It is fantasy baseball season! Here, we’re highlighting 9 fantasy baseball rookies you’ll want to target on draft day.
It’s always fun and a moment of pride to land one of baseball’s top prospects in your fantasy draft. Whether you followed them in the minor leagues or not, you can be a fan from the get-go in the majors. Most importantly, you can brag to your friends and league mates you knew the success was coming.
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Also see: How to win your fantasy baseball draft: 5 tips you need to know
9 fantasy baseball rookies to target
Tampa Bay Rays OF Randy Arozarena
Endeared himself in the hearts of many with his outstanding 2020 postseason performance in which he hit 10 home runs in 20 games and was named ALCS MVP. Baseball HQ has him projected for 29 homers and 22 steals over 563 at-bats in 2021.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
Set to open the season No. 2 in the Pirates’ lineup, Hayes will be given plenty of leash for a team bereft of impactful talent. He hit five home runs over 24 games last year and is projected for 24 homers and an .823 OPS this season.
Chicago White Sox 2B Nick Madrigal
Will be a key piece of a White Sox team with big hopes for 2021 after slashing .340/.376/.369 over 109 plate appearances in 2020. He has never shown power at any level, but he refrains from striking out and is projected for 17 stolen bases.
Texas Rangers OF Leody Taveras
Four home runs and eight steals in just 33 games last season. Strikeouts are an issue, but the Rangers can afford to be patient.
St. Louis Cardinals OF Dylan Carlson
Slated to open the season near the bottom of the Cards’ lineup but should quickly work his way up the order. He’s projected for 21 homers and 14 steals with a .758 OPS.
Toronto Blue Jays C Alejandro Kirk
A .375/.400/.583 line over nine games late in 2020 wasn’t enough to guarantee Kirk an Opening Day spot with the Jays, but he should quickly usurp C Danny Jansen. Kirk showed up to spring training in much better shape and has two homers with a .996 OPS through 22 at-bats.
Atlanta Braves RHP Ian Anderson
Began his MLB career with wins over the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox and finished with a 1.95 ERA over 32 1/3 innings. It’s fair to expect slight regression, but he showed excellent command and limited home runs.
Miami Marlins RHP Sixto Sanchez
Had just 7.62 strikeouts per nine innings last year but walked just 2.54 per nine with only three home runs allowed over 39 innings. Wins may be tough to come by with Miami, but he’s projected for a 3.78 ERA with 119 K’s over 138 innings.
Seattle Mariners OF Jarred Kelenic
May not start the season in the bigs but will quickly force the M’s hand despite their possible desires for service time manipulation. A former No. 6 overall pick of the New York Mets, he totaled 23 homers and 20 steals over three levels of the minors in 2019.
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