Fantasy Baseball Sleepers 2012: 3 Players That Will Win Your Fantasy League

Even though they are rarely treated the same, late draft picks are just as important as early ones when it comes to building a strong fantasy baseball team. Solid sleeper selections can often be the difference between a title contender and a playoff pretender.

Here are three players currently flying under the radar that would make terrific additions to help your team claim a championship.

Ryan Roberts

Roberts broke onto the fantasy scene last season with 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases for the Diamondbacks. Considering those numbers both surpassed his career totals entering last season, it's no surprise not many owners were lucky enough to snag him off the waiver wire.

His second-base eligibility marks the main reason he should be given strong consideration in the later rounds. Since it's such a weak position, anybody with the potential to provide 20 round trippers and steals represents solid value.

If you miss out on the top-tier candidates like Robinson Cano, wait until the middle rounds to select Roberts instead of wasting an early pick on a second basemen.

Jaime Garcia

Despite two straight solid seasons, Garcia still doesn't receive much respect in fantasy circles. He's being taken in the 16th round on average in standard leagues, but his value will far outweigh that draft position by season's end.

He was able to drop his walk rate by more than a batter per nine last season while maintaining a reasonable strikeout rate. If his progression continues, and he's only 25 so it should, he has a good chance to be a top-20 starter.

The Cardinals still have a solid lineup even though Albert Pujols bolted for the Angels, so Garcia will receive enough run support to put together another underrated season.

Yoenis Cespedes

Cespedes hasn't received as much attention as most international signings. Whether it's a west-coast bias since he's playing in Oakland instead of New York or Chicago or something else, he isn't being over-hyped like fresh faces tend to be in fantasy leagues.

The 26-year-old Cuban star possesses terrific power potential. There will likely be an adjustment period until he gets used to major league pitching, but once he settles in, the homers should start flying. Since he plays solid defense, the Athletics will likely give him a longer leash to begin the year.

In most leagues, he's being either drafted really late or going undrafted. Take a flier on him late in your draft and wait for him to heat up. It's a low-risk move that will pay off big.