What is going on, Ball Boys and Ball Girls! I hope you all are doing super well. Thank you so much for being here; as we approach the 2021 season, I want to give you guys some fantasy input for who my top 15 targets are at each position. Most fantasy baseball leagues are 8-10 players; scoring formats vary from league to league, structure, and server. You can check out my fantasy tips and tricks here. I will break down the players into categories: Obvious targets, above average, better than average targets, and lastly, a few if you're desperate names. Let me know what you guys think over in the Fantasy Forum.
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Obvious Targets, a.k.a. don't pass on these players:
#1 Freddie Freeman- MVFREE! Man, I love Freddie Freeman, and I 100% am giving Freddie some favorite player bias. Freeman is going into his last year under contract, and at 31yo, he will be playing for another MVP and a big contract. Freeman will give you 30+HR, 95+RBI, .300+BA, and he is well worth a late first/early second
#2 Jose Abreu- The AL MVP got a massive boost in my eyes after a dominant 2020 and leading me to the semis in one league. You can also bank on Abreu, giving you a .290+BA, 30+HR, 100+RBI, and be the vet leader on a dangerous Chi Sox offense. Abreu is a lock for a 2nd round pick at the latest.
#3 Pete Alonso- I know, the Polar Bear had a down season after a tremendous rookie year. Alonso now himself surrounded by talent. Going into year 3, look for Alonso to give you 35+HR, 95+RBI, and a .260+BA. Alonso should be a late 2nd/ early 3rd round pick but look for him to fall into the 4th and snag him there.
#4 Anthony Rizzo- Rizzo, much like the rest of the Cubs, had a down year in 2020. But I love Rizzo, and I think that he is not only playing for one last big contract but also to get traded to a contender. We all know what Rizzo gives fantasy owners 30+HR, 90+RBI, .280+BA. You should also be able to grab Rizzo in the 5/6th rounds.
#5 Paul Goldschmidt- Good ol Goldy. We hope that he continues to stave off a decline right now as he is in his early 30's. Goldy should give fantasy owners 27+HR, 85+RBI, .270+BA and continue to be an everyday force for the Cardinal's offense. Goldy should fall to the late 6th round and maybe even to the 8th round.
Above Average, you just missed out:
#1 Matt Olson- I dopped Olson after a slow start to 2020, and I regretted it. But I had Abreu, so I was ok. Olson is a reliable fantasy option at 1B and should fall a bit in drafts after posting a dismal .195BA; Olson should give you a team 30+HR, 90+RBI, and a .250+BA. I like Olson in the 6th or 7th round.
#2 Josh Bell- I am so glad Bell is no longer on the Pirates and wasting his career. The move to the Nats, where he will play with Soto, Robles, Schwarber, is fantastic for the slugger. Bell should give fantasy teams 25+HR, 85+RBI, and a .270+BA. Bell should come in as a 7th/8th round pick.
#3 Yuli Gurriel- The Astros need Gurriel and other young players to carry the load offensively with Springer, Brantley, and Reddick gone. Gurriel will do that without a doubt, 25+HR, 90+RBI, .280+BA, and you should be able to get him in the 7th-9th round.
#4 Vlad Guerrero Jr. - We all know that Vlad Jr. will get moved to 1B, and it's inevitable at this point, I think. Where ever he lines up on the field, as long as he is healthy, he will get every chance to hit. We could easily see a year three breakout for Vlad jr, yielding 25+HR, 90+RBI, and .270+BA. I think the hype has died down for Vlad jr going into spring, but with a vital spring training could easily find himself being drafted earlier than my projected 7th/8th round.
#5 Luke Voit- I am not in on Voit at the moment. He is a great player and emotional leader in the clubhouse for the Yankees and carries a power bat. Voit should give your fantasy team 25+HR, 85+RBI, and a .265+BA. His draft positions depend on Judge and Stanton's health and how much offense load he will have to carry out of the gate. I think he should be an 8th or 10th round pick.
Better than Average, you could have done better:
#1 Evan White- The young Mariners 1B didn't hit for an excellent slash line (.176/.252/.346). However, every day at 1B, he plays gold glove defense, and he was able to hit 8HR and 26RBI. I could see him hitting 20+HR, 70+RBI, and a .230+BA. Take your chances on the young Mariner late in drafts with one of your last couple picks.
#2 Ryan Mountcastle- I don't think I can hide Mountcastle from most fantasy players, and I honestly probably have the 23yo ranked lower than I should. After posting a .333/.386/.492 slash in 35G. The O's are rebuilding and want to give the former 1st round pick in 2015 every chance to play. Look for Mountcastle to give you 15+HR, 60+RBI, .280+BA. You could target him in the bottom five rounds.
#3 Carlos Santana- I am no fan of Santana, and I think the Royals overpaid the vet slugger. He should still give you 20+HR, 80+RBI, and a .260+BA on the season. You can probably get Santana in the 12th or later.
#4 Eric Hosmer- Hosmer is an overpaid player who doesn't give you much bang for your buck. Look for Hosmer to continue to play a lesser role in the Padres offense but still produce 20+HR, 85+RBI, .278+BA. Hosmer will probably go earlier than he should, but if you can fill out your teams decently well before round 13/14, pick up Hosmer.
#5 Joey Votto- Votto struggled in 2020, posting a career-low .226BA. Votto is a career .304 hitter. With his career coming to a close in a few years, Votto wants to do everything he can to get into the Hall of Fame. Look for Votto to hit 25+HR, 80+RBI, .290+BA and be a late-round steal for your team
Desperate times, or you auto-drafted:
Edwin Encarnacion, Christian Walker, Rhys Hoskins, Miguel Cabrera
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