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Peak fantasy baseball draft season is rapidly approaching. With teams starting to report to spring training, the first games won’t be too far behind them.
As we continue to prepare you for your drafts, let’s dive into some of the more appealing infield options to consider. There are only three infielders who have an ADP inside the top 12 on Yahoo, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of elite options.
The top infielder currently going off the board is Bobby Witt Jr., who has an ADP of 2.8 on Yahoo. Let’s work our way down the draft board behind him and highlight some players to consider at various points in the draft.
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Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Freddie Freeman currently has an ADP of 7.3, which is third-highest among eligible infielders. He had another special season in 2023, hitting .331 with 29 home runs, 102 RBI, 131 runs scored, and 23 stolen bases. Freeman has recorded three straight seasons with at least 117 runs scored and a .300 batting average. He also has back-to-back campaigns with at least 100 RBI.
What makes Freeman so unique is his elite eye at the plate. Last season, he only had a 20.4 percent whiff rate and a 16.6 percent strikeout rate. He also made quality contact, posting an 11.1 percent barrel rate.
For his career, Freeman has a .213 ISO and a .383 wOBA. Combine his talent with being in a lineup with Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani, and Freeman is one of most appealing hitters in fantasy baseball. He has also been a picture of health, playing at least 158 games in each of the last five full seasons.
Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees
Gleyber Torres looked like a star in the making when he first came up with the Yankees. After batting .271 and slugging 24 home runs during his rookie season, he hit .278 with 38 home runs in 2019. Then, things started to get ugly.
Torres saw a steep power decline in 2020, posting just a .125 ISO over 42 games. That number dropped to .107 in 2021. His hard-hit rate bottomed out at 35.7 percent in 2021, while his wOBA dropped to a career-low .307.
Things started to turn around for Torres in 2022, but 2023 is the season to focus on. He showed an improved eye at the plate, posting a 10.0 percent walk rate and a 14.6 percent strikeout rate. That helped him produce a .346 wOBA to go along with 25 home runs and 90 runs scored.
The Yankees lineup should be much better around him with Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo in the fold, so Torres could challenge his previous career highs in runs scored and RBI with his new approach at the plate.
Zack Gelof, Oakland Athletics
There wasn’t much to be excited about with the Athletics last season, but Zack Gelof was one of their few bright spots. He showed his versatility at Triple-A, batting .304 with 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases across 69 games. He used a 13.3 percent walk rate to help him compile a .408 wOBA.
When called up to the majors, Gelof had similar success. Over 69 games, he hit .267 with 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a .357 wOBA. The Athletics don’t have a good lineup, and their home park isn’t advantageous to hitters. However, with his ability to get on base and having the green light to steal bases, Gelof could provide at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Both ATC and Steamer have him projected to achieve that feat. That makes him a potential bargain with a Yahoo ADP of 131.
Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees
Anthony Rizzo had a disappointing season that was marred by a concussion. The Yankees didn’t initially diagnose him with any issues following a collision at first base, so Rizzo played through his ailment. His strikeout rate jumped to 23.0 percent, a significant increase over his career mark of 16.4 percent. His power numbers also declined, leaving him with a .134 ISO. He was eventually diagnosed with the issue and held out for most of the second half of the season.
Heading into spring training, Rizzo is no longer dealing with the effects of the concussion. In 2022, he slugged 32 home runs and had a .352 wOBA over 130 games. Hitting behind the likes of Soto and Aaron Judge could leave him with a ton of opportunities to drive in runs. With his ADP all the way down to 241, he’s someone to strongly consider in the later rounds.
Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox
Trevor Story’s career has been derailed since signing with the Red Sox. Elbow surgery limited him to 94 games in 2022 and he spent most of last season on the IL. He did come back to appear in 43 games, but he hit just .203 with a .250 OBP. He did not show a strong eye at the plate, posting a career-low 5.4 percent walk rate to go along with his 32.7 percent strikeout rate.
If there was a positive for Story last season, it’s that he stole 10 bases. He has proven to have wheels before, stealing at least 20 bases in a season three times with the Rockies. It would not be a surprise if he improved his walk rate this season, given that he has an 8.3 percent mark in that department for his career. That would help with his stolen base opportunities.
Story is locked in at shortstop for the Red Sox and finally has a healthy offseason under his belt. Like Gelof, a 20-20 season could be in the cards for him. ATC, Steamer, and THE BAT all have him projected for at least 20 home runs and 20 steals. While his batting average won’t be an asset for fantasy managers, he’s still an appealing late-round option, with his current ADP sitting at 236 on Yahoo.
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