Tag: Late-round Targets

Top Fantasy Baseball sleepers to bank on in 2020

Highlighting the top 5 sleepers to target in your 2020 fantasy baseball drafts.

[jwplayer eksOOQvZ]

The key to the shortened 2020 fantasy baseball season will be getting every bit of production out of players and not letting them toil away on the waiver wire during a hot streak, especially at the start of the season. With this in mind, we look at the top fantasy baseball sleepers to target in your drafts for the 60-game MLB season.

Fantasy baseball sleepers

Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Average Draft Position (ADP): 255

Braun is one of the many National League players who will benefit from the universal designated hitter this season. The 36-year-old’s 144 games played last year were his most since 2012. A poor fielder late in his career, Braun will be able to focus predominantly on offense and will be at a much lower risk of injury.

He has hit 42 home runs over the last two seasons and hasn’t stolen fewer than 11 bases in a season since playing just 61 games in 2013. He’ll hit behind OFs Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich in the top-heavy Brewers lineup and will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Cleveland Indians

ADP: 269

Hernandez moves over to the American League after spending the first seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, and will get to play a lot of games against the weak pitching staffs of the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox. He’s able to contribute in all categories and is assured the bulk of the playing time in the center of the infield.

Nick Solak, 2B/3B/DH, Texas Rangers

ADP: 295

Solak isn’t guaranteed a regular position in the Rangers lineup, but his versatility and talent should keep him involved, especially if any Rangers position player suffers an early injury. He slashed .293/.393/.491 with five home runs across 33 games in Texas’ lost 2019 season. He needs to be drafted before becoming a hot commodity on the waiver wire.

Playing fantasy baseball? A Draft Day like no other deserves a fantasy baseball Cheat Sheet like no other. Weekly HQBasics from BaseballHQ is $4.95 with coupon code SBW5. Sign up now!

Amed Rosario, SS, New York Mets

ADP: 168

Rosario developed some power last season and finished with a career-high 15 home runs to go with 19 stolen bases. He struggles with strikeouts and needs to draw more walks, but his batting average improved greatly over the second half of last season and his defense will keep him in the lineup every day for a competitive team.

Jonathan Schoop, 2B, Detroit Tigers

ADP: 317

Schoop swatted 23 homers and drove in 59 runs over 121 games with the Minnesota Twins last season. He struck out in 25% of his plate appearances and walked in just 4.3%, but he’ll be fully allowed to take his cuts while hitting in the center of a bad Tigers lineup.

Want action on any 2020 MLB futures? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]

Top 5 Fantasy Baseball sleepers for 2020

Looking at the top 5 sleeper picks for the 2020 Fantasy Baseball season.

As the adjusted 60-game MLB season approaches, we take a closer look at some fantasy baseball sleeper picks. In a season that will involve more use of organizational depth and have a wider strength-of-schedule disparity than perhaps any other in the modern era, sleeper candidates figure to loom large in clocking points this season.

Let’s look at the top five players who fall into this category.

Top 5 Fantasy Baseball sleepers

Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Gavin Lux

Lux scuffled in his debut season, batting a whiff-heavy .240 in a 23-game stint. The Dodgers’ second sacker has a skill set to get to an OPS in the high 700s. The former first-round draft pick (Dodgers – 2016) has potential in all the fantasy scoring categories.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

Boston Red Sox OF Alex Verdugo

The 24-year-old comes over to the Red Sox after batting .294 with 12 home runs for the Dodgers in 377 plate appearances last year. A lot of line drives and a lot of Fenway Park on the schedule is a combination that never hurt anyone, unless you pitch for a living. The Statcast analytics – improved launch angle, an uptick in exit velocity – and improved performance against southpaws were factors somewhat masked by late-season injury issues (oblique strain). Verdugo benefits from the delayed start to the season, and fantasy managers will, as well.

Also see:

Colorado Rockies RP Scott Oberg

Oberg logged a 2.25 ERA across 56 innings pitched a year ago, and he figures to have a very real opportunity to unseat RP Wade Davis as the incumbent closer in Denver. The 30-year-old right-hander is an extreme groundball pitcher, and that’s helped him post tremendous numbers at Coors Field the last couple seasons.

Playing fantasy baseball? A Draft Day like no other deserves a fantasy baseball Cheat Sheet like no other. Weekly HQBasics from BaseballHQ is $4.95 with coupon code SBW5. Sign up now!

Miami Marlins OF Jon Berti

Berti registered an impressive late-bloomer rookie season in 2019. Position-wise, the 30-year-old is a Swiss Army Knife, and a year ago he clocked a .348 on-base percentage and stole 17 bases. 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 more roster flexibility and playing-time potential for down-roster types.

Oakland Athletics SP Frankie Montas

Can a 16-start, 2.63 ERA pitcher still be considered a sleeper the following season? In this case, yes. Montas returned from a PED suspension last year to strike out 9.66 batters per nine innings over 96 frames. An improved splitter last summer, improved velocity this summer, and a shortened season that mitigates some potential durability issues all point to good things for Montas.

He certainly wouldn’t be the first MLB pitcher to really get in high gear around the age of 27 (his current age). A schedule featuring 67% of games against the AL West doesn’t hurt. An early look at average draft positioning shows the Oakland hurler being undervalued.

Want action on any 2020 MLB futures? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]

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.

WIN YOUR FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE

Sign up for BaseballHQ.com‘s award-winning, insider services and dominate. Sign up now; use the code “PREP20” at checkout to take 25% OFF a Draft Prep subscription.

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.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1473]

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.

Fantasy baseball rankings at BaseballHQ.com

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.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1473]