2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Second Base (2B)

We've asked nine of our esteemed writers to submit their own fantasy baseball rankings for 2015, and we have calculated composite scores for all positions.  Rankings from one person represent just one opinion, so the goal of these composite fantasy baseball rankings is to give you a good sense of how we as a site view these players.  

Last week, we kicked off our 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings by looking at the big first base mashers.  Next up is second base. We'll be releasing the rest of our positional rankings this week before updating them in February and finalizing our preseason rankings in March.  Enjoy!

Editor's Note: Don't forget to check out all of RotoBaller's 2015 fantasy baseball rankings and analysis to prepare for your fantasy drafts. Let's win some leagues!
 

2015 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings

Brad Johnson (Lead MLB Editor)

Jeff Kahntroff (MLB Writer)

Betts has a lot of risk given his lack of experience, but I put him at fourth because of his upside.  Last year, he was on pace for about .291/15/60/110 with 20 steals despite hitting in a lineup that wasn't as good as it will be in 2015.  While some regression is coming, with pitchers building up more of a book on Betts, the improved lineup, contact rate and base-stealing ability should allow him to maintain success.  I rank Altuve behind both Boston guys, because if his BABIP regresses as expected, he’ll end up with a worse batting average and fewer stolen bases, which accounted for the bulk of his 2014 value. If either Pedroia or Betts bats outside the top of the order, Altuve slots back in ahead of them, as does Kinsler.

Harris Yudin (MLB Writer and Editor)

It's hard to ignore guys like Jose Altuve and Dee Gordon, both of whom swiped more than 50 bases in 2014. While Altuve led the majors in batting, Gordon's difficulty with getting on base is more of a concern, though I don't think it should be an issue going forward, as he has shown steady improvement in that area throughout his career. Cubs phenom Javier Baez is an interesting prospect. He has proven in the minors that he is capable of producing in all five categories, but the question is whether or not he will reach that level in 2015. Regardless, I think the lack of power coming from the middle infield warrants reaching a bit on a guy with Baez's potential.

Kyle Bishop (MLB Writer and Editor)

I doubt I'd appreciate him as much if I hadn't ended up owning him last year, but Neil Walker deserves some love. While he's coming off a career season, nothing about his peripherals looks flukey. He's averaged 20 HR+SB per season in the bigs, and his wRC+ has increased every year since 2011. Walker isn't flashy, but he's a solid all-around contributor at a premium position, and that carries pretty good value. While my top-five ranking for him is as much about the lack of exciting options at the keystone as it's an explicit endorsement, I do think he'll earn it and live up to the that valuation.

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Justin Berglund (MLB Writer)

I don't understand that lack of support for Dustin Pedroia. He did have a down year in 2014, but that was while dealing with nagging injuries. I also love Daniel Murphy-- I don't think his 2014 All-Star season was a fluke, and he should benefit from a renewed David Wright and the addition of Michael Cuddyer to the lineup. When it comes to Mookie Betts, I'm content on not drafting him early and missing out on his breakout, rather than taking a chance on an unproven commodity and losing out on value with a relatively high draft pick.

Kyle Braver (MLB Writer)

At 22nd overall in my second base rankings, it's clear to see I'll be staying away from Dee Gordon in next year's drafts. While I don't doubt his stolen base potential, I've never been one to bet on players with such one-dimensional skillsets in the early rounds of the draft, especially one who just experienced a career high in BABIP. As that number comes down, so too will Gordon's stolen base opportunities, and with it his value as a fantasy commodity. Without any power to fall back on, Gordon has the potential to be a very tough player to own next season.

I am much more interested in the package my fourth-ranked 2B, Jason Kipnis, offers owners next season. A poor 2014 masks a player with legitimate 20/30 potential and at worst a league-average BA. I'll be quite interested in how his 2015 season plays out.

Alex Roberts (RotoBaller Co-Founder)

There's a wide range of opinions with Dee Gordon, so I should explain why I have him ranked as the sixth-best second baseman for 2015 (but not before my jaw hits the floor at some of my fellow RotoBallers dropping Gordon all the way to the 20s).  Let's review 2014 quickly: Gordon finally earned a lead role, and his high GB% and ridiculous speed (along with some BABIP luck) helped increase his BA to .289. The result? 92 runs and 64 stolen bases, good for 26th overall and fourth among all middle infielders, behind only Jose Altuve, Anthony Rendon and Ian Kinsler.  On the flipside, Gordon's second half BB% took a nose dive, which reduced his stolen base opportunities.

Every player has risks. At a thin position like second base where there aren't enough difference makers beyond the top four or five, I am drafting for upside (truthfully, I'm not drafting a MI in the first seven or eight rounds of any draft, but if I were, I'd be drafting for upside).  Even if we chop his BA by 20 points and project a .269 with a ~.310 OBP, we can still safely expect 45 SB.  That's Gordon's floor. The upside, if he has a little luck, is 65-70 SB. Batting in front of Yelich, Stanton, Morse and Ozuna, Gordon has plenty of bats to drive him in. 550 AB, 265 BA with 90 R and 60 SB is basically what Juan Pierre used to do every year when it was justified to draft him in the fourth or fifth round.   If Gordon slips to the 10-13th round range, I would happily pounce on him at that price.

2015 RotoBaller Fantasy Baseball Second Base (2B) Rankings