X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 Outfielders: Top MLB Prospects for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I've already looked at the top 10 prospects for each MLB team, and now I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 15 outfielders - MLB prospect rankings for the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

The position of outfield is always a deep one, but this season it especially appears to be strong for rookies. Top prospect in baseball Andrew Benintendi will open the season with the Red Sox while the Padres figure to start a pair of talented outfielders. There’s also some other guys with tantalizing power/speed combinations like Derek Fisher, Bradley Zimmer and Austin Meadows who could have value later in the year.

Though outfielders often need to hit a ton to be considered valuable in redraft leagues due to the sheer number of talented outfielders, this year’s rookie class is arguably one of the strongest the position has seen in years. There is a ton of value to be had here and fantasy owners should be ready to jump on these star bats as soon as they get the call up to the big leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top 15 Outfield Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball

1. Andrew Benintendi (BOS, MLB)
Stats: 118 PA, .295/.359/.475, 2 HR, 1 SB, 8.5% BB rate, 21.2% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
Benintendi is not just the most valuable outfield prospect for 2017, he is the most valuable overall prospect for 2017 (*spoiler alert*). The Red Sox left fielder is guaranteed a spot out in a very potent Red Sox lineup right out of Spring Training and will be batting either second or third in their lineup this season. He is an absolutely elite prospect to own as he is guaranteed to hit for a high average while possibly posting a 20/20 season. And in the middle of Boston’s lineup, he may also drive in and score 100 runs.

2. Hunter Renfroe (SD, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 563 PA, .306/.336/.557, 30 HR, 5 SB, 3.9% BB rate, 20.4% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
With a number of injuries currently plaguing the Padres’ outfield, Renfroe is now a 100 percent lock to break camp with the club this season. He probably would have regardless, but the injuries help his case. The slugging outfielder is unlikely to replicate that .300 average in the majors as he is a bit too aggressive and may strike out a bit, but he will hit a ton of dingers even in pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Owners can expect him to bat cleanup behind Wil Myers and hit 25+ home runs with a .250+ average and 80+ RBI.

3. Manuel Margot (SD, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 566 PA, .304/.351/.428, 6 HR, 30 SB, 6.4% BB rate, 11.3% K rate
ETA: Opening Day(?)
If it wasn’t for a lingering knee injury that has cost Margot some Spring Training time, he would be No. 2 on this list. But as of right now, his starting status is in question. If he is healthy, he figures to start in center field for the Padres to open up the season and will likely lead off for the team. His speed and consistency in reaching base should help him stand out as an incredibly valuable fantasy product for the 2017 season.

4. Aaron Judge (NYY, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 410 PA, .270/.366/.489, 19 HR, 5 SB, 11.5% BB rate, 23.9% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
As we stand today, Judge will open up the season as the Yankees’ right fielder. And for fantasy owners looking for a consistent source of home run production, this comes as a welcome sight indeed. Judge is absolutely massive, standing at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds and draws comparisons to Giancarlo Staton for the size and raw power potential. In years past, he had tried to wait pitchers and just make contact, but lately, he has made a more concerted effort to try and hit the ball out of the ball park. As a result, he may not hit for a high average, but 30 home runs is a surefire possibility for the slugger in 2017.

5. Mitch Haniger (SEA, MLB)
Stats: 123 PA, .229/.309/.404, 5 HR, 0 SB, 9.8% BB rate, 22.0% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
Don’t recognize the name? Don’t feel too bad, he has not been commonly heralded as a top prospect. Haniger had for years labored in the minors, but finally in 2016 made some adjustments to his swing and scouts loved what they saw. A guy who once was a future bench bat will now start in right field for Seattle and stands out as yet another sleeper source of home run production. Scouts see him as a potential 25+ home run threat now who could get plenty of RBI opportunities now batting in a particularly stout lineup.

6. Bradley Zimmer (CLE, AAA)
Stats: 150 PA, .242/.349/.305, 1 HR,
ETA: Early May
There are few prospects on this lineup with more potential than this guy. Zimmer is big, standing at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, athletic and possesses one of the best power/speed combinations in the minors. Now sure, he struggled through much of last season, even towards the end, but scouts noticed that part of his struggles may have been because of a change in his swing as he is working to improve on his strikeouts. Scouts loved the change he made and he wound crushing both the Arizona Fall League, but has also mashed in Spring Training so far. Those who watch him play liken the change to batters like Josh Donaldson who also struggled to make consistent contact and think it will have the same effect on Zimmer. If this is true and he makes it to the big leagues, his upside is just too valuable to pass up on.

7. Derek Fisher (HOU, AAA)
Stats: 118 PA, .290/.347/.505, 5 HR, 5 SB, 7.6% BB rate, 22.0% K rate
ETA: Late July
Fisher has posted 20/20 seasons in back-to-back seasons now while also taking a ton of walks and usually posting a solid batting average. George Springer, Josh Reddick, Nori Aoki and Preston Tucker figure to get the lion’s share of starts in the outfield this season for Houston, but Aoki and Tucker could easily struggle and Fisher could force his way up to the big league roster. Fisher will not hit for a high average, but few guys can match that combination of power and speed and he should prove to be very productive for fantasy owners.

8. Austin Meadows (PIT, AAA)
Stats: 145 PA, .214/.297/.460, 6 HR, 8 SB, 10.3% BB rate, 23.4% K rate
ETA: Mid-July
There was a time this offseason when it appeared Meadows was bound for the No. 2 spot on this list. Andrew McCutchen was on the trade list and it really looked like Meadows would break camp with the team. But McCutchen is still with the club, so Meadows will have to wait until a trade or injury happens. Should Meadows receive the call up, he would immediately become fantasy relevant in all leagues as he stands out as one of the most talented prospects in all of baseball. He could be a darkhorse NL ROY contender if he is promoted early enough.

9. Tyler O’Neill (SEA, AA)
Stats: 575 PA, .293/.374/.508, 24 HR, 12 SB, 10.8% BB rate, 26.1% K rate
ETA: Late July
Boy those stats from O’Neill really jump out on the page don’t they. The Mariners’ top prospect has an incredibly powerful bat and has been rising up prospect rankings for a long while now. The big issue for him is that the Mariners have a ton of outfielders and DH options right now, so he has some people to leap frog before he is going to be contributing to fantasy owners. But should an injury or poor performances slow an outfielder or two down, O’Neill could immediately become extremely fantasy relevant for his power upside.

10. Clint Frazier (NYY, AAA)
Stats: 108 PA, .228/.278/.396, 3 HR, 0 SB, 6.5% BB rate, 27.8% K rate
ETA: Mid-July
Frazier has several potential paths to playing time. An injury to anyone in the outfield or Matt Holliday would likely prompt a promotion to the big leagues, as would a poor season by Aaron Judge. But first Frazier will have to hit himself. He struggled in 2016 at the Triple-A level after posting some outstanding numbers at Double-A. He has an intriguing power/speed combination that makes him relevant in fantasy leagues, so he would absolutely be worth owning in fantasy leagues if he is given a chance to snag a full-time role with the ball club.

11. Lewis Brinson (MIL, AAA)
Stats: 93 PA, .382/.387/.618, 4 HR, 4 SB, 2.2% BB rate, 22.6% K rate
ETA: Early August
Yes, Brinson absolutely mashed Triple-A last season. No, that does not mean he is going to start with the team right out of Spring Training. The team is likely going to run with an outfield of Ryan Braun, Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana and only an injury, trade or poor performance could change that. Brinson is a talented enough prospect though that he might be able to force some changes if he dazzles at Triple-A again and shows improvements in his plate discipline. If he does get a chance to start in Milwaukee, he would be worth owning in all leagues.

12. Albert Almora (CHC, MLB)
Stats: 117 PA, .277/.308/.455, 3 HR, 0 SB, 4.3% BB rate, 17.1% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
Almora is probably the least exciting prospect on this list, but he has value nonetheless. While he likely will not provide much of anything in any category beyond batting average, Almora is going to start as the platoon outfielder for the Cubs in center with Jon Jay taking the strong-side of the platoon. In some leagues, all it takes is hits on a semi-consistent basis to have value and that’s where Almora is right now.

13. Jake Bauers (TB, AA)
Stats: 581 PA, .274/.370/.420, 14 HR, 10 SB, 12.6% BB rate, 15.3% K rate
ETA: Early June
Bauers finally started to show that his power potential was more than just potential in 2016 as he managed to set a career-high with 14 home runs. The Rays’ 21-year-old outfielder has an advanced approach to the plate and should have no trouble maintaining a high average in the majors. Power may still not be a plus-plus part of his game, and he won’t break camp with the team which will limit his value, but Bauers should hit enough to warrant ownership in some leagues.

14. Raimel Tapia (COL, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 110 PA, .345/.355/.490, 0 HR, 6 SB, 1.6% K rate, 10.9% BB rate
ETA: Early August
The Rockies are absolutely loaded in the outfield, which is why you have to go this far down to find Tapia. If he had a starting role with the club out of Spring Training, he would probably be in the top three of this list. But as is, he will have to wait for a trade or injury to open up a spot for him on the team. Coors Field really helps boosts the speedsters draft stock, but he has no value until a job opens up.

15. Jesse Winker (CIN, AAA)
Stats: 448 PA, .303/.397/.384, 3 HR, 0 SB, 13.2% BB rate, 13.2% K rate
ETA: Late July
That may not look like an overly disappointing season for Winker, but it certainly was. Not only did his power completely disappear, but he also lost a lot of time due to a wrist injury. Winker’s advanced plate discipline ensures he will have a high floor and should be at least able to hit for a high average if he reaches the majors, but until he starts flashing power again, his value will be limited to deep redraft leagues and dynasty leagues.

 

More Top MLB Prospects & Rookies




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF