Dynasty Second Base Rankings for Fantasy Baseball

We will continue our early preseason look at each position with some thoughts on individual player values heading into 2021. We've already gone over first base. Today, we continue with second base.

As we prepare to flip the calendar to 2021, fantasy baseball managers are poring over MLB free agency news and the latest rankings. That includes our constantly-updated dynasty rankings.

The keystone has promising depth with some talented prospects primed to debut in late 2021. Let's break down some of the top players.

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Dynasty Second Base Rankings

Preseason Thoughts

Ozzie Albies is the consensus top player at the position across most platforms and that definitely holds true in dynasty. He had put together back-to-back seasons with 24 home runs and at least 14 steals in 2018-2019. He stumbled a bit in 2020, but his sample size was even smaller than most as he played just 29 out of 60 games. At 24 years of age, Albies is a clear five-category stud who will continually be among the league leaders in the most underrated roto category - runs scored.

Keston Hiura's value gained a lot of helium after 2019. Despite a nondescript frame, he's shown plenty of pop. He went deep 19 times as a rookie in half a season's worth of at-bats and then hit 13 bombs in the short season, tying Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, and Juan Soto among others. He seemed to sell out for power too much at times, sacrificing his average in the process. Hiura dropped from a .303 average down to .212. His high strikeout rate is mainly to blame and is a legit concern as it bloated to 34.6% in 2020. Another red flag may be his career 24.8% HR/FB mark. For a player who has kept his fly ball rate under 40% and made less hard contact while striking out more, regression could hit him hard if he doesn't make up for it by getting on base more often.

Cavan Biggio is one of the biggest risers from a year ago, landing in the top 10 and as high as the top-five at this position on some sites. The concerns about Hiura's low average and pull-happy ways (above) are understandable but we should have similar misgivings about Biggio. He batted .234 in his rookie season followed by .250 in 2020. Biggio improved his strikeout rate by five points and maintains a walk rate in the mid-to-high teens, as he did throughout the minors. There's a lot to like with his power-speed combo but projections of a 20-20 or even a 30-20 season might be a bit overblown.

Biggio is a very opportunistic runner, having stolen 20 bases in the majors without getting caught. He doesn't have elite sprint speed, however, ranking in the 72nd percentile. The Jays attempt steals at a rate right around league average but Biggio may not be asked to run too often with the murderer's row of young bats hitting behind him. The big question is how often he can get on base. Remember that .250 batting average? That was an overachievement on his .215 xBA by quite a bit. Steamer projects him to hit .237 with 21 HR and 14 SB which sounds like a likely outcome. Those numbers could improve over the years but I can't place him among the elite second basemen just yet.

On the other hand, Gavin Lux may not have a ranking this low for a while. Expected to compete for a starting job entering 2020, he didn't debut until the end of August. He was one of the young players who struggled with the transition from the long layoff to a shortened preseason and never found his footing. In the small sample, Lux struggled to make contact and left fantasy managers with more questions than before about his pro readiness. With Kike Hernandez lingering in free agency, the door is open for Lux to take the job again and fulfill his potential. This is the perfect buy-low window.

Jose Altuve is a player whose value will fluctuate depending on roster makeup. Those in win-now mode can still consider him a top-10 player but there are red flags waving to warn us that the floor could drop from beneath him any time now. First of all, the steals are gone. He fell to 17 steals in 2018, six in 2019, down to a mere two in 2020. The sprint speed is still there but the timing isn't. Over the last two seasons, Altuve has a total of eight steals and eight times caught stealing. He made up for it by going yard a career-high 31 times in 2019 but his xSLG fell by 147 points in 2020. The most concerning stat is his strikeout rate which has risen for five straight seasons. Positive regression could see him approach 20 homers with a .280 average but Steamer's projection for 11 steals seems way too bullish.

For some perspective on how I value Jake Cronenworth, consider his inclusion in my "Dynasty Players to Trade Away" piece. There are no peripherals that suggest a sharp decline should come, it's simply a matter of carving out a regular role on a team that is all in on contending. Cronenworth will be a more valuable real-life player than a fantasy one.

Luis Garcia debuted at the ripe age of 20 last year and may be everything the Nats thought Carter Kieboom could have been. While the team seems ready to throw in the towel on Kieboom, Garcia could man second base for years to come. Garcia has plenty of room to grow, but for now we could see his game power translate to many more doubles than home runs. While he can hit for average and has good plate discipline in general, his value in points leagues takes a hit because he simply doesn't like taking a walk. Garcia walked five times in 139 plate appearances last year and held a walk rate around 4% throughout his short minor league career. That will keep him near the bottom of the lineup most of the year and limit his R+RBI chances. Garcia won't have much redraft value but could be worth holding in dynasty if he takes a step forward late in the season.

Deeper Options to Watch

Hanser Alberto has an interesting set of rankings on his Statcast profile (courtesy of BaseballSavant):

If you want a player who almost never strikes out but also never walks or hits the ball with any type of authority, he's your guy. It's amazing that Alberto somehow managed to pop 12 homers in 2019 despite an even lower 18.5% hard-hit rate and 2.9% barrel rate. The most bizarre stat is that by expected home runs, if he'd hit all those balls in Coors Field, he would have only had three HR in 2019 and one in 2020... Anyway, Alberto has shown he can hit for average, batting .305 and .283 the last two seasons respectively, but the floor is unfathomably low and he is still a free agent as of this writing. Let's just hope he doesn't land in Colorado.

Tim Lopes isn't quite Mallex Smith on the basepaths but he is a similar speed-only guy whose only value is as an occasional streamer to help play catch-up in one category. The Brewers claimed him this offseason and could put him in a utility role, mainly in the outfield.

All eyes are on Jo Adell in the Angels' farm system, but 23-year-old Jahmai Jones may make an impact first. Jones is currently the Angels' No. 11 prospect and is being groomed as the second baseman of the future, a spot currently held down by David Fletcher. Jones temporarily shifted to the outfield in the minors but should settle back in his natural position. Good plate discipline and speed are his calling cards along with a professional approach. Per his MLB.com Scouting Report, "His plus makeup and work ethic should aid him in becoming a solid everyday second baseman."

Former Cardinals' prospect Max Schrock may get a shot at regular playing time if the Cubs continue their rebuild and trade away Kris Bryant. That would shift David Bote to third base and leave second open for Schrock. He did little in a cup of coffee in St. Louis last year, hitting .176 over 17 plate appearances and was released by the team. He profiles as a lite version of Nick Madrigal, with a high contact tool but no power to boast of.

Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada may wind up battling for at-bats at second base if the Yankees don't re-sign D.J. LeMahieu. Of the two, Wade figured to be on the strong side of any platoon and has better plate discipline to fall back on. Neither has much power upside but both offer a modicum of speed.

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