Sunday, March 14, 2021

2021 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Outfielders

 With the 2021 Major League Baseball season fast approaching, so too does the Fantasy baseball season, and your fantasy draft. With any fantasy draft the most important aspect for a manager is preparation, preparation, and preparation.  Which includes the consulting of statistics of all natures, projections from websites of all kinds, and mock draft lists of every player. Yet the difficulty of figuring out the  best strategy for your specific fantasy league is always increasing. What this list attempts is to ignore all counting stats in regular fantasy (runs, RBIs, Home Runs, Batting average) and looks at the advanced stats that showcase the ability to create those stats without the luck that is involved in the more basic stats. Isolated power (ISO) as defined by Fangraphs is a measure of a hitter’s raw power and tells you how often a player hits for extra bases. It’s pretty simple to extrapolate the idea that more extra base hits will only increase the counting stats of fantasy baseball. With walk rate (BB%) and On- Base Percentage, you can better gage a players ability to score runs (the most basic tenet of Moneyball). Finally there is Weighted Runs Created+ (wRC+) an improvement on Bill James’ created metric Weighted Runs, as James’ posits in his writing, runs are the most quantifiable statistic in baseball as basic rhetoric deems that the team that scores the most wins, so to best evaluate players is to deem how many runs that player created for his team. From Fangraphs, wRC+ is the most comprehensive rate statistic used to measure hitting performance because it takes into account the varying weights of each offensive action and then adjusts them for the park and league context in which they took place. This list takes into greater accountability the rankings* of these statistics between players of the same position, to help determine not only the best players at each position but also a distinguishable understanding of team comparisons based on their player’s comparative rankings.


To best evaluate each player, the 2020 and 2019 seasons are being taken into account as well as the amalgamation of the projection of each player (provided from various sites), all combined to give us a possible view to the outcome of the 2021 season (injuries permitting). These lists are  composed of every player that is eligible** at that position. These players are being compared to average replacement level players*** in order to show their value.  Our next group is the third basemen, arguably the deepest position group in baseball. 


*A note on rankings, as 2020 was an abbreviated season, all player ranks are counted with a minimum of only 40 plate appearances.

** The eligibility of each player is based on the yahoo website in which I looked it up, I am not responsible for their incorrectness. I believe their unilateral decision was to not take any eligibility away from players due to the covid season, but also allowed players to have gained eligibility during 2020. What results is a lot of players with multiple position eligibility.  Some eligibility is based on MLB reports that they will move to that position and eventually earn that eligibility.

*** Replacement Player: .330 OBP/ .150 ISO/ 100 wRC+

(Proj Rank Overall is a ranking of their projections compared to every offensive player in Baseball)




The Elite

  1. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (Proj Overall Rank: 1)

Would you like more analysis on Mike Trout? He’s the best player in modern baseball, his abilities have very few comparisons to any non Hall-of-Fame player (Barry Bonds withstanding). He had an almost down year in 2020 where he finished only 5th in ISo among Outfielders and 6th in wRC+, in 2019 he was 1st across almost all offensive categories. The only downside to Mike Trout is that the Angels continue to suck, and he’ll seemingly never play in the playoffs.

  1. Juan Soto, Washington Nationals (Proj Overall Rank: 2)

Juan Soto is only 22 years old! He won’t turn 23 until the World Series (and if he makes it back there it will be for the second time in his three year career, suck it Mike Trout). Soto’s ceiling is so high, it’s nearly impossible to see. He finished last season 2nd in OBP, 1st in wrc+ and 2nd in ISo among outfielders, while winning an MVP in his 2nd full season of his career. In his first full season, Soto ended up 6th in OBP and 11th in wRC+. If Mike Trout wasn’t one of the 10 greatest baseball players in history, Soto would be number 1 on this list.

  1. Yordan Alverez, Houston Astros (Proj Overall Rank: 5)

Yordan Alvarez played in two baseball games last year, but of course in one of them he hit a home run. Which is pretty on par with Alvarez’ professional career, in just 87 games in 2019, Alvarez has a .342 ISo (3rd) .412 OBP (3rd) and 178 wRC+ (Tied for 1st with Mike Trout)! After multiple surgeries ended his 2020 season, Alvarez looks to make a huge step into the offensive elite, if he remains healthy. 

  1. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (Proj Overall Rank: 3)

2 years into his huge contract with the Phillies, Harper has more than lived up to expectations by being one of the best Outfielders in Baseball, in 2020, he finished 4th among Outfielders in OBP and 11th in wRC+. Harper has to shoulder a lot of the Phillies offense (with Rhys Hoskins), and is one of the safer bets for RBI and run possibilities with his above average on base skills.    

  1. Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves (Proj Overall Rank: 4)

Though Acuna struggled slightly in 2019, the young Atlanta Brave Outfielder was phenomenal in the shortened 2020 season. Improving from 40th among Outfielders in ISo (.236) to 4th best in 2020 (.331) and going from a 10.8 walk% to 18.6 helped make Acuna the player all the prognosticators thought he would be when he was drafted. Acuna is young, strong, and the keystone in a very potent Braves line-up.

  1. Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (Proj Overall Rank: 10)

Christian Yelich had a bad 2020 season, it happens to the best players, and it happened to him  during extreme circumstances. Which is why it’s smart to remember just how good Yelich was in 2019 before your draft this year. The risk is believing that Yelich is the player who finished 3rd in ISo and wRC+ and 4th in OBP in 2019 and not the guy who dropped to 38th, 50th and 36th in those categories amongst outfielders in 2020.

  1. Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees (Proj Overall Rank: 17)

Stanton has been quite good the last two years when he’s been able to suit up for the Yankees, the problem being that he’s only been able to do that 41 times in the last 222 games. Things have just not gone as well as Yankees fans hoped they would be when they traded for the former Mike. In his last healthy season in 2018, Stanton had a .243 ISO and a .343 OBP, but both are trending in the wrong direction from his halcyon Miami Marlin days. Yet the 6 foot 6 former MVP is always intriguing in that stacked Yankees line-up. 

  1. George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays (Proj Overall Rank: 14)

The biggest free agent signing of the offseason, George Springer is looking to continue an exquisite run that saw him lead the Astros to two World Series (trash cans aside). His 2020 season was a bit of a down year, but he still finished with a 146 wRC+, a year after finishing with a 157. Springer goes to a Toronto team that is full of intriguing offensive talent, and could be an absolute fantasy gem. 

  1. Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 6)

Bellinger was only so-so last year, meaning he was near the middle in almost every statistical category among other Outfielders. But in 2019, Cody Bellinger was the MVP of the NL and for good reason, he finished fourth in OBP and wRC+ and fifth in ISo among Outfielders. Bellinger is still only 25 years old, and is the anchor of a truly deep Los Angeles Dodgers’ line-up.

  1. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (Proj Overall Rank: 11)

With the trade from Los Angeles to Boston, the biggest step Mookie took in fantasy was increasing his ISo from .229 (45th among OF) to .269 (22nd)  which helped increase his wRC+ from 135 to 149. Betts even in an off year is one of the best fantasy options in Outfield and that won’t be changing in the near future.

  1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (Proj Overall Rank: 8)

Aaron Judge saw a drop in his walk rate from 14.3 to 8.8 that helped contribute to the fact that his OBP dropped to .336 which was 56th among Outfielders. But Judge’s greatest value is that he’s a giant with the strength to match and he’s never had an ISo lower than .249. If Aaron Judge and Giancarlo could stay healthy and mash at the same time I imagine the Yankees would be quite good. 


The Really Good


  1. Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves (Proj Overall Rank: 18)

Remember when the Marlins had Yelich, Stanton and Ozuna? Hilarious. Ozuna just got a nice 4 year contract from the Braves after a season in which he annihilated the ball and finished 2nd in OBP (.431) and wRC+ (179) among outfielders. There’s little evidence that Ozuna could keep that type of pace up for a full 162 game season (he’s got a lifetime .335 OBP and averages 116 wRC+ per season), but either way he’s a pretty good Outfielder.

  1. Michael Conforto, New York Mets (Proj Overall Rank: 27)

Conforto had a small down turn of a year in 2019 when he finished 31st and 30th in OBP and WRC+, but it was still above average. Last year Conforto rode an extremely high BABIP (Batting Average of Balls In Play) of .412 to a career high in OBP (.412) to a career high in wRC+ (147). In a terrifying New York Mets Outfield, Conforto is the most reliable and nightmare inducing to pitchers.

  1. Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds (Proj Overall Rank: 33)

Winker? I hardly know her (rimshot). But really, I haven’t paid any attention to an Outfielder from Cincinnati since Ken Griffey Jr. left. Winker in a part time role in 2019 had a decent year where he took a .358 OBP and was able to achieve a 117 wRC+, which are both above average stats. In 2020, Winker went into overdrive, increasing his walk rate from 9.9 to 15.3 and his ISo from .209 to .293. If the 27 year old Winker can keep that walk rate up with an OBP to match, he could be an interesting OF find for fantasy owners. 

  1. Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays (Proj Overall Rank: 62)

Randy Arozarena has a similar story as Pirates Third Baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, in that they both had amazing final months of the 2020 season. In 23 games, Arozarena had a .359 ISo (ranked 1st among OF), a 382 OBP (18th), and 176 wRC+ (3rd). The difference being that Arozarena took his final month and continued it into the postseason where he produced like a folk hero.  In 20 postseason games, he hit 10 home runs, had a .450 ISo, and a 239 wRC+. It’s only a 43 game sample, but wow what a run. 

  1. Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets (Proj Overall Rank: 48)

Nimmo is an Outfielder who has a great on-base ability but very little power, which is why he’ll be leading off for the Mets this season. He finished last season with 146 wRC+ which was good enough for 11th among Outfielders, and 7th in OBP with .404. 

  1. Jorge Soler, Kansas City Royals (Proj Overall Rank: 35)

Can Jorge Soler again be the guy he was in 2019? When Soler seemingly put it all together as a hitter and ended up 8th among Outfielders in ISo while hitting almost 48 home runs. Or the guy he was in 2020 when he had a .326 OBP and a measly 108 wRC+.

  1. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs (2B, 3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 59)

Ian Happ is coming off two shortened seasons, the first due to an injury that delayed his start till July and last year’s Co-vid year. But in the combined 387 plate appearances he’s got a combined .275 ISo and 130 wRC+, and with his extra position eligibility his value far exceeds other Outfielders.

  1. Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers (Proj Overall Rank: 47)

Gallo’s elite power abandoned him in 2020, when his ISo dropped from a .327-.297-.344 in 17-18-19 to .197. With that drop his walk rate decreased, and his OBP and wRC+ fell into the basement. Yet Gallo’s track record shows that he’s more likely to be the player in 2019 than 2020, but there’s more risk in drafting him than ever before. 

  1. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 56)

Belt has quietly been one of the more effective hitter in baseball for years, but due to bad luck and poor line-up placement, had difficulty accumulating stupid stuff like runs and RBIs. It also helped that his ISo rate jumped from .169 in 2019 to .280 in 2020. Now healthy and finally entrenched with starting player time, Belt should continue to be a value in fantasy for the 2021 season.

  1. Matt Olson, Oakland A’s (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 31)

Olson is a three true outcome player through and through, he continually shows an above average batter’s eye (15.7 walk rate in 2020) and power (36 home runs in 2019), but with very little hitting in between (303 OBP in 2020). His career OBP of .338 points to Matt Olson’s weird drop in productivity as a fluke, and Olson is a prime candidate to be much better than he was last year, a year in which he was still pretty good.

  1. Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays (1B, 2B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 49)

Primarily a second baseman for the Rays last year, Lowe plays all over the diamond. He was a revelation last year for the Tampa Bay World Series run, finishing 16th in ISO and 12th in wRC+ amongst Outfielders. He’s a much better fit at Second Base than Outfield, but still pretty good.

  1. Mark Canha, Oakland A’s (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 44)

Canha is a lot like Bandon Nimmo in that his On-Base skills help buoy his lack of power. Also like Nimmo, Canha is the lost super star of his team, where the two Matts (Chapman and Olson) get a majority of the headlines, but Canha has been if not equally productive than more so than both. Canha finished 7th among OF in wRC+ in 2019 and in the wacky 2020 still managed to finish 33rd with 125.  


The Steady Tier



  1. Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants (Proj Overall Rank: 82)

The grandson of the Red Sox legend made a name for himself last year when he finished a very surprising 7th in wRC+ among Outfielders with 159 and had a .400 OBP (good enough for 8th best).  In a near full season in 2019 Baby Yaz was good (120 wRC+ .245 ISo) but not nearly as good as what he pulled off in 2020. His age, 30, and the fact that this is only his third season in the pros should make you wary of him repeating his 2020 season.

  1. Trey Mancini, Baltimore Orioles (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 72)

Trey Mancini enters the 2021 season cancer free, which is more important than anything else. He returns a year removed from an extremely impressive 2019 in which he had a .364 OBP, a .244 ISo and 134 wRC+, far above average in all three categories. Whether he can bounce back from cancer in his kidney is the only question mark surrounding Mancini.

  1. Kyle Schwarber, Washington Nationals (Proj Overall Rank: 24)

The former catcher, Kyle Schwarber, never quite lived up to the hype that was his arrival in the majors. This lack of top prospect production led to Schwarber’s departure of Chicago this year to the mean streets of Washington DC. The 2020 season was particularly harsh to Schwarber as his OBP, ISo, and wRC+ fell to career lows. Yet Schwarber just turned 28 and has an above average batter’s eye and ability to get on base. It’s possible moving away from Wrigley and the heavy expectations help make Schwarber become the player people expected him to be. 

  1. Aaron Hicks, New York Yankees (Proj Overall Rank: 53)

As the third wheel of the Yankees Outfield tricycle (when Stanton and Judge play the field) Aaron Hicks came into his own in 2020. Sporting a 19.3 walk% (3rd among OF), Hicks was able to manage a .379 OBP (9th) and 123 wRC+ (41st). His past statistics give proof that the above average walk rate is here to stay, which will continue to aid Hicks’ OBP and increase his value in a stacked Yankees batting order.

  1. JD Martinez, Boston Red Sox (Proj Overall Rank: 26)

The Red Sox DH had one of those very very poor outlier seasons last year where he finished 94th among Outfielders in OBP (.279) and 97th in wRC+ (77). This one year removed from a season where he had a .252 ISO and .383 OBP. In fact last year Martinez fell off a cliff offensively in comparison to his previous two and a half seasons in Boston. At 33 years old, Martinez should have plenty of pop left in his bat to put the nightmare that was his 2020 season behind him.

  1. Dominic Smith, New York Mets (Proj Overall Rank: 100)

Dominic Smith is able to shake off a below average walk rate (back to back seasons of 7%) to still finish 22nd in wRC+ in 2019 and 5th in 2020 (with 132 and 164 respectively). He’s able to do this with above average power, in 2019 Smith’s ISo was 35th among Outfielders with .259 and rose to .299 in 2020 which was good for 9th best in his position group. As a Phillies fan, the Mets outfield terrifies me. 

  1. JD Davis, New York Mets (3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 94)

JD Davis has a great walk rate and on base percentage but saw a pretty big drop in ISo in 2020 when it fell from .220 to .142. The hope that this is only a small sample blip and that the Mets have a quietly loaded line-up, makes Davis an Outfielder to keep tabs on as a sleeper. 

  1. Jeff McNeil, New York Mets (2B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 84)

Jeff McNeil followed up his extremely impressive first full season in the majors by having an equally impressive second season in the majors. In both he batted a nearly identical .384 OBP, and .337 BABIP, and accrued a 142 wRC+ and 130 wRC+ in 19, and 20 respectively.  He enters his age 29 season on a Mets team that actually has offensive weapons throughout the line-up.

  1. Michael Brantley, Houston Astros (Proj Overall Rank: 87)

One of the few Astros who had a better season in 2020 than 2019, Michael Brantley almost became a Blue Jay as well this offseason, but in the 11th hour changed his mind and stayed in Houston. Brantley is a steady player who like Nimmo and Canha doesn’t have much to offer in the ISo department (72nd in 19 59th in 20). 

  1. Andrew McCutchen, Philadelphia Phillies (Proj Overall Rank: 60)

Before his injury in the middle of the 2019 season, McCutchen was looking much like his former MVP self. His OBP was .389, his walk% was higher than it had ever been and his ISo was above .200 for just the second time since 2014. In his return from the ACL tear in 2020, McCutchen looked like the guy the Pirates, Giants, and Yankees had decided not to retain. Though able to play 54 of 60 games (only 4 less than the previous season), his statistics went down across the board and he was barely able to muster an above average wRC+ of 103 (a career low). Uncle Larry is a constantly fun player to have on your team, but the glimpses of the MVP player he previously was are fewer and further apart.  

  1. Kole Calhoun, Arizona Diamondbacks (Proj Overall Rank: 98)

Calhoun just got surgery on a torn meniscus which is a bummer since he seemed to be putting it together in the desert. Last year he finished 8th in ISo among Outfielders with a 135 wRC+, a number he never approached while playing for the Angels in the 5 years prior.  

  1. Joc Pederson, Chicago Cubs (Proj Overall Rank: 33)

Mayhaps a change of scenery and a new franchise of expectations can unlock the Joc Pederson that debuted in 2015 and made the all star team (and Home Run Derby) through July 1st he had a .281 ISo a .383 OBP and 152 wRC+. Pederson never quite reached that peak again with the Dodgers which led to his almost trade to the Angels last offseason and his eventual move to Chicago this offseason.  

  1. Clint Frazier, New York Yankees (Proj Overall Rank: 104)

In 39 games in 2020 Frazier went from 86th to 11th in walk% which helped greatly aid Frazier’s jump to a .386 OBP and 149 wRC+. At 26, Frazier is firmly entrenched as a starting outfielder for the New York Yankees, and could provide a great deal of value at a relatively cheap price. 

  1. Alex Dickerson, San Francisco Giants (Proj Overall Rank: 75)

Alex Dickerson will turn 31 this year but is coming off a 2020 season in which he jumped onto the scene after being a fourth outfielder since 2016. He ended up with the 15th best ISo among Outfielders and 12th best wRC+. 

  1. Austin Meadows, Tampa Bay Rays (Proj Overall Rank: 76)

The former first round pick and top prospect had an injury and slump filled 2020 which saw his statistics fall all over the place. Yet in 2019, Meadows was becoming the player scouts expected when he was chosen 9th overall in the 2013 draft, finishing 9th in wRC+ with 150 and a .268 ISo. Meadows is a prime candidate to put his 2020 season behind him. 

  1. Mitch Haniger, Seattle Mariners (Proj Overall Rank: 55)

No player wants to put his most recent injury history behind him more than Mitch Haniger, who suffered a baseball fate that no man even wants to type out. Before that injury took most of the 2019 season and all of the 2020 season away, it did seem like Haniger was starting to put it all together. In 63 games Haniger had a .244 ISo and 106 wRC+, a year before in a full season Haniger had a .366 OBP and 137 wRC+. He may be a little too risky to draft, but keep a very close eye on Haniger in the first couple of weeks of the season, just in case.

  1. Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox (Proj Overall Rank: 25)

Eloy Jimenez has a similar profile to Vlad Guerrero Jr, in that the expectations are the only thing preventing looking at their careers as a success. Both players are above average baseball players, yet are full of otherworldly talent. Jimenez is only 24 years old, and could take a huge step forward this season.

  1. Jason Heyward, Chicago Cubs (Proj Overall Rank: 141)

Heyward is up this far in the rankings thanks to an outlier season last year, where he finally performed offensively the way he always performed defensively. Finishing with the 10th best OBP (.391) and 31st best wRC+ (130) among Outfielders, both the best marks he has achieved in those categories since he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2010. His four previous wRC+ finishes were 72, 89 100,  and 101, which is all to say: draft with caution.

  1. Jordan Luplow, Cleveland Indians (Proj Overall Rank: 128)

Over 85 games in 2019, Jordan Luplow was a top 20 Outfielder across ranks, when he finished with .372 OBP and 138 wRC+. Over 29 games in 2020, Jordan Luplow was a top 90 Outfielder across ranks, when he finished with a .304 OBP and 81 wRC+.  

  1. Hunter Dozier, Kansas City Royals (1B, 3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 119)

In 2019, Dozier was a relatively good Outfielder, when he finished 35th in ISo and 37th in wRC+, but faltered in 2020. Though there is evidence his walk rate will continue to buoy his OBP to respectability, there’s little to make us believe that his ISo in 2019 (.243) was the norm. 

  1. Franmil Reyes, Cleveland Indians (Proj Overall Rank: 58)

In his first full season in Cleveland, Franmil Reyes saw his biggest attribute, his raw power, falter in 2020. It fell from .263 to .175 and while he was still able to raise his wRC+ between the two years, his year was a bit of a disappointment. 


The Still Pretty Good


  1. Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins (Proj Overall Rank: 46)

Young player with a good walk rate whose ISO is trending in the upward direction year to year. 

  1. Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres (Proj Overall Rank: 73)

Grisham was great for the Padres last year as their third Outfielder and if he’s able to keep his OBP around .353 (his 2020 OBP), he’ll have a good chance to duplicate or better his 121 wRC+.

  1. Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies (Proj Overall Rank: 66)

Playing in Colorado is always helpful, but Blackmon needs to keep his ISo closer to the 2019 number .262 than the 2020 number .145 if you want to roster him on your team.

  1. Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros (Proj Overall Rank: 70)

Tucker’s biggest issue is that he has to try to fill the void left by the departure of George Springer. In 2020, Tucker finished a respectable 35th among Outfielders in wRC+ and if he’s able to keep his ISo around where it was in 19 (.269) and 20 (.244), he could be a valuable bench commodity. 

  1. Wil Myers, San Diego Padres (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 95)

The allure of a first round prospect has propped up Myers in the past, but now he’s a legit sleeper to put it all together to become a great offensive force on a great offensive team. His floor isn’t that terrible either so he’s kind of worth the risk. 

  1. Brian Anderson, Miami Marlins (3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 102)

Brian Anderson is right on the outside of being rostered in most fantasy leagues, in 2020, he finished at 42nd in OBP and wRC+ and 45th in ISo, right at above average.


Question Marks


  1. Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Blue Jays (Proj Overall Rank: 92)

As all Blue Jays should at least be on a watch list, so too should Teoscar Hernandez who did finish top 20 in ISo and wRC+ in 2020.

  1. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (2B, SS Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 65)

In 2019, Ketel Marte was one of the better Outfielders in fantasy, finishing 6th among Outfielders in wRC+ and 10th in OBP. Everything that went well for Marte in 19, went poorly in 2020, going from 32 Home runs to 2, an ISo of .264 to .122, wRC+ from 150 to 90. The question becomes, which Marte are you paying for?

  1. Tommy Pham, San Diego Padres (Proj Overall Rank: 63)

Tommy Pham has a great chance for a bounce back year after disappointing in his first season in San Diego. Also its good to note, he was stabbed this offseason and almost died.

  1. Yoshi Tsutsugo, Tampa Bay Rays (3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 99)

Another one of the Tampa Bay Rays who can play all over the diamond, has average ISo power, but a great batter’s eye. 

  1. Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati Reds (Proj Overall Rank: 70)

Here’s the thing you need to know about this guy… there's a drive into deep left field by Nick Castellanos, it will be a home run, and so that’ll make it a 4-0 ballgame I don't know if I'm going to be putting on this headset again. I don't know if it's going to be for the Reds.

  1. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (2B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 125)

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s ability to create runs makes him an intriguing Outfielder, while his on base skills leave much to be desired. He’s another promising young player on the Toronto Blue Jays.

  1. Alex Verdugo, Boston Red Sox (Proj Overall Rank: 95)

The big return in the Mookie Betts deal, Verdugo was his usual yeoman self in 2020, finishing with the 24th best OBP among Outfielders and 35th in wRC+. He’ll never be Mookie, but he’s a very serviceable Outfielder.

  1. Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles (1B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 134)

Replacing the injured Trey Mancini, Mountcastle showed that he could be part of the next young core of the Orioles with a great .386 OBP and 141 wRC+ over 35 games. 

  1. DJ Stewart, Baltimore Orioles (Proj Overall Rank: 115)

Primarily used as a DH, DJ Stewart has the offensive skill to be an asset if he can keep up the .241 ISO he achieved in 2020. 

  1. Ramon Laureano, Oakland A’s (Proj Overall Rank: 102)

Was pretty decent last year and has a great chance to repeat that same quality type season.


Scraping for Sleepers, Nothing to Write Home About

61. Robbie Grossman, Detroit Tigers (Proj Overall Rank: 131)
62. Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners (Proj Overall Rank: 176)
63. AJ Pollock, Los Angeles Dodgers (Proj Overall Rank: 100)
64. Luis Arraez, Minnesota Twins (2B, 3B Eligible)
65. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates (Proj Overall Rank: 123)
66. Adam Duvall, Miami Marlins (Proj Overall Rank: 154)
67. Andrew Benintendi, Kansas City Royals (Proj Overall Rank: 117)
68. Nick Solak, Texas Rangers (2B, 3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 161)
69. Jackie Bradley Jr., Milwaukee Brewers (Proj Overall Rank: 182)
70. Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox (Proj Overall Rank: 127)
71. Jon Berti, Miami Marlins (2B, SS, 3B Eligible) (Proj Overall Rank: 207)
72. Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles (Proj Overall Rank: 122) 
73. Eddie Rosario, Cleveland Indians (Proj Overall Rank: 104)
74. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins (Proj Overall Rank: 131)
75. Hunter Renfroe, Boston Red Sox (Proj Overall Rank: 138)


If you have fantasy questions or just want to yell at me about my rankings, hit me up @kevin_seamus on twitter or @loudphilliesguy on IG or e-mail me at seamusfennell@gmail.com. If you wanna be cool and throw a few bucks my way for doing a shit ton of research for you, that's @kevin-fennell-6 on venmo.


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