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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Too Expensive? Second Base Fantasy Baseball ADPs That May Be Overvalued

Marcus Semien - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

As MLB teams ramp up through spring training, fantasy baseball players are likewise getting their research reps in and gearing up for the best part of this game we play: fantasy baseball draft season.

Some of us have been drafting for weeks if not months, and one of the clearest trends we’ve discovered is the weakness at second base in 2025. There’s some interesting depth for those doing draft and hold-style leagues, but fantasy managers will want to have a plan when approaching the position.

To that end, we’ve identified three second basemen that are being overdrafted and should be avoided at cost. The average draft position (ADP) here is taken from the last two weeks of 12-team drafts at the NFBC.

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

 

Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers

ADP: 85

For years, we knew what to expect from Marcus Semien: elite durability, run-producing accumulation, and impactful home run and stolen base numbers, all at a relatively weak position. He is the only current player to make at least 700 plate appearances in four straight seasons, and in fact, Semien has exceeded that threshold in six straight full seasons going back to 2018.

However, we saw a dip in production last year. After going 25/14 or better every season since 2021, he managed just 23 homers and eight steals at age 33. Semien has never crushed the ball, but his average exit velocity dropped (88.4 to 87.4 mph) while he batted just .237. In fact, Semien hits a lot of fly balls and as a result, his BABIP has fluctuated, leading to alternating good and poor batting averages. Since 2020 he’s hit .237, .276, .248, .265, and .223. So every other season all those at-bats are actually a significant drag on our batting averages.

Semien is now 34 years old so we also have to start worrying about aging curves. Time’s effects only move one way for all of us, even athletes. Here is a chart from FanGraphs showing the general trends in batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and isolated slugging (ISO) as hitters age (the blue lines denote the most recent seasons; red indicates years with potential steroids influence).

Even the greats succumb to these trends eventually. Perhaps Semien won’t fall off completely but there’s cause to worry given his age and coming off the worst full-season OPS of his career (.699). The team may also be trying to compensate for this reality, as both manager Bruce Bochy and team president Chris Young have mentioned over the winter that they would like to get Semien more rest in 2025. His accumulation powers will be muted if he only reaches 600 or even 650 PAs.

Semien remained pretty fast, with 81st percentile sprint speed last year. However, his stolen bases and steal attempts have declined every year since Bochy arrived, from 25 to 14 to eight steals last season. As Rangers skipper, Bochy has had the entire team attempt steals 30-50 percent less than the league average, per Baseball Reference. Put that together with a potentially harmful batting average, and Semien is suddenly at risk of being a positive in only three categories, not five.

Given that he is entering his age-34 season, it becomes more difficult to imagine Semien—who has never struck the ball hard—continuing to beat Father Time. The price is lower this year, but we are more intrigued by up-and-comers at second base like Jordan Westburg and Matt McLain in a similar ADP range.

 

Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays

ADP: 210

Brandon Lowe is among the best bets for power at second base. Since 2021 he is third in home runs at the position (89) and first in isolated slugging (.231), assuming a minimum of 200 PA. But in recent seasons he has also missed significant time, ranking 28th in plate appearances since 2022. He hasn’t exceeded 109 games played in any season in that time and his 149 GP in 2021 is a clear and now distant outlier. Lowe has been on the injured list eight times in the past three seasons, including multiple times for a chronic back issue. Additionally, the Rays have regularly platooned him. Last year Lowe only started 39 percent of the time against fellow lefties.

As a result, Lowe’s counting stats have been lower than you might expect (no pun intended), with fewer than 60 runs and 70 RBI each of the last three seasons. He is not a total zero for stolen bases but his career high is seven. As a fantasy second baseman or middle infielder that puts pressure on the rest of our team builds.

Finally, Lowe’s batting average will almost certainly be a drag on our teams. Since 2021 he’s hit .247, .221, .231, and .244—and ATC projects a .236 batting average for him in 2025. He’s likely a one-category standout, and even the homers will fall short if his injury risk comes to pass in a worst-case scenario. Given these concerns, it makes little sense to take Lowe over the likes of Jonathan India or Colt Keith, both of whom offer more balanced production and are being drafted two to three rounds later in 12-teamers at the NFBC.

 

Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees

ADP: 230

Gleyber Torres signed a one-year deal with Detroit this offseason, saying he wanted to “bet on himself.” However, going to play home games at Comerica Park doesn’t seem optimal to rebuild one’s value.

After two seasons going at least 24/10 with solid batting averages, Torres was a popular pick in drafts last offseason. It did not pay off, as he hit .257 with just 15 homers, four steals, and 143 runs plus RBI despite playing 154 games. Now, it is true that Torres was hit on the thumb by a pitch on March 29, which likely contributed to his .226 average and 92 OPS+ in the first half. He also had a groin injury in late June, which may explain his decline in speed (29th percentile) and stolen base attempts—except his sprint speed was just as bad in 2023 and he only stole four bases in the first half even before the groin issue.

Moreover, Torres’ second-half turnaround was less than inspiring: while he hit .290, the power never came back with seven homers and the same 8 percent HR/FB rate he had in the first half. That rate was 13 percent in both 2023 and 2022. We can see a clear downward correlation between Torres’ hard-hit rate and his power.

Betting on a Torres bounce-back requires a belief that injury alone wiped him out last year. But his sprint speed is on a three-year decline, and his defense has also trended down; there’s a real loss of athleticism here. In addition, his new manager AJ Hinch has had the Tigers attempt steals well below league-average rates, per Baseball Reference.

Perhaps some of Torres’ power comes back with an offseason to further heal the thumb, but he’s also experiencing one of the most extreme negative park shifts imaginable: per Statcast, Yankee Stadium is the second-best park for right-handed homers (120 park factor) while Comerica ranks 24th (88)—a 32 percent drop.

Torres is still a viable asset for points leagues and on-base percentage formats (.330 OBP last year), and he should bat near the top of the Tigers lineup. But even with some improvement, this is a pretty blah profile for roto leagues outside the deepest of formats. ATC projects him for 16 homers, seven steals, and a .256 average. At this point in drafts, we would rather shoot for more upside.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jared Jones12 mins ago

Tagged With Elbow Discomfort
Nick Mears27 mins ago

To Start The Year On IL
Luis Garcia45 mins ago

To Throw Live BP Thursday
José Urquidy1 hour ago

Jose Urquidy Cleared To Play Catch From 105 Feet
Chase Silseth1 hour ago

Optioned To Triple-A
George Kirby1 hour ago

Progressing From Shoulder Inflammation
Travis Blankenhorn1 hour ago

Signs Minor-League Deal With Halos
Zach Dezenzo2 hours ago

Suffers TMJ Sprain
Justin Wrobleski2 hours ago

Dodgers Option Justin Wrobleski To Triple-A
Nick Yorke2 hours ago

Could Make Opening Day Roster
Thomas Harrington2 hours ago

Allows One Run On Tuesday
Zach Hyman2 hours ago

Busy In Tuesday's Victory
Mikael Granlund2 hours ago

Scores Game-Winner Over Anaheim
Jordan Kyrou3 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Tuesday
Logan Thompson3 hours ago

Picks Up Win No. 30
Nazem Kadri3 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Helper In Victory
Christian Dvorak3 hours ago

Tallies Four Points On Tuesday
Freddie Freeman4 hours ago

Feeling Better, Remains Out Of The Lineup Wednesday
Matt Sauer9 hours ago

Contract Selected By The Dodgers
Matt Olson9 hours ago

Having Slow Offensive Spring
Corbin Burnes9 hours ago

Having Strong Spring With New Team
Kyle Tucker9 hours ago

Goes Hitless In Monday Tokyo Series Opener
Chase Dollander9 hours ago

Strikes Out Seven In Latest Cactus League Start
Jake Bloss9 hours ago

A Candidate For Blue Jays' Fifth Starter Role
Sepp Straka9 hours ago

Eyeing Victory At Valspar Championship
Lance McCullers Jr.9 hours ago

Tosses Scoreless Inning In Tuesday Grapefruit League Debut
Clayton Kershaw10 hours ago

Transferred To 60-Day Injured List Tuesday
Cade Povich10 hours ago

Strikes Out Six In Five Hitless Innings On Tuesday
10 hours ago

Jalen Milroe Meets With Steelers On Tuesday
Seattle Seahawks10 hours ago

Teven Jenkins Visits With Seahawks
Sam Stevens10 hours ago

Looking To Get Back Into Form At Valspar Championship
Houston Texans10 hours ago

Texans Release Anthony Averett, Waive Two More
Los Angeles Chargers11 hours ago

Chargers Sign Andre James
New England Patriots11 hours ago

Garrett Bradbury Agrees To Two-Year Deal With Patriots
Jordan Spieth11 hours ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate At Valspar Championship
Alex Smalley11 hours ago

Aims To Continue Strong Form At Valspar Championship
Kirk Cousins11 hours ago

Will Levis On The Trade Block?
Adam Scott11 hours ago

A Risky Play At Valspar Championship
Las Vegas Raiders11 hours ago

Raiders Re-Sign Zachary Carter
Shane Lowry12 hours ago

A Home Run Pick At Valspar Championship
Tampa Bay Buccaneers12 hours ago

Bryce Hall Re-Signs With Buccaneers
Stephan Jaeger12 hours ago

Looks To Continue Momentum At Valspar Championship
Evan Mobley12 hours ago

Will Play On Tuesday, Barring A Setback
Thomas Detry12 hours ago

Aims To Regain Form At Valspar Championship
Detroit Lions12 hours ago

Lions Re-Sign Pat O'Connor
Kris Dunn12 hours ago

Returns To Starting Five
Los Angeles Rams12 hours ago

Rams Agree To Terms With Nate Landman
Pascal Siakam12 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Another Contest
Brandin Podziemski12 hours ago

Returning On Tuesday
Tim Jones12 hours ago

Vikings Add Tim Jones To Receiver Room
Myles Turner12 hours ago

Off The Injury Report For Wednesday
Damian Lillard12 hours ago

Will Play On Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo13 hours ago

Cleared For Tuesday
Mecole Hardman13 hours ago

Signing With Packers
Tyrese Haliburton13 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday Night
Gary Trent Jr.13 hours ago

To Play On Tuesday
Rondale Moore13 hours ago

Visits With Jets
Stephen Curry13 hours ago

Resting On Tuesday Night
LaMelo Ball15 hours ago

Downgraded To Unavailable Versus Atlanta
Jayson Tatum15 hours ago

Sidelined On Tuesday
Clint Capela15 hours ago

Not Playing Tuesday Versus Hornets
Shea Theodore15 hours ago

Returns To Practice Tuesday
Trae Young16 hours ago

Available For Tuesday's Matchup With Hornets
William Karlsson16 hours ago

Nearing Return
Arthur Kaliyev16 hours ago

Done For The Year
John Gibson16 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
Thatcher Demko16 hours ago

To Join Team For Upcoming Road Trip
LaMelo Ball16 hours ago

Downgraded To Questionable For Tuesday
Conor Garland16 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday
Dylan Strome16 hours ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Corey Kispert16 hours ago

Out For Rest Of Season After Thumb Surgery
David Moore19 hours ago

Re-Signing With Panthers
Jauan Jennings19 hours ago

Could Be 49ers WR1 To Begin Next Season
San Francisco 49ers19 hours ago

49ers Likely To Add Running Back In NFL Draft
Najee Harris19 hours ago

Chargers Eyeing Explosive Complement To Najee Harris In 2025 NFL Draft
Shane Zylstra19 hours ago

 Heading Back To Detroit
Seattle Seahawks19 hours ago

Dillon Radunz Visiting With Seahawks
Minnesota Vikings19 hours ago

Jeff Okudah Signing With Vikings
Mattias Ekholm19 hours ago

Cleared For Tuesday's Contest
Zach Hyman20 hours ago

Returning On Tuesday
Russell Wilson20 hours ago

Browns Unlikely To Land Russell Wilson
John Klingberg20 hours ago

Not Playing On Tuesday
Justin Thomas20 hours ago

Continues To Spark But Hopes To Keep It Lit At Innisbrook
Alexander Romanov20 hours ago

Not Facing Pittsburgh On Tuesday
Tyler Seguin20 hours ago

Progressing In Recovery
Miro Heiskanen20 hours ago

Could Miss Opening Round Of Playoffs
Michael Kim20 hours ago

Looks To Rebound At Valspar Championship
Tom Kim22 hours ago

Looking For Putter Form At Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard23 hours ago

Looking For Form At Valspar Championship
Jericho Sims23 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Regular Season Following Thumb Surgery
Ben Griffin23 hours ago

Needs To Find Ball-Striking Form Ahead Of Valspar Championship
Bradley Beal23 hours ago

To Sit Out At Least One Week Of Action
Stephen Curry23 hours ago

Could Be Rested Tuesday
Trey Murphy III23 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of 2024-25 Campaign
Tommy Fleetwood23 hours ago

Looks To Keep Short But Successful Run Going At Innisbrook
LaMelo Ball23 hours ago

Probable Tuesday
Eric Cole24 hours ago

Needs To Find A Spark At Innisbrook
Sam Burns24 hours ago

Looks To Rebound At Valspar Championship
Filip Gustavsson1 day ago

Stops 28 Shots In Victory
William Nylander1 day ago

Busy On Monday
Roman Dolidze2 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Three
Marvin Vettori2 days ago

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Will Zalatoris2 days ago

Has Been Consistent At Least In 2025
Carson Young2 days ago

Makes The Cut In Second Straight Tournament
Xander Schauffele2 days ago

Struggles At The PLAYERS Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard2 days ago

Misses First Cut In 2025
Lucas Glover2 days ago

Produces Another Strong Showing At The PLAYERS Championship
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos2 days ago

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Chidi Njokuani2 days ago

Scores TKO Win At UFC Vegas 104
Kurt Holobaugh2 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez2 days ago

Wins Decision At UFC Vegas 104
Cody Gibson2 days ago

Submitted At UFC Vegas 104
Da'Mon Blackshear2 days ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brendson Ribeiro2 days ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Vegas 104
Diyar Nurgozhay2 days ago

Suffers His First Loss
MMA2 days ago

Seung Woo Choi Suffers First-Round TKO Loss At UFC Vegas 104
Kevin Vallejos2 days ago

Finishes Seung Woo Choi In Debut
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Solid Performance Is Derailed By Late Pit-Road Issues At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Struggles End In A Disappointing Exit Late At Las Vegas
Josh Berry2 days ago

Impressively Earns First Cup Series Win At Las Vegas
AJ Allmendinger2 days ago

Scores First Top-10 Finish Of Season At Las Vegas
Kyle Larson2 days ago

Leads The Most Laps, But Settles For A Top-10 Finish At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain2 days ago

Obtains A Hard-Fought Top-Five Finish At Las Vegas
Daniel Suarez2 days ago

Scores Career-Best Finish At Las Vegas, But Falls Short Of Winning
NASCAR2 days ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecks At Las Vegas But Shows Promising Speed
Alex Bowman2 days ago

Recovers From Loose Wheel To Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric2 days ago

Wins Stage 1, But Loose Wheel Foils Victory Bid
William Byron2 days ago

Loses Las Vegas Race On Strategy But Expands Points Lead
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Earns Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish At Las Vegas
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Chase Elliott3 days ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
William Byron3 days ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Roman Dolidze5 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori5 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani5 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos5 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh5 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez5 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson5 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro5 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Florio's Non-Free Agent Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Free Agency takes over the football world every March. It is always such a fun week that shakes up the league. It is followed by plenty of analysis over which players ended up in good fits and which hurt their stock.  Free agents are not the only players whose value is shaken up this week […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Regression Candidates: Potential Sophomore Slumps

No one, and especially not Dynasty fantasy football managers, wants to hear that their rookie breakout player is going to slump in their second season. Yet we see that happen pretty much every season with certain players. The best example from 2024 was quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award […]


Tre Harris - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Draft

Three Fantasy Football Rookie Wide Receiver Sleepers: Yards Per Route Run Analysis

In one of my first fantasy football articles covering NFL Draft prospects, we looked at three rookies who stood out via yards per route run. The landing spot and actual draft capital mattered since they showed how NFL teams value those players. That said, we will switch it up and examine the 11 wide receiver […]


Saquon Barkley - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football RB Rankings Analysis: Saquon Barkley, De'Von Achane, Breece Hall

Dynasty startup drafts are in full swing. There’s nothing that quite matches the dopamine hit and adrenaline rush of beginning a new dynasty draft. As any good dynasty manager knows, running backs are critical elements when it comes to building a perennial contender. Some of the top backs available in startup drafts this year are […]


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Rankings Analysis – CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua

The cool thing about dynasty fantasy football is that rankings change all the time. At this time last year, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. were being drafted in the first round of rookie drafts. Now, both wide receivers are top-15 dynasty assets.  Three wideouts whose […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Winners and Losers of 2025 NFL Free Agency

The biggest NFL free-agency frenzy of 2025, namely the first few days of free agency, is now in the books, so the majority of the biggest moves have been made by now. There are still a few big names that haven't signed yet, but most of the most coveted players have found new landing spots […]


Stefon Diggs - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Stefon Diggs Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Stefon Diggs enjoyed a nice first season with the Houston Texans before he tore his ACL in Week 8. The veteran receiver was playing on a one-year deal and has yet to be signed by another team this offseason. Diggs enters his age 31 season in 2025 and has shown some signs of decline in […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

The NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

The 2025 NFL offseason continues to march forward as free agency enters its second week. Believe it or not, a few well-known veterans remain unsigned. One such player is former Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen. He did not have his best season in 2024, and the Bears ultimately chose not to re-sign him. Allen […]


Nick Chubb - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Nick Chubb Top Landing Spots: Updated 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

NFL free agency has entered its second week. Believe it or not, a few well-known veterans remain unsigned. One such player is former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. After missing most of the 2023 season with a major knee injury, Chubb returned to the Browns’ lineup at midseason. However, he struggled mightily upon his […]


Kenneth Walker III - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Kenneth Walker III - 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

At times, the dynasty fantasy football marketplace can feel like the Wild West. Player values move up and down based on any significant (or insignificant) transactions, news items, or social media posts. With that said, we must always think about how certain players should be valued. What’s a player’s current value? Are they overvalued or […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Busts: Overvauled AFC Draft Avoids

There are 16 teams in the AFC (obviously) meaning that there are plenty of players in that conference that will bust, obviously. Identifying them isn't easy, of course, but since it's my job to research fantasy football as much as possible and deliver you the best possible content, I'll try anyway. I want you to […]