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Fantasy Baseball 2020: Rankings for Mike Trout, Top 1st-Round Choices
May 6, 2020
Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Christian Yelich are the likely candidates to be the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy baseball drafts.
The trio of outfielders provide some of the best power in Major League Baseball and have put up strong numbers across most offensive stat categories.
Trout may be viewed as the safest option of the three because of his longevity at the top of the sport, while Acuna and Yelich deserve consideration following impressive two-year runs.
Fantasy Baseball Rankings
1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
2. Ronald Acuna, OF, Atlanta
3. Christian Yelich, OP, Milwaukee
4. Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Mookie Betts, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland
7. Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees
8. Trevor Story, SS, Colorado
9. Trea Turner, SS, Washington
10. Jacob deGrom, SP, New York Mets
11. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado
12. Juan Soto, OF, Washington
Mike Trout
Trout has six seasons with at least 30 home runs and three with over 100 RBI.
He reached both milestones in 2019, as he mashed a career-high 45 long balls and drove in 104 runs.
The 28-year-old also owns seven seasons with 100 runs and eight with triple digits in hits.
Trout will fill up most stat categories with ease and provide consistent splits. He had a .291 batting average, .438 on-base percentage, .645 slugging percentage and 1.083 OPS in 2019.
Opposing pitchers likely will not avoid throwing to Trout since the Angels lineup now possesses Anthony Rendon in addition to Shohei Ohtani and Albert Pujols.
If Rendon bats behind Trout in most games, the outfielder's run total could rise above the 110 times he crossed home plate last season.
The consistent numbers over a long period of time and the reinforcements added to the Angels lineup should be enough to convince plenty of owners to select Trout at No. 1.
If Acuna or Yelich is the top pick, Trout likely would not last past the No. 2 selection in most leagues.
Ronald Acuna Jr.
In two years, Acuna has boosted his fantasy stock to the highest level.
In 2019, the 22-year-old produced 41 home runs, 101 RBI, 175 hits and 127 runs.
The Atlanta outfielder's splits decreased in comparison to 2018, but that was due to a higher total of plate appearances.
Acuna's biggest edge over Trout is in stolen bases, as he recorded 37 in his sophomore campaign.
Most of the power numbers are comparable to Trout, but he may not be able to match Trout's numbers in each of the four offensive splits.
There could also be a worry about Acuna's strikeout rate, as he was sat down on strikes 188 times in 2019.
Although that total is higher than most would like, it is offset by the power he contributes from the leadoff position.
If he continues on an upward trajectory, Acuna could outhit Trout in some categories in 2020, and that potential could place him at the top of draft boards.
Christian Yelich
Yelich's two seasons in Milwaukee have vaulted him near the top of most fantasy rankings.
He has 80 home runs and 207 RBI with the Brewers, and he posted career bests in all four offensive splits in 2019.
Yelich has consistently reached base throughout his career with six 100-hit seasons, and he has eclipsed 160 base knocks in each of the last four campaigns.
His increased power numbers and a career-best 30 stolen bases from a year ago make him one of the most well-rounded options.
Yelich has all the qualities of a No. 1 overall pick when healthy, but some owners selecting at No. 1 or No. 2 could turn away from him because of the injury that cost him 32 games in 2019.
If Yelich falls past No. 3, it would be viewed as a surprise given how well he can produce when at 100 percent.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference