Updated Second Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

March 19, 2019

Updated second base fantasy baseball rankings for 5x5 roto mixed leagues. Our staff's 2B rankings feature the #1 most accurate industry expert, Nick Mariano.

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the second base position. With the 2019 season kicking off in a matter of days, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list any time.

Second base might not be your first priority on draft day but it's a good place to find the coveted power/speed combo. This position isn't as top-heavy as some others due to question marks surrounding some of the names in the top 10. Most of these players also qualify at other positions, so you can approach this list with a great deal of roster flexibility in mind on draft day.

Without any more delay, let's break down the 2019 second base rankings for March.

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Second Base Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (March)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was recently named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season. You can see his secret sauce below! Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Rankings Analysis - Top Tiers

Tier One

Jose Ramirez stands alone in the first tier and for good reason. He is coming off a season where he posted 39 HR, 34 SB and walked 26 times more than he struck out. Some people are trying to invent the narrative that Ramirez is due for decline because he had trouble hitting off-speed pitches in the second half last year and will see less hittable pitches without the support of Francisco Lindor early on. I could see letting him slip to fifth overall if you prefer Nolan Arenado or Max Scherzer but there is no arguing that J-Ram is an elite producer and the top second baseman (even though he's set to play third every day and will probably lose eligibility at this position next year).

Tier Two

The noticeable name missing from tier one is Jose Altuve. While he ranks second in our consensus at second base, we already have a relatively big discrepancy between rankers here. Bill sees him as a top-10 fantasy asset while Scott places him outside the first two rounds in a 12-team draft. Altuve will have to deliver at least 20 homers and steals to justify his high ranking, even if the batting average remains near the top of the league.

The lower end of this group of potentially elite second basemen features second-half stud from 2018, Adalberto Mondesi. He sits squarely in the fifth spot of our consensus but I've got him as my eighth-ranked 2B-eligible player. The speed is real, the power... maybe in spurts, but I don't see spending a fourth-round pick on a player who, even in his mini-breakout last year, posted a .306 OBP and 3.8-26.5% BB-K%. Sure, his plate discipline could improve but he consistently posted low walk rates and excessive whiff rates for someone who needs to be at the top of the lineup to deliver any help in the runs category for a team likely to be a cellar dweller.

Tier Three

If I'm going to hang my hat on a young infielder at this position, it's going to be either Ozzie Albies or Gleyber Torres. I thought my bullish ranking on these two might run a little high but it looks like The King has me beat on both counts. Many are worried about Albies' second-half slump, rightfully so, but he finished the year with a low 17% K-rate while crossing the plate 105 times even while his average suffered. He ran less than expected, so if he gets the green light more often, the steals could jump up to compensate for an expected decline in power.

If you prefer RBI production in the middle infield, Torres is your guy. He drove in 77 over 431 at-bats, a number that logically should increase. That depends a lot of lineup spot, however. RosterResource projects him as the #9 hitter behind the likes of Luke Voit, Greg Bird, and Troy Tulowitzki. That isn't sound logic IMHO. I expect Torres to slot at sixth or seventh and have plenty of chances to build on last year's impressive debut.

Rankings Analysis - Middle Tiers

Tier Four

Few players have seen their ADP jump as much in the last couple of months as Daniel Murphy. In drafts held immediately after the 2018 season, between November - January, Murphy was the 10th second baseman selected at an average draft position of 116 overall. From mid-January to mid-March, Murphy is the sixth-ranked second baseman, being taken 66th overall on average. Obviously, much of this optimism stems from his presence in Coors Field and the fact he seems healthy to enter the season. A sluggish spring hasn't done anything to slow down the Murph train, nor should it. Just be sure you're not reaching too soon or spending too much for a 33-year-old with chronic injury issues.

If you want cheap speed, this is your tier. Jose Peraza, Jonathan Villar, Dee Gordon, and to some extent, Brian Dozier, could provide a boost in that category. The problem is deciding how much you'll sacrifice in the other categories. JB clearly feels it's worth the risk, as the highest of our rankers by 20 spots on Peraza and the only one to place Villar inside the top 100. With Peraza you should still find a high average and run-scoring totals but not much in the way of power. Villar has pop but he's never hit 20 HR in a season and may still be living off the glory of his 2016 season. Dozier has the best chance to help in all five categories but is coming off a massively disappointing season where he hit just .215 and could barely stay in the Dodgers lineup down the stretch.

Tier Five

It's been said that Cesar Hernandez could be a sleeper candidate for 20/20 production this season. This is his ceiling obviously but a realistic one nevertheless. If you choose to wait for a second baseman, he seems to be the ideal candidate to prop up roto league rosters. If you happen to play in a points league, it seems nonsensical to chase a player like Mondesi, Albies, or even Baez, when you could wait for Hernandez.

Yoan Moncada could be the poster boy for post-hype breakout in 2019. One of the top prospects in all of baseball a year ago, he isn't a starting option and would have fallen outside the top 20 in this list if not for my ranking. He posted a solid 90.6 MPH exit velocity last year, good for 45th among all batters with at least 150 batted ball events. He managed 17 HR and 12 SB despite struggling with the strike zone and finding little lineup support. Those last two issues may not be fully resolved this year, but my belief is that even a minor bit of progress in plate discipline can lead to a 20-15 season with a decent average and counting stats largely in line with other low-end 2B options like Rougned Odor or Jonathan Villar.

Tier Six

If you want to take a flier on Garrett Hampson for your MI spot, start doing some stretches because you're going to have to reach. Hampson has seen his ADP rise almost 20 spots in the last two weeks alone after a strong spring that could confirm his spot on the 25-man roster on Opening Day. Red hot Ryan McMahon is doing his best to win a starting job as well, so pay close attention to this battle. If Hampson finds his way to semi-regular playing time, he could still be a nice source of steals late in the draft. Just don't expect him to be waiting for you in the last couple rounds. Hell, I saw him go for $12 in an auction draft just the other day...

Other prospects that could be worth a bench spot include Nick Senzel, who could find himself in center field to start the season, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The benefit of taking these two young sluggers, on top of offensive potential, is their multi-position eligibility. Senzel is the better prospect but Gurriel is often overlooked despite a solid end to his rookie campaign. The younger Gurriel brother belted 11 homers and drove in 35 runs over 249 at-bats despite battling some injuries. I have the feeling he'll become a popular waiver wire add soon enough.

Rankings Analysis - Lower Tiers

Tiers Seven and Eight

If Jeff McNeil gets off to a hot start, his ownership will jump like no other. A popular offseason sleeper, his draft stock sank once the Mets acquired Robinson Cano and signed Jed Lowrie. Turns out Lowrie and Todd Frazier are hurt, so McNeil may be starting in the outfield on Opening Day. He had an impressive triple-slash line of .329/.381/.471 last season and swiped seven bags. His Statcast numbers weren't anything to write home about, though. Turns out he greatly outperformed his .277 xBA and posted a middling 85.2 exit velocity. McNeil flexed some power at Double-A last year, so there could be more he hasn't shown at the big-league level yet.

How's this for variance? Asdrubal Cabrera ranks anywhere from 179 to 458 between our experts. For someone who qualifies at nearly every infield position and offers easy 20-HR upside at a ballpark with the absolute best HR Park Factor for left-handed batters, he should be owned in most deep mixed leagues.

Ian Kinsler has been left for dead in most fantasy leagues but he can still be a factor. The numbers have largely declined the last couple of seasons but he still managed to chip in 14 HR and 16 SB last season. He now projects to start at second base and bat leadoff atop a suddenly dangerous-looking Padres lineup. If you want a sexy prospect or hidden gem, he ain't it. If you want solid production with a decent floor, Kinsler is a lot safer than a guy like Joey Wendle, who may not repeat last year's production or even find regular at-bats.

Adam Frazier isn't going to be widely owned but a few experts believe he could be the player to target to fill your MI spot. Josh Harrison is gone and the Pirates are holding open tryouts at nearly every position other than first base, so Frazier just needs to continue playing solid defense and finding his way on base to earn steady playing time. Frazier is entering his prime at 27 years of age and carries a solid career batting average of .280 in the majors. There might not be enough to offer in the counting categories for 5x5 leagues, though, as 10 steals and 15 homers might be his ceiling. Hitting at the bottom of the Pirates order isn't overly appealing either.

For my money (or draft pick), I would prefer taking a chance on Keston Hiura, who offers a superior hit tool and projects to be above-average in both power and speed. Hiura will stay in the minors for much of the first half, barring injury, but if Travis Shaw or Mike Moustakas hit the IL at any point, he could prove his worth enough to stay on the big league roster.

If you're looking for a player to stash at your NA slot, Brandon Lowe and Luis Urias could also contribute if things break the right way.

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