Welcome back to RotoBaller's midseason rankings update. We are gathered here today to walk through the second base rankings, analyzing some key names and providing tiers for your consumption. Assume a standard 5x5 redraft league when reading.

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2016 Fantasy Baseball Midseason Rankings Analysis: Second Base

Obviously Jose Altuve is in a tier all his own. The diminutive superstar has a very real shot at the AL MVP award this year (if he can hold off Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado) thanks to video game-like numbers. Altuve is currently hitting .341 with 67 runs scored, 51 RBI, 14 homers (just one shy of last year's career-high) and 23 stolen bases, which is good for second in the American League. He's also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at the keystone for the Astros...he's really good, okay? Okay.

Ian Kinsler does not receive anywhere near as much recognition as he deserves. He has quietly been matching the performance of Miguel Cabrera in 2016, and in some ways exceeding it. His 71 runs scored are a result of him hitting in front of the mashers, but he's making that happen by getting on base at a .348 clip. His 16 homers have him right on pace to match his career high of 32, and his nine steals mean he could achieve another 30/20 season, his first since 2011. His .199 ISO is above his career average, but his .320 BABIP suggests that the average (and subsequently runs) isn't going anywhere. Count yourself lucky if you have this guy holding down your fantasy infield.

I would love to put Matt Carpenter higher here, as he's definitely on my man-crush list. Unfortunately, he's currently sidelined with an oblique strain, and there's no telling how long he'll be out with that. His ranking position will obviously fluctuate based on the injury, but when healthy Carpenter is among baseball's elite hitters. He sacrificed average for power in 2015, but he seems to have found a nice middle ground this year, hitting .298 with 14 homers through the All Star Break. Cross your fingers that the injury keeps him out no longer than 20-25 days, but don't hold your breath.

Another RotoDubs Man-Crush, D.J. Lemahieu has quietly been a top-10 second baseman in 2016. The 27-year-old has definitely broken out this season, as he is on pace to shatter almost every one of his offensive career highs. His 9.2% BB-rate is the highest it's ever been, his 13.6% K-rate is the lowest it's ever been, and his .155 ISO is nearly double his career high. That's the best part about LeMahieu's season--he's turned into a complete hitter. His .334 average is excellent but probably due for a bit of regression, but his .490 slugging percentage is probably sustainable judging by those ISO numbers.

Goodness me, another unheralded breakout season! Jonathan Schoop has finally realized the potential that many believed he had, and fantasy owners are reaping the rewards. He flashed some power last year with 15 homers over 86 games, and now that he's been afforded a secure starting role he's flourished. His slash line exceed what owners typically see from a second baseman (.304/.338/.509) and a .206 ISO and .348 BABIP indicates there's probably not a lot of regression coming from either aspect of his offense. Hopefully you Schoop-ed him up in your draft this year. See what I did there? Because his name is Schoop, which is close to "scoop".

I was pretty high on Joe Panik coming into the 2016 season after he hit .312 in 2015. his K-rate was excellent (9.7%) and I truly expected him to become a perennially reliable contact hitter. That hasn't really been the case this year, as he was hitting just .256 before a concussion knocked him out in late June. However, all hope is not lost. Panik has a ridiculously low .266 BABIP, which typically indicates that he's been quite unlucky so far in 2016. The rest of his peripheral stats are all in line with last year's numbers, so I definitely expect him to turn things around in the second half.

#FreeTreaTurner. Go search my timeline (@Roto_Dubs). I say it a lot. The Nationals rookie disappointed in his brief taste of the big leagues in 2015, but he's been tearing it up in AAA with a .302 batting average and 25 steals in just 83 games. With Daniel Murphy and Danny Espinosa still red-hot going into the All Star Break, Turner's clearest path to the majors may be through the outfield. The Nationals realize this and have been getting Turner some games in center field. Ben Revere has been particularly disappointing this year, and if the Nats want to make any sort of legitimate playoff run it would behoove them to give the rookie a chance to provide a spark. His ranking will rise if his recent promotion lasts.

Midseason Second Base Tiered Fantasy Baseball Rankings

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