Fantasy Baseball 2023 Rankings: Deep Sleepers, Hidden Gems to Target

When it comes to drafting your fantasy baseball team, hitting on your early-round picks is a must. Mess those up and you can start thinking about next season.

Chances are, though, most of your league-mates will hit on those picks, too—barring any injury issues, of course. MLB megastars are so-called for a reason.

The best way to differentiate your roster and create some separation in the league standings is by spending your later selections on players who outperform their draft slots. Snag enough of these late-round gems and you can start thinking about how to celebrate your league title.

That's why our focus will lie, then, on those late-round sleepers. After laying out our top 30 rankings for points leagues, we'll spotlight two sleepers you should target beyond the top 200 picks.

Top 30 Rankings for Points Leagues

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PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2023: Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres hits a single during the first inning of a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2023 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP, Los Angeles Angels

2. Juan Soto, OF, San Diego Padres

3. José Ramírez, 3B, Cleveland Guardians

4. Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees

5. Corbin Burnes, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

6. Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees

7. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays

8. Mookie Betts, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

9. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

10. Max Scherzer, SP, New York Mets

11. Sandy Alcantara, SP, Miami Marlins

12. Manny Machado, 3B, San Diego Padres

13. Trea Turner, SS, Philadelphia Phillies

14. Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros

15. Julio Rodríguez, OF, Seattle Mariners

16. Justin Verlander, SP, New York Mets

17. Jacob deGrom, SP, Texas Rangers

18. Aaron Nola, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

19. Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros

20. Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves

21. Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

22. Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox

23. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

24. Fernando Tatís Jr., SS, San Diego Padres

25. Marcus Semien, 2B, Texas Rangers

26. Spencer Strider, SP, Atlanta Braves

27. Zack Wheeler, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

28. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

29. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

30. Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Guardians

Sleeper: Ha-Seong Kim, SS/3B, San Diego Padres

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PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2023: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the San Diego Padres bats during the first inning of a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2023 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

There are myriad reasons to be excited about Ha-Seong Kim this season, but maybe the biggest is this: In shallow leagues, he's essentially free, with an average draft position of only 276, per FantasyPros.

What could you expect back from that bargain-bin investment? Well, loads more than the average drafter seems to think.

He's expected to primarily play second base this season, meaning he'll soon be eligible at three different infield spots. He plays in one of the most loaded lineups in baseball, meaning he'll have ample opportunity to increase his 58 runs and 59 RBI last season. He also offers sneaky-good power-speed potential, as he just produced double-digit homers and steals in his second MLB season.

He's also clearly on the come-up. From 2021 to 2022, he trimmed his strikeouts and upped his walks, resulting in a slash line that jumped from .202/.270/.352 to .251/.325/.383. Bake in some further development, and he might push closer to a .300 average with the potential to pair 20-plus steals with mid-teens home runs.

Sleeper: Jared Walsh, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

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TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 08: Jared Walsh #20 of the Los Angeles Angels bats in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies during a Spring Training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 08, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Injuries wrecked Jared Walsh's 2022 season. They also, apparently, made fantasy managers forget who he is, as the 2021 All-Star, who turns 30 this summer, has an average draft position of only 316, per FantasyPros.

Walsh underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in September and, according to him, his recovery process couldn't be better.

"I feel like I keep getting stronger," Walsh told reporters last month. "I feel great right now, so no complaints. Full go. I can make throws, hit on the field, everything."

A fully healthy Walsh could be a fantasy asset. In 2021, he broke out in spectacular fashion, posting a .277/.340/.509 slash line with 29 homers and 98 RBI. His numbers took a nosedive last season (.215/.269/.374 with 15 homers and 44 RBI), but given his injury issues, there's no reason to think this was related to any skills decline.

He wasn't healthy then, but he sure seems to be now. Grab him at the back end of your draft, and you'll be glad you did.