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

Buy and Sell: Biggest First Half Breakouts for Fantasy Baseball

This week is a little different from the past few weeks of my trending up / trending down column. This week I'll only be focusing on those players who have been sizzling for the entire half, and have never shown this kind of promise before in their careers - the true 2014 breakouts who were sleepers before the season started. Yesterday we looked at the biggest 2014 busts and speculated whether these players were buys or sells. Today we're doing the same thing for the 2014 Fantasy Baseball Breakouts. Let's get started.

 

Will these 1st Half Breakouts Continue their Onslaughts?

 

Catcher - Devin Mesoraco (CIN) 

Prior to this season, Devin Mesoraco's best to date was 2013 in which he hit  .238/.287/.362 with 9 HRS and 42 RBIs in 323 at-bats.  In 207 at-bats this season before the All-Star Break Meso is hitting .304/.375/.609 with 16 HRS, 45 RBIs, and even a stolen base to boot! It'd almost be hard to believe that Mesoraco was the same player if he didn't have a couple of seasons in the minor leagues where he hit for a .280+AVG and 15+ HRs. These numbers translate to Mesoraco being the 2nd ranked catcher in all of Yahoo following only fellow breakout Jonathan Lucroy.

Rest of the season: I believe in Mesoraco as a top 5 catcher the rest of the way. Why? The catcher position is thin this year, and he has the minor league track record to show that once he got more comfortable at the MLB leve he could be capable of these sorts of numbers. It also doesn't hurt that brand names such as Yadier Molina and Matt Weiters have gone down with injuries. Devin Mesoraco has been "the rock" of catchers this year, and you can likely still buy him cheaper than Posey, so if you're in desperate need for a catcher, put some offers in to get the Mes.

 

First Base - Anthony Rizzo (CHC)

By bengrey on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsAnyone else think of this guy from the Muppets when they think of Anthony Rizzo? Rizzo had a great first year in 2012, but then dipped a bit in 2013. The power still came in 2013 with 23 HRS and 80 RBIs, but his average dipped from .285 to .233.

Fortunately, that was just a sophomore slump and Rizzo is back to eating the cheese pitchers throw for breakfast. This season he is hitting .275/.381/.499 with 20 HRs, 49 RBIs, and 62 runs before the All-Star Break which puts him on pace to easily break his former career highs.

Rest of the season: Rizzo is currently ranked ahead in Yahoo of brand names such as Freedie Freeman and his Muppet pal Gonzo (Adrian Gonzalez). He has always been a highly touted prospect, and I think this is the year he is really ready to show that his name will be among the elite first basemen for years to come. A top 10 finish at the position is likely, and that's impressive when you consider how deep the position is.

 

Second Base - Brian Dozier (MIN)

Apologies to Jose Altuve who is having the best season of his career and is currently ranked top among all 2nd basemen, but Altuve was considered a good player before 2014. Brian Dozier's season has come out of nowhere. He had a good season last year with 18 HR, 72 R, 66 RBI, and 14 SB but that was in an entire season. This season he already has 18 homers, 69 runs, 45 RBIs, and 16 SB before the All-Star Break. To say that the Bulldozer is on his way to destroying his old career highs would be a complete understatement. He is going to obliterate his career highs if he can keep this pace up.

Rest of the season: Just when I thought Dozier was starting to cool off a bit, he had a 2 HR 4 RBI game right before the break.  He is one of the cases that I have a slightly harder time believing in despite his season last year. He won't hit for average since he's hit in the .240s or so every season he's been in the majors, and if he gets into a cold spell, it could look ugly, but obviously the power and speed is there.  While I don't expect Dozier to fully keep up his torrid pace, he should still be a top 2B option going forward.  If you find an owner who doesn't fully believe in Dozier, it can't hurt to try and buy him. On the other hand, if you find an owner who will pay more than full value for Dozier, he also makes for a good sell candidate because his BA leaves room for some ugly slumps.

 

Second Base (Shortstop) - Dee Gordon (LAD)

We're cheating a bit by counting Gordon, the Dodgers full time 2B, as a shortstop, but he has multi-position eligibility, and this is fantasy baseball we're talking about. Raise your hand if you saw this season coming from Dee Gordon. Keep them up. Good. You've now been marked for life as a liar. I'm the first to admit that I never saw Gordon being this good despite his stealing 20 + bags in multiple past seasons. Maybe his 2011 when he hit for a .304 avg with with 24 steals in limited at-bats should have been an indicator, but since then it felt like pitchers had exposed his weakness. Ever since he got more regular at-bats, he hit more in the .220-.230 range so it was a surprise to see him hitting .292 this season and break his career highs in steals, runs scored, and RBIs before the break. I keep doubting Dee, but he keeps hanging in here to his credit.

Rest of the season: Gordon does look like a more patient hitter at the plate, and he has improved a lot on defense. His BABIP is way above career norms, but that can be explained by his speed that allows him to beat out infield hits. Despite the positive tone I've taken so far, I still have a major reason I don't necessarily fully buy into his story. The Dodgers signed Alex Guerrero to play the position that Dee is currently occupying, and they paid Guerrero 42 million dollars to do so. Guerrero is currently tearing up Triple A hitting .376 with 10 HRs and is fully recovered from his ear incident with Miguel Olivio. If you're a Gordon owner, carefully monitor the Guerrero situation because with the Dodgers World Series ambitions, we won't be surprised to see Guerrero get a look at 2B if Gordon scuffles at all.  If you don't need the SB and can get a haul for Gordon, he makes for an interesting sell opportunity.

 

Third Base - Todd Frazier (CIN)

Man I love Todd Frazier. I had him as a pre-season sleeper and I picked him to go further than Giancarlo Stanton in the HR Derby. So far, the man referred to as "Loco" by his minor league teammate Miguel Cabrera has responded by hitting .290/.353/.500 with 19 HRs, 57 Runs, 53 RBIs, and 14 steals before the break. He is on pace to shatter his career highs in all those categories, if he hasn't already. Frazier is also currently ranked ahead of the man who calls him "Loco" at 3rd base in Yahoo leagues, in large part due to the increased amount of steals he is getting. It's not easy feat to be ranked ahead of Miguel Cabrera, the man who is considered baseball's current best hitter.

Rest of the season: It's no secret that third base is a thin position. Nor is it a secret that the Reds are a fairly skilled offensive team. All these things bode well for Frazier continuing to be a top option at third going forward, especially if he keeps stealing bags. The only thing I'd be worried about is that his BABIP is slightly above career norms, so we could see some regression in his AVG. Otherwise, I'm loco for "Loco".  I would tell you to buy him, but there's no way this guy comes on the cheap.

 

Outfield - Michael Brantley (CLE)

Cleveland Indians center fielder Michael Brantley (23)Michael Brantley is another played who I was convinced would have a breakout this season, courtesy of my friend Zach (@LopsidedTrades) who also writes for RotoBaller.

Brantley has responded to both our positive attitudes by hitting .322/.382/.519 with 15 HRS, 63 runs, 63 RBIs, and 10 steals before the break. His previous high was in 2013 when he hit .284/.332/.396 with 10 HRS, 66 runs scored, 73 RBIs, and 17 steals for the entire year. His numbers currently have him ranked ahead of Giancarlo Stanton in Yahoo, so if you drafted Brantley in the later rounds you are getting immense value.

Rest of the season: Brantley has incredible plate discipline which will help him maintain a high BA, and he easily has 20-20 potential this year, and would really have to slump not to reach it. A player who contributes across the board in fantasy is rare, and it's why they tend to be drafted so high in the draft the next year. Brantley should easily finish as a top 15 OF ROS, and that I believe is even somewhat of a low estimate. "Dr Smooth" is here to stay!

 

Thanks for reading guys! Let me know if you agree or disagree with what I had to say here by tweeting @RekedFantasy. I hope you all enjoyed the All-Star Game and next week I will return to my usual format.

 




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

Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF