Pedro Alvarez and other deep fantasy sleepers emerging in spring training

Brad Pinkerton

Pedro Alvarez and other deep fantasy sleepers emerging in spring training image

We've already covered our favorite fantasy baseball sleeper from each MLB team, but that doesn't mean we have to stop there. After all, you can never have too many sleepers.  

As we get deeper into spring training and depth charts become clearer, there will be several other deep fantasy sleepers emerging. One week into March, here are a few names to file away for fantasy drafts.  

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Deep fantasy baseball sleepers 

Pedro Alvarez, DH, Orioles. The Orioles continue to pick over the free-agent market, signing former Pirates slugger Pedro Alvarez. Don't roll your eyes. Alvarez cranked 27 homers last year in just 437 at-bats with Pittsburgh and was pretty much the same all-or-nothing hitter who hit 66 homers from 2012-13. Now he goes to a much better hitter's park and division, especially for lefty mashers.

As for playing time, Baltimore could DH Alvarez most days, pushing Mark Trumbo into a suddenly very shaky and shallow outfield depth chart; another option would be putting Alvarez at first and Chris Davis in the outfield. Either way, there could be plenty of at-bats for Alvarez to flirt with 30 homers again, and his market in fantasy could be as low as it was in free agency. 

Jedd Gyorko, INF, Cardinals. Jhonny Peralta's thumb injury (out 2-3 months) creates an interesting situation in a Cardinals infield that lacks experienced SS depth. Enter newcomer Jedd Gyorko, who played 29 games at short for the Padres last season while hitting .247-16-57 in 421 at-bats. Sure, he's the Pedro Alvarez of middle infielders, but that's not so bad at such a thin position. Add Gyorko to your list of potential sleepers and pay close attention to how the Cardinals replace Peralta at short in the coming weeks. 

Anthony Gose, OF, Tigers. Normally it's Rajai Davis taking advantage of injuries in the Tigers outfield, but with Davis gone, it's Gose who directly benefits from Cameron Maybin missing most of April with a wrist fracture. Gose, who stole 23 bases in 140 games last year, is all about speed (and very little else), but that alone puts him on the late-round fantasy radar when you're digging for steals sleepers. This could become a strict platoon when Maybin returns, but you can still bank some cheap steals early in the season. 

Brad Pinkerton