He is still only 25 years old and should be a durable righty on fantasy staffs in 2023. Soon we will be talking about Pitchers and Catchers reporting. Two IL stints in 2022 are the only thing suppressing McClanahan's draft value in 2023. By that, we mean that chances are good that Minnesota will use him in high-leverage situations, no matter which late inning that might be. If he gets his walks and home runs under control, he could live up to that ADP, but be wary of drafting an "if" guy that high. He won't come with quite as big of a discount in 2023, but in the tenth round, he is a great SP3. 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. Over the last month of the season, he showed some patience and ability to get on base, which allowed him to get 15 SB to go along with his 17 HR. Giolito is only 28 years old, and his ADP puts him somewhere around the 13th round. His true asset, though, is his ability to score runs in a potent lineup. Mississippi State 7. But it is best to exercise some caution and ensure you have outfield depth if you plan to roster him. 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. Strider has the makings of a bona fide ace and is only 24 years old. 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. Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez delivered an epic 2022 season, so expect him to be in the running for the top pick in drafts, too. Honestly, he doesn't take many pitches, period, as he sits in the first percentile in chase rate. $29 Cedric Mullins II. Toronto also helped sort out its overload of catchers by traded heralded prospect Gabriel Moreno to Arizona for Daulton Varsho. Julio Rodriguez led the 2022 youth movement throughout MLB, skipping Triple-A to win Rookie of the Year with 29 of 30 first-place votes and electrifying the crowd at the HR Derby in July. Guys like Edwin Diaz, Emmanuel Clase, Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly are just some of the elite closers who still maintain a stranglehold on their teams' ninth-inning role. He gave up more home runs in 2022, but his underlying metrics suggest a straightforward, above-average SP4 for fantasy rotations. * In 2021, he had a 2.81 ERA but a 3.28 xFIP; in 2022, it was a 3.35 ERA and 2.75 xFIP. Altuve somehow continues to have some upside while the most solid floor of the second basemen in fantasy drafts. 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 collected 14 holds before the Orioles traded Jorge Lopez at the deadline, after which he notched 15 saves. $29 Luis Robert. Zack Wheeler returned from his 2021 Cy Young runner-up campaign and defended his position as a top starting pitcher in fantasy baseball. Wright was an entirely different pitcher in 2022 than he was the year before, cutting his BB% from 14.3 to 7.2 and raising his K% from 17.1 to 23.6. Even though the Giants finished last in defensive runs saved, his high ground ball rate didn't hurt him. He is a solid producer who doesn't strike out a ton and makes good contact when he swings. As long as he continues to bat at the top of that Houston lineup, he will score 100 runs and should smack 25+ homers. Scott Barlow held a lot more fantasy appeal before the Royals went out and signed Aroldis Chapman. There is a lot to love about O'Neill in fantasy formats, but there is a lot to question as well. The Yankees were the best team in Defensive Runs Saved, which furthered his effectiveness. His RBI total of 57 should see a boost with improvement from the 7-8-9 hitters. The 24-year-old demonstrated patience at the plate with a 13.8% walk rate, which is in line with his minor league numbers. That's why you'll find that the rankings are in a different order than the replacement. Aside from that, though, rostering Arenado is a calm, reliable move worth making if you took bigger risks in the early rounds or if you just want the safest option available at the hot corner. While it's a terrible idea to chase wins on draft day, it is still worth noting that Kyle Wright had 21 of them in 2022. The Tampa Bay Rays . These metrics should give you pause as you face the decision to draft him in the 2nd/3rd round of your draft. Cedric Mullins stole 30+ bases for the second consecutive year in 2022, though the power disintegrated, lowering his home total to 16 from 30. His ratios were down across the board, but he improved his K% and BB% and suffered from some bad luck with BABIP. 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. 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. He will come with a senior citizen discount in drafts, but that could be a heck of a steal if he somehow comes close to a repeat performance. 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. Jose Altuve's fantasy baseball demise has been prematurely predicted for a couple of years now. But he will play every day, and with the new base-stealing rules boosting that category, he may run every day, too. Unranked. Injury-averse fantasy managers missed out on Zac Gallen's first healthy season in 2022, which saw him start 31 games and throw 184 innings. Nestor Cortes was a gift to fantasy managers who drafted him late in 2022. 13 Maryland (Big Ten) and No. The stolen bases are most likely gone forever, but he could pair nicely with a speed guy from Round 1. The Blue Jays heeded his offensive prowess by using him as DH on many days when he wasn't behind the plate. He struggled with free passes, issuing 3.1 walks per nine, but he more than made up for that with a 16.4% swinging strike rate and K% of 38.3. The concern is that his 2.24 ERA was well below his xERA of 3.31 and xFIP of 3.97. 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. Once again, Jacob deGrom is the pitcher on the board with the wildest range of outcomes possible. Away from Denver, the 33-year-old hit seven homers with a .214 average and .274 wOBA. This is still a player with Top-3 closer abilities, so fantasy managers in leagues where others shy away due to a few outings in August should draft, sit back, and enjoy. Unless you're in a quirky league where defense counts, Melendez fills a scarce position with decent skills. The country is. 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. A lot of things went wrong for Giancarlo Stanton in 2022. Cristian Javier began 2022 in the bullpen and then started 25 games, bringing joy to fantasy managers' hearts everywhere. 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. His Statcast page could be the official symbol of Valentine's Day, with the only non-red stat being his fastball spin rate. With no clear-cut SP1 in fantasy this season, Burnes is a solid choice, as he will buoy your pitching categories while pitching in front of a Top 10 defensive team. He batted leadoff 64 times, indicating the Royals are dedicated to getting him plate appearances in front of Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez. Drew Rom. The only question for fantasy managers is whether or not you believe he can stay healthy. Just beware you'll probably get closer to 500 plate appearances than the preferred 600 with his injury history. 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. He falls into the "walk year" category, so he might outperform his projections. Recruit's Nat Rank. In dynasty leagues, he is already taken; for those in redraft, he is worth a high pick. The case for Turner is an easy one; he hasn't hit under .290 since 2018 and his OPS has been over .800 for five straight seasons. In 118 games, he slashed .292/.347/.468, buoying the ratios for fantasy managers in roto leagues. His K% and Whiff% remain in elite status, and he still walked away with 36 saves. Mike Trout may have had the quietest 40-homer season in 2022. Dylan Cease finished second to Justin Verlander for 2022 AL Cy Young and had an outstanding year for a wildly disappointing White Sox team. 1, pass Japan in WBSC Men's . He struck out 210 batters with a regular-season ERA of 1.75 and a microscopic WHIP of 0.83. Aaron Nola had a wildly unlucky 2021 that most fantasy managers were aware of on draft day in 2022. Fantasy managers need only remember that his days of 30 starts are long gone, and he will have one or two IL stints during the season. He is a risky SP2 and would be a much safer pick as a third or fourth starter. He had an impressive xwOBA of .354, an ISO of .246, and WRC+ of 143 while batting cleanup in New York. After the ASB, he hit the IL with a back strain and had four saves, an ERA of 4.44, and a 25:13 K:BB ratio. After a volatile offseason that saw him sign with the Dodgers, Freddie Freeman settled in and got to work being the hitting machine fantasy managers have come to know and love. What Gimenez offers is speed and a little pop at a scarce position in 2023. In 2022, Max Fried demonstrated that pristine control and location can still be effective in today's Triple-Digit SP Society. Jose Abreu signed a 3-year, $58.5 million with the Astros to serve as their first baseman. Adley Rutschman saw three minor league levels before making his MLB debut on May 21 and subsequently played 113 games for Baltimore. Michael Harris II played 43 games in Double-A last year before getting called up to the majors and proceeded to hit 19 HR, steal 20 bases, and slash .297/.339/.514 on his way to winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. Bieber will not dazzle you with an overpowering fastball, and he occasionally gets lit up by hard contact, but his K/BB ratio of 5.50 will provide a great floor to rely on. 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. Or he could clog your IL for two-thirds of the season. His strikeout rate crept above 30% for the first time since his rookie year. If he indeed gets to bat in front of the likes of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, he will be worth a higher pick and should benefit from the new SB rules. Which starting pitchers deserve a first-round grade? The 22 home runs came out of nowhere, as he had only 18 in his three-year minor league career. The 25-year-old pitched 166 1/3 innings, struck out 194 batters, and blessed fantasy managers with a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. Feel free to wait on catcher and snag Kirk in the eighth or ninth round. He stole six bases in nine attempts, but his numbers declined from his best year in 2021. Daulton Vasho has catcher eligibility, which is one of the primary draws to him being drafted in the 40-50 range. So now the primary question is how much is his age impacting his power. Get complete stats for players from your favorite team and league on CBSSports.com Assuming he starts 20+ games this year, he will provide fantasy managers a strikeout-per-inning performance by coupling a 96-mph fastball with his punchout 85-mph slider. He played in 32 games, hitting four homers and stealing two bases while slashing .260/.330/.500 in the small sample size. Short of that, though, he is a solid choice in the ninth round, particularly in OBP leagues. The first overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft responded with four homers, 12 runs, 18 RBI, and one stolen base while carrying an xwOBA of .338. George Springer continues to appear on the What Could Be All-Star Team after playing 133 games in 2022 while dealing with elbow and knee injuries that left him with many "DTD" tags. Eight of the top nine prospects in ZiPS are basically the top pitching prospects on Eric and Tess' list. Up to you. Where Turner catapults to No. 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. 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. All of this adds up to that Goldy is due for some regression in 2023, which could be dramatic. Here at Fantasy Six Pack, our 2023 Fantasy Baseball season preparation is already begun. Everyone saw Salvador Perez's regression coming following his career year in 2021. Judge is the guy if fantasy managers want to shore up their slugging early. These should correct to be nearer to his baseline, in which case fantasy managers are drafting a 30/20 guy with high on-base skills who bats smack in the middle of what is, essentially, an All-Star team. 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. He did cut down on his strikeout rate, but he can be something of a free swinger. He is exactly the type of guy you wait for once you've built up your other categories. When he did take the mound, the 38-year-old continued his march of dominance in his new digs. Fantasy managers can expect a course correction in 2023, somewhere in the vicinity of 30+ HR, 110+ RBI, and an elite .400+ OBP. Jazz Chisholm gave fantasy managers a 60-game taste of his true potential in 2022 before being shelved with back and knee injuries. Oscar Gonzalez does not take walks. He continued to smash the ball, sitting in the 90th percentile in avgEV, MaxEV, and HardHit%. He continues to have an elite curve ball to match his 95-mph fastball and plays for the high-scoring Atlanta Braves. The 27-year-old struck out 156 times in 586 at-bats while drawing only 46 free passes; if you believe it, these were improved numbers from 2021. 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. 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. The issue for fantasy managers is that he hasn't been durable, crossing the 150-game mark only once in his entire career. His slash line was impressive at .284/.345/.509 with a wOBA of .366. All in all, Javier will make a great SP3 with SP2 upside. Right now, Williams is the clear choice to get the first crack at them and rack up strikeouts for your team while doing so. Mar 1, 2023 - 7:00 am. 1 starter. He then incurred a lat injury that cost him a 60-day IL stint and limited his start count to 19. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez might be the safest player available. He struck out 191 batters in 191 1/3 innings, with a practically unhittable curveball. He played in all 162 games in 2022, swatting 25 HR with 96 RBI, 99 runs, and 18 stolen bases. Are you buying or fading closers this season? Fantasy managers dream each spring of a full season of this production, and if he manages to get to 500 plate appearances, he could be a steal at his current ADP of 78. Milwaukee is a pitching-heavy team that will offer plenty of save opportunities. As Mookie Betts enters his age-30 season, there is some expected decline in a few areas (fly ball rate increased but led to a lower ground ball EV/BABIP). Is it new Philadelphia Phillie, Trea Turner, fresh off another 20-20 season? He played in 142 games in 2022, batting first in the lineup in all of them. Clase will turn 25 before the season and is locked into the closer role in Cleveland, making him and Edwin Diaz the clear top two at the position heading into 2023. 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. He's another pitcher who will be a nice SP4 or SP5 to add later in drafts to help balance your ratios. Olson played in all 162 games last season, continuing his career of solid durability, so fantasy managers can draft him with the expectation that his numbers will normalize in his second year in Atlanta with a good lineup around him. The . In 145 1/3 innings, Scherzer struck out 173 batters and maintained a 2.29 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. The 30-year-old slashed .267/.316/.491 with 25 HR, 77 RBI, and 71 runs scored. A 20/20 season is well in play. 1 pick this draft season? The park switch to Wrigley Field could add one or two homers, but he may benefit from the new rules regarding swiping bags. Be prepared for a letdown if you reach too high for him. He is a pure contact hitter who gets on base and isn't afraid to run (19-for-24 in SB attempts). He started 32 games, throwing 189 innings and striking out 212 batters. He remained in the 90th percentile or higher in xBA, K%, fastball velocity, extension, xERA, and Whiff%. With the Mets starting lineup getting stronger by the day, Lindor should continue to see good counting stats in the 25/80/90 range, and the new stolen base rules may help him get back to 20 in that department. Top 100 Keepers for 2023 - Relievers| Starters| Catchers| 1st Basemen| 2nd Basemen| Shortstops| 3rd Basemen| Left Fielders| Center Fielders| Right Fielders Top 200 Dynasty Rankings - 200-176| 175-151| 150-126| 125-101| 100-76| 75-51| 50-26| 1-25 He doesn't take a ton of walks but doesn't strike out much, either. Surprisingly, there's quite a lot of agreement between the ZiPS list and the FanGraphs list at the top of the pitching ranks. Fantasy managers should trust that he will get first crack at saving games, but they should also be aware that the 37-year-old benefited from a career-low .221 BABIP. In 2022, Sandy Alcantara had Jacob deGrom on speed dial to discuss coping strategies for receiving little to no run support during a dominant pitching season. He should also get to move back to the infield and play 1B now that Jose Abreu is in Houston. Tatis missed the entire 2022 season with injuries and a PED suspension in August. His primary downfall when it comes to fantasy value is his 58.6% ground ball rate, which limits his HR and RBI totals. With many new faces around him, there is a chance he could drop down, which would harm his value. He bats in the middle of a stacked Dodgers lineup, driving in 87 runs and swatting 24 home runs.