The calendar has now turned to 2023 and that means the Fantasy Baseball season is getting closer every day. But at the end of the day, fantasy managers are drafting him for his elite speed and ability to steal bases, a skill that may get even better depending on how the new baserunning rules play out. The Philadelphia system is headlined by two of baseball's best pitching prospects in Andrew Painter and Mick Abel, and with improved command, Griff McGarry is capable of making a similar leap. He mashes the ball, gets on base, and is a four-category player in a friendly ballpark. Ryan Mountcastle is an underrated power hitter who fell prey to a narrative that isn't exactly true. The 31-year-old turned his Statcast page crimson, landing in the 92nd percentile in xSLG and xwOBA, two important categories to show out in. Before the All-Star Break, he had 16 saves, seven holds, an ERA of 1.34, and a 41:8 K:BB ratio. This wasn't really in question before his arrival in the big leagues last summer, but he slashed .295/.383/.450 in 72 games for the Royals when he finally got the call-up. Gausman throws his split-finger fastball almost 35% of the time, which is his best pitch but also the one that can lead to this type of BABIP jump. Even with the walks, Doval is a Tier 2 closer you can get in the seventh or eighth round. He is a solid producer who doesn't strike out a ton and makes good contact when he swings. Even with the big contract, Swanson has proven that his durability is consistent, and he should bat at the top of the order, both of which make him a valuable fantasy asset. At the end of the day, he is still Mike Trout, for better or worse. How rankings are created. The 28-year-old is too talented to leave on the board, so fantasy managers can draft him and send a quick wish into the universe that he plays basically anywhere else in 2023. While chances are good Diaz will not repeat these numbers in 2023, there is nothing to suggest that he won't return as an elite closer option with job security on a team that should win plenty of games. Pittsburgh has a good long history of trading great players once they reach arbitration, so chances are that he will don a different uniform come Opening Day. In 2022, he appeared in only 114 games, a far cry from the 161 the year before. 2023 Fantasy Baseball: Top 150 rankings for Dynasty leagues, as determined by value rating system Rankings for those who value the future as much as the present By Scott White Jan 9, 2023. It will be very important to keep track of where Happ is batting in the revamped Cubs lineup. Washington Nationals. Logan Webb flashed his strikeout upside in 2021, leading to fantasy managers overvaluing him in 2022. His strikeout rate crept above 30% for the first time since his rookie year. Austin Riley showed up on a lot of "Busts" lists heading into 2022, which caused his draft stock to fall, so the fantasy managers who took the chance were handsomely rewarded with 38 HR, 93 RBI, and 90 runs. The 153 innings were down from 213 1/3 in 2021, but this is actually encouraging in that the Phillies were cognizant of his usage. Some fatigue appeared to set in following the All-Star Break, but overall, his numbers remained elite, with an xFIP of 2.85, a K/9 of 10.83, and a WHIP of 0.97. Brady Singer is a 26-year-old unfinished product who flashed some excellent skills in 2022. He attempted five fewer steals, though this could correct with the new baserunning rules in 2023. Fantasy managers can draft him with confidence. It is difficult to predict what effect the new running rules will have on his SB total, but fantasy managers can safely count on 10-15 in this area. In 2022, Rodon threw a career-high 178 innings, struck out 237 batters, and ended with a sparkling ERA of 2.88 and WHIP of 1.03. . The 24-year-old nabbed 14 saves last season, and he is listed as part of the three-headed Mariners committee with Paul Sewald and Diego Castillo. He might be an empty batting average/OBP player, though, so don't expect much more than 15 HR if you pick him. If you miss the first half dozen third basemen, Chapman can provide some value at his current ADP. He hits the ball with great power, ranking in the 92nd percentile in maxEV. Fantasy players need to note two important things: (1) The change from pitcher-friendly Oracle Park to hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium will have some elevated effect to his ERA; and (2) Beware of drafting an oft-injured pitcher coming off a career year. He should give fantasy teams consistent production from a position where that is almost impossible to find. The 22 home runs came out of nowhere, as he had only 18 in his three-year minor league career. He struck out 210 batters with a regular-season ERA of 1.75 and a microscopic WHIP of 0.83. The positives are his solid floor, and a good surrounding lineup will keep the numbers afloat. Realmuto's price. Ronald Acuna Jr. appeared in 119 games last year, a significantly higher number than the original projection of a July return from his torn ACL injury. He'll probably cost you a second-round pick, but there isn't much downside if you're willing to pay for saves. This should be another exciting season, and our analysts' draft rankings can help you build a potent, championship-worthy team check them out below: 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings powered by FantasyPros. The concern is that his 2.24 ERA was well below his xERA of 3.31 and xFIP of 3.97. The 29-year-old does not fit the profile of a truly elite closer, but he should collect another 30 saves, securing a good base in 5x5 leagues. While Father Time will claim all athletes at some point, the 39-year-old Morton seems to have an agreement in place to avoid being claimed yet. An improved offense around him should only boost his numbers in 2023. Take the discount and don't look back. Carlos Rodon celebrated turning 30 by signing a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees, and it's not hard to see why New York was willing to pay him. His 2022 numbers, however, rewarded whoever took him two rounds too late, finishing 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA and 0.95 WHIP and 197 strikeouts in 194 2/3 innings. There is a real chance that Patrick Corbinthe same guy who went 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA in 152.2 innings last seasonis going to be the Opening Day starter for the . Yes, the Reds are going to be absolutely terrible, so there probably won't be many wins. When he returned, he dazzled fantasy managers with his 11.41 K/9 and 3.49 xFIP. 1? Steamer projections have him at 43/109/104 for the upcoming season, and his ratios should see a small decline as well. If you think he'll cross the century mark in innings pitched, he's a steal at his current ADP. At his current ADP of 129, he is an absolute steal, even taking into account that he won't play 150 games. 1, Yankees and Padres in World Series mix Matt Johnson Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports The Houston Astros are the best team in baseball heading into. Kris Bryant in Coors Field was supposed to be a party and instead, the guest of honor got plantar fasciitis and played in only 42 games for the entire year. He isn't going to do anything flashy (8.27 K/9), but he shouldn't do much to harm your numbers. Oscar Gonzalez does not take walks. The issue for fantasy managers is that he hasn't been durable, crossing the 150-game mark only once in his entire career. The 28-year-old's numbers were lower than what fantasy managers had come to expect, losing 31 points off his batting average and dropping his OBP from .371 to .325. Rule Changes Probable Pitchers Starting Lineups . Here's what Baseball America wrote about the Red Sox for its 2023 preseason rankings: Slowly . Even though he had an ERA of 2.61, his FIP was 2.44, which is a product of pitching in front of one of the worst defenses in baseball. He should easily be in the top 10 relief pitchers taken on draft day. Even though there are suggestions that Montas could return in 2023 following his shoulder surgery, he has no value in redraft leagues and can be left on the table on draft day. He is a top OBP guy and his ratios have one of the highest floors in baseball. Feb 17, 2023 As a reminder, fantasy baseball rankings aren't as simple as fantasy football rankings. One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is jumping on: Yankees shortstop Oswald Peraza. However, he can be a mid-round source of stolen bases either way. Here at Fantasy Six Pack, our 2023 Fantasy Baseball season preparation is already begun. He made his MLB debut last season, recording 15 hits and scoring eight runs in 49 at-bats.. That's the bad. As long as he continues to bat at the top of that Houston lineup, he will score 100 runs and should smack 25+ homers. Webb is more of an SP3/SP4 now and should be drafted as such. Rodon is a great pitcher who will help any fantasy staff but don't overpay on draft day. Aside from turning 40 in February, fantasy managers need to be wary of the BABIP of .240, which is 30 points below his career average and due to regress. Oneil Cruz headed to Triple-A following Spring Training because while the Pirates predictably floundered around the first one-third of the season. His K% (25.9) and BB% (7.1) need improvement, but at age 22, he has plenty of time to work on these numbers. The Blue Jays heeded his offensive prowess by using him as DH on many days when he wasn't behind the plate. He only pitched 153 innings; he missed time due to a diagnosis of Raynaud's Syndrome, which affected the index, middle, and ring fingers on his pitching hand. Still, in leagues with an SS and MI slot, fantasy managers can do a lot worse than a 30/10 guy in the ninth round. Triston McKenzie reduced his BB/9 from 4.35 to 2.07 in 2022, skyrocketing up fantasy rankings and boosting the pitching staff for any manager who rolled the dice on him. Drafting the 30-year-old is a smart idea if you pick an SP1 with more upside (and more risk) because you know what you're going to get. He limits hard contact and uses a four-pitch combination to sit in the 91st percentile of chase rate. Logan Gilbert flashed the goods in 2021 and returned for a great year in 2022. He also struggled defensively, which could lead to more time at third base, depending on how Kansas City wants to play him. As long as the 27-year-old continues to rein in the free passes, the saves should be plentiful and competition for the role won't be. All of that is to say that the 31-year-old cannot be counted on for exceptional, ace-like numbers. His homers fell from 31 to 27 as a result, but he increased his runs and RBI by 11 each, and he stole 25 bases to boot. Fantasy managers are scared because of injury risk or age, but Stanton is going to mash. He only played in 119 games due to a rare and persistent back injury that will require more rest days going forward, even when healthy. Other bad news includes a Statcast page that is almost entirely blue, meaning he was ineffective in almost every meaningful statistical category during his first season in Philadelphia. Chris Bassitt is the exact type of high floor/low ceiling starting pitcher that you draft to your roster in a later round and then don't worry about. Taylor Ward's breakout in his fifth MLB season was interrupted by a nagging hamstring injury that cut into his ability to be a consistent fantasy asset. Ninth-ranked Oklahoma State is the top Big 12 team in the rankings, followed by No. He stole six bases in nine attempts, but his numbers declined from his best year in 2021. He deserves a high draft pick - just recognize some slight regression may be on the horizon. The 28-year-old was in the 100th percentile in xBA, K%, Whiff%, xSLG, and xERA/xOBA, which is exactly what you are looking for from a fantasy closer while racking up 32 saves. Injuries plagued him and led to UCL surgery in his left thumb in the first half of the season. His BABIP was a little high (.290), which led to his .293 batting average, so fantasy managers should consider that regression and expect more in the .270 range. While the fifth-year player probably isn't going to gift fantasy managers with double-digit steals, Guerrero can keep four categories and all ratios afloat, allowing you to build around that foundation. He's a Tier 3 closer with a higher upside if he lands the job. The rest of his numbers remained stellar. Seiya Suzuki arrived to MLB and kicked off his career in the States with a bang, hitting four HR and getting on base at a .398 clip. Away from Denver, the 33-year-old hit seven homers with a .214 average and .274 wOBA. He is not the clear-cut SP1 he's been in years past, but he should still be one of the first off the board. His value is great in the sixth or seventh round, and even though we don't chase wins, he plays for a team who should put him in line for many of them. When he returned, it looked like all of the skills that made him so highly sought after had disappeared. Therein lies the problem, of course. His slash line declined to .263/.327/.445, though that average is misleading as his expected was .234. Take charge of your health and empower yourself with the knowledge of your own health status. Kevin Askeland Feb 21, 2023 MaxPreps Top 25 baseball rankings Eleven ranked teams begin seasons this week, including No. Starling Marte had a good 2022 season, but injuries prevented him from being a truly great fantasy asset. His fifth season in MLB saw a slight decline in hitting stats (34 HR, 95 RBI, .273/.356/.519) (and yes, that was a decline). Still, his elite on-base skills continue to increase his value in fantasy leagues, especially considering that he bats leadoff in one of the most explosive lineups in baseball. His strikeouts were down, but so were his walks and ERA. While he may not be a slam dunk high-round pick, his upside makes him worthy of his ADP. The volume just hasn't been there to truly be a fantasy stud. 1 pick this draft season? Just make sure you're not paying for his MVP iteration on draft day. What we really love, though, are his ratios. Barlow will still get his fair share of save opportunities, but this smells like a closer by committee to start the season. Ramirez did have UCL repair in November, but there is no doubt he will be ready to go for Spring Training. Get complete stats for players from your favorite team and league on CBSSports.com Use our first base rankings, tiers and analysis to win your fantasy baseball drafts. Someone in your league will reach for him during the draft. His K% was an impressive 32.7, and his BB% plummeted to 8.5 (from 12.9 in 2021). Fantasy baseball draft season is here now that MLB Opening Day is only a few weeks away, and bet.NOLA.com has positional rankings beginning with first base and third base . Fantasy managers shouldn't worry any more than they typically do about his injury risk. He pitches for a terrible team in an extremely hitter-friendly ballpark, so there will be growing pains, but if he harnesses his talent, he will be a steal at his current ADP. He is an injury risk after playing in 136 last year and only 96 the year before. He is not as highly sought after as the overpowering, high-strikeout guys above him, but he will provide everything fantasy managers need in a closer and then some. Just beware that his numbers might look much closer to 2021 than 2022. The tools are all there: Robert has good speed, reduced his strikeout rate in 2022, and his expected slash numbers will be helpful to fantasy squads. Nola remains elite in BB% (3.6) and HardHit% (31.6) while allowing weak contact - which is good since his defense consisted of mostly should-be DHs. He may have just brought his Statcast page to contract negotiations before signing his five-year, $102 million deal to return to New York. Make sure your ratios are protected before drafting him for saves. College Recruiting Rankings. His GB% of 33.5 and LOB% of 82.8 contribute to his excellent ratios. The 24-year-old slashed .285/.372/.415 and added 14 home runs. He falls into the "walk year" category, so he might outperform his projections. Rafael Devers is one of the best players in baseball who seems consistently overlooked in fantasy circles. Cedric Mullins stole 30+ bases for the second consecutive year in 2022, though the power disintegrated, lowering his home total to 16 from 30. Just beware you'll probably get closer to 500 plate appearances than the preferred 600 with his injury history. It's possible they leave him in the 2-slot, especially until Bryce Harper returns, in which case he will continue to score runs and increase his RBI total. The 28-year-old ended with a 5.22 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, both of which are career highs by a longshot. He still struck out 190 batters and maintained a 3.05 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, but the missed time and increased average exit velocity allowed left something to be desired for fantasy managers. Devin Williams played second fiddle to Josh Hader for most of four seasons before finally getting handed the ball after Milwaukee traded the latter to San Diego. There is hope that the White Sox have realized that Eloy Jimenez is a designated hitter and will deploy him as such in an effort to keep the 26-year-old healthy. When he makes contact, Arozarena's elite maxEV will allow good things to happen. Texas 3. Aaron Nola had a wildly unlucky 2021 that most fantasy managers were aware of on draft day in 2022. Byron Buxton staying healthy is the carrot dangling in front of fantasy managers every offseason. The 23-year-old is projected to have a K-rate north of 30%, and he will certainly boost a fantasy team's strikeout count. After signing an 8-year, $168 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, Matt Olson did his best to replace franchise icon Freddie Freeman in one of the weirder series of transactions in recent memory. Batters did hit him a little harder when they did make contact, and he had a career-high 1.26 HR/9, but the rest of his Statcast profile still shines bright red. Atlanta has a number of closer options, though Iglesias is the most experienced of the bunch and should get the first crack at it. Emmanuel Clase ended up a . The 33-year-old still has a K% in the 92nd percentile in the league, though this did drop from 37.7% to 31.7% last year. Milwaukee is a pitching-heavy team that will offer plenty of save opportunities. Behind all of this is the hope that he can return to his 2019 form, which is the last time he made more than 10 starts in a season. His xERA was 3.51, but his xFIP was 2.98, which is encouraging for 2023. Lynn is a prime candidate to climb draft boards if he shows out during Spring Training given his history as a workhorse. 2023 Dynasty League Baseball Rankings: Outfielders, #1-20 Outfielders, #21-60 Outfielders, #61-125 Outfield Prospects #1-25 Outfield Prospects #26-50 Outfield Risers and Fallers Outfielders to Target Outfielders to Avoid Outfield Prospect Spotlight: Tyler Gentry Outfield Prospect Spotlight: Chase DeLauter Shortstops #1-10 Shortstops, #11-30 His K% was much higher (18.7) than at lower levels, but this should normalize as he becomes more comfortable. Be prepared for a letdown if you reach too high for him. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez might be the safest player available. He gave up more home runs in 2022, but his underlying metrics suggest a straightforward, above-average SP4 for fantasy rotations. He doesn't take a ton of walks but doesn't strike out much, either. After starting 27 games in 2021 and 30 in 2022, Bassitt can be counted on for 175 solid innings and somewhere in the 3.70/1.18 ERA/WHIP. Eight of the top nine prospects in ZiPS are basically the top pitching prospects on Eric and Tess' list. Framber Valdez became Mr. Quality Start in 2022, tossing 201 1/3 innings in 31 starts for the World Champions. Josh Hader may come at a discount in 2023 due to those who fixate on a stretch of outings in August 2022 or look only at his final ERA. We have no illusions that Pittsburgh's lineup is going to boost any of his numbers, but 20 steals from 3B later in the draft is nothing to sneeze at. Steven Kwan was hard for fantasy managers to believe in last season, but he ended up being the 16th-ranked outfielder in 5x5 leagues when it was all said and done. He had identical WHIPs of 1.08 and has started more than 30 games in four of the past five seasons (excluding 2020). Mar 1, 2023 - 7:00 am. The shortstop position feels deeper than in years past, but heading into his age-29 season, Seager remains at or near the top. The 27-year-old throws his fastball almost half the time but finishes hitters off with his curveball and changeup equally. The stolen bases are most likely gone forever, but he could pair nicely with a speed guy from Round 1. Even with his torn UCL last season, he still slashed .286/.364/.514 and powered the Phillies to the World Series. Before last season, the fantasy community almost unanimously labeled him a second-year bust, but the 29-year-old responded by improving his slash line across the board. Unfortunately, he also offers 3.4 BB/9 as he sometimes isn't sure where his 100-mph throws will end up. He batted third or fourth for most of 2022, but his skillset reads like a No. Coming in at No. His BABIP and LOB% are both due for regression, and his xFIP was 3.53, so it's important to temper expectations in those departments. His ERA made the expected leap up to 3.71, but his BB% stayed in the single digits, meaning he may have repaired his proverbial Achilles heel for good. The 28-year-old is this year's definition of "boring" - he's projected for 20 HR, 70/70 for runs/RBI, and a solid batting average. Projections for the 28-year-old look similar to this stat line, though he will have a boosted lineup ahead of him to knock in with the re-signing of Brandon Nimmo, return of Francisco Lindor, and anyone else Steve Cohen decides to add to his luxury tax mountain. However, he does qualify at 3B, which might be even shallower this season. If spin rate is your jam, you'll love what Ryan Pressly has to offer. Beyond that, Semien has played in 155 games or more in six of the past seven seasons (excluding 2020). Fantasy managers are clamoring for him to develop a second devastating pitch to increase his effectiveness overall. Feel free to wait on catcher and snag Kirk in the eighth or ninth round. The 13.3% HR/FB ratio should correct, and if he maintains an improved K% and HardHit%, he will be an absolute steal at his current ADP. 24 Texas Tech. Arizona is on the upswing, but the Diamondbacks are often forgotten about on draft day. The two knocks against him are that he walks more batters than he should, and his xERA and xFIP were an entire run above the actuals. However, his xwOBA was .374, so you can believe in those on-base skills going forward. He could pop double-digit homers, but all fantasy managers need to care about is that he keeps running well (23-for-26 SB in 2022) and with impunity. Ke'Bryan Hayes might have some good power hiding inside his offensive toolbox, but if you draft him for steals and batting average help, you'll feel much better about him in your lineup. There is nothing wrong with boring, as long as you don't reach for it. 2023 600 PA / 200 IP Projections . 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Articles by MLB Position ALL - C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF - SP - RP Above you will find all of RotoBaller's 2023 fantasy baseball rankings, tiers, auction. There is a lot to love about O'Neill in fantasy formats, but there is a lot to question as well. Sure, he doesn't run anymore, but if you need to shore up your runs and RBI category, you can't really beat the guy in the on deck circle after Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, and Yordan Alvarez get on base. Riley sits in the 95th percentile or higher in HardHit%, xSLG, Barrel%, avgEV, MaxEV, and xwOBA, which puts him in a tiny group of batters who can provide power numbers without destroying your ratios. Fernando Tatis Jr. is the glow-in-the-dark, neon-colored wild card sitting in every fantasy baseball draft of 2023. 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings powered by FantasyPros Aaron Nola (PHI) Aaron Nola had a wildly unlucky 2021 that most fantasy managers were aware of on draft day in 2022. (Steamer projections included.) At age 25, Kirby can serve as a great SP3/SP4 for fantasy managers with hope that he will climb the ranks going forward. Are you buying or fading closers this season? However, he still offers clear 20-20 potential at the shallower 2B position with the hope he will continue where he left off in 2022. * He collected 14 holds before the Orioles traded Jorge Lopez at the deadline, after which he notched 15 saves. Two years into his St. Louis tenure, the 31-year-old has put to rest most fantasy manager fears about the lack of the Coors effect. His BABIP was an unsustainable .362, and his barrel%, exit velocity, sweet spot%, and walk rate all declined from 2021. He may not duplicate his .325/.407/.511 line again, his three-year average of .312/.415/.563 says that range is possible with his elite skills. The Orioles seem dedicated to their youth movement, and Rutschman is a Top 3 defensive catcher by multiple metrics, so he will be in their lineup on a regular basis. So why isn't he begin drafted higher than his current ADP of 101? For you, that means reading and listening to as much content as possible. $30 Randy Arozarena. Vinnie Pasquantino can hit. He remained in the 90th percentile or higher in xBA, K%, fastball velocity, extension, xERA, and Whiff%. He shaved seven percentage points off his K-rate, which will probably revert to somewhere in the middle in 2023. With a K% in the 96th percentile, the 25-year-old will be one of the Top 3 RP without a clear path to saves taken off the board. One area that did prove disappointing was his .245 batting average, but this is misleading due to his extremely low .242 BABIP. Unless you're in a quirky league where defense counts, Melendez fills a scarce position with decent skills. Vaughn has underestimated power and maintains a good batting average. SP. While his slugging percentage was down significantly, a lot of that can be attributed to working back from the injury. Daulton Vasho has catcher eligibility, which is one of the primary draws to him being drafted in the 40-50 range. The 29-year-old's Steamer projections show a 2.96 xFIP and a K/9 north of 11, and his current ADP is 92. The Brewers took the training wheels off for Corbin Burnes in 2022, allowing him to throw 202 innings after only 167 the year before. Tyler Glasnow was having an outstanding season in 2021 before requiring Tommy John surgery. He is in the 90th percentile and above in nine of 12 categories on Statcast, and even some slight regression in his overall numbers still leaves him in "elite" territory. There is your knock on the 32-year-old. All said, Turner isn't a unanimous choice for the No. Semien is a great, reliable 2B option, which at this point, looks like a very shallow position heading into 2023. In 118 games, he slashed .292/.347/.468, buoying the ratios for fantasy managers in roto leagues. The 24-year-old responded by slashing .329/.370/.521 with 10 HR and eight SB (out of 10 attempts). Some players have power, whereas Yordan Alvarez has POWER. Instead, he had a start/stop season where he dealt with finger, knee, and oblique issues. The following human polls make up the 2023 NCAA Division I men's baseball rankings. Houston allowed the 29-year-old to go deep into games, and with the departure of Justin Verlander, he slots in as their No. However, his 30+ HR, 100+ runs, and solid advanced metrics will contribute across the board, and he is worthy of a late first-round pick. The 28-year-old mixes a 96-mph fastball with a 77-mph curveball and 90-mph changeup for a 32.9 K%. While waiting for him to possibly return, he fell off a bike and fractured his wrist, which had to be surgically repaired in the offseason. Other Top 25 teams include No. 12/01/2023 WBSC launches first-ever Baseball5 World Rankings. One striking reason for this was a .368 BABIP, while another was facing a lot of atrocious pitching in the NL Central.