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Fantasy baseball 2020 tiered outfielder rankings

By Bill Pivetz

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves watches his hit for a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning in game one of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves watches his hit for a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning in game one of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

This tier features outfielders that will likely be be on the bench and be your first sub should an injury occur.

Mike Yastrzemski, SF

Yastrzemski is my favorite hitter in the Giants lineup and may be the only one worth drafting this season. In his rookie season, 107 games, he hit 21 home runs, 55 RBIs and .272. As the Giants leadoff hitter, he’ll have plenty of chances to get on base. The team context is not ideal, so his run and RBI totals may regress.

Gregory Polanco, PIT

Polanco played in just 42 games last season. He hasn’t played in at least 150 games since 2015. He still has 20-home run potential. The Pirates lineup is a bit weaker without Starling Marte. Polanco is likely the cleanup hitter. As long as the guys in front get on base, he can drive in 80 runs. He is also a good source for speed late in the draft.

Brett Gardner, NYY

Over the last couple of years, Gardner sold out his speed for power. He went from seven home runs and 49 steals in 2011 to 28 and 10 last season. Gardner will be the starting center fielder while Aaron Hicks is recovering from Tommy John surgery. After that, he’ll likely go back to left field. Gardner will take advantage of the short right field wall in Yankee Stadium.

Trent Grisham, SD

Grisham was alright in the limited playing time last year. He hit six home runs with 24 RBIs and a .231 average over 51 games with the Brewers. Now, with the Padres, he will likely be the team’s starting center fielder. Petco Park leans towards pitcher-friendly but batters can still crush a few home runs. The added playing time will help his value. Expect double-digit home runs with a .255 average.

Mitch Haniger, SEA

Haniger had a great 2018 season and was looking good in the first two months of 2019 before suffering an injury. He then underwent surgery to remove an intervertebral disc from his back on February 13. Haniger won’t be able to do any baseball activities for at least a month. As a result, he won’t be ready for Opening Day but is worth a stash until he’s 100 percent.

Randal Grichuk, TOR

Grichuk had just one good batting average season, hitting .276 in 2015. Since then, his average has gone down while he hit 20-plus home runs. Last season, he hit 31 homers with a .232 average. If you’re looking for power late in the draft, Grichuk is someone to target. He won’t help you with much else.

Hunter Renfroe, TB

Renfroe is another hitter with a lot of power and low contact. He hit 33 home runs and .216 with the Padres last season. Now, playing with the Rays in the AL East, he may hit 40 home runs. The downside is that the average won’t clear .240. Renfroe will be a good pick in points leagues.

Nomar Mazara, CWS

Mazara missed his fourth-straight 20-home run season, but he did play in 116 games. If he plays a full season, we should see another 20 home runs with a .260 average. Mazara doesn’t run but the improvement to the White Sox lineup will help the other counting stats.

Brian Anderson, MIA

Anderson had a solid 2019 season, hitting .261 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in 126 games. He should be able to build off that this year as the Marlins No. 3 hitter. Anderson was hit by a pitch on his hand but there is no need to worry. He’ll be fine for Opening Day.

A.J. Pollock, LAD

Everyone loves Pollock but hasn’t been reliable over the last four seasons. He hasn’t reached 430 at-bats in that span due to injuries. In just 86 games last year, Pollock hit 15 home runs, 47 RBIs and .266. Roster Resource lists him as a backup outfielder. It’s hard for the Dodgers to rely on someone who is always hurt. If he does play, 20/10/.265 is possible.

Mark Canha, OAK

Canha had his best season last year. He finished with 26 home runs, 58 RBIs and .273 in 126 games. If you project a full season of playing time, Canha could be the next hitter to reach 40 home runs. As a result, though, the batting average will likely slip.

J.D. Davis, NYM

I talked about Davis in my third base rankings. He was great in his first full season and could be even better this year. It just depends on if he’s going to compromise his batting average for more power. If Davis can maintain both, he’ll be a top-50 outfielder.

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