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

Four Sleepers At First Base to Target Late

Elliott Baas analyzes four sleepers to target in your 2019 fantasy baseball drafts. These undervalued MLB players are worth your attention.

First base was once the most loaded position in fantasy baseball. All the best hitters played the position, and if you didn't have an elite one on your team, you were in trouble. That's changed a bit over the past few seasons, as younger, more athletic players have emerged at positions like shortstop, third base, and outfield. That means we can get away with waiting on the position, or taking a flier on someone late as a corner infielder.

In this article we're looking at four first baseman going late in drafts that could provide solid value as sleepers given their current ADP. A few of these guys are forgotten veterans, and a few are up-and-coming youngsters ready to take the next step.

All ADP data is taken from NFBC and is current as of 03/25/19. Let's dive in!

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

 

Peter Alonso, New York Mets

NFBC ADP: 226

Alonso’s stock has risen since the Mets announced he’d make the team. He was going at pick 235 as of 03/19, but has shot all the way up to pick 199 since 03/20 after it became clear Alonso was sticking with the big club. Still, there is a lot to like about the powerful prospect, even if he’s become a hot name this spring.

Alonso tore up minor league pitching last season for a .975 OPS and 36 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A. Those numbers might be a bit inflated thanks to 67 games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but Alonso’s power has been lauded since his days as a Florida Gator. Alonso has done nothing but hit, and the power he possesses could make him a 40-homer bat someday, and perhaps soon. He mainly has to compete with Dominic Smith for playing time at first, and while Smith is a former top prospect himself, he doesn’t offer much upside with the bat. Smith has a career 79 wRC+ in 332 PA in the majors, and he may have a .333 AVG this spring, but he also has just three extra-base hits in 55 PA.

With veteran bats such as Yoenis Cespedes, Jed Lowrie, and Todd Frazier all starting the season on the injured list, the Mets should prefer to give the high-upside Alonso a shot over a singles hitter like Smith. If things break right for Alonso he could provide elite power, such as what we saw from recent young power prospects like Cody Bellinger, Gary Sanchez, and Matt Olson over the last few years.

 

Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

NFBC ADP: 331

Ryan Zimmerman sort of feels like he should be behind the desk at MLB Network by now, but the 34-year-old is still penciled in as the Nationals’ first baseman heading into 2019. Zimmerman’s big renaissance came in 2017, when he rose from the dead to put up 36 bombs and 108 RBI along with a .303 AVG for Washington, and that season made Zimmerman’s 2018 a bit of a letdown.

Zimmerman found himself in a familiar place in 2018, the trainer’s table. An oblique strain cost him over two months, and he played in just 85 games in 2018, hitting 13 home runs with an .824 OPS in 323 PA. Even with his injury troubles, Zimmerman was clobbering the ball when healthy. He posted a career-high 92.6 MPH average exit velocity and a monster 52.8% hard hit rate in 2018. In fact, his average exit velocity, hard hit rate, barrel rate, strikeout rate, and walk rate were all better in 2018 compared to his big 2017 season. His production suffered thanks to a slight uptick in groundballs and regression of his HR/FB ratio.

Still, Zimmerman’s StatCast numbers show that there’s something left in the tank, and he should be able to improve on his power numbers and batting average when healthy. Injuries will likely continue to plague Zimmerman; poor health has effectively spoiled the latter half of his career, but at pick 331 owners should be willing to take a flier on the veteran given the underlying metrics. A full repeat of 2017 is unlikely, but hitting above .275 with 25 home runs and solid RBI production is certainly possible.

 

Ryan O'Hearn, Kansas City Royals

NFBC ADP: 342

Usually, when a young player comes up and absolutely crushes the ball out of the gate, we in the fantasy community tend to wide-eyed and start daydreaming about that player’s ceiling. That’s not quite the case with Ryan O’Hearn, because his ADP is still at pick 345 despite clobbering the ball in his debut last year. In 170 PA O’Hearn smacked 12 homers and posted a .950 OPS for Kansas City, and is locked in as the Royals’ first baseman with zero competition heading in 2019. With relatively good job security and an excellent first showing O’Hearn has the makes of a draft day darling, yet he’s still a solid value at his current ADP.

What makes owners skeptical of O’Hearn may be the lack of minor-league track record. He wasn’t exactly Babe Ruth at Triple-A, posting 11 homers and a .159 ISO in 406 PA with Omaha, and that was in the PCL where Peter Alonso literally couldn’t make an out if he tried. O’Hearn has flashed power at lower levels of the minors, but considering it took him until age 25 to even reach Triple-A much less the majors could be a source of doubt. It’s also easy to hate O’Hearn’s situation in Kansas City. The lineup around him is terrible, and Kauffman Stadium graded as the worst ballpark for home runs for left-handed batters in 2018 (per Baseball Prospectus). Yes, it was somehow marginally worse than San Francisco (although, quality of the home team’s lineup may account for the difference).

Kauffman didn’t affect O’Hearn much in 2018, as he posted a .961 OPS and .303 ISO at home, although it was an admittedly small sample size of 89 PA. The ballpark shouldn’t affect O’Hearn too much considering his extreme flyball-heavy approach. Sure, it would be nice if he was in Texas or Cincinnati, but with an average launch angle of 17.7 degrees and an average exit velocity of 91.4 MPH, O’Hearn is built for power regardless of ballpark. I hate to keep going back to this name, but it’s hard not to think of Matt Olson when looking at O’Hearn. Both are big, powerful lefties with an extreme flyball approach in a bad hitters park. Like Olson, O’Hearn’s HR/FB ratio will certainly regress in 2019, but there is decent power to be mined from this player with big upside considering the cost.

 

Justin Bour, Los Angeles Angels

NFBC ADP: 360

After spending the first few years of his career as a sneaky source of power down in Miami, Bour’s numbers took a nosedive in 2018. Not counting his 83 PA debut back in 2014, Bour posted the lowest BA (.227), ISO (.177), and OPS (.746) of his career by a significant margin.

It would be nice to say that all the peripherals suggest Bour is due for a bounce back, but his .221 xBA and .402 xSLG show that Bour earned his bad numbers. On the bright side, Bour improved upon his above average plate discipline numbers to put up a career-best 14.6% walk rate. That’s partially thanks to increased passivity at the plate, as Bour’s swing percentage fell to 41.4%. His tendency to take pitches also caused his strikeout rate to rise to 24.8% despite no significant changes in contact rate.

With Bour, the hope is that he rediscovers a little aggression at the plate. He’s always been a patient hitter, and it’s been a positive attribute for the most part, but he seems to have found a breaking point last season, and his performance suffered for it. He especially struggled against breaking balls and offspeed pitches last season after feasting on them in 2017. The fact that he wasn’t swinging-and-missing at the pitches suggests he’s not being outmatched as much as he’s misreading the pitches.

Hopefully, with some hard work and proper coaching Bour can become the player he was with Miami, and that player would be worth far more than pick 360 in NFBC formats. He’s got about 4-6 weeks before Shohei Ohtani returns, and if he outperforms Albert Pujols, Bour could find himself on the strong side of a platoon at first base and be a nice little value, especially in daily lineup leagues.

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice




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

Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

Dealing with Posterior Elbow Discomfort
Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF