Eric Samulski's Prospects Live Bestball 50 Draft Breakdown

This offseason, Prospects Live announced a new draft format that they were hoping would bring together the dynasty crowd with more redraft-heavy players. The format was simple and also completely complicated. Each league would be a five-year Best Ball Dynasty featuring 30 teams where each owner would draft a roster of 50 players, and the […]

Will There Be Fantasy Fallout for the Astros?

The Houston Astros have landed in hot water this offseason after receiving sign-stealing allegations against them dating back to their World Series championship season of 2017. A long and thorough investigation by MLB has confirmed that the elaborate scheme to notify batters of specific pitches was indeed true, and the organization is now facing the […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: Exit Velocity

If you've watched a baseball broadcast in the so-called Statcast Era, you have undoubtedly noticed the broadcasters commenting on a batted ball's exit velocity, or EV. Many have taken to using stats like Hard% and Soft% to forecast how a player should be performing, expecting larger Hard% rates to produce larger BABIP and HR/FB figures. […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: HR/FB

Using BABIP to predict a player's batting average is great. Average is a category in many league formats and every hit is an opportunity to steal a base or score a run. But most owners find the long ball sexier. Every HR comes with a guaranteed run scored and at least one RBI. Many owners […]

How To Win Your Fantasy Baseball Leagues on Draft Day

I hate intros. Nobody takes the time to read these things. I could say whatever I wanted and it would literally pass zero sets of eyes. Watch.... I have hemorrhoids! See? No one. But in the rare occasion that one of you sad saps does in fact read this paragraph before jumping to the meat […]

Josh Bell Avoids Arbitration

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $4.8 million deal, according to a source. It was Bell's final year of arbitration eligibility. The 27-year-old was a breakout star in 2019, slashing .277/.367/.569 with 37 home runs, 94 runs and 116 RBI in 527 at-bats. It was […]

Mitch Moreland Could Return To Boston

Once considered a long shot to re-sign with the Boston Red Sox, it's looking more likely that first baseman Mitch Moreland will return. Sam Travis is now off the 40-man roster, and only Michael Chavis and Bobby Dalbec are capable of playing first base, but both of them are right-handed bats on a team loaded […]

Rays Acquire Jose Martinez, Randy Arozarena

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired outfielders Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena from the Cardinals on Thursday in exchange for top left-handed pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore and low-level catching prospect Edgardo Rodriguez. The Cardinals also sent a competitive-balance Round A pick (38th overall) to the Rays, who sent their Round B pick (66th overall) to St. […]

Brewers Agree With Logan Morrison

The Milwaukee Brewers agreed to an undisclosed deal with first baseman/outfielder Logan Morrison on Thursday, according to sources. Morrison slugged a career-high 38 home runs and drove in 85 runs in 149 games for the Rays in 2017, but he has fallen off a cliff since. He hit a miserable .186/.276/.368 with 15 homers and […]

Brewers Give Craig Counsell Contract Extension

The Milwaukee Brewers are signing manager Craig Counsell to a contract extension that will run through the 2023 season, according to sources. It's a well-deserved extension, as Counsell led the Brew Crew to a National League Championship appearance in 2018 before a wild-card showing this past season. The 49-year-old coach started as the head man […]

Top 570: Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (January)

Welcome back RotoBallers, and Happy New Year! Below you will find our staff's early 2020 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 570) for mixed leagues. In case you missed it, you can also see our tiered positional rankings and position-by-position analysis breakdowns as well. Four of our lead fantasy baseball analysts - Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Riley Mrack and Nicklaus Gaut - have analyzed the […]

Nationals Agree With Eric Thames

The Washington Nationals agreed to a one-year deal with first baseman Eric Thames on Tuesday that guarantees him $4 million, according to a source familiar with the deal. Thames will make $3 million in 2020 with a $1 million buyout of a mutual option for 2021. The 33-year-old averaged 24 home runs and an .848 […]

Mets Shopping Jed Lowrie, Dominic Smith

The New York Mets have discussed with teams the concept of taking second baseman Jed Lowrie and first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith as part of a joint package in a trade. Lowrie is injury-prone and will make $10 million in 2020, while Smith doesn't have a clear path to regular playing time and is out of […]

Top 30 Impact Prospects for 2020 Redraft Leagues

When last we checked in on the top rookies for 2020, the World Series had yet to be decided, the Astros’ obsession with garbage cans was still a secret, and Neal Huntington was running the Pirates. A number of things around baseball have changed since the last update but few, if any, moves have rattled […]

Edwin Encarnacion Signs With White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have signed first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion to a one-year, $12 million contract that includes a club option for $12 million in 2021. The White Sox struggled mightily to find production out of their designated hitter spot in 2019. Encarnacion hit .244 with 34 home runs and 86 RBI in 109 […]

2020 Offseason First Base Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues

It's never too early to start looking ahead to the next baseball season, so here we deliver our 2020 fantasy baseball rankings to those of you looking to scratch your fantasy itch. Whether you're already eliminated from fantasy football contention, or you're getting a head start on next year's keeper selections, RotoBaller has got you […]

White Sox Serious About Edwin Encarnacion

The Chicago White Sox are in serious pursuit of first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, although nothing is likely to be completed until after the holidays. Encarnacion, 37 in January, would be Chicago's full-time designated hitter if he lands with them, while occasionally spelling Jose Abreu at first base. It'd be a good setup for the […]

White Sox Talking With Edwin Encarnacion

The Chicago White Sox had talks with first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion at the winter meetings and since. Encarnacion will turn 37 next month, but he still managed to hit .244/.344/.531 with 34 home runs and 86 RBI in 418 at-bats with the Mariners and Yankees. Staying in New York would be ideal for his […]

Blue Jays Make Offers To Hyun-Jin Ryu, Edwin Encarnacion

The Toronto Blue Jays have made competitive offers to starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. The Jays are still looking to upgrade their rotation after adding Tanner Roark. Ryu has been flying under the radar despite going 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 182 2/3 innings […]

Blue Jays Sign Travis Shaw

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with infielder Travis Shaw on Sunday, according to a source. The deal includes $675,000 in performance bonuses. Shaw hit 30-plus homers in 2017 and 2018 with the Brewers, but he tanked in 2019 and was demoted to Triple-A San Antonio in 2019, hitting .157 […]

C.J. Cron Heading To Tigers

The Detroit Tigers signed first baseman C.J. Cron to a one-year, $6.1 million deal on Saturday, according to a source. The 29-year-old will be the starting first baseman for the rebuilding Tigers in 2020 after recording a career-high 78 RBI while hitting .253 with 23 home runs and a .311 on-base percentage in 125 games […]

Blue Jays Interested In Edwin Encarnacion, Travis Shaw

The Toronto Blue Jays are interested in first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. They've also monitored Travis Shaw, while Mitch Moreland and Eric Thames could also be options. Encarnacion isn't getting any younger -- he'll turn 37 in January -- but he still managed to hit .244/.344/.531 with 34 home runs, 81 runs and 86 RBI […]

Justin Smoak Signs With the Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers and free-agent first baseman Justin Smoak have agreed to terms on a one-year, $5 million contract. The deal comes with a team option for 2021 worth $5.5 million with a $1 million buyout, meaning Smoak will earn at least $6 million on the deal. He struggled mightily last season with the Blue […]

Early 2020 ADP Reflections - First Base

When a baseball season ends, the following season can’t come here soon enough for some fans, myself included. We start thinking about what we want to see from some players, which includes letdowns, bounce-backs, and even young prospects. Instead of letting them bounce off the brain walls, let’s put these musings into digits. This includes […]

Top 30 Prospects for 2020 Dynasty Leagues

It’s almost time to bid adieu to 2019 so it’s a great time to revisit the top dynasty prospects in baseball. The 2019 season saw a lot of stud prospects reach the Major Leagues, such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Peter Alonso, Yordan Alvarez… the list goes on and on. And as good […]

Freddie Freeman Doing Well After Surgery

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that first baseman Freddie Freeman (elbow) is doing well after having arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. "Last time I talked to him he said it hadn't felt that good in a long time," Snitker said. Freeman has plenty of time to heal up and should be 100 percent for […]

Brewers Staying In Touch With Eric Thames

Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns said that the team is staying in touch with first baseman Eric Thames, who was non-tendered by the Brewers. Thames was mostly a part-time player for the Brewers -- against right-handed pitchers -- and he was successful to the tune of a .247/.346/.505 slash line, 25 home runs and […]

Salvador Perez Could See Time At First Base

Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny said it's a realistic possibility that catcher Salvador Perez (elbow) sees significant playing time at first base in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2020. Perez is coming off a lost season in 2019 after having elbow reconstruction. But he should return to being one of the more […]

Cubs Not Working On Extension For Anthony Rizzo

The Chicago Cubs will not be offering first baseman Anthony Rizzo a contract extension this winter, according to Rizzo's agent, Marc Pollack. "Anthony has let his desire to be a Cub for life known to the organization. Although we do not know what the future holds, a deal to make that happen will not be […]

Barrel and Exit Velocity Batting Leaders: Statcast 2019 Review

The 2019 season saw more home runs hit than ever before in Major League history as 6,776 balls left ballparks across the league. The top-hitting club of them all was the Minnesota Twins with 307 big flies. Chief among them was none other than 39-year-old Nelson Cruz, who finished in a tie for seventh in […]