Fantasy Baseball 2012: 11 2nd-Year Players Set To Turn into Fantasy Studs

As an avid player of fantasy sports, I have one rule that I follow for each draft.  In the late-middle to final rounds, I will draft one rookie player and gamble on him for about the first month of the season.  If this rookie does well the first month, he remains on the team and if he underachieves, he gets cut.

The lucky rookie in last year's draft was Seattle Mariners pitcher Michael Pineda (pictured), who I hadn't even heard of before draft day.  Still, despite the Mariners' forgettable season, Pineda turned in a solid performance with a 9-10 record and a 3.74 ERA to go with a phenomenal 1.09 WHIP.  In 171 innings, he struck out 173 batters.

Pineda's 2011 season led to him finishing fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting and while his stats may seem small, much in part to an innings limit decided upon by team management, he will still be very solid in 2012.  At just 23-years-old, he will have the makings of a potential ace.

Thus, here are 11 second-year players who will go on to put up great numbers in 2012 and subsequently become some fantasy baseball monsters.

No. 11: Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals

After being called up to the major leagues on June 9 of last year, Mike Moustakas was surrounded by tons of hype.  In 118 games split between Double and Triple-A ball in 2010, he had hit .322 with 36 home runs and 124 RBI.  In 55 games at Triple-A in 2011, he was hitting .287 with 10 homers and 44 RBI.

Yet, when the powerful lefty bat came to the majors, he struggled.  He hit .263 in 89 games, but only had five home runs and 30 RBI.

Still, I'm not going to write off Moustakas as a bust just yet.  The fact remains that he is a lefty bat with tremendous home run power and at age 23, he still has great potential.  Entering 2012, he'll be better adjusted to major league pitching and will be a solid bat off of your bench to take in the later rounds should you need to shore up offense.

No. 10: Danny Espinosa, Washington Nationals

After taking over at second base for the 2011 season, Danny Espinosa's year was hot and cold.  He hit 21 home runs and had 66 RBI to go with 17 steals, but only hit .236.  Still, his patience at the plate was exceptional as his OBP was .323.

Thus, while the 24-year-old infielder still has a lot to learn, and his 2012 season should be an overall improvement from his rookie campaign.  His patience in the batter's box will only help him and the fact that he has both power and base stealing ability makes him an even more attractive fantasy pick.

If you need a second baseman or a combination of power and speed, Espinosa should easily be available in the final rounds of your draft.

No. 9: Wilson Ramos, Washington Nationals

One of the surprises of the 2011 season was catcher Wilson Ramos of the Washington Nationals, who I don't think any of us saw coming.  In 113 games, the Venezuelan backstop hit .267 with 15 home runs 52 RBI.  The home run total in particular is interesting, seeing as how Ramos hit just 39 longballs in five minor league seasons.

Either way, as is the case for the Washington Nationals as a team, the sky is the limit for Ramos in 2012.  He has a great young pitching staff to work with and is on a team that could be dangerous in the next few years.  Expect him to ride on the coattails of last season and improve even further in his second full year.

In terms of drafting him, keep in mind that good catchers are few and far between in fantasy baseball.  If you're desperate to shore up that position, you may want to take Ramos in the early or early middle rounds.

No. 8: Desmond Jennings, Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays seem to have found the man who will take over for Carl Crawford in the outfield, and his name is Desmond Jennings.  The man is incredibly fast, plays decent defense and isn't a slouch with the bat either.

Jennings appeared in just 63 games in 2011, but he made the most of his time.  His batting average was an average .259, but he hit 10 home runs and drove in 25.  He also stole 20 bases and his OBP was an impressive .356.

That being said, Jennings isn't going to be one of those second-year players who goes until the late rounds of drafts.  This guy will be a middle round pick, if not earlier than that.  If you need steals or OBP, he would be a fine choice.

No. 7: Michael Pineda, Seattle Mariners

At 6'7", 260 pounds, Michael Pineda is already an imposing presence on the mound.  In his rookie campaign, he surprised practically everyone with his blazing fastball and strikeout ability.  Yet, as is the case with most young pitchers today, an innings limit kept the fans from seeing what he could really do.

This season, the training wheels are off and Pineda will have more free reign over the course of the season.  Don't let last year's 9-10 record fool you, because teams in need of both strikeouts and WHIP will be after the dominant Dominican's services.

Simply put, the man is going to have a great season and could be taken as soon as the start of the middle rounds, if not sooner.

No. 6: Ivan Nova, New York Yankees

One of the greater surprises of last season was rookie starting pitcher Ivan Nova of the New York Yankees.  Here's a man who was doing pretty well in his first full season, pitching himself to an 8-4 record and an average 4.12 ERA, but was suddenly sent down to the minors on July 3 to make room for Phil Hughes, who was returning from injury.

Yet, upon being recalled on July 30, Nova seemed like a completely different pitcher.  He went 8-0 the rest of the way and was one of the team's most reliable arms as he ended 2011 with a 16-4 record, 3.70 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.

This coming season, Nova will not have to worry about having to compete for a spot in the rotation as his performance in the second half last year guaranteed him his job for 2012.  His WHIP may seem a bit high, but there's no doubt that he is spending the offseason looking to improve his game even more.

Come the middle rounds, he's a second-year player you may want to consider adding for rotation depth.

No. 5: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

Craig Kimbrel had a phenomenal 2011, so much that he was the unanimous choice for NL Rookie of the Year.  Looking at his stat line, it's obvious as to why.

To go with his 2.10 ERA and incredible 1.04 WHIP, Kimbrel saved 46 games (an MLB rookie record) and struck out an astounding 127 hitters in just 77 innings of work.

Thus, when it comes time to draft closers, this man should be high on your radar.  Seeing as how the period of time when closers are picked changes yearly (some leagues draft them early, others wait until the final rounds), you may want to draft the hard-throwing righty sooner rather than later because of everything he brings to the table.

More importantly, after an awesome 2011, there's no denying that Kimbrel wants to strike an even greater chord in 2012.  With his stuff, that shouldn't be a problem at all.

No. 4: Dustin Ackley, Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners' biggest problem now is their lack of offense, as most of the men in their lineup are extremely impatient at the plate and will simply not wait for that perfect pitch to hit.  Yet, when it comes to second baseman Dustin Ackley, we have a hitter who could be the team's saving grace in terms of offensive production.

The former UNC Tar Heel has just 90 MLB games under his belt, but he hit .273 with six home runs and 36 RBI over that stretch.  Those numbers may seem average, but let's not forget that he was hitting .303 at Triple-A Tacoma last year before he was called up.

I won't lie to you and say that Ackley is going to have great power and smack 25 home runs this year, because he's a contact hitter who comes to bat looking to get on base rather than just pull every ball that comes his way.  Yet, as he hits second or third in the order behind the likes of Ichiro, he should see plenty of good pitches to hit as most teams will write off Seattle's lineup as light-hitting.

Seeing as how Ackley may very well win a batting title one day, he is a name to watch in the draft room.  If you're in need of average, he should be available towards the end of the middle rounds.

No. 3: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

At 6'5" and 225 pounds, Freddie Freeman has the build of the lefty-hitting first baseman that most teams dream of.  His first full season in the majors was one to remember as he hit .282 with 21 home runs and 76 RBI as one of the Braves' few power bats.  Awards voters took note of his efforts as he finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Come 2012, with the Braves ready to seek redemption after last year's collapse, Freeman should be at the front of the pack in terms of power-hitting in the team's lineup.  He's the type of guy who can hit for a good average as well as hit some home runs when necessary, so chances are he will be in high demand.

Given the great amount of depth that exists at first base in the upcoming season's fantasy drafts, there's no telling when Freeman will be picked.  He could be gone within the first few rounds, while some teams will let him drop until near the end of the draft.

Either way, if you need an all around good hitter at first base, don't let this man slip through your fingers as his 2012 is sure to be better than his 2011.

No. 2: Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays

Jeremy Hellickson had a good first full season in the majors, posting a 13-10 record despite low run-support from his scrappy Tampa Bay Rays.  Still, despite the seemingly average record, the lanky right-hander was anything but that as he posted a 2.95 ERA and incredible 1.15 WHIP as he was named AL Rookie of the Year.

Given how the Rays will be looking to get right back into competition for being top dogs in the tough AL East from the moment 2012 begins, the team will rely heavily on Hellickson to keep with his consistent form in helping them achieve that goal.  No matter how you look at him, the soon-to-be 25-year-old is an ace in the making.

That being said, with some people sure to be scared off by the fact that he may have "overachieved" in 2011, don't be shocked if he falls to the middle rounds.  There, swoop down on him and add some depth to your starting pitching while also getting decent numbers in ERA and WHIP.

If the Rays do well in 2012, look for Hellickson to be at the forefront as he leaves Rookie of the Year territory and enters that of a possible Cy Young Award.

No. 1: Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

After the Kila Ka'aihue experiment failed last season, the Kansas City Royals turned to prospect Eric Hosmer to fill their need at first base.  In just 26 games at Triple-A Omaha, the 22-year-old from Miami was already having a phenomenal season, hitting an incredible .439 with three home runs and 15 RBI.  His OBP was an off the charts .525.

Thus, when he was called up to the major league club, Hosmer was more than ready.  In 128 games, the man hit .293 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI while also stealing 11 bases.  That performance was enough to finish third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Jeremy Hellickson of the Rays and Mark Trumbo of the Los Angeles Angels.

Now that he will have the chance to play a full season, Hosmer is going to be instrumental in the Royals' quest to get back to the postseason.  His powerful lefty bat will be due for an All-Star caliber year as he easily has the potential to hit at or over .300 to go with 25 or homers.

As I mentioned before, there is a lot of depth at first base in the upcoming draft, so there's no telling where Hosmer may end up.  Depending on your draft position, he may be worth a gamble in an earlier round because in 2012, he's just going to be that good in terms of bringing in fantasy points.