These 2014 Fantasy Baseball Second Baseman Rankings will be updated occasionally, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out WalterFootball.com’s 2014 Fantasy Football Rankings articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2014 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow @walterfootball for updates.
By Bill Williams
- Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners BA+
Cano is simply the best second baseman for fantasy in all of baseball; it is not even close. The move to Seattle should hurt his home-run totals, but the rest of his stats should remain consistent. Expect another excellent season from one of the best hitters in the game providing above-average to excellent stats across the board.
Projections: 85 R 24 HR 91 RBI 7 SB .300 AVG .368 OBP - Jason Kipinis, Cleveland Indians SB+ K-
Kipinis is one of the streakiest hitters in all of baseball. If you are in a weekly head-to-head league, he will drive you batty. If you are in a regular roto league, you simply have to ride out the highs and lows.
Kipinis has above-average contact when he remains patient. When he presses, that’s when things start to go sour on him. One thing that never slumps is his speed and his spot in the Indians’ lineup. Kipinis should put up, at worst, top-five numbers at the position, making him a very safe fantasy play. The only issue with Kipinis is his striking out a bit too much for my taste for a middle infielder.
Projections: 87 R 17 HR 87 RBI 32 SB .269 AVG .351 OBP - Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox BA+ K+
Pedroia had a down year in terms of power last year, but many contribute that to the thumb injury he suffered in spring training. Despite that, he still put up excellent numbers across the board. Pedroia has been one of the most consistent players in all of baseball and is probably the safest pick to repeat his career-average numbers. If your league credits extra base hits like doubles, feel free to put him above Kipinis in these rankings.
Projections: 83 R 12 HR 75 RBI 20 SB .302 AVG .372 OBP - Jose Altuve, Houston Astros SB+ Dynasty+
Jose Altuve had an absolutely amazing season last year considering the garbage the Astros had in their lineup. Altuve attempted more stolen bases than any other 2B in baseball by quite a few. Expect him to run even more this year to try to score some more runs. If you are like me and prefer to get your stolen bases from middle infielders with relatively high averages, Altuve is your guy.
For those in dynasty leagues, Altuve is only 23 years old and should improve his power into the 10-15 home-runs-per-year range, with the possibility of 40 stolen bases not out of reach. He needs to develop a little more patience at the plate to truly maximize his potential.
Projections: 75 R 8 HR 55 RBI 35 SB .290 AVG .336 OBP - Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals Position+ Runs+
Carpenter rounds out the top five as he came through last year all over the diamond for the Cardinals. His numbers were ridiculous in St. Louis (batting of .360)! The sneaky part about drafting Carpenter is his ability to also play third base, which in deeper leagues is highly valuable due to position scarcity. He led the league in doubles last year. So if your league counts those, stock up for Carpenter. He sits atop a potent Cardinal lineup and should be a top second-base option for the next few seasons.
Projections: 95 R 11 HR 66 RBI 5 SB .292 AVG .372 OBP - Martin Prado, Arizona Diamondbacks Postion+ K+ BA+
The Devil wears Prado is simply one of those underrated fantasy-baseball guys. He qualifies at three positions this year (2B, 3B, OF) and will put up solid, yet unspectacular numbers every season. Expect him to near .300 again this year with his typical ok numbers in all other stats. Prado will be lower ranked in other positions, but at second base, he is easily in the second tier. Prado also, amazingly, has more RBIs in his career then strikeouts, which is absolutely unheard of.
Projections: .75 R 13 HR 80 RBI 8 SB .295 AVG .344 OBP - Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds Dynasty-
I love Brandon Phillips, in real life. In fantasy, he’s a borderline top-10 fantasy player. Phillips is on the downside of his career, but his endurance and his position in the Reds’ lineup – right now, slated to hit behind Joey Votto – are reasons to draft him. Last season, Phillips put up over 100 RBIs for the first time in his career. From one of my stats guys, Phillips was one of the unluckiest hitters in baseball last year as he hit .260 but his BABIP (batting average for balls hit in play) was an extremely low .285. If some of those batted balls find holes in the defense, Phillips should get back to his typical .275 average. If he keeps his lineup spot, he could have a huge season.
Projections: 80 R 15 HR 75 RBI 10 SB .274 AVG .327 OBP - Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers Runs+
Kinsler is a very interesting player for me to watch this season. He leaves one of the best ballparks to hit in (Texas) and moves into one of the toughest (Detroit). Kinsler’s power has really waned the past two seasons, and his walk numbers have also diminished. However, Kinsler’s contact rate jumped up last year. He also has a nice, cushy lineup spot near the top of the order by Miggy Cabrera. Kinsler should put up top-15-type numbers, but I don’t see a huge ceiling for him this year outside of his run production.
Projections: 88 R 11 HR 60 RBI 14 SB .268 AVG .338 OBP - Jed Lowrie, Oakland A’s Position+
Lowrie will most likely get overdrafted in your league this year due to his huge 2013 campaign. However, I’m not completely buying into it. I think he’s a slightly above-average middle infielder with solid pop who doesn’t provide you with much else besides a good spot in a solid lineup. Expect his batting average to regress toward his career norms while his other numbers remain steady. Lowrie provides almost no speed as well, which is a huge negative for a middle infielder.
Projections: 70 R 15 HR 71 RBI 2 SB .270 AVG .328 OBP - Aaron Hill, Arizona Diamondbacks
I’m pretty sure that over the past couple seasons Aaron Hill has hurt every single part of his body. Despite that, he has managed to put up excellent middle infielder numbers. Hill has plus power for the position and is one of the safer bets to produce as long as he stays on the field.
Projections: 70 R 19 HR 76 RBI 7 SB .275 AVG .335 OBP - Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays Position+ OBP+
I had no idea until researching that Zobrist is now in his 30s. He is now the epitome of a slightly above-average middle infielder. Tops for him is 20-20 while the floor is 10-10. Zobrist won�t win you a fantasy championship, but he could be a nice complement if you get him at a fair price. Zobrist takes a lot of walks, so he can help if you are in an on-base-percentage league.
Projections: 80 R 13 HR 72 RBI 11 SB .265 AVG .354 OBP - Jedd Gyorko, San Diego Padres Dynasty+ HR+ K-
Gyorko led all National Leaguers in home runs last season and his power is legitimate. Unfortunately, as soon as Jedd started hitting home runs, he wanted to hit more, which led to a huge strikeout rate in the second half of last season. If he can learn when to shorten his swing and raise his average, he could easily be a top-four second baseman this season.
Projections: 70 R 24 HR 80 RBI 3 SB .262 AVG .316 OBP - Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates
Walker is one of the most talked about second basemen in fantasy circles this year. Some people think he is bound to break out, while others aren’t sold on him. Count me in the latter group. However, Walker is a solid choice later in drafts with a low floor and a spot in a solid lineup. Keep expectations low and he should surprise you.
Projections: 65 R 15 HR 68 RBI 5 SB .272 AVG .344 OBP - Daniel Murphy, New York Mets
Murphy has double stolen-base and home-run potential every year which he combines with a solid average. Last year was his first full season as an everyday starter, and those who selected him were awarded with a solid season, and you will too if you take him this year. Generally forgotten, Murphy can typically be had later on in your draft. If you miss out on the top-three or -four second basemen, wait around and draft Murphy as he is the most likely to be there later for you on the second tier of this position.
Projections: 65 R 10 HR 65 RBI 14 SB .284 AVG .335 OBP - Jurickson Profar, Texas Rangers Position+ Dynasty+
Profar played a zillion positions for the Rangers last year, and if your league has low games-played qualification limits, Profar gets added value. Known more for his glove in the minors, he has a lot of untapped potential at the plate. I’m not sure Profar can put it all together this season, but in a dynasty league, he has future 20-20 potential.
Projections: 64 R 9 HR 62 RBI 12 SB .255 AVG .325 OBP - Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels BA+
Mr. Consistent. You know what you are getting with Kendrick. An above-average batting average with solid home-run totals and not much else. He just turned 30, so dont expect any sort of breakout season. If your league uses a middle-infield option, he’s a solid choice to consistently produce in many categories.
Projections: 63 R 11 HR 63 RBI 9 SB .285 AVG .327 OBP - Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Utley is a 35-year-old infielder who hasn’t played a full season in years. He�s a solid producer when he�s healthy, but he’s not gonna outproduce any second basemen above him on this list even if healthy. Let someone else in your league take him due to his name recognition. The Phillies’ offense looks like it may turn into a train wreck this year, and I’m going to be avoiding their players like the plague.
Projections: 60 R 15 HR 63 RBI 5 SB .260 AVG .331 OBP - Gordon Beckham, Chicago White Sox
Beckham is a prime candidate to be a post-hype sleeper. He progressed mightily in the second half of last season and drastically increased his contact rate. Beckham has the pedigree of being a high first-round pick and is still only 27 years old. This should be his prime season and I suggest taking a role on him for your bench as a potential breakout star.
Beckham’s power numbers will probably never amount to much, but expect a much higher average than most sites and publications are projecting. For where you will be able to draft him, Beckham should easily surpass his ADP.
Projections: 58 R 13 HR 64 RBI 8 SB .275 AVG .340 OBP - Omar Infante, Kansas City Royals OBP- BA+ K+
Infante has two redeeming factors. One, he gets lots of hits. Two, he doesn’t strike out. One would think with a batting average so high, he would be amongst the leaders in on-base percentage. Nope. During the past two years, Infante has averaged four walks for every 100 at bats. I wish that was a misprint. Thus, his run production is lower than anyone with his average should be. However, if you have a slugger on your team who has a low batting average and strikes out a lot, Infante is a great second-baseman complement to help even your categories out.
Projections: 55 R 9 HR 54 RBI 8 SB .295 AVG .320 OBP - Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins
Dozier kind of came out of nowhere in the second half of last season and put up 10 home runs after June. I’m confident he will not be able to retain those kind of numbers. His strikeout rate also went up with each passing home run. If you want to roll the dice Dzoier can repeat, I can’t blame you. There is 20-20 potential here if he can learn to be a more professional hitter.
Projections: 65 R 12 HR 52 RBI 12 SB .250 AVG .307 OBP - Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals
Someone in your league is gonna fall in love with this kid’s potential and overdraft him. Don’t be that guy. Rendon has solid power and walk rates, but he has little professional experience and has had a myriad of injury issues. Add in an experienced, capable player at the same position on his team – Danny Espinosa – and it all spells one thing. A V O I D.
Projections: 55 R 14 HR 61 RBI 4 SB .260 AVG .331 OBP - Alex Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodgers
One thing that bodes well for this kid right off the start is that the Dodgers chose to sign him instead of chase Robinson Cano. The Cuban has amazing power for his size and should put up solid numbers in an absolutely loaded lineup. I haven’t seen him play much, but from everything I’ve read from around the league, scouts think Guerrero will be a successful big-league player.
Projections: 55 R 15 HR 50 RBI 4 SB .260 AVG .329 OBP - Kelly Johnson, New York Yankees BA- K- Position+
Currently Johnson is slated to be starting for the New York Yankees. Johnson is your prototypical “swing for the fences” type of hitter. He has solid pop when he makes contact, but his strikeout rate is alarming, especially seeing how he is getting into his mid-30s where hitters’ bat speed generally tends to slow down.
Projections: 50 R 17 HR 54 RBI 7 SB .235 AVG .317 OBP - Jemile Weeks, Baltimore Orioles SB+
Weeks is not guaranteed the job, but he can fly around the bases and will draw a bunch of walks. If named the starter in Baltimore, you can upgrade Weeks up this list several spots. He is another post-hype sleeper who could hit with playing time. I highly suggest to put him on your watch list and jump at him if the opportunity seems right early in the season.
Projections: 50 R 5 HR 44 RBI 24 SB .250 AVG .333 OBP - Scooter Gennett, Milwaukee Brewers
Gennett will likely be stuck in a platoon with Rickie Weeks in Milwaukee because he can’t hit his way out of a paper bag against left-handed pitching. However, Gennett is a speed demon (66 percent success rate on stolen base attempts). He will be given every opportunity to be the long-term answer for the Brewers at second base.
Projections: 45 R 8 HR 40 RBI 15 SB .264 AVG .310 OBP
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2014 Fantasy Football Rankings:
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2014 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/3 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/3 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 8/27 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/4 (Walt)
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Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/18 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 8/22 (Walt)
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2014 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB - 8/21 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/14 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/12 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 3-WR - 8/7 (Walt)
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2014 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/3 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - PPR - 9/3 (Walt)
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2014 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/3 (Walt)
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2014 Fantasy Football: It's All About Value - 9/1 (Kenny)
2014 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 8/31 (Walt)
2014 Fantasy Football Busts - 8/31 (Walt)
2014 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 8/30 (Walt)
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Running Backs with Most Carries - 2/14 (Walt)
2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 23
NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22
Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19
NFL Picks - Feb. 12
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