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MLB Fantasy Baseball 2021: Top 100 Big Board, Positional Rankings, Top Sleepers
MLB Fantasy Baseball 2021: Top 100 Big Board, Positional Rankings, Top Sleepers
It's fantasy baseball draft season once again, with spring training wrapping up and Opening Day right around the corner.
Before we dive into this year's fantasy rankings, a bit of clarification is needed.
First, everything is based on 10- or 12-team mixed leagues with standard five-by-five rotisserie scoring for hitters (batting average, runs, home runs, RBI, stolen bases) and pitchers (wins, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, saves).
Second, lineup construction assumes 22 active roster positions, consisting of one each for catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, corner infield, middle infield and utility, along with five outfielders and nine pitchers.
Finally, to be eligible at a particular position, players must have accrued at least 10 games there in 2020 or be projected to play there regularly in 2021.
With that established, it's on to the Big Board, followed by our positional rankings and, finally, five deep sleepers.
Top 100 Overall
Before we dive into our positional rankings, here are the top 100 overall fantasy baseball players for the 2020 season:
1. Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, ATL
2. Mookie Betts, OF, LAD
3. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, SD
4. Juan Soto, OF, WAS
5. Mike Trout, OF, LAA
6. Jacob deGrom, SP, NYM
7. Trea Turner, SS, WAS
8. Jose Ramirez, 3B, CLE
9. Gerrit Cole, SP, NYY
10. Christian Yelich, OF, MIL
11. Trevor Story, SS, COL
12. Shane Bieber, SP, CLE
13. Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL
14. Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, LAD
15. Trevor Bauer, SP, LAD
16. Francisco Lindor, SS, NYM
17. Manny Machado, 3B, SD
18. Bryce Harper, OF, PHI
19. Anthony Rendon, 3B, LAA
20. DJ LeMahieu, 1B/2B/3B, NYY
21. Yu Darvish, SP, SD
22. Alex Bregman, 3B, HOU
23. Bo Bichette, SS, TOR
24. Walker Buehler, SP, LAD
25. Lucas Giolito, SP, CWS
26. Nolan Arenado, 3B, STL
27. Xander Bogaerts, SS, BOS
28. Corey Seager, SS, LAD
29. Ozzie Albies, 2B, ATL
30. Aaron Nola, SP, PHI
31. Rafael Devers, 3B, BOS
32. Max Scherzer, SP, WAS
33. Jose Abreu, 1B, CWS
34. Luis Castillo, SP, CIN
35. Eloy Jimenez, OF, CWS
36. Kyle Tucker, OF, HOU
37. Jack Flaherty, SP, STL
38. Clayton Kershaw, SP, LAD
39. George Springer, OF, TOR
40. J.T. Realmuto, C, PHI
41. Marcell Ozuna, OF, ATL
42. Blake Snell, SP, SD
43. Brandon Woodruff, SP, MIL
44. Whit Merrifield, 2B/OF, KC
45. Zac Gallen, SP, ARI
46. Adalberto Mondesi, SS, KC
47. Trent Grisham, OF, SD
48. Tim Anderson, SS, CWS
49. Tyler Glasnow, SP, TB
50. Josh Hader, RP, MIL
51. Max Fried, SP, ATL
52. Aaron Judge, OF, NYY
53. Liam Hendriks, RP, CWS
54. Nelson Cruz, DH, MIN
55. Michael Conforto, OF, NYM
56. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, STL
57. Alec Bohm, 3B, PHI
58. Luis Robert, OF, CWS
59. Lance Lynn, SP, CWS
60. Kenta Maeda, SP, MIN
61. Corbin Burnes, SP, MIL
62. Starling Marte, OF, MIA
63. Gleyber Torres, SS, NYY
64. Charlie Blackmon, OF, COL
65. Luke Voit, 1B, NYY
66. Ketel Marte, 2B/OF, ARI
67. Stephen Strasburg, SP, WAS
68. Sonny Gray, SP, CIN
69. Patrick Corbin, SP, WAS
70. Aroldis Chapman, RP, NYY
71. Brandon Lowe, 2B/OF, TB
72. Pete Alonso, 1B, NYM
73. Jose Altuve, 2B, HOU
74. Max Muncy, 1B/2B/3B, LAD
75. Teoscar Hernandez, OF, TOR
76. Joe Musgrove, SP, SD
77. Hyun Jin Ryu, SP, TOR
78. Randy Arozarena, OF, TB
79. Cavan Biggio, 2B/3B/OF, TOR
80. James Karinchak, RP, CLE
81. Austin Meadows, OF, TB
82. Zack Wheeler, SP, PHI
83. Jose Berrios, SP, MIN
84. Eddie Rosario, OF, CLE
85. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, CHC
86. Eugenio Suarez, SS/3B, CIN
87. Giancarlo Stanton, DH, NYY
88. Kyle Hendricks, SP, CHC
89. Zack Greinke, SP, HOU
90. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, TOR
91. Wil Myers, OF, SD
92. Jesus Luzardo, SP, OAK
93. Sixto Sanchez, SP, MIA
94. Ian Anderson, SP, ATL
95. Javier Baez, SS, CHC
96. Carlos Correa, SS, HOU
97. Kris Bryant, 3B, CHC
98. Julio Urias, SP, LAD
99. Salvador Perez, C, KC
100. Edwin Diaz, RP, NYM
Catchers
Top 20 Catchers
1. J.T. Realmuto, PHI
2. Salvador Perez, KC
3. Will Smith, LAD
4. Willson Contreras, CHC
5. Yasmani Grandal, CWS
6. Travis d'Arnaud, ATL
7. Gary Sanchez, NYY
8. James McCann, NYM
9. Sean Murphy, OAK
10. Christian Vazquez, BOS
11. Buster Posey, SF
12. Mitch Garver, MIN
13. Carson Kelly, ARI
14. Jorge Alfaro, MIA
15. Daulton Varsho, ARI
16. Wilson Ramos, DET
17. Yadier Molina, STL
18. Max Stassi, LAA
19. Tom Murphy, SEA
20. Pedro Severino, BAL
Overvalued: Daulton Varsho, ARI (ADP: 211)—It's intriguing to grab a guy with catcher eligibility who could see everyday playing time in the outfield, and Varsho was a highly regarded prospect for a reason. But he looked lost last year with a .188 average and 33 strikeouts in 115 plate appearances. Drafting him as your starting catcher is a huge risk.
Undervalued: Max Stassi, LAA (ADP: 442)—The 30-year-old journeyman hit .278/.352/.533 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 31 games last season, taking over primary catching duties after Jason Castro was traded. He'll split time with Kurt Suzuki but should see the bigger piece of the platoon.
First Basemen
Top 25 First Basemen
1. Freddie Freeman, ATL
2. Cody Bellinger, LAD
3. DJ LeMahieu, NYY
4. Jose Abreu, CWS
5. Paul Goldschmidt, STL
6. Luke Voit, NYY
7. Pete Alonso, NYM
8. Max Muncy, LAD
9. Anthony Rizzo, CHC
10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR
11. Matt Olson, OAK
12. Josh Bell, WAS
13. Mike Moustakas, CIN
14. Dominic Smith, NYM
15. Rhys Hoskins, PHI
16. Hunter Dozier, KC
17. Jeimer Candelario, DET
18. Eric Hosmer, SD
19. Christian Walker, ARI
20. Bobby Dalbec, BOS
21. Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
22. Carlos Santana, KC
23. Miguel Sano, MIN
24. C.J. Cron, COL
25. Jared Walsh, LAA
Overvalued: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (ADP: 53)—Count me among those who believe everything is eventually going to click for Guerrero. Until he takes that next step, though, drafting him ahead of Luke Voit (ADP: 57), Paul Goldschmidt (ADP: 73), Anthony Rizzo (ADP: 95) and Max Muncy (ADP: 98) is a stretch.
Undervalued: Jeimer Candelario, DET (ADP: 287)—After failing to deliver on his breakout potential in 2019, Candelario was a useful post-hype pickup last year when he hit .297/.369/.503 with seven home runs and 29 RBI. He'll be eligible at first base and third base, which adds to his appeal as a bench option, and the rebuilding Tigers will give him every opportunity to build on his 2020 success.
Second Basemen
Top 25 Second Basemen
1. DJ LeMahieu, NYY
2. Ozzie Albies, ATL
3. Whit Merrifield, KC
4. Ketel Marte, ARI
5. Brandon Lowe, TB
6. Jose Altuve, HOU
7. Max Muncy, LAD
8. Cavan Biggio, TOR
9. Keston Hiura, MIL
10. Jeff McNeil, NYM
11. Mike Moustakas, CIN
12. Tommy Edman, STL
13. Gavin Lux, LAD
14. Nick Solak, TEX
15. Jean Segura, PHI
16. Nick Madrigal, CWS
17. Jonathan Schoop, DET
18. Dylan Moore, SEA
19. Ha-Seong Kim, SD
20. Kolten Wong, MIL
21. David Fletcher, LAA
22. Jake Cronenworth, SD
23. Enrique Hernandez, BOS
24. Andres Gimenez, CLE
25. Cesar Hernandez, CLE
Overvalued: Keston Hiura, MIL (ADP: 67)—It's easy to look at Hiura's stellar 2019 debut and write off last year as a fluke. However, ugly exit velocity (26th percentile) and hard-hit rate (50th percentile) metrics raise some bigger red flags. Drafting him ahead of guys like Ketel Marte (ADP: 74), Jose Altuve (ADP: 88) and Max Muncy (ADP: 98) is an unnecessary risk.
Undervalued: Jonathan Schoop, DET (ADP: 352)—Schoop averaged 30 doubles, 25 home runs and 77 RBI in the four years leading up to the shortened 2020 campaign, and he hit .278/.324/.475 with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 44 games last year. If you want a contingency plan for someone like Gavin Lux or Nick Solak, he's a great target.
Third Basemen
Top 25 Third Basemen
1. Jose Ramirez, CLE
2. Manny Machado, SD
3. Anthony Rendon, LAA
4. DJ LeMahieu, NYY
5. Alex Bregman, HOU
6. Nolan Arenado, STL
7. Rafael Devers, BOS
8. Alec Bohm, PHI
9. Max Muncy, LAD
10. Cavan Biggio, TOR
11. Eugenio Suarez, CIN
12. Kris Bryant, CHC
13. Josh Donaldson, MIN
14. Matt Chapman, OAK
15. Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT
16. Yoan Moncada, CWS
17. Jeimer Candelario, DET
18. Brian Anderson, MIA
19. Tommy Edman, STL
20. Gio Urshela, NYY
21. Justin Turner, LAD
22. Austin Riley, ATL
23. J.D. Davis, NYM
24. Kyle Seager, SEA
25. Eduardo Escobar, ARI
Overvalued: Yoan Moncada, CWS (ADP: 93)—After hitting .315/.367/.548 with 64 extra-base hits in 2019, Moncada crashed back to earth with a .225 average and a sub-.400 slugging percentage last year. Those stellar 2019 numbers were propped up by a ridiculous .406 BABIP, so don't assume he's going to return to that level of production.
Undervalued: Brian Anderson, MIA (ADP: 260)—Anderson is not 100 draft spots less productive than guys like Tommy Edman (ADP: 148) and Gio Urshela (ADP: 155). The 27-year-old hit .255/.345/.465 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI last season, and he tallied 33 doubles and 20 home runs in 2019.
Shortstops
Top 25 Shortstops
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
2. Trea Turner, WAS
3. Trevor Story, COL
4. Francisco Lindor, NYM
5. Bo Bichette, TOR
6. Xander Bogaerts, BOS
7. Corey Seager, LAD
8. Adalberto Mondesi, KC
9. Tim Anderson, CWS
10. Gleyber Torres, NYY
11. Eugenio Suarez, CIN
12. Javier Baez, CHC
13. Carlos Correa, HOU
14. Dansby Swanson, ATL
15. Marcus Semien, TOR
16. Didi Gregorius, PHI
17. Paul DeJong, STL
18. Tommy Edman, STL
19. Willy Adames, TB
20. Jorge Polanco, MIN
21. Willi Castro, DET
22. Kevin Newman, PIT
23. Andres Gimenez, CLE
24. Elvis Andrus, OAK
25. David Fletcher, LAA
Overvalued: Adalberto Mondesi, KC (ADP: 28)—Mondesi has shown zero ability to adjust his approach to this point in his career, posting an ugly .294 on-base percentage last year while striking out at a 30 percent clip. The steals are great, but with Bobby Witt Jr. coming fast, he's not going to hold onto his everyday job unless he makes significant adjustments.
Undervalued: Kevin Newman, PIT (ADP: 552)—Baseball fans have quickly forgotten Newman hit .308/.353/.446 with 38 extra-base hits and 16 steals in 531 plate appearances as a rookie in 2019. He's been red-hot this spring with 11 hits in 16 at-bats and looks like the guy at shortstop for the rebuilding Pirates.
Outfielders
Top 50 Outfielders
1. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL
2. Mookie Betts, LAD
3. Juan Soto, WAS
4. Mike Trout, LAA
5. Christian Yelich, MIL
6. Cody Bellinger, LAD
7. Bryce Harper, PHI
8. Eloy Jimenez, CWS
9. Kyle Tucker, HOU
10. George Springer, TOR
11. Marcell Ozuna, ATL
12. Whit Merrifield, KC
13. Trent Grisham, SD
14. Aaron Judge, NYY
15. Michael Conforto, NYM
16. Luis Robert, CWS
17. Starling Marte, MIA
18. Charlie Blackmon, COL
19. Ketel Marte, ARI
20. Brandon Lowe, TB
21. Teoscar Hernandez, TOR
22. Randy Arozarena, TB
23. Cavan Biggio, TOR
24. Austin Meadows, TB
25. Eddie Rosario, CLE
26. Wil Myers, SD
28. Tommy Pham, SD
29. Alex Verdugo, BOS
30. Byron Buxton, MIN
31. Mike Yastrzemski, SF
32. Dominic Smith, NYM
33. Michael Brantley, HOU
34. Joey Gallo, TEX
35. Ramon Laureano, OAK
36. Kyle Lewis, SEA
37. Ian Happ, CHC
38. Max Kepler, MIN
39. Clint Frazier, NYY
40. Kyle Schwarber, WAS
41. Dylan Carlson, STL
42. Hunter Dozier, KC
43. Anthony Santander, BAL
44. Victor Robles, WAS
45. Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
46. A.J. Pollock, LAD
47. Jesse Winker, CIN
48. Brandon Nimmo, NYM
49. Joc Pederson, CHC
50. Jeff McNeil, NYM
Overvalued: Luis Robert, CWS (ADP: 39)—A .136 average with 32 strikeouts over 94 plate appearances in September should give reason for pause. Robert is going to be a special player, but it could take him a few years to reach his full offensive ceiling. Kyle Tucker (ADP: 40), Marcell Ozuna (ADP: 43) and George Springer (ADP: 44) are better picks in that same range, and I'm even more optimistic about Trent Grisham (ADP: 66) in 2021.
Undervalued: Hunter Renfroe, BOS (ADP: 354)—Lost in the shuffle in a crowded Tampa Bay outfield and non-tendered at the start of the offseason, Renfroe is just a year removed from a 33-homer season. His plus defense should help keep him in Boston's everyday lineup.
Starting Pitchers
Top 50 Starting Pitchers
1. Jacob deGrom, NYM
2. Gerrit Cole, NYY
3. Shane Bieber, CLE
4. Trevor Bauer, LAD
5. Yu Darvish, SD
6. Walker Buehler, LAD
7. Lucas Giolito, CWS
8. Aaron Nola, PHI
9. Max Scherzer, WAS
10. Luis Castillo, CIN
11. Jack Flaherty, STL
12. Clayton Kershaw, LAD
13. Blake Snell, SD
14. Brandon Woodruff, MIL
15. Zac Gallen, ARI
16. Tyler Glasnow, TB
17. Max Fried, ATL
18. Lance Lynn, CWS
19. Kenta Maeda, MIN
20. Corbin Burnes, MIL
21. Stephen Strasburg, WAS
22. Sonny Gray, CIN
23. Patrick Corbin, WAS
24. Joe Musgrove, SD
25. Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR
26. Zack Wheeler, PHI
27. Jose Berrios, MIN
28. Kyle Hendricks, CHC
29. Zack Greinke, HOU
30. Jesus Luzardo, OAK
31. Sixto Sanchez, MIA
32. Ian Anderson, ATL
33. Julio Urias, LAD
34. Dylan Bundy, LAA
35. Charlie Morton, ATL
36. Zach Plesac, CLE
37. Kevin Gausman, SF
38. Tyler Mahle, CIN
39. Lance McCullers Jr., HOU
40. Dinelson Lamet, SD
41. Carlos Carrasco, NYM
42. Marco Gonzales, SEA
43. Pablo Lopez, MIA
44. Chris Paddack, SD
45. Sandy Alcantara, MIA
46. Zach Eflin, PHI
47. Chris Bassitt, OAK
48. Corey Kluber, NYY
49. Marcus Stroman, NYM
50. Mike Soroka, ATL
Overvalued: Zach Plesac, CLE (ADP: 76)—Among pitchers who threw at least 50 innings last season, Plesac had the fourth-lowest BABIP (.224) but a middling exit velocity allowed (58th percentile). You should be skeptical of that combination of statistics. He's a good pitcher, but regression is coming.
Undervalued: Tyler Mahle, CIN (ADP: 178)—Lost in the shuffle of Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray at the top of the rotation, Mahle posted a 3.59 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 47.2 innings in 2020. We have not yet seen the best the 26-year-old has to offer.
Relief Pitchers
Top 25 Relief Pitchers
1. Josh Hader, MIL
2. Liam Hendriks, CWS
3. Aroldis Chapman, NYY
4. James Karinchak, CLE
5. Edwin Diaz, NYM
6. Raisel Iglesias, LAA
7. Brad Hand, WAS
8. Trevor Rosenthal, OAK
9. Will Smith, ATL
10. Nick Anderson, TB
11. Craig Kimbrel, CHC
12. Devin Williams, MIL
13. Kenley Jansen, LAD
14. Amir Garrett, CIN
15. Kirby Yates, TOR
16. Rafael Montero, SEA
17. Jordan Hicks, STL
18. Jose Leclerc, TEX
19. Richard Rodriguez, PIT
20. Joakim Soria, ARI
21. Drew Pomeranz, SD
22. Greg Holland, KC
23. Alex Colome, MIN
24. Matt Barnes, BOS
25. Daniel Bard, COL
Overvalued: Kenley Jansen, LAD (ADP: 117)—One of baseball's elite closers for the better part of the last decade, Jansen is clearly in decline. Manager Dave Roberts seemed to lose confidence in him during the postseason, turning to Julio Urias and others in clutch situations, and the decision to re-sign Blake Treinen means another potential in-house replacement.
Undervalued: Amir Garrett, CIN (ADP: 253)—With Raisel Iglesias traded and Archie Bradley non-tendered, Garrett appears to have a clear path to the closer's role. The 6'5" left-hander has elite stuff with a mid-90s fastball and a lethal slider, and the Reds have a good-not-great outlook that suggests they'll be playing a lot of close games.
5 Deep Sleepers to Know
These players were not ranked in the top 100 overall or among the positional rankings, but they are worth monitoring on draft day:
1B Ronald Guzman, TEX
It looked like Guzman might be on the outside looking in after Nate Lowe was acquired from Tampa Bay, but he is hitting .321 with three home runs this spring while showcasing a revamped swing. The 26-year-old won Dominican Winter League MVP honors, hitting .360/.450/.523 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 30 games for Gigantes del Cibao, and he appears poised to break out.
OF Josh Naylor, CLE
Buried down the depth chart in San Diego, Naylor finally has an opportunity to prove himself in Cleveland after he was acquired in the Mike Clevinger blockbuster last summer. The 23-year-old went 5-for-7 with three doubles and one home run in the postseason last year, and he has the raw tools to be a dangerous middle-of-the-order threat.
OF Myles Straw, HOU
The Astros opted against finding an outside replacement for George Springer in center field, instead turning things over to Straw. He had a 70-steal season in 2018 between Double-A and Triple-A, and he's a .305/.394/.379 hitter in five minor league seasons. He won't help in power categories, but the batting average and speed should translate.
SP Drew Smyly, ATL
Overshadowed by the strong bounce-back season Kevin Gausman put together, Smyly was also a great buy-low pickup for the San Francisco Giants last year. Pitchers don't suddenly post a 42-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26.1 innings by accident. Something clicked last year, and that's why the Atlanta Braves were willing to hand him $11 million on a one-year deal.
SP/RP Tejay Antone, CIN
Antone put together an excellent rookie season with the Reds last year, posting a 2.80 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 45 strikeouts in 35.1 innings spanning four starts and nine relief appearances. The Sonny Gray injury could open the door for him to break camp with a rotation spot, and he has the swing-and-miss stuff to seize the role and never look back. Even if he winds up back in a relief role, he'd be a useful roster piece with hold and save potential in a revamped bullpen.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. ADP numbers come via FantasyPros.