Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers - Shortstop (SS)

Orelvis Martinez - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Analysis (Week 6)

PROSPECT: Orelvis Martinez, SS, Toronto Blue Jays ERIC CROSS' LATEST PROSPECT RANKING: #7 CALL-UP ETA: May ANALYSIS: From April 14 to April 21, Martinez launched six balls out of the yard. Across the entire season, he is riding a .300/.364/.622 with seven total home runs and 22 RBI. In addition, he had an equally impressive... Read More

Jackson Holliday - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 6)

PROSPECT: Jackson Holliday, 2B/SS, Baltimore Orioles ERIC CROSS' LATEST PROSPECT RANKING: #2 CALL-UP ETA: May ANALYSIS: Well, that didn't go as expected. In his first taste of the Majors, uber-prospect Jackson Holliday struggled immensely to the tune of a .059/.111/.059 slash line and 50% strikeout rate in 36 plate appearances. Jackson Holliday has been demoted... Read More

Blaze Alexander - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds

BALLER MOVE: Add in NL-only Leagues ROSTERED IN: 19% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander has broken out with authority in his big-league debut following a lengthy history of excellent production since making his professional debut in the 2018 campaign. Through his first 56 MLB plate appearances, Alexander is hitting .333 with three homers,... Read More

Zach Neto - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds

BALLER MOVE: Leave on the wire for now ROSTERED IN: 12% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto was fast-tracked to the big leagues after being taken with the 13th-overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft and his bat has predictably struggled. After just 48 minor-league games, the 23-year-old was promoted to the big club... Read More

Gabriel Arias - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds

BALLER MOVE: Add in 15+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 4% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Gabriel Arias, the 24-year-old super-utility man just made five consecutive starts after receiving limited playing time in the first two weeks of the season. Arias is riding a solid .314/.333/.543 line with one home run, one swiped bag and seven RBI. In... Read More

Brooks Lee - 2024 Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Brooks Lee, SS, Minnesota Twins ROTOBALLER'S LATEST PROSPECT RANKING: #20 CALL-UP ETA: May ANALYSIS: Brooks Lee was taken as the eighth overall pick in 2022, and by the end of 2023, he had logged 38 games at Triple-A. The 23-year-old had a good spring with the big-league club, hitting .333 (12-for-36) with five doubles,... Read More

Thomas Saggese - 2024 Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Thomas Saggese, 2B/SS/3B, St. Louis Cardinals ROTOBALLER'S LATEST PROSPECT RANKING: #6 CALL-UP ETA: May ANALYSIS: With Victor Scott II already in the majors, Thomas Saggese is the Cardinals' highest-ranked offensive prospect in the minors at this point. After winning the Texas League MVP in 2023 for leading the league in numerous offensive categories, Saggese has continued... Read More

Jackson Holliday - 2024 Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jackson Holliday, 2B/SS, Baltimore Orioles ERIC CROSS' PROSPECT RANKING: #1 CALL-UP ETA: April ANALYSIS: It was rather surprising that Jackson Holliday didn't make Baltimore's opening day roster. But don't you worry, his time with Triple-A Norfolk is sure to be brief. After slashing .323/.442/.499 across four levels as a 19-year-old in 2023, Holliday impressed... Read More

Ceddanne Rafaela (SS/OF, BOS) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 49% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Play elite defense, and earn at-bats. That's the simple path to playing time for 23-year-old prospect Ceddanne Rafaela. Normally, fantasy players could care less about a player's glove, but in Rafaela's case, his elite defense at three premium positions (2B, SS, CF)... Read More

Oneil Cruz - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 56 CURRENT ADP: ~95 ANALYSIS: Did you hear that? Oneil Cruz just crushed another baseball into the stands. The Pirates' top prospect now has seven home runs this Spring! The hype train for the Pittsburgh shortstop Oneil Cruz was flying down the tracks last season, too, only to see... Read More

Anthony Volpe - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 122 CURRENT ADP: ~139 ANALYSIS: Anthony Volpe's production in 2023 was useful in fantasy but somewhat frustrating. There are not many players in the league who cross 20 HRs and 20 SBs, particularly as rookies. However, when that is parlayed with a .209 batting average across 601 plate appearances,... Read More

Jackson Holliday - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Draft Values (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 153 CURRENT ADP: ~184 overall ANALYSIS: Holliday hits and hits some more. Between four levels as a 19-year-old last season, Holliday slashed .323/.442/.499 with 12 home runs, making it to Triple-A by season's end. Holliday combines a strong feel for the strike zone and good contact skills. Checking in... Read More

Trevor Story - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 165 CURRENT ADP: ~226 ANALYSIS: There are a couple of Boston Red Sox players that we can get at a nice price in drafts and Trevor Story is another one. With what looks to be a solid (and full) season for Trevor Story, Boston has him set to hit... Read More

Anthony Volpe, Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott: Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis (2024)

Although Opening Day kicks off the 2024 MLB season on Thursday, many fantasy baseball drafts still have yet to take place. Waiting until the last minute to draft gives fantasy managers the latest information and updates, so it's time to take a look at three intriguing draft targets. Anthony Volpe, Elly De La Cruz, and... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Sleepers Analysis - Christian Yelich, Carlos Rodon, CJ Abrams

The bulk of the 2024 MLB season is set to get underway, but fantasy baseball drafts will take place all the way up to the first pitch on Opening Day. There is still time to find and analyze which players are sleepers and which players have bust potential ahead of Thursday's action. Christian Yelich, Carlos... Read More

Xander Bogaerts - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 85 CURRENT ADP: ~93 ANALYSIS: In his first season with the San Diego Padres in 2023, shortstop Xander Bogaerts had a solid year, slashing .285/.350/.440 with 19 home runs, 31 doubles, two triples, 58 RBI, a career-high 19 stolen bases, and 83 runs scored in 665 plate appearances over 155 games... Read More

Zach Neto - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 223 CURRENT ADP: ~349 ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto is having a big spring in Cactus League action. The 23-year-old is hitting .333 with 3 HR, 9 R, 9 RBI, and 3 steals. Neto played 84 games at the big-league level in 2023. While his overall numbers were not... Read More

Luis Rengifo - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 249 CURRENT ADP: ~269 ANALYSIS:  A slow starter who picked it up later last year, Luis Rengifo’s versatility helped keep him in the lineup through early problems until he went ballistic following the All-Star break. The 26-year-old was hitting an empty .219 with a poor .255 BABIP and a... Read More

Jeremy Pena - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers (2024)

BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 205 CURRENT ADP: ~240 ANALYSIS: From a power perspective, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena's 2023 was a disappointment. In 2022, the rookie belted 22 home runs and had an above-average ISO of .173 in 521 at-bats, but in 2023 the HR total dipped to just 10 and the ISO went... Read More

Ronny Mauricio (SS, NYM) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 24

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ROSTERED IN: 21% of Leagues ANALYSIS: It finally happened; the Mets called up Ronny Mauricio. The 22-year-old top-prospect has been a fixture in the "Prospect Watch" section of this column since May, but Francisco Lindor has blocked him at shortstop. Mauricio has been playing second base and left field... Read More

Jordan Lawlar - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks ANALYSIS: We're officially on Jordan Lawlar watch. Is it a guarantee that he'll be up this year? No. But few players in the minors match his offensive upside, especially players that have a realistic shot at making the Major League debut this season. Lawlar is slashing .328/.417/.590 in 72... Read More

Ezequiel Tovar (SS, COL) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 41% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Ezequiel Tovar entered the season as the number-one prospect in the Colorado organization and his rookie season has been a wild ride. Tovar started the year ice cold but picked things up in a major way in June. He slumped again in... Read More

Royce Lewis (3B/SS, MIN) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 38% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Royce Lewis was recently activated from the injured list for the Twins and picked up right where he left off for Minnesota's offense. He's tallied five hits in four games -- two of them going for extra bases -- and collected two... Read More

Masyn Winn (SS, STL) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 23% of Leagues ANALYSIS: The Cardinals are officially in rebuild mode. This means we get a look at their top-ranked prospect Masyn Winn, who was called up on Thursday. Winn is a contact-oriented speedster; in Triple-A, he had 17 steals and scored 99 runs in 105... Read More

Jordan Lawlar - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks ANALYSIS: Last week, I didn't believe there was a high chance that Jordan Lawlar would be up with Arizona this season. Now I'm starting to think he might. Lawlar was recently promoted to Triple-A after slashing .263/.366/.474 with 23 doubles, 15 home runs, and 33 steals in the Double-A... Read More

Cristian Santana - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Cristian Santana, 2B/3B/SS, Detroit Tigers ANALYSIS: Cristian Santana signed with the Tigers in January 2021 out of the Dominican Republic. He immediately showed impressive patience at the plate that summer in the DSL, walking at a 13.9% rate while adding in 23 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 54 games. Last year, Santana was... Read More

Aeverson Arteaga - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Aeverson Arteaga, SS, San Francisco Giants ANALYSIS: The Giants signed Aeverson Arteaga out of Venezuela in July 2019. Due to the pandemic, he did not get to make his pro debut until 2021, when he played so well in complex ball that the Giants gave him one game in Single-A. He moved up to... Read More

Maikel Garcia (3B/SS, KC) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 31% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Every year, a handful of players on bad teams post big finishes to the season simply because they are getting everyday at-bats. Maikel Garcia fits the bill this season as he's been sneaky-productive as the leadoff man in Kansas City.   Maikel... Read More

Edouard Julien (SS, MIN) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 39% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Pop quiz! Who led all second basemen in each of the three triple-slash (batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage) categories during the month of July? Given the fact his name is in bold above, you probably guessed Edouard Julien, and you'd... Read More

Brayan Rocchio - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Brayan Rocchio, SS, Cleveland Guardians ANALYSIS: With Amed Rosario now out of town, the Cleveland Guardians have been rolling with Gabriel Arias and his current .205/.304/.317 slash line at the shortstop position lately. If he doesn't start showing some adequacy at the plate, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cleveland make the swap and bring up the more... Read More

Joey Ortiz - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Joey Ortiz, SS, Baltimore Orioles ANALYSIS: A surging bat down in Triple-A Norfolk belongs to shortstop Joey Ortiz. Since being optioned back down in late-June, Ortiz has slashed .370/.425/.574 with 11 doubles, three home runs, and eight steals. He doesn't possess the upside of others on this list, but his ability to hit for average... Read More

Ronny Mauricio - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Ronny Mauricio, 2B/SS, New York Mets ANALYSIS: A player I'm beginning to have doubts about coming up soon is Ronny Mauricio. For starters, Mauricio has cooled off since his torrid April/May, slashing just .233/.293/.409 since June 1st. The power and speed have still been there however with nine home runs and seven steals over... Read More

Masyn Winn - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals ANALYSIS: While the Paul DeJong trade didn't exactly send ripples throughout the baseball world, it does create a path to playing time for Masyn Winn this season. The unfortunate news of Brendan Donovan being out for the remainder of the season helps as well. Still, St. Louis might wait a few weeks... Read More

Marco Luciano (SS, SF)- Fantasy Baseball Hitter Waiver Wire Adds for Week 19

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 14% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Let's keep things in the Bay Area and highlight San Francisco prospect Marco Luciano, who was promoted by the Giants last week. The promotion was aggressive - Luciano only played six games in Triple-A, and he's only 21 years old - but he... Read More

Edouard Julien (SS, MIN) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 19

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 49% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Speaking of hot hitters, there are few players more scorching-hot right now than Edouard Julien, who posted an absurd .804 slugging percentage in the month of July. He didn't have enough plate appearances to qualify for the official MLB leaderboard, but if... Read More

Jon Berti (2B/3B/SS/OF, MIA) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 19

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 20% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Unlike Jake Burger, Jon Berti doesn't hit the ball out of the ballpark, but he gets on base and can occasionally nab you a few stolen bags. He was the stolen base leader in 2022, after all. Strangely, though, in a year where... Read More

Masyn Winn - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals ANALYSIS: To the surprise of nearly everyone, the St. Louis Cardinals have struggled mightily this season and are currently nine games out of the 3rd wild card spot in the National League. This has led to reports of the Cardinals being sellers at the deadline which makes a... Read More

Zach Neto (SS, LAA) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of Leagues ANALYSIS: The Angels have been spiraling since Mike Trout (hand) landed on the IL, but one of the few bright spots has been the play of rookie Zach Neto (back), who carried a six-game hit streak into Saturday's action. Neto was a late... Read More

Edouard Julien (SS, MIN) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 38% of Leagues ANALYSIS: No baseball player is hotter than Edouard Julien this month, yet he remains widely available in fantasy. In July, Julien is batting .500 (18-for-36) with five home runs and a 1.550 OPS. Injuries and poor performance by other Twins infielders have freed... Read More

Ezequiel Tovar (SS, COL) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 40% of Leagues ANALYSIS: One week ago, Ezequiel Tovar was over the 50-percent rostered threshold, and it seemed the 21-year-old budding star was on his way to helping several fantasy teams win championships. Alas, his roster rate is down to 40 percent, and it's baffling as... Read More

Jordan Westburg (2B/3B/SS BAL) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 31% of Leagues ANALYSIS: The start to Jordan Westburg's major league career hasn't been great, but it hasn't been flat-out terrible, either. The 24-year-old prospect has batted a respectable .262 and tallied six extra-base hits in the first 19 games of his rookie campaign with the first-place... Read More

Mauricio Dubon (2B/SS/OF, HOU) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 17

BALLER MOVE: Add in 15+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 24% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Mauricio Dubon isn't the most sexy name in fantasy, but he's done yeoman's work filling in as the leadoff hitter while Jose Altuve (oblique) remains on the injured list. Since the start of June, Dubon is batting .260 with a .415 slugging... Read More

Geraldo Perdomo (2B/SS/3B, ARI) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 17

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 37% of Leagues ANALYSIS: The Diamondbacks have cooled off somewhat after a mostly dominant first half, as they've seen themselves fall out of first place in the NL West. Geraldo Perdomo looking more like his 2022 self at the plate, has played a part in that, but... Read More

CJ Abrams (2B/SS, WAS) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 17

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 34% of Leagues ANALYSIS: There hasn't been a lot to smile about with the Nationals this season, but those not paying attention to Washington baseball are missing out on CJ Abrams, who has been on a heater over the last couple of weeks. Since the calendar... Read More

Jackson Merrill - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jackson Merrill, SS, San Diego Padres ANALYSIS: Another member of the elite 2021 prep shortstop class, Jackson Merrill was selected 27th overall by the Padres out of high school in Maryland. He showed well in his pro debut and received rave reviews at Fall Instructs coming into his first full season. Injuries prevented a... Read More

Noelvi Marte - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Noelvi Marte, 3B/SS, Cincinnati Reds ANALYSIS: The Seattle Mariners signed Noelvi Marte in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He had a huge debut in the DSL, hitting .309/.371/.512 with nine homers and 17 steals in 65 games. After the pandemic, the 19-year-old Marte pushed across the Mariners' A-ball levels in 2021, hitting .273/.366/.460... Read More

Jordan Lawlar - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks ANALYSIS: Jordan Lawlar was part of the impressive 2021 high school shortstops, drafted sixth overall by Arizona out of high school in Texas. His performance in Fall Instructs immediately had people talking, and he jumped into the top 50 of all prospects. In 2022, Lawlar was incredibly impressive as... Read More

CJ Abrams (2B/SS, WAS) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16

BALLER MOVE: Add in 15+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 23% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Breakouts don't always happen instantaneously, just look at CJ Abrams. The former sixth-overall pick hasn't lived up to the hype thus far in the majors, but if we look under the hood, we find a very enticing skill set for fantasy. First... Read More

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B/SS/OF NYY) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16

BALLER MOVE: Add in 15+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 8% of Leagues ANALYSIS: The Yankee offense has been going in reverse since losing Aaron Judge (toe) at the start of June. The exception to that trend is Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has been quite productive in that time despite all the struggles from his teammates. Isiah... Read More

Ezequiel Tovar (SS, COL) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 45% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Could this be it? Could this be the week Ezequiel Tovar finally cracks the 50% rostered threshold for the first time since April? It's getting old writing up the same player every week, but then again, he's still available in over half... Read More