Fantasy Baseball 2012: 10 Dark Horses to Scoop in Later Rounds

With professional baseball beginning their spring training and the regular season about a month away, many fans are eager for their favorite players to run out onto the field.

However, some fans aren't really interested in watching them play, rather they just follow their stats to improve their fantasy baseball team.

Fantasy sports have become a regular when it comes to a season beginning.  Some people host live drafts or have a party to kick off the fantasy season.

Statistics grab fan's attention and provide them with facts to argue with their friends and family on who is the better player.

Fantasy baseball, like other fantasy sports, is based solely on a players statistics and are then computed to points to determine a winner.

In this upcoming baseball season, here is a list of ten players who you should scoop up in the later rounds.

Eric Hosmer: 1B

Eric Hosmer might not be your household first baseman, but the 22-year-old sure can swing the bat.

Last season Hosmer batted .293, with 19 home runs and 78 RBI's.

Hosmer is projected to get 612 at bats and gather 82 runs.  His home-run projection is 20 and RBI projection is 85.

With a first basemen-heavy league, Hosmer could be a steal for any late-round fantasy team.

Ryan Roberts: IF

Ryan Roberts can play both the second base and third base positions.

Last season with the Diamondbacks, Roberts batted .249, with 19 home runs and 65 runs batted in.

Roberts is projected to bat .261 and hit for 17 home runs and 67 RBI's.  He is also projected to round the bases 86 times.

With the Cano's and Pedroia's gone in the first few rounds, Ryan Roberts wouldn't be a bad second baseman to have on your squad.

Aramis Ramirez: 3B

Last season with the Chicago Cubs, Aramis Ramirez posted a .306 batting average, with 26 home runs and 93 RBI's.

This season, Ramirez will be suiting up for the Milwaukee Brewers at the age of 33.  

Ramirez projections for the 2012 season consist of a .291 average and will bat an approximated 540 times.

Ramirez is also projected to hit for 88 RBI's and 27 home runs.

Ramirez is a solid third baseman to have on your team and you shouldn't pass up on the opportunity to grab him in the later rounds.

Wilson Ramos: C

Wilson Ramos' offseason was a little different from other professional athletes'.  Ramos was kidnapped in his home country of Venezuela.

After being returned safely, Ramos is ready to get back behind the plate.  Last season, he batted .267 and hit for 15 home runs and 52 RBI's.

This season, he is projected to get 42 more at bats than last season and bat for a slugging percentage of .443.

His home run projection is 17 and his RBI projection is 55.

Wilson Ramos will be a substantial grab in the later rounds of your fantasy draft.

Alexei Ramirez: SS

Alexei Ramirez is the starting shortstop for the Chicago White Sox and produced a .269 batting average, 15 home runs and 70 RBI's in the 2011 season.

This season, Ramirez is projected to hit for a .276 batting average, with 16 home runs and 73 RBI's.

Ramirez is an athletic shortstop who will be an asset to your fantasy team.

Scooping Ramirez in the later rounds cannot hurt your fantasy projections.

Ben Zobrist: 2B/OF

Ben Zobrist is a solid utility player to have on your roster.

Zobrist is expected to hit for a .270 average, with 89 RBI's and 18 home runs.  He is also expected to gather 92 runs in the season.

Competing in the AL East is tough for any player, but Zobrist should be a solid pick-up in the later rounds of your 2012 fantasy baseball draft.

Brett Lawrie: 3B

Brett Lawrie only had 150 at bats last season, but the 22-year-old is set to be starting at third base for the Blue Jays this season.

Lawrie's projections for this season is 567 at bats, a .275 batting average, 22 home runs and 74 RBI's.

Lawrie is one of the young Major League Baseball players set to have a breakout season in 2012.

Grabbing Lawrie in the later rounds should turn out to be a good move for your fantasy baseball team. 

Melky Cabrera: CF

Melky Cabrera has bounced around the past few years and has landed in San Francisco for the 2012 season.

Cabrera had a solid year at the plate last season, batting for a .305 average, 18 home runs and 87 runs batted in.

This season, Cabrera is projected to get 621 at bats and connect for 15 home runs and 73 RBI's.

His average is expected to drop a little to a .287 average, but despite the slight drop, Cabrera will be a great get for any fantasy team.

Stephen Strasburg: SP

The young phenom pitcher is recovering from Tommy John surgery and appeared in only a few games last season.

Stephen Strasburg certainly has the right plethora of pitches and technique to be one of the top pitchers in the entire league.

Many fantasy owners might be skeptical of picking up the 23-year-old hard-throwing right-hander.

Strasburg is projected to have a 2.78 earned runs average, pitching in an estimated 162 innings.

He is projected to throw for 182 strikeouts and grab 13 wins.

Strasburg could be a steal in the later rounds.

Jayson Werth: RF

Jayson Werth didn't have his best season during his first year of his new contract with the Washington Nationals.

However, Werth is projected to bat .253, a 21 point increase from last season.

Werth is projected to score 83 times and connect for 25 home runs and 72 RBI's, all significantly higher than his previous season.

Heis currently suffering from back spasms and has missed some of the spring training practices.

I would expect Werth to be ready to go come opening day and to be a solid asset to your fantasy baseball team this season.