In 2017’s preseason Fantasy Baseball power rankings for the second base position, two of the top three belong to former New Yorkers.
Second base is as deep as it has ever been and in previous years if you didn’t get a top five second basemen, you really struggled at the position throughout your fantasy baseball season.This year, second base has some depth and with the players ranked from 10-15 you can get some good value. The top seven (in my rankings) can give you very good value at where you draft them in your draft.
RELATED: Fantasy Baseball first base rankings: Paul Goldschmidt and Anthony Rizzo lead the way
If you draft second basemen who will give you only runs, stolen bases and a good average (Dee Gordon, DJ LaMahieu) then maybe sure you draft some power hitters who can drive in some runs at other positions.
Light hitting second basemen can hurt you in other categories, but that shouldn’t stop you from drafting those players. Every player on your team should have a purpose.
There are few players who will give you production in five or six different offensive categories so drafting a player for speed and average is a good thing, but keep in mind you need to make it up in the other categories at different positions.
There are not a lot of prospects who will get called up that can help you during the late run in the season, but make sure you draft a solid second baseman this year.
Let me know who I missed, who I ranked too high or too low and did I miss your team’s best prospect at second base? Leave a comment and let me know, I’d love to talk fantasy with the readers.
The Prospects
Yoan Moncada, Chicago White Sox:
During the offseason, Moncada changed the color of his sox from red to white. The Boston Red Sox might regret trading him in the long run, but the Cuban infielder caught a lucky break by being traded out of Boston because now he has a better path to playing time at the major league level.
Moncada could get moved to third base, but as of now, he is considered a second baseman.
He looks the part of being an MLB superstar one day and he should be on the opening day roster if not the 21-year old will be a quick call-up from the minors.
Moncada is one of the few prospects that you should draft this year in 10-team leagues and keep him if he doesn’t make the opening day roster, as he is the real deal and someone who needs to be on your dynasty/keeper league radar.
Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves:
As a Braves fan, he is one of the reasons why I am excited about the future.
Albies is only 20 years old, but has a very legit shot to make the braves opening day roster. He is a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect at the moment but again, he is only 20.
He should hit for a high average, score runs and steal bases. It is not every day that a kid can make an opening day roster and that should tell you the type of talent he has.
No, he isn’t old enough to buy alcohol, but that shouldn’t stop you from drafting him. Buy him now because by this time next year he has a chance on being a top 10 overall player at this position.
T.J. Rivera, New York Mets:
Rivera is 28 years old and the only reason he is considered a prospect is because he doesn’t have the major league experience yet.
He hit .353 in the minors last year with 13 homers and got the call-up to the big leagues and in 104 at bats he hit .333. There is something here with Rivera because you don’t find hitters who hit for that kind of average every day.
He may end up turning into a super utility player, which is fine because on the days he plays he will give you a good average.
Regardless, Rivera is a name to keep in mind in leagues with deeper rosters where at times it is hard to find players to give you at-bats during the season.
NEXT: Close, but no cigar...
Just Outside The Top 10
Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox:
Over the last couple of years, when he’s healthy, Pedroia has put up solid numbers and has regularly gone undrafted.
No, he isn’t the MVP caliber player that he was, but he can still be a good source or runs scored and will hit for a good average. Last year he had 15 home runs, 74 RBI’s and had .318 average.
If he can repeat those numbers, he would be a great steal late in the draft again this year. He is in a very good lineup and should hit at the top of it. If the second basemen you draft struggles out of the gate, look for Pedroia to help you.
Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs:
Baez has the raw power at second base that scouts have been drooling over him the last handful of years and he finally got consistent playing time and put up pretty good numbers.
Baez showed in spurts that he can be an elite option at second base, put up a 20/20 season next year and might even go undrafted.
If you wait on second base in your draft, Baez should be the second basemen that you go after. He is young, has very good power upside and can steal up to 30 bases if given the chance. Target him in keeper and dynasty leagues.
Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles:
Schoop is one of the few second basemen who can hit 30 home runs next year as he hits in a good lineup and a hitter-friendly ballpark.
SEE ALSO: Fantasy Baseball catcher rankings: Gary Sanchez and Buster Posey lead the way
At second base, it’s hard to find that type of production especially late in drafts or on the free agent list. He’s in the same boat as Baez, if you skip on second base he is as good as it gets, late in drafts.
Schoop will also score 80+ runs next year but he may not be a good option in points leagues because of his low walk rate and his high strikeout total.
At just 25 years old, he could be a good pick in dynasty leagues who will give you consistent production this year and a couple years down the road.
NEXT: Power Rankings
Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
There are about three to four players that you can put at the ten spot, but I decided to go with Kipnis.
The two-time All-Star is in an elite lineup, will score a good amount of runs, hit for average and some power and even steal some bases.
Depending on where they bat him will determine if he drives in more runs or scores more and steals more bases. This could be a guy you draft late but will unquestionably provide you with tremendous production.
If you draft Kipnis late, that probably means you can draft more pitchers early on and give yourself a strong pitching staff.
Draft Kipnis and have a plan B in mind if he gets off to a slow start or another player gets off to a great start and you need to roster him. He doesn’t offer elite upside, but he is a guy who will help you throughout the long fantasy season.
NEXT: DJ LeMahieu
DJ LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies
You’re going to hear this a lot from me but when it comes to fantasy baseball, you want as many hitters from the Colorado Rockies as possible.
Second baseman DJ LeMahieu is surprisingly one of the few hitters who doesn’t take advantage of the thin Colorado air and hits a lot of home runs.
Over the last three seasons, he has hit a total of 22 home runs. That number is very low, especially in fantasy terms. On a good note, .324 over the last two seasons and the reigning NL batting champion after hitting .348 in 2016.
He also scored 100 runs last year and can do the same again pretty easily. The former gold-glover will also hurt you in the power categories, but he is an elite source for runs and average and will get you double digit steals.
NEXT: Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers
The 2016 AL gold glover is getting up there in age (33), but he has been one of the most consistent second basemen over the last five to seven years.
Kinsler isn’t a threat to steal 20 to 30 bases anymore, but popped 28 home runs last season — the second-highest of his career.
Encouraging, but you shouldn’t expect a repeat. He will, however, give you a good solid average (he hasn’t hit below .275 since 2012) and he is as good as a bet to score 100 runs next year.
He is a better play in head-to-head or rotisserie leagues than in points leagues because of his low walks and high strikeout numbers. If you decide to boot second base in your draft (I wouldn’t advise doing that) then you can grab Kinsler late and be pretty happy with his production.
NEXT: Dee Gordon
Dee Gordon, Miami Marlins
Gordon stole 30 bases in 79 games last season but now that Barry Bonds isn’t around giving the players PED’s and getting them suspended, he should be able to play a full season and steal you close to 75 bases.
The speedster will score also 85-plus runs, hit over .300 and, as mentioned, will be atop the stolen base leaders by season’s end.
However, he has never hit more than five homers in a season or drove in 50 runs — totals that could hurt you if you don’t have an elite source of home runs or RBIs at another position.
Basically: make sure you draft power at another position as his batting average, runs and stolen bases are the reason you draft him.
Gordon is in a good ballpark for his skill set and will bat at top of the lineup with the green light to steal as many bases as possible. His size and skill set he is a good pick in keeper and dynasty leagues and this year you will get him at a discounted price.
NEXT: Brian Dozier
Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins
Talk about a player who smashed his previous career highs and stormed onto the fantasy radar…
Dozier hit 42 homers (14 more than his previous career-high), 99 RBI’s (77 more than his previous career-high) and batted .268 (.24 points higher than his career-high).
What do you do with a guy who smashes his career high in almost every category and will turn 30 this season? Proceed with caution.
2016 will be his career year. It was his one outlier year that most big leaguers have, but Dozier has always been an elite source of runs scored (scored 100+ runs in three straight years) and he will get you double digit steals every year.
He is going to regress, but how much? My projection would be 100 runs, 30 HRs, 75 RBIs and 15 SBs. Those are very solid numbers and if you’re drafting him while expecting him repeat his output last season, you would be very disappointed.
NEXT: Jonathan Villar
Jonathan Villar, Milwaukee Brewers
A sneaky under the radar player coming into the 2016 season, Villar rewarded those who drafted or picked him up off the free agency list in their leagues.
He showed a little bit of everything last year by scoring 92 runs, hitting 19 homers, stealing 62 bases (leading the majors) and hitting .285.
Villar won’t drive in a ton of runs because he bats high up in the order, but he will produce in every other category.
Milwakee’s lineup isn’t very deep, but if he gets his stolen bases and scores his runs from being on second or third base, then it doesn’t really matter.
His name isn’t one that overly impresses, but he has shown the potential to be on top of the fantasy second base rankings for years to come. Definitely target Villar in keeper and dynasty leagues.
NEXT: Rougned Odor
Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers
I would much rather watch him box Floyd Mayweather than Conor Mcgregor, as Mcgregor won’t last two rounds.
SEE ALSO: Baby Bombers spend time helping The Salvation Army
Odor not only has a mean right hook but he is one of the up and coming players in the MLB at just 23. He also showed huge upside with 33 homers, 88 RBI’s and 14 stolen bases last year.
Again, stolen bases are down as a whole, so if you can find someone who can hit 30+ homers and steal double digit bases, he is a very reliable fantasy option.
Odor also hits in one of the best hitter parks in the league and should bat in the top five of that lineup. There’s a ton of potential for him to take a step up from his output in ’16 and if that happens, this may be the last year you can get him outside of the top 20 overall players.
He is also an elite option in keeper and dynasty leagues. If you are doing a first-year dynasty or keeper league, he should be one of the players you build your team around.
NEXT: Daniel Murphy
Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals
Hey Mets fans, remember when the front office didn’t think Daniel Murphy was worth the money? Guess what? He was!
A change of scenery carried Murphy’s postseason run from 2015 right into his 2016 MVP campaign and he seems to have found a new home in Washington.
He hit 25 homers and drove in 104 runs with a pretty solid .347 batting average en route to finishing second in NL MVP voting.
Murphy hits in a very good but top heavy lineup in Washington and should come pretty close to those numbers again this year.
Although, he could have had an outlier season such as the aforementioned Brian Dozier, but Murphy has shown in the past that he was a very good hitter.
He’s 31, so he doesn’t have many more years of top notch production but for the next two or three years, he will give you great production.
Remember, in dynasty leagues, you need to win now but also have a good team for the future. Murphy is a solid player to have on your team in every type of fantasy league.
NEXT: Robinson Cano
Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
Now it’s time for me to pick on the Yankees’ fans. Remember when the Yankees’ front office didn’t want to pay Robinson Cano? I do. Nice going, Yanks!
Cano has figured out and cured whatever stomach problem he had in 2014 and 2015, he finally put together the type of season that Mariners fans were hoping for when they signed him to a $240 million deal.
Cano went back to his Yankee days and scored 107 runs, smacked 39 homers and had 103 RBIs. He also hit .298 and played in 161 games.
The seven-time All-Star isn’t young anymore, but he puts very little strain on his body from his relaxed style of play. We have seen players put up good numbers at his age and he might get more days to DH, which will help him in the later months of the season.
Look for Cano to put up a similar type of numbers and produce at an elite level at second base.
NEXT: Jose Altuve
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
Altuve may need a booster seat to sit at most restaurants, but he is hands down the best second baseball in the league.
Last season, he put up an amazing stat line scoring 108 runs, smashing 24 homers, driving in 96 RBI’s, stealing 30 SB and hitting .338 with an OBP of .396.
He gives you production in every category and hits in one of the best lineups in the AL. If he bats first in the lineup he will give you more than 30 SBs and score more runs and if he continues to hit third in the lineup, he will be a threat to hit in 100 RBI’s and also give you more home runs.
Altuve should easily be one of the top three picks in a dynasty league, redraft league and keeper leagues. Do yourself a favor: draft this guy in any league you can. He is worthy of having on every team possible and you can’t say that about many players.