Nestor Cortes Nearing Spring Debut

New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes (hamstring) has resumed throwing from a mound, including against live competition on Feb. 23, and he has been running at around 90 percent intensity. Manager Aaron Boone said that Cortes will likely throw one more live batting practice session before making his Grapefruit League debut in camp. A Grade […]

Josh Donaldson Feels Different This Spring

New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson began his offseason work earlier than usual and cited a new "intensity" and "focus" in ensuring he was ready for spring training this year. He went 1-for-2 with a single, walk and strikeout in his Grapefruit League debut on Sunday and is ready to bounce back after posting […]

Points Leagues: Outfielders to Underperform Fantasy Baseball ADP in 2023

As Spring training begins to pick up steam, it’s also an impending sign of fantasy baseball draft season. And what spot is more important in fantasy baseball than the outfield? Some of the game's best offensive talents man one of the outfield spots. True fantasy baseball difference-makers like Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Julio […]

Pitcher Statcast: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Statcast metrics such as Barrels and Brls/BBE are great ways to evaluate a fantasy baseball batter's performance, so it is only natural to assume that the metrics would be predictive for pitchers as well. As much as batters want to hit a Barrel every time, pitchers want to avoid them at all costs. Yet, there […]

Third Base Draft Values for Fantasy Baseball - EDV Finds Undervalued, Overvalued Picks

Baseball is coming, so it is time for another year of the FSWA-award-nominated Expected Draft Values (EDV) series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. Today, we'll look at third basemen […]

Who Is the #1 Pick for 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts?

The No. 1 overall pick. One of the most coveted spots in fantasy sports. If you’re one of the few lucky ones to receive a number one pick, you know how stressful it can be, however. Your pick is scrutinized by the rest of your league mates and that makes it more fun, or worrisome. […]

First Base Dynasty Rankings for Fantasy Baseball

After years of mostly just top-tier production, first base is making a comeback in fantasy output. There are some intriguing names in re-draft leagues, but we will look at dynasty fantasy baseball rankings here. Most leagues are starting to decide who will be part of their future; some will be looking to draft some of […]

RotoBaller Staff Mock Draft Analysis: 12-Team Roto League Draft

Mock drafts remain an integral piece of fantasy baseball prep in 2023. Some of RotoBaller’s top minds joined up for a 12-team 5x5 Roto mock draft over on Fantrax. I’ll be delivering a round-by-round breakdown of the draft and highlighting some noteworthy picks along the way. Then I'll point out some trends, including how third […]

Barrels and Brls/BBE: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Previously, we looked at how the exit velocity is only one piece of the fantasy baseball analysis puzzle. Baseball broadcasts will commonly cite Launch Angle (LA) to complement their EV figures, but it is given in terms of degrees. LA is basically a fancy way of saying things that the fantasy community has used for […]

Second Base Draft Values for Fantasy Baseball - EDV Finds Undervalued, Overvalued Picks

And we're back to the Expected Draft Values (EDV) series, where we look at historical data to identify both over and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We started with first base and now head to second base as we make […]

Clay Holmes To See Most Of Save Opportunities

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that relief pitcher Clay Holmes is expected to close out the majority of the games for the team in 2023. "I would expect [Holmes] to close a lot of games for us. Probably most games, and hopefully a lot of games. But I do see a number of […]

MLB Betting Picks Futures - World Series Winners, League Winners, Season Specials

As we enter spring training for the 2023 Major League Baseball season and chatter around which teams and players will break out this year starts to begin, arguments about who is going to win the World Series ensue. What better time to start thinking about how we can profit from our predictions? Predicting World Series […]

First Base Draft Values for Fantasy Baseball - EDV Finds Undervalued, Overvalued Picks

Baseball is coming, so it is time for another year of the FSWA-award-nominated Expected Draft Values (EDV) series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We'll start at first base and […]

Jasson Dominguez To Play In Spring Training Opener

New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez is set to play in Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. The switch-hitting outfielder will get his first taste of major league spring training action as a non-roster invitee. Dominguez is one of the top prospects in baseball, but isn't expected to play in the MLB this […]

Luis Severino Slims Down

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino made changes to his diet in the offseason and dropped 15 pounds during the winter as he enters the final year of his contract in 2023. Severino made only three starts from 2019-21 due to various injuries, including Tommy John surgery, but he had a nice 3.18 ERA […]

Pitchers With Fastball Velocity in The Tank - Potential Fantasy Baseball Risers

One of the ways a pitcher can have a breakout season is by gaining velocity. We see this quite often. A pitcher will find a way to add velocity to their pitches (mainly their fastball), which makes that primary pitch a bit more effective and enhances their offspeed pitches as well by separating the two […]

Ben Rortvedt Undergoes Surgery

New York Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt (shoulder) underwent surgery on Wednesday to address an aneurysm of the posterior artery near his left shoulder. Rortvedt will be held out of all baseball activities for at least a month and hopes to make his debut in pinstripes in 2023. The 25-year-old was part of the Gio Urshela-Gary […]

Frankie Montas Undergoes Shoulder Surgery Wednesday

New York Yankees starting pitcher Frankie Montas (shoulder) underwent surgery to clean up his right labrum on Wednesday. The good news is that doctors didn't have to touch his rotator cuff, so Montas is expected to begin a throwing program in 12 weeks. The 29-year-old right-hander and the Yankees are hoping that he will be […]

MLB Pitcher Prospect Graduates - Sophomore Fantasy Baseball Outlooks (AL Central)

In the second installment of a six-part series focused on pitchers who exhausted rookie eligibility during the 2022 MLB season, I review how the pitching fundamentals of select 2023 American League Central pitchers have evolved over time and use that information to forecast their MLB futures. Fundamentals will be quantified using my Fielding- and Ballpark-Independent […]

Aaron Judge Could Start Playing Some Left Field

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that, while there is no plan to start playing Aaron Judge in left field, the idea is "on the table" if it will facilitate Giancarlo Stanton getting more time in right field. Both Boone and Stanton stated that the outfielder/designated hitter would benefit from more playing time […]

Starting Pitcher Rankings and Tiers for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Hello, welcome fantasy baseball friends to an early look at the 2023 starting pitcher rankings. Spring training is right around the corner and leagues are going to start ramping up, so now is a great time to dive into what to expect out of the starting pitcher landscape.   I’ve ranked 75 of the top starters […]

Yankees Shortstops To Play Multiple Positions In Camp

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that infielders Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who are all competing for the Opening Day shortstop job in spring training, will play more than one position in camp. Kiner-Falefa has moved around the diamond his whole career and has even spent time at catcher. He also […]

Anthony Rizzo Still Managing Back Injury

The stiffness that plagued New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (back) in 2022 and caused him to miss more than 20 games is expected to be a problem at some points in 2023. "I think I'd be crazy to sit here and say I won't have any back issues here," Rizzo said. "Every year, […]

Statcast Exit Velocity: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

If you've watched a baseball broadcast in the 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. There […]

DJ LeMahieu "100 Percent With No Limitations"

According to a tweet from Newsday's Erik Boland on Monday morning, New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (toe) said he enters camp "100 percent with no limitations." Boland also noted in his tweet that the infielder was "limited much of last year by a toe injury." LeMahieu hit .261 with a .357 on-base percentage, 12 […]

First Basemen to Target or Avoid at ADP - Fantasy Baseball Draft Analysis

When I was growing up and really getting into baseball in the 1990s and 2000s, the first base position was chalked full of big-time sluggers that would be counted on to produce gaudy offensive numbers season after season -- especially in the HR and RBI departments. Let's look at 2006 for example. Why? Well, it […]

Five Relief Pitchers To Avoid In 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts

The relief pitchers are the trickiest part of constructing your fantasy baseball roster. Having a superstar reliever on your fantasy baseball team can be the key to a winning season. The problem is superstar relievers don’t just grow on trees. Among the select group of elite relief pitchers, it’s hard to find the one that’ll […]

MLB Pitcher Prospect Graduates - Sophomore Fantasy Baseball Outlooks (AL East)

In the first installment of a 6-part series focused on pitchers who exhausted rookie eligibility during the '22 MLB season, I review how the pitching fundamentals of select '22 American League East pitchers have evolved over time and use that information to forecast their MLB futures. Fundamentals will be quantified using my Fielding- and Ballpark-Independent […]

Justin Wilson Signs With Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers have signed left-hander Justin Wilson to a one-year deal. The 35-year-old is expected to miss a significant chunk of the 2023 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. However, this deal includes a 2024 club option, so this could end up being a good deal for the Brewers. The southpaw only […]

Nestor Cortes Feels Good After Bullpen

New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes (hamstring) said he made "good strides and felt better" after throwing his first bullpen session on Friday since being diagnosed with a low-grade 2 hamstring strain that forced him to pull out of this year's World Baseball Classic. Cortes also said he was progressing faster than he initially thought […]