X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Jon Anderson's Second Base Tiered Rankings and Projections

keston hiura fantasy baseball rankings draft sleepers

Happy drafting season everybody! We are back with another tiered ranking look, this time at second base. You can read about first base here.

The way I went about this was to use current projections for each player and then average out each player's percentile rank in each of the five standard rotisserie categories (R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG). I then tiered these players off based on those numbers, but also with some of my own interventions. Because this is mainly based on current projections (and it's mid-February at the time of this writing), you may be surprised at where some of these names are showing up. The projections may sharpen up as we enter Spring Training, and the ADP changes quite often this early in draft season, but right now there are some guys being drafted wrong and you can take advantage of that by looking at things strictly from a statistical perspective.

Here's how I see the tiers. At the end of each write-up, I'll give you my "favorite" name from each tier. This is who I like the best at their current ADP.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

 

Tier 1

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Ozzies Albies 1 33.6 641 90 25 86 14 .280

This probably won't be a common choice, but this fantasy analyst believes that Albies does come in a tier above the rest of the field. There is real five-category potential with Albies, a 30 homers, 20 steal, .300 season I think is within the range of outcomes. You just cannot say that about anybody else, so Albies for me is a cut above the field.

Favorite: Albies

 

Tier 2

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
DJ LeMahieu 2 28.6 683 97 21 76 7 .292
Whit Merrifield 3 36.5 691 93 16 67 24 .281

This is not a far falloff from tier one, and you can see that LeMahieu is actually the top second baseman off the board on average. You are paying about the same cost for these guys as you are for Albies, but you are giving up at least one category with both guys. LeMahieu could match Albies in power, but he's a handful of homers behind in most projection systems. He overcomes that a bit with a higher projected batting average but also lags behind in steals, which solidifies him as the number two second baseman in my view.

Then there is Merrifield who just keeps having really solid fantasy seasons. He could very well prove to be the most valuable second baseman as well if he keeps stealing bases and hitting for a solid batting average. He actually showcased increased power in the short 2020 season, hitting a home run every 29 plate appearances (his number was 46 in 2019). His ceiling is much lower than the two guys ahead of him, but he's a fine pick where he's currently going.

Favorite: LeMahieu

 

Tier 3

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Keston Hiura 4 68.3 601 77 29 85 11 .252
Ketel Marte 5 81.6 666 92 21 80 7 .287
Jose Altuve 6 101.2 673 94 23 82 11 .277
Mike Moustakas 7 121.9 620 83 35 97 3 .249

This is our first big drop. You can see the ADP changes drastically, as Hiura leads the way going at pick 68 on average. In terms of upside, there is a lot of it here. Hiura could lead the entire league in HR+SB if things go his way, but more likely he is going to really crush your batting average with his 30%+ strikeout rate.

We are basically looking at guys with some kind of serious deficiency now. In 2020 we saw Marte's power disappear, Moustakas struggle to stay healthy and hit for another low batting average, and we saw Altuve completely fall apart everywhere. Hiura is probably the only one here that can flirt with 20 steals, so by this point in the draft the second base position is really starting to dry up.

Favorite: Hiura

 

Tier 4

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Jeff McNeil 8 89.9 665 89 19 75 8 .284
Cavan Biggio 9 59.4 634 88 20 67 13 .235

You can make a case for these two being included in tier three, but I personally don't see it in a standard league. Neither of these guys does anything elite, and in Biggio's case, he could really crush your batting average while not making up for it with homers. McNeil brings a great batting average to the table, and Biggio should benefit from that improved Blue Jays' offense, but I'm not too interested in these high price tags and would prefer to live in tier three or above.

Favorite: McNeil

 

Tier 5

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Max Muncy 10 95.2 615 86 30 82 3 .232
Brandon Lowe 11 71.4 579 75 25 75 6 .247
Jean Segura 12 190.4 624 77 16 74 10 .281

This is probably the lowest tier you'll be seeing Brandon Lowe in, but he comes with just so much risk. He brought the strikeouts down last year but they were still at a high 26%. He did showcase a lot of raw power, so he could end up dusting that 25 homer projection, but I just don't see any safety at this point. He is clearly the top guy in tier five, and maybe he does deserve to be in tier four, but the price is much too high in my opinion.

That said, this tier doesn't look much different than tier four. Segura is a brutally boring player to roster that doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but he does chip in across the board and provides some rarely found strong batting average late in the draft. Given that he may end up in the bottom third of the batting order, he should probably be bumped down to tier six, but I'm going to keep him here for now just because he gives you steals and batting average without being a crater anywhere else.

Favorite: Muncy

 

Tier 6

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Nick Madrigal 13 191.4 553 66 7 57 20 .304
Dylan Moore 14 113.5 498 56 15 52 22 .225
David Fletcher 15 221.5 666 81 9 59 8 .278

And this is where the craters really set in. Moore is a solid option for steals and some upside, but the signs are pointing towards a very low batting average while not doing much in counting stats. He could be among the league leaders in steals, which makes him an interesting pick here, but chances are you'll be underwhelmed by him this year.

Then you have the two batting average specialists in Madrigal and Fletcher. I'm not sure where the .278 projection for Fletcher is coming from after he's hit .290 and .319 the last two seasons with a crazy high 92% contact rate, but even if we bump that up he still doesn't make a huge fantasy impact with how little power he brings to the table.

Madrigal is pretty much the same guy as Fletcher except with more steals. He could lead the league in batting average while chipping in 20 steals, which makes him a guy you want to start in fantasy, but if he bats ninth all year he is unlikely to help you in any other category, which justifies this low tier ranking.

Favorite: Madrigal

 

Tier 7

Player Current Projections
Name Rank ADP PA R HR RBI SB AVG
Nick Solak 16 168.5 556 65 17 65 9 .265
Andres Gimenez 17 181.4 429 49 10 48 18 .260
Jonathan Villar 18 144.2 424 54 11 43 22 .253
Chris Taylor 19 217.7 592 72 17 69 8 .246
Ryan McMahon 20 245.0 533 63 20 67 4 .249
Cesar Hernandez 21 363.1 567 67 10 53 6 .270
Kolten Wong 22 366.6 550 65 11 53 14 .254

These are the longer-shot guys here. You have some steals here in Villar and Gimenez, but they have playing time questions. You have a young player in Solak that could potentially be average across the board, but that's also a pretty big "if." Then you have other guys with extremely low ceilings that only really contribute in one or two categories.

Favorite: Solak

 

Rundown

  • The only second baseman with any real probability of being a five-category stud is Albies, so you could potentially get really far ahead of the field if you draft him and he has a huge year.
  • The top three names all project pretty similarly, and then there's a big drop off after that. Given how ugly the position is after tier two, it makes sense to prioritize one of the top three guys.
  • After the top three are gone, I think it makes sense to just play for upside. You will have trouble finding a guy you want to start all year long after the top names are gone, so you might as well go for broke with a big upside name like Hiura, Lowe, or Dylan Moore.
  • Alternatively, you could just sit on your hands for a while and take Madrigal or Fletcher late to shore up your batting average. That would be a huge hit to your team's power projection, so that's only a viable strategy if you have a few 40+ homer guys already rostered elsewhere.
  • If you're in a league with a middle infield spot, it makes much more sense to fill that spot with a shortstop as that position is way deeper than second base. If you use a premium pick on one of the top three names here, it probably makes sense to just ignore the second base position until late in the draft and then back your stud up with a tier six or seven player.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cody Bellinger30 mins ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks32 mins ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb36 mins ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
44 mins ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers1 hour ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans3 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson4 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson4 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist4 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies4 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund4 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine5 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Ausar Thompson5 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Thursday
Walker Kessler5 hours ago

Still Missing For Jazz
Jordan Clarkson5 hours ago

Questionable To Face Spurs
Devin Vassell5 hours ago

To Miss Third Consecutive Game
Chris Paul5 hours ago

Considered Probable For Thursday's Game
Khris Middleton5 hours ago

Medically Cleared To Play
Chris Sale16 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal16 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Paul George16 hours ago

Exits Game On Wednesday, Hyperextends Left Knee Again
Scoot Henderson17 hours ago

Leaves Game On Wednesday, Won't Return
Jalen Johnson17 hours ago

Active On Wednesday Night
Zach Collins18 hours ago

Uncertain To Play On Thursday
Austin Eckroat18 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English18 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin18 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy18 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Patrick Williams18 hours ago

Likely To Miss At Least One Week
Kyle Anderson18 hours ago

Available For Matchup With Hawks
Victor Wembanyama18 hours ago

Out Again On Thursday
Jusuf Nurkic18 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Stephen Curry18 hours ago

Will Play Against Atlanta
De'Anthony Melton18 hours ago

To Undergo Season-Ending ACL Surgery
Tre Mann18 hours ago

Probable For Thursday Night Matchup Against Detroit
Mike Conley18 hours ago

Appears On Injury Report For Thursday With Toe Injury
Donte DiVincenzo19 hours ago

Questionable Heading Into Thursday
Josh Jacobs19 hours ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith19 hours ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein19 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Wednesday
Tyrese Maxey19 hours ago

Active On Wednesday
Seth Jones21 hours ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold21 hours ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi21 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts21 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram21 hours ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Jake Ferguson21 hours ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen21 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb21 hours ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch21 hours ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson21 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta22 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle22 hours ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
George Kittle22 hours ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg22 hours ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey22 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim22 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy22 hours ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole22 hours ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
San Francisco 49ers22 hours ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey22 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle23 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy23 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison23 hours ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta24 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley1 day ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Isiah Pacheco1 day ago

To Practice On Wednesday
Connor Bedard1 day ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart1 day ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele1 day ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid1 day ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB1 day ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman1 day ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Jonas Brodin2 days ago

Returns To Action
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez4 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
4 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]


Jauan Jennings - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Breakouts for Fantasy Football - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Week 12 (2024)

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Fantasy Football Breakouts - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends Analysis For Week 12 by Kevin Tompkins Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no air yards, receiving yards, receptions, or touchdowns without first earning a target. There’s a reason the biggest and most consistent […]


Video: Week 12 Must-Start Wide Receivers - 2024 Fantasy Football Streamers, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Analysis

As we head into Week 12 we're dealing with multiple teams on byes. Be prepared to navigate those challenges by checking out our favorite 2024 fantasy football must-start wide receivers for Week 12! RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly discusses his top "Must Start" WRs that will have a fantasy football impact in Week 12, as well as […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]