Second base may not be the most stacked position in the MLB, but it certainly can make or break a fantasy baseball team. Land Mookie Betts in the top 12 and you've got the best second-eligible player of the 21st century. Grab Jose Altuve in the late-third or early-fourth round and you almost guarantee value for your team. Plenty more value-play two-baggers can be found between ADP 50-200, so let's discuss the cream of the crop as well as the under-the-radar sleepers in our fantasy baseball 2B rankings and projected dollar values.
Betts remains the best of the best after a 35-homer, 12-steal season in which he led the NL with 117 runs, but Altuve isn't as far behind Mookie as the 20 ADP spots between them suggests (Betts' early ADP: 9; Altuve ADP: 29). Altuve started running again last season, notching 18 steals to go with his 28 homers and .300/.387/.533 slash line. These guys both finished fifth in their respective league's MVP voting, and they were even more valuable for their fantasy owners throughout 2022.
Speaking of MVP votes, Marcus Semien has finished third in AL voting twice in the past four seasons (2019, 21), but he had down years (for him) following each of those campaigns and he's played for three different teams in three years. Many will take another 25-25 season like he mounted last night, but most Semien drafters are looking for the 45-homer, 15-steal, 102-RBI season he put together in 2021. Others would rather opt for a high-floor, high-ceiling play and select Andrés Giménez, who hit .297 last season and seems like a younger, healthier 20-20 candidate.
2023 FANTASY RANKINGS & DOLLAR VALUES:
Cs | 1Bs | 3Bs | SSs | OFs | SPs | RPs | Top 300
Health certainly plays a big part in second base booms or busts. If they could go 155 games without landing on the IL, Jazz Chisholm Jr. could produce a 30-30 season and Ozzie Albies could likely go 30-20 with 100-plus RBIs, but 155 games seems unlikely, just like Max Muncy hitting above the Mendoza line for just the second time since 2020 could be unlikely. And will Gleyber Torres continue to trend back upward toward his early-career success? Maybe someone like Tommy Edman is a safer bet, if not more boring.
2023 FANTASY SLEEPERS & VALUES:
Cs | 1Bs | 2Bs | 3Bs | SSs | OFs | SPs | RPs
Don't convince yourself that second base has no sleepers or breakout candidates. We like Minnesota's Jorge Polanco to bounce back after an injury-plagued 2021 — he's just two years removed from 33 dingers, 98 RBIs, and 11 steals. We're also big fans of Jake Cronenworth with Fernando Tatis set to return from suspension on April 20, and Luis Arraez led the AL in batting last season (.316) if you're punting power or speed.
We'll get more into our sleepers and breakouts in a separate column, but let's just say that plenty more breakout candidates exist at second than most pundits would have you believe. Atlanta's Vaughn Grissom put up five bombs and stole five bags while driving in 18 runs and batting .291 in just 41 games last year. Arizona's Josh Rojas swiped 23 bags in just 125 games, and San Francisco's Thairo Estrada had 14 homers, 21 steals, and 62 RBIs in 140 games. Upside, upside, upside!
Fantasy Baseball 2B Rankings 2023: Top players, sleepers at second base
Position eligibility based on Yahoo's default settings
| Rank | Player | Other Pos. Elig. |
| 1 | Mookie Betts, Dodgers | OF |
| 2 | Jose Altuve, Astros | |
| 3 | Marcus Semien, Rangers | SS |
| 4 | Andrés Giménez, Guardians | SS |
| 5 | Ozzie Albies, Braves | |
| 6 | Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins | |
| 7 | Tommy Edman, Cardinals | SS |
| 8 | Max Muncy, Dodgers | 3B |
| 9 | Jorge Polanco, Twins | |
| 10 | Gleyber Torres, Yankees | |
| 11 | Jake Cronenworth, Padres | 1B, SS |
| 12 | Jeff McNeil, Mets | OF |
| 13 | Jonathan India, Reds | |
| 14 | Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks | |
| 15 | Ryan McMahon, Rockies | 3B |
| 16 | Brandon Lowe, Rays | |
| 17 | Vaughn Grissom, Braves | |
| 18 | Josh Rojas, Diamondbacks | 3B |
| 19 | Luis Arraez, Marlins | 1B |
| 20 | Thairo Estrada, Giants | SS, OF |
| 21 | Whit Merrifield, Blue Jays | OF |
| 22 | Brendan Rodgers, Rockies | |
| 23 | Brandon Drury, Angels | 1B, 3B |
| 24 | DJ LeMahieu, Yankees | 1B, 3B |
| 25 | Jean Segura, Marlins | |
| 26 | Kolten Wong, Mariners | |
| 27 | Luis Urias, Brewers | 3B, SS |
| 28 | Bryson Stott, Phillies | SS |
| 29 | CJ Abrams, Nationals | SS |
| 30 | Luis Rengifo, Angels | 3B, SS |
| 31 | Christopher Morel, Cubs | 3B, SS, OF |
| 32 | Jon Berti, Marlins | 3B, SS, OF |
| 33 | Chris Taylor, Dodgers | OF |
| 34 | Kike Hernandez, Red Sox | SS, OF |
| 35 | Luis Garcia, Nationals | SS |
| 36 | Nick Gordon, Twins | SS, OF |
| 37 | Brendan Donovan, Cardinals | 1B, 3B, SS, OF |
| 38 | Wilmer Flores, Giants | 1B, 3B |
| 39 | Nolan Gorman, Cardinals | |
| 40 | Isaac Paredes, Rays | 1B, 3B |
Fantasy Baseball 2B Projected Dollar Values
Dollar values courtesy of Fantasy Pros and based on a 12-team mixed league with a $260 budget (70 percent allocated for hitting)
| Player | Dollar Value |
| Mookie Betts (LAD - 2B,RF) | $39 |
| Marcus Semien (TEX - 2B,SS) | $24 |
| Tommy Edman (STL - 2B,SS) | $18 |
| Andres Gimenez (CLE - 2B,SS) | $18 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. (MIA - 2B) | $16 |
| Ozzie Albies (ATL - 2B) | $14 |
| Gleyber Torres (NYY - 2B) | $13 |
| Jose Altuve (HOU - 2B) | $11 |
| Thairo Estrada (SF - 2B,SS,LF) | $11 |
| Luis Arraez (MIA - 1B,2B,DH) | $11 |
| Jake Cronenworth (SD - 1B,2B,SS) | $9 |
| Ryan McMahon (COL - 2B,3B) | $9 |
| Jeff McNeil (NYM - 2B,LF,RF) | $8 |
| Ketel Marte (ARI - 2B,DH) | $7 |
| Max Muncy (LAD - 2B,3B,DH) | $7 |
| Jorge Polanco (MIN - 2B) | $7 |
| Brandon Lowe (TB - 2B) | $6 |
| Jonathan India (CIN - 2B) | $6 |
| Whit Merrifield (TOR - 2B,CF,RF) | $4 |
| Brandon Drury (LAA - 1B,2B,3B,DH) | $3 |
| Jean Segura (MIA - 2B) | $3 |
| Kolten Wong (SEA - 2B) | $3 |
| Josh Rojas (ARI - 2B,3B) | $3 |
| Luis Urias (MIL - 2B,3B,SS) | $2 |
| DJ LeMahieu (NYY - 1B,2B,3B) | $2 |
| CJ Abrams (WSH - 2B,SS) | $2 |
| Brendan Donovan (STL - 1B,2B,3B,SS,LF,RF) | $1 |
| Luis Garcia (WSH - 2B,SS) | $1 |
| Bryson Stott (PHI - 2B,SS) | $1 |
| Chris Taylor (LAD - 2B,LF,CF,RF) | $1 |
All other players valued at $0
