Fantasy Baseball 2020 – Syndication Server

Fantasy baseball season is quickly approaching and we at SportsbookWire have you covered. We have looked at top sleepers and some value pitchers to target. Below, we’ll look at five MLB rookies who are poised to make major impacts on the 60-game 2020 fantasy season.

Fantasy baseball rookies to target

Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox

Robert, 22, totaled 32 home runs and 36 stolen bases across three different levels of the minor leagues in 2019. He had been expected to start the 2020 season patrolling center field for a much-improved White Sox team even before the season was shortened and the minor-league season was canceled.

He slashed .297/.341/.634 over 47 games in Triple-A last season, but needs to cut down on strikeouts and draw more walks in order to have success at the majors. He’ll be given a long leash.

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Jesus Luzardo, SP, Oakland Athletics

Luzardo tossed 12 innings across six games last season and recorded two saves while striking out 16 batters with just three walks and two earned runs allowed. The former top prospect is currently slated as the No. 4 starter in the Athletics rotation.

Gavin Lux, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Lux hit two homers and stole two bases while slashing .240/.305/.400 across 82 plate appearances in 23 MLB games last season. He’s expected to be the everyday second baseman in 2020, and though he’ll likely bat ninth in the order, he’ll be followed by OF Mookie Betts, 1B Max Muncy and 3B Justin Turner as the lineup turns over.

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Nate Pearson, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays’ top pitching prospect, Pearson will likely be the first name called upon in the event of an injury to another starter. He’ll probably open the season on the taxi squad, but will still have a direct path into the rotation and can still make an early impact. He pitched to a 2.59 ERA across 62 2/3 innings in Double-A last season.

Carter Kieboom, SS, Washington Nationals

Kieboom will open 2020 as the replacement to Anthony Rendon at third base for the Nationals. He trailed only OF Victor Robles in the Nats’ prospect rankings last season, as he slashed .303/.409/.493 with 16 homers over 109 games in Triple-A. He hit two homers, but struck out in 37.2% of his plate appearances over 11 MLB games after his call-up. He gained some experience ahead of what’s expected to be a full 60-game season at the hot corner.

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Drafting closers who can rack up saves is one of the most difficult parts of fantasy baseball. The inherent volatility of the position — with many managers having short leashes for any sort of struggles in the latter innings — adds to the difficulty. It’s often not worth the price to take unproven closers in the early-to-mid rounds only for them to lose their job before the end of April. Here, we’ll look at four relief pitchers with a chance to take over the ninth-inning duties for their respective teams who are worth a late-round flier in your 2020 fantasy baseball drafts.

2020 Fantasy baseball sleepers: Closers

Ty Buttrey, Los Angeles Angels

Buttrey is expected to start the 2020 season behind Hansel Robles on the Angels’ closer depth chart. Robles has struggled this spring, however, and new manager Joe Maddon will have little allegiance to a player who converted 23 of 27 save opportunities in 2019.

The soon-to-be 27-year-old Buttrey appeared in 72 games last season but converted just 2 of 6 save opportunities. Still, he had a better strikeout rate than Robles and could certainly earn a shot if Robles takes his spring issues into the season. The Angels are expecting to be much better in 2020 after a busy offseason, and Robles’ leash will be kept tight while closing for a team with playoff aspirations.

Also see: 2020 Fantasy Baseball Busts: 5 Players to Avoid on Draft Day

Luke Jackson, Atlanta Braves

Jackson begins the 2020 season in a middle- relief role, while Mark Melancon and Will Smith occupy the late-inning roles. Jackson ranked inside the top 20 of qualified relievers last season in both strikeout rate (33.7%) and ground-ball rate (60.5%).

The 28-year-old converted just 18 of 25 save opportunities in 2019, but he did gain a reasonable amount of experience. He may need only to overcome Melancon, who hasn’t saved more than 12 games since 2016, with Smith preferred for the set-up role.

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Dellin Betances, New York Mets

Betances, who’s recovering from a torn Achilles which limited him to 2/3 of an inning with the New York Yankees last year, is still targeting Opening Day for his return to a major league mound. Used almost exclusively as a set-up man by the Yanks, Betances has converted 36 of 55 save opportunities over his career. He has an elite strikeout rate year-over-year and he induces more soft contact than hard. Betances will be available to replace Edwin Diaz if the latter’s 2019 struggles persist in the early going of 2020.

Andrew Miller, St. Louis Cardinals

Another veteran with considerable ninth-inning experience, Miller will start the season behind Giovanny Gallegos for closer duties. Gallegos, 28, pitched to a 2.31 ERA across 74 innings and 66 games last season, but he’s just 2-for-6 in career save opportunities. Miller has mostly been a set-up man the last four seasons, but he has 59 career saves and just 16 blown chances. He’s available at the end of drafts and will get enough work even in middle relief to provide value from the RP slot with strong ratios and high strikeout totals.