Yahoo Fantasy gives a ton of flexibility relating to place eligibility, serving to make second base simpler to handle this season. Mookie Betts will get an actual increase, for instance, as he’s 2B-eligible after beginning simply seven video games on the place in 2022.
Second base isn’t fairly as loaded as shortstop coming into 2023, however it’s a place that’s deep sufficient to be addressed later in fantasy drafts if that’s your most well-liked technique (and relying in your draft slot). Particularly in Yahoo leagues, filling out the center infield isn’t going to be a difficulty this 12 months — you possibly can safely ignore place shortage other than at catcher.
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4 midround targets with sleeper enchantment
Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
Muncy struggled badly over the primary 4 months of final season after getting back from a torn UCL. However he posted a .260/.364/.531 line with 12 homers in August/September (48 video games) and enters 2023 far healthier, along with his elbow one hundred pc. He stays 2B-eligible however is slated to maneuver to 3rd base full-time with Justin Turner gone. Muncy can be projected to hit cleanup in a loaded Dodgers lineup. He has hit 35-plus homers in three of the previous 5 seasons, and solely a handful of batters (who’re principally superstars) matched his ability to hit the ball hard and draw walks even whereas enjoying injured final 12 months. THE BAT X initiatives him to publish a top-25 wRC+ amongst all hitters in 2023 — greater than gamers going many rounds earlier in fantasy drafts, resembling Rafael Devers, Austin Riley and Manny Machado.
Muncy may even profit from a pleasant dwelling hitter’s park for left-handed energy and the brand new 2023 guidelines, as he was one of the 10 most shifted batters in baseball final season. Muncy is somebody to focus on in fantasy leagues with a Yahoo ADP past 140.
Whit Merrifield, Toronto Blue Jays
Merrifield was at all times a compiler who relied on quantity and never lacking video games, however his wRC+ (88) final 12 months was basically equivalent to his earlier season (90), when he was a third-round fantasy decide (ADP=34) throughout NFBC Primary Occasions. He’s falling exterior the primary 130 picks in early 2023 Yahoo drafts and even later elsewhere. There’s concern that his stolen bases will proceed to say no with him now 34 years previous, however Merrifield’s dash velocity remained within the 84th percentile final season (it was within the 87th the 12 months prior, when he swiped 40 luggage), and he’ll possible profit from Toronto’s aggressive method and the increased sizes of the bases (and new rules limiting pickoff attempts). Merrifield can be going to be helped out by Toronto’s new dimensions, which may very well be a huge boost for righties.
Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Lowe is one other prime bounce-back candidate who’s going far later in fantasy drafts than final 12 months. He’s one season faraway from offering 46 homers/steals in fewer than 150 video games, but he now sports activities an ADP exterior of 150. THE BAT X initiatives Lowe to publish the second-highest wRC+ (123) amongst all second basemen in 2023, which reveals loads of upside if he can keep wholesome. He’s slated to hit cleanup in Tampa Bay’s lineup, and Lowe has seen his profession batting common enhance a whopping 42 factors when not going through a shift.
[2023 Fantasy Positional Previews: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP]
Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Marte continues to commerce terrific seasons with disappointing ones and enters 2023 motivated, coming off a down 2022. His sturdiness considerations are much less of a difficulty given his ADP, which is at present the twenty third second baseman off the board in Yahoo leagues. Marte doesn’t provide a ton of energy/velocity upside however stays in his prime and is a sneaky guess to attain 100-plus runs hitting atop Arizona’s lineup. Coming off a season that included the bottom collective league batting common (.243) for the reason that Sixties (and one of many lowest in MLB historical past), Marte’s capability in that class may very well be large. His .318 BA from 2019 to 2021 led the Nationwide League and was second-best amongst all hitters earlier than final season’s injury-riddled marketing campaign (solely 9 hitters posted a .300 BA over that three-year span).
[2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP]
1. Mookie Betts
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr.
3. Ozzie Albies
5. Tommy Edman
6. Andres Gimenez
7. Max Muncy
9. Brandon Lowe
10. Jonathan India
11. Ketel Marte
12. Thairo Estrada
Editor’s be aware: Jose Altuve was No. 3 on this record before suffering a fractured thumb
