X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Corbin Burnes26 mins ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis47 mins ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer2 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw2 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler2 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager3 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz3 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso3 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland3 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell3 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Duncan Robinson5 hours ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds5 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler5 hours ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu5 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray5 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano6 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole6 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz6 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon7 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco7 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad7 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov7 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto7 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin8 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard8 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins8 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist8 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear8 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop8 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels8 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball8 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado9 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer9 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman9 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent9 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford20 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White20 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl21 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon21 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter21 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic21 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio21 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday21 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton22 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Eduardo Rodriguez23 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Garrett Mitchell23 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green23 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson23 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman23 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Gleyber Torres1 day ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder1 day ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More