Fantasy Baseball Sleepers 2012: 5 Under-the-Radar Hitters You Shouldn't Ignore

The MLB media, like any other sports outlet, features and focuses on the same big names all the time. All you heard this offseason, if you were listening to MLB radio shows, were the names Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols mainly.

It’s understandable why they focus on such players: that’s where the money is. However, with that said, it doesn’t make it any less unfair. There are so many unknown young players because of the overexposure of the same MLB stars in the media.

For example, Orioles’ outfielder Nolan Reimold has already belted four home runs over just nine games, and I’m sure not too many people, other than avid MLB and Orioles fans, recognize his name.

He’s just one name on a list I’ve created of my top five MLB under-the-radar hitters. Check it out and let me know what you think!

1. OF Nolan Reimold, Baltimore Orioles

Well, let’s start with Baltimore’s Reimold. Finally, he’s getting a chance every day to play, and he’s taking full advantage. Not only has he showed his powerful bat over the first couple of weeks of the season, he’s hitting consistently. That’s something he’s struggled with in the past.

I realize it’s only the first 38 at-bats of the season and anything can happen very quickly, but he’s already picked up 13 base hits. That's a .351 batting average. In the three previous seasons, he batted .279/.207/.247 respectively. We know he has power, but if he can become an all-around strong batter, that would help the Birds immensely.

Over his four-year career with the Orioles, Reimold has smashed 35 home runs and driven-in 112 RBI while hitting at a .261 average. Last season was definitely his best with the big league club, as he recorded 13 home runs and 45 RBI over just 87 games. 

Reimold hits a home run once every 2.25 games (four in nine games), so if he were to play the remainder of the Orioles' season, he would finish with 71 home runs on the year. I’m sure that’s a bit of a stretch, but the point is he’s hitting the ball with authority, which is a great sign.

Reimold has hit in eight consecutive games and has belted a home run in four straight. He’s been very clutch for the Birds this season, as he hit three of the four home runs in the 9^th inning.

I think he is going to have a breakout season because he’s going to get the necessary playing time for him to grow and adapt to the league. In the three years past, he’s never been on the roster for an entire year; it’s been inconsistent, up and down. That makes it even harder to succeed at the major league level.

2. 1B Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

The 22-year-old Freddie Freeman is coming off of his freshman year in the big leagues where he enjoyed a lot of success. He finished with a respectable .277 batting average with 21 home runs and 76 RBI.

Those are the only impressive statistics he posted in his first full season with a major league club. He collected 161 base hits, including 32 doubles, in 157 games. He was runner-up in the MVP voting last season to fellow-teammate from the bullpen, Craig Kimbrel.

Currently, Freeman is struggling a bit and has gotten off to a rocky start, but it’s still very early. He’s just eight-for-his-first-41, which is a .195 average, with three RBI. He already has a year of experience at the big league level, so hopefully he can use it to help himself, instead of succumbing to the infamous sophomore slump.

The Braves have a very strong offense with Dan Uggla, Chipper Jones, Jason Heyward, Brian McCann and now Freeman. There’s a lot of protection around him, and with him being the most inexperienced of the bunch, there’s more a chance that pitchers will go right out and challenge him off the bat.

I think Freeman will break out of his early-season slump, and he’ll put together another remarkable season. I’m projecting for him to hit around 25 home runs, drive-in at least 85 RBI, possibly 90, and hit around .290 as well.

3. SS Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs

This 22-year-old Dominican-born shortstop, Starlin Castro, is one of the hottest young athletes around the majors these days. He’s a great defensive short stop; he’s got speed on the bases, not to mention he has a great swing and the ability to hit consistently for a good average.

Castro debuted for the Cubs when he was just 20 years old in May of 2010. He finished his first season with an impressive .300 batting average (139 hits/463 at-bats), with three home runs, 41 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

There was no sophomore slump for Castro; he improved upon all of his 2010 numbers and showed growth. He collected 207 base hits including 10 home runs; he drove in 66 RBI, stole 22 bases and hit at a .307 clip. So, he showed a bit more power, hit at a higher average and stole more bases last season than the previous.

All signs point towards the same fate this season. So far this season Castro is knocking on the batting title door, as he’s hitting .372. He’s a base hit machine this year with already 16 in just 43 at-bats and only 11 games. He’s put together five two-hit games and one three-hit game.

Castro stunned people his sophomore season by consistently hitting well and carrying his first-year numbers over, but I think they’re going to be even more surprised this season with his abilities. Of course he probably won’t continue at a .372 pace, but there’s always the possibility.

4. 1B Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

The 28-year-old out of Lincoln, Nebraska, Alex Gordon, debuted for the Kansas City Royals in 2007 and has been on the verge of breaking out ever since. Although he has not begun the season off on the best foot (.140 average/1 home run/4 RBI/11 games), he’s shown promise and quietly broke out last season.

In his first year with the club, he smashed 15 home runs and drove-in 60 RBI, but hit at a very low .247, which is probably one of the reasons he wasn’t talked about as often as other rookies. It just didn’t seem if he was as noticed as other young players at the time, like Giants’ Tim Lincecum or Rays’ Evan Longoria, who both also debuted that year.

He followed up his first-year numbers with similar statistics in his sophomore season. In 17 fewer contests, he actually belted one more home run (16), still drove in less runs (59) but managed to raise his average to .260.

After his sophomore season, he was injured and missed most of ’09 and ’10. He returned with a vengeance last season as he broke out with 23 home runs, 87 RBI and he hit at a .303 clip, all career highs.

I think he can put together an even better year; he’s entering the prime of his career, and this is the time he needs to break out and have a career season. He put up impressive numbers last year, but he can hit 25 to 30 home runs and drive in 100-plus RBI.

5. OF Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks

I added Chris Young to this list because, although he has hit home runs in the past and shown his power, he’s dropped off and has been inconsistent with his numbers. I’m not sure if too many people have heard of him because he does play for the Diamondbacks, who don’t get the most publicity.

Anyways, Young is putting together a very impressive season. He’s already jacked five home runs and driven in 13 RBI, not to mention he’s strung together 16 base hits over his first 39 at-bats (.410 average). If he continues at this pace, he’ll break Barry Bonds’s all-time single season home run mark with 76.

He debuted for the Diamondbacks in 2006, although he only appeared in 30 games; he hit just .243 with two home runs and 10 RBI. Young shined through in 2007 after he crushed 32 home runs and drove-in 68 RBI, but only hit .237 on the year. He showed the type of power he has, but he’s never been able to get back to that level.

In 2010, he smacked 27 home runs and drove-in 91 RBI. Last year, his home run total dropped to just 20 on the year. For his career, he’s just a .242 hitter, so it makes you wonder if he’ll be able to keep up this impressive pace.

Most likely, he won’t be able to continue to hit over .400, but it seems as if he’s become a better hitter. He’s definitely on pace for his best season in the majors. The only question will be whether or not he can stay consistent.

So, there’s my top five list of the under-the-radar MLB hitters, and of course, there are many more out there. This is by no means all of the under-appreciated MLB sluggers, just the ones I felt deserved to be spotlighted.