With the 2023 baseball season just around the corner, we look at three players being drafted too late in most fantasy leagues.
With the MLB season only a week away, many people who are avid fantasy sports lovers are getting ready to draft their baseball teams. Ahead, we have compiled a list of players that are being slept on without any real reason as to why. Fantasy baseball is all about getting as much value and depth as you can.
If you have drafted already, keep an eye on the waiver wire, as some of these players may still be available. If you still need to draft, these three players are still being drafted way too low, if at all.
Fantasy Baseball sleepers No. 3: Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs
Given an average draft pick (ADP) of 288th overall in most leagues, Justin Steele is one pitcher you must have circled that you can pick up near the end of your draft. Nobody is looking at the Chicago Cubs from a fantasy perspective due to how poorly they performed just a season ago. Now, the Cubs not only have a much-improved offense that can help their pitchers pick up wins, but they also witnessed a breakout season from Steele in 2022.
In the second half of last season, Steele quietly put up an elite 0.98 ERA in 36.2 IP, including 47 punchouts. More importantly, with Wrigley Field primarily being a hitter’s ballpark when the wind isn’t blowing in, Steele registered a 2.78 ERA over 71.1 frames, allowing a slash line of .236/.308/.304. He only allowed four runs in 36.2 innings in his last six starts.
In a fantasy matchup, you’ll want to target opposing teams that struggle against hitting fastballs and sliders against left-handed pitchers. Steele through his slider, in particular, nearly 31 percent of the time, allowing a line of .136/.179/.216, including a minuscule ISO of .080 to opposing hitters. There’s no reason he should fall to the 28th round in 10-team leagues.
Fantasy Baseball sleepers No. 2: Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
In points leagues, Brendan Donovan put up 249 points in standard scoring leagues in just 126 games. Adjusting for an entire season, he was on pace to put up over 300+ due to slashing an impressive .281/.394/.379 as a rookie. Where he lacks power, he makes up for in on-base percentage and is a solid depth piece that is eligible in Yahoo Sports leagues for 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, and the OF.
Three hundred is not a very significant number for points leagues, in general, but it is when he is falling to the 249th overall pick. Donovan’s 129 wRC+, or 29 percent better than league average, was highly impressive in his first season. He’s a fantastic stash to have on your bench for key matchups when they pop up. Let’s dive further into the stats and analytics for the most appropriate times to utilize him in your starting lineup by breaking down his numbers against different pitch types:
- Four Seam Fastball (36.27%): .326/.446/.431
- Slider (15.72%): .273/.431/.364
- Sinker (14.09%): .302/.422/.491
- Changeup (11.39%): .233/.277/.317
- Cutter (10.68%): .275/.383/.350
- Curveball (8.24%): .136/.208/.136
- Split-Finger (0.92%): .250/.308/.250
- Knuckle-Curve (0.25%): .500/.667/.500
- Eephus (0.92%): .000/.000/.000
- Fastball (0.20%): .000/.000/.000
Considering Donovan was pretty split-neutral against LHP vs. RHP, with a .297 average off southpaws and .282 against righties, we can safely assume that any time he goes up against a pitcher that is primarily throwing 4SFBs, sliders, and sinkers, Donovan will quietly be in a position to produce that night.
It also doesn’t hurt to be part of a lineup consisting of Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Willson Contreras against lackluster NL Central pitching. Make sure you have him queued up if you need a backup piece that can play almost every position once you get up to about the 200th pick in your draft.
Fantasy Baseball sleepers No. 1: Martin Perez, Texas Rangers
After Martin Perez put up a career-high 405 points in standard points leagues last season, it makes little to no sense why he’s currently the 271st ADP. In 2022, Perez recorded an elite 2.89 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 5.0 WAR, and 169 strikeouts throughout his 196.1 innings. Earning his first All-Star nod in the process, Perez was a workhorse who’s now only projected for a 4.13 ERA over 159.0 IP, including a WAR of just 1.7, according to Fangraphs.
Offensively, the Texas Rangers were fofth in the AL in runs per game with a mark of 4.36 and still have Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Nathanial Lowe, and Adolis Garcia as their starting four for 2023. Therefore, Perez should still have just as good of a chance to win as many games as last season.
I’m bullish on Perez this season. I wouldn’t bet my bottom dollar that he has the same incredible campaign as last year, but it won’t be a complete fall from grace like he’s being projected for. If he puts up around 325-350, he will be considered a steal if he’s still available in the 27th round of drafts. If you’re in a category league, he will help win you some weeks, having a good shot at adding a couple of wins while helping to keep your team’s ERA down.