Fantasy baseball can be tricky, as we all know, and nothing can be more perplexing than filling second base if you've missed out on the elite options at that position. The seemingly steep decline from the top-to-middle tiers can be jarring and often causes fantasy owners to go on tilt when on the clock. So you don't get stuck downstream without a proverbial paddle, we've compiled a handy list of potential 2B sleepers, breakouts, and draft values so you can have a plan ready for the keystone at every stage of the draft.
If Mookie Betts is available in the late first round and has 2B-eligibility, you're probably grabbing him. Marcus Semien or Jose Altuve make a lot of sense somewhere in the third or fourth rounds. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Andres Gimenez, and Ozzie Albies should probably be selected by the fifth or sixth. But where do you go from there? Tommy Edman has blistering speed that causes his ADP to drift into the 70s, but he can be so streaky with the bat that he seems like a volatile pick before the ninth round.
Don't panic if you get to that point of the draft and don't have one of those top seven names. The worst thing you can do at that point is to reach for a guy in the 120-170 ADP range just so you can fill the position. Stay the course and continue drafting the best available players. There's no need to consider a second baseman until you get to the point where one is a legit value. Let others be the ones to reach while you target three or four sleepers you could live with as your starter. Once that queue dwindles down to two names, consider taking one of those guys.
2023 FANTASY RANKINGS & DOLLAR VALUES:
Cs | 1Bs | 2Bs | 3Bs | SSs | OFs | SPs | RPs | Top 300
Remember, once 90 percent of your league has drafted a second baseman, they likely won't consider drafting another one. Middle infield spots typically generate shortstop interest, so it's important to know where your leaguemates stand at second before you make your move.
2023 FANTASY SLEEPERS & VALUES:
Cs | 1Bs | 3Bs | SSs | OFs | SPs | RPs
Our definition of "sleeper," at least for these exercises, is a player we value much higher than his ADP might otherwise tell you he's worth. Typically, this sort of player strikes us as a bounce-back candidate, a young under-the-radar riser, a veteran coming off an injury, or just a guy whose batted-ball data suggests he will enjoy some positive statistical regression.
This column is not suggesting any of these players are "must-roster" fantasy assets, but rather that you should consider drafting them at least one to three rounds ahead of their ADP. Fantasy baseball championships aren't won on draft day — and they certainly aren't won in the first five rounds. The value and upside you collect in the middle-to-late rounds can make or break your team's chances of contending for the title.
Let's get into our favorite sleepers at second base, with a brief explanation as to why we value them well above their ADPs.
Fantasy Baseball 2B Sleepers 2023: Breakouts, values, draft-day steals
Position eligibility based on Yahoo's default settings. ADPs courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
Jorge Polanco, Twins (Average Draft Position: 140)
Polanco will likely start the 2023 season on the IL-15 list due to a nagging knee injury, a fate that has been all too familiar to his fantasy investors since his 2021 breakout. When healthy, the Twins slugger can provide burly slash-line numbers and fill up your power stats in a hurry. We would probably scoop him up by the 90-100 range, but he's a must-draft asset if he somehow slips down below 130 because your leaguemates are worried about his health. It's unheard of to get 25-HR, 75-RBI upside at that segment of the draft. Just be prepared to draft a second sleeper at 2B for when Minnesota announces he's starting the season on the shelf.
Jake Cronenworth, Padres (ADP: 158)
There's plenty to like about Cronenworth, the type of player who just puts his head down and does his job no matter what's asked of him. He has multi-positional eligibility, 20-homer upside, and superb hitters all around him. He has also enjoyed a torrid spring, slashing .432/.500/.757 and collecting 28 total bases including two homers, four doubles, and a triple. Cronenworth will start the season as an everyday starter with Fernando Tatis Jr. serving the remainder of his suspension up to April 20, but Bob Melvin might be forced to keep him in the lineup if he keeps hitting the cover off the ball. You can try to see if he'll last to the 150-160 range, but we'll be scooping him up by pick No. 110.
Jonathan India, Reds (ADP: 177)
India was the runaway NL Rookie of the Year two seasons ago, but injuries, exit-velo regression, and a .021 reduction in BABIP contributed to a bit of a sophomore slump last year. We think the 26-year-old can bounce back in '23, with a solid spring keeping our hopes alive. He's slashing .286/.415/.452 with a homer, eight RBIs, and three steals, plus his walk rate is back up. Don't wait until the 15th round to grab India — we're selecting him by the 12th round of most 12-league drafts.
Ryan McMahon, Rockies (ADP: 195)
McMahon has strength, durability, and park factor on his side, so he's always one of our favorite sleepers to target late. You know what you're getting when you draft him: 20-plus homers, 150-plus games, and a .250 average. He's also good for six-seven steals per season, which in 2023 might translate to 10-12 due to pitchers' limitations with holding runners at first. If the humidor tactics are a thing of the past, Coors Field might help sluggers like McMahon become supreme values at their ADPs. He mashed three bombs in spring training, and we think he's worthy of a pick in the 13th round or later.
Thairo Estrada, Giants (ADP: 180)
You'll see Estrada's name across a few of our positional sleepers columns because we love him. Our projections have a 20/20 season as his baseline if he can play 150-plus games. He hits righties and lefties well and always plays hard at every level of the game. He's the prototypical Giants utility man who becomes a standout everyday player.
DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (ADP: 205)
LeMahieu's ADP just seems ridiculous. Sure, the Yankees' lineup is stacked, and he will get ample days off, but when healthy, he's still one of the better veteran hitters in the game. He's just a few years removed from leading the majors with a .364 batting average and posting an AL-best 1.011 OPS! He won't be that good again, but he could be in the mix for another batting title if he stays off the IL. He's hitting .357 and slugging .500 this spring, so don't be a fool and pass on him before the 15th or 16th round.
Josh Rojas, Diamondbacks (ADP: 209)
Apparently, fantasy owners nationwide think Rojas's 2022 breakout season was a fluke. The guy hit nine home runs, drove in 56, batted .271, and stole a whopping 23 bases in just 125 games! His OPS was .740! I don't know why I'm yelling, but I'm just all about the value here! He's 3B-eligible, too, so we have plenty of opportunities in larger leagues to play him at second, hot corner, middle infield, and utility.
