in all of baseball, the 36-year-old Kendrick has turned into a prolific hitter with power to go along with his .330 batting average. And believe it or not, the underlying stats suggest it is the real deal so don't get the crazy idea of trying to sell him high.

Cabrera is the cut-off between a long list of useful fantasy middle infielders and players who can fill a roster spot if you are desperate for counting stats. The batting average is going to hurt and he surely won't steal bags, but the other three categories are all plusses.

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. Perhaps the Rangers knew what they were doing when moving him to the A's. He's batting .212/.276/.370 at the break. He has at least maintained some power and speed with 10 homers and six steals. Profar's multi-position eligibility could help investors in deeper mixed leagues, but Franklin Barreto could take away from playing time at second base.

Fletcher isn't going to help you win the home run category, nor will he steal double-digit bases, but he might reach 80 runs with a batting average near .300 so make room for him if he is still available in your league.

You can be certain that Frazier won't offer any power or speed, but 80 homers and a .280 batting average never hurt anyone. If you need a warm body to fill in for an injured player, he can answer the call without pain.

Replacing the injured Corey Seager at shortstop, Taylor has batted 11-for-24 with three doubles and three homers in his last seven games and .282/.340/.542 since the start of May. He's eligible for three positions (2B, SS, and OF) in a loaded Dodgers lineup after combining for 38 homers and 26 steals in the previous two seasons. The late bloomer also has discouraging Statcast numbers, but he's worth rostering in more comprehensive mixed leagues.

 

The batting average has devestated fantasy owners thus far in the first half and while it may come up, it won't be enough to warrant rostering Kike in a standard-sized league.

The batting average hasn't been there with Niko this year, but there is reason for hope and when you add that to the fact that he is a reliable source of both power and speed, he is worthy of keeping an eye on for a potential injury fill-in in the coming weeks.

There is no denying the potential in the Rays' young middle-infielder, but like Dansby Swanson over the past few seasons, he just isn't quite ready at the plate yet. You can still get a handful of steals and homers, but not enough to make up for his batting average.

Urias was rough in his debut, but don't give up on him quite yet. Rather, he is among the top stashes remaining in the minor leagues. When he does get another chance, he will be worth owning in most leagues assuming the Padres or his new team (via trade) gives him a chance.

Castro is playing every game for Miami, but that is quite literally all you can say on the pro side of his performance. He doesn't offer power anymore and his batting average will continue to hover around .250 for the remainder of the season.

At this point in his career, Kipnis is only a worthwhile fantasy asset in deeper leagues. He should end up with double-digit homers and steals, but not by much, and drug down by a rough batting average.

Garcia isn't even going to finish the season with 10 homers, but he offers some speed and is on pace for 100 runs thanks to a quality .290 batting average and every day playing time for the White Sox. You can use him without regret although he won't be a world saver.

Shaw could potentially be a worthwhile addition at some point later in the year, but for now, he has lost his job to Hiura and should be released in every format.

More than likely, Hampson won't get his job back as the Rockies' primary second baseman. Even with injury, he may be third on the depth chart. With that said, if for whatever reason he does find his way into at-bats, he'll be worth monitoring as a potential pickup.

La Stella was among the top breakout infielders this year before going on the IL for 2 to 3 months. If you have enough room on your IL or even bench, he may be worth holding onto for the head to head playoff stretch.

 

Sogard has been a pleasant surprise this year with a batting average near 300 and both some power and speed. It's a risk to rely on that continuing, but there is more hope than many other options on your waiver wire in the middle infield.

 

Right after returning from a hamstring injury, Wendle fractured his wrist. He missed another seven weeks before returning to the Rays, who have inserted him back into the starting lineup despite collecting four hits in 39 plate appearances. A healthy Wendle could still help in deeper leagues if given an opportunity, as he broke out to bat .300 with seven homers and 16 steals last season.

 

 

 

 

Lowrie has been on the IL all season and just suffered another setback. Even if and when he returns to action, fantasy owners shouldn't pay any attention.

Even if he continues to split time with Russell Martin all year, Barnes is one of the few catchers out there who is capable of delivering double digit HRs, a decent batting average, and handful of stolen bases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.