fantasy baseball sleepers

Fantasy baseball sleepers: Target these hidden stolen base gems

Analyzing five fantasy baseball sleepers who can help you win your 2020 fantasy baseball league’s stolen-base category.

The MLB and fantasy baseball season will be upon soon, and now is the time to hone in on targets to bolster your fantasy baseball lineup. Stolen bases have dropped by nearly 20% since 2014, and 20-steal producers have become more rare … and more of a commodity. Below, we investigate some hidden stolen-base gems, players who can produce in the category but at the right price point or at a value slot in a fantasy baseball draft.

Jon Berti, SS-OF-3B, Miami Marlins

Berti logged an impressive late-bloomer rookie season in 2019. The now-30-year-old can play all over the diamond, and that led to 256 at-bats a year ago. Berti clocked a .348 on-base percentage and 17 stolen bases, and he was up with the big club from July 31 to the end of the season.

A thief of 270 bags in nine Minor League seasons, Berti’s straight-line sprint speed measured as 13th-fastest in the 2019 MLB season. The .348 OBP would appear ripe for regression, but the 2020 season brings a 26th roster spots for MLB clubs and that much more opportunity for a diverse talent.

Garrett Hampson, 2B-OF, Colorado Rockies

Hampson was a negative-WAR, .247 batter in his age-25 rookie season in 2019. What’s intriguing is his elite speed and the numbers he cobbled together in the second half last season. Hampson logged a .284/.348/.462 (batting/on-base/slugging) slash line in 188 second-half plate appearances.

The opportunities led to 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts. Only three players posted faster StatCast times than Hampson’s 30.1 feet per second. The upside here is upwards of 25 steals.

Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Cleveland Indians

Hernandez comes over from Philadelphia as a free agent. A durable sort with previous OBP norms near .360, the 29-year-old scuffled his way to a .333 OBP (and nine SB) in 2019.

A return to a double-digit walk rate (which Hernandez had each season from 2016-18) would be a boon to fantasy baseball drafters looking for more thefts. The speedy second sacker logged a 7% walk rate in 2019. A different philosophy in Cleveland is likely, and so is a potential doubling of last year’s stolen base figure.

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Nick Madrigal, 2B, Chicago White Sox

Madrigal will likely record his first steals of 2020 with the Charlotte Knights. The crazy-fast Pale Hose prospect swiped 35 bases in 120 MiLB games last year. (In those 120 games, Madrigal walked 44 times while striking out just 16 times.)

The 23-year-old might not be a prospect we see until after Derby Day, but he profiles as a very interesting fantasy baseball asset. He could arrive in May and still end up 20-plus steals this season.

Also see:

Trent Grisham, OF, San Diego Padres

Another 23-year-old prospect, Grisham registered a .328 OBP (and one stolen base) in 51 games with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019. After being traded for, he’s the heir apparent for the Padres’ center field job this season.

Grisham’s skills have upside across the board, and for a highly athletic player whose StatCast speed numbers put him in very good company, stolen base numbers can certainly be in the mix. He had 25 steals in 55 games as an 18-year-old in 2015, and stole 38 in 133 games in advanced A-ball two years later. Grisham is having a big spring for the Padres. He may well be worth having in a few categories, one of them being stolen bases.

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Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: 3 Prospects to Target on Draft Day

Analyzing three lesser-know MLB prospects entering the 2020 season as fantasy baseball sleepers who have the upside to help win your league.

Drafting prospects can be one of the most fun parts of fantasy baseball. It’s always exciting to get a share of MLB’s new wave of top, young talent, whether they’ll be starting the season in the majors or auditioning for an early season promotion. Here, we look at three sleeper prospects available toward the end of your fantasy baseball draft who’ll be able to make big contributions upon their MLB debut this season.

2020 Fantasy baseball sleepers: Prospects

Alec Bohm, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies

Bohm comes into the 2020 season just 23 years old and without having played a game above Class AA. Hit hit 14 home runs across 63 games at the second-highest minor-league level last year. Additionally, he has shown promising plate discipline in the minors with a 10.4% walk rate and stomachable 14.1% strikeout rate last year in AA ball.

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

The Phillies have a crowded infield following the signing of SS Didi Gregorius this offseason. Scott Kingery is expected to handle third base duties to open the season, but he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations through his first two seasons. Kingery’s versatility and ability to play multiple positions defensively also makes him an easy injury replacement whether it by around the infield or in the outfield.

The Phillies are all in, and they’ll make room for Bohm if he can get off to a hot start at Class AAA. He’s a top option in keeper leagues or redraft leagues with Inactive slots.

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Nate Pearson, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays finally splurged in free agency this offseason, reeling in SP Hyun-Jin Ryu as one of the top starters on the open market. He’ll front the starting rotation this year, but he’s followed by an uninspiring corps of veterans with potential injury concerns in Tanner Roark, Matt Shoemaker and Chase Anderson.

Pearson has been dominant in spring training and could be forcing the Blue Jays’ hand. The team is in need of a top-level No. 2 starter behind Ryu, and it may be best for his development to be up in the majors and working with the veteran ace while facing MLB hitters rather than toiling away in the minors.

Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Baltimore Orioles

Mountcastle is the top hope for an Orioles club in dire need of adding excitement and offensive talent. The 23-year-old hit 25 home runs across 127 games at Class AAA last season, and he has little left to prove.

He’s stuck behind highly paid, but struggling veteran Chris Davis at first base, but he could force the Orioles to admit the mistake of Davis’ lofty extension and make them swallow salary to clear room. If not, he’s likely to get his shot in left field, as the Orioles are in need of an upgrade at several positions.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire.

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2020 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: 5 Players to Help Win Your League

Analyzing five of the best fantasy baseball sleeper candidates for the 2020 MLB season who can help you win your league.

The fantasy baseball season is nearly upon us with spring training well underway. Below, we look at five fantasy baseball options for the 2020 MLB season that can help you win your league.

Not all fantasy baseball sleepers lists are the same, with the term being left open for interpretation. Here, we’re looking at players who will offer value relative to their draft position, whether that be in the middle or later rounds.

2020 Fantasy baseball sleepers

Justin Upton, OF, Los Angeles Angels

Upton is set to return from a 2019 season in which he was limited to just 63 games due to toe and knee injuries. He was able to hit 12 home runs in 256 plate appearances, but he posted a slash line of just .215/.309/.416 with all three figures falling well below his career averages. He posted higher rates of both fly balls and hard contact.

He’s expected to hit fifth in 2020, and he will have plenty of RBI opportunities with Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Shohei Ohtani lined up ahead of him. Returns from injury typically represent good value on draft day, and Upton is one of this season’s prime examples.

Travis Shaw, 1B/2B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays

Shaw is coming off a poor 2019 season with the Milwaukee Brewers, as he hit just seven home runs in 86 games. He totaled 63 homers over the previous two seasons and is now the veteran presence in a young, loaded, Blue Jays lineup.

Shaw is expected to be the everyday first baseman and will have plenty of opportunities in Toronto, while also being able to fill in at 3B or 2B. He hit fewer ground balls with more fly balls in his limited action last year, and he should be able to return to the 30-home run tier in the very hitter-friendly Rogers Centre.

Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Madison Bumgarner was signed to be the new ace of the Diamondbacks’ rotation in 2020 and beyond. Robbie Ray returns as a strong No. 2, and Mike Leake and Luke Weaver help to round out the five-man group with Gallen.

Gallen, a Class AAA star in the Miami Marlins organization last year, is going overlooked. He struck out 10.8 batters per nine innings over 15 MLB starts with the Marlins and Diamondbacks last season. While he allowed 4.05 walks per nine innings, he limited damage by giving up just 0.90 home runs per nine. Keeping the ball in the park will be an essential skill at Chase Field.

Ian Happ, 2B/3B/OF, Chicago Cubs

Positional eligibility is a major asset in all fantasy baseball formats, and Happ’s ability to move around the field will allow him to stay in the Cubs lineup on most days in 2020.

He was sent back to Class AAA for a large portion of the 2019 campaign following strong 2017 and 2018 seasons in the majors. He totaled 27 homers and 11 stolen bases in 157 combined games across the two levels.

Will Smith, C, Los Angeles Dodgers

Smith is going overlooked in the powerful Dodgers lineup. Despite the fact he’s almost sure to be stuck in the bottom third of the batting order all season, the 24-year-old catcher should finish the season as one of the top options at the thin position. He’ll have men on base more often than not when stepping up to the plate, and his 15 home runs in 54 MLB games last year had him on a 40-homer pace.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire.

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