🦃 BLACK FRIDAY - TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
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

Gregory Polanco Rankings Debate: Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

It's the fantasy baseball draft season. To us baseball nerds, few things are more exciting than arguing about player rankings. Today, we'll discuss and compare Gregory Polanco RotoBaller staff rankings. He was ranked No. 54 by Bill Dubiel, and No. 112 by Harris Yudin.

Throughout this series, we'll be using our February Staff Rankings to debate where to draft certain players. In cases where our writers had discrepancies, we've asked them to explain their rankings. These debates will provide us with some well-rounded analysis, and help identify undervalued/overvalued draft picks.

Editor's note: Check out our previous rankings debates on Jose RamirezTrea TurnerJ.D MartinezNelson Cruz, Jose AbreuBryce HarperCarlos Martinez, Kyle SchwarberJonathan VillarKenta Maeda and Andrew McCutchen .

 

2017 Draft Rankings Debate: Gregory Polanco

Bill Dubiel's Rankings Analysis

His Overall Ranking: 54

Gregory Polanco has the highest ceiling of all the Pirates' talented outfielders in 2017, as I don't think we've even see the peak of his abilities. He's gotten better in each of his three major league seasons, posting a .258/.323/.463 slash line last year with 22 big flies and 17 steals. Polanco actually sacrificed a bit of speed last year (he had 27 steals in 2015) but more than doubled his home run total (nine in 2015). And I think in a full season, Polanco is a lock for a 20/20 season with the potential for much more.

The power from last year is sustainable, as Polanco's .205 ISO, while a career high, is actually not far off from his minor league numbers. In 2012, Polanco posted a .197 ISO across a full season of A-ball, and 2014 was the only year in which he hit fewer than 12 total homers (across all levels). If he makes a bit more solid contact, Polanco could approach 25 homers again in 2017.
There's even some evidence that Polanco was unlucky getting on base last year. He posted the highest K-rate of his career in 2016 (20.3%) and a relatively low BABIP (.291). Once again, with a little bit of increased contact, Polanco could bump up his batting average and OBP, allowing more opportunities for stolen bases. The speed has always been there (roughly 38 steals per 162 games for his professional career) so opportunity seems to be the only thing keeping Polanco's steal totals down.

 

Harris Yudin's Rankings Analysis

His Overall Ranking: 112

Last year’s weird, league-wide power surge appears to have spread to Polanco, who nearly tripled his home run total from 2015 despite seeing 65 fewer plate appearances. At 6-foot-4, it’s not unreasonable for Polanco to tap into some raw power, but the odds of the 25-year-old eclipsing 20 bombs again are low. He was never expected to have anything more than average power — the only time he posted an ISO above .175 was back in Single-A — and somewhere in the 150 range is more likely. His strikeout rate increased and his BABIP dipped back below .300, so there’s little reason to believe his average will make much of a jump after sitting in the .250s for each of the last two years.

Polanco is a legitimate low-end OF2, but outfield is such a deep position that I can’t imagine spending up for him in the fifth round when someone like Dexter Fowler (ADP of 188) can be had nine or 10 rounds later. To me, there is nothing that sets Polanco apart from Adam Eaton, Jackie Bradley Jr, David Dahl and Lorenzo Cain, all of whom should finish somewhere in the 15-15 range and all of whom are ranked outside the top 100 by most or all of the RotoBaller writers.

It is worth noting that, in my updated rankings, Polanco has jumped up to 87.




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

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Test Confirm Low-Ankle Sprain for Amon-Ra St. Brown
Anthony Davis

Available, Will be on a Minutes Restriction
Kyle Monangai

Leads Bears Backfield in Impressive Week 13 Performance
D'Andre Swift

Goes Over 100 Rushing Yards, Finds End Zone in Win Over Eagles
A.J. Brown

Goes Over 100 Yards Again, Scores Twice on Friday
Kyshawn George

Returns to Lineup After One-Game Absence
Paul George

Set To Start Friday Against Nets
Kevin Huerter

Set to Return Against Charlotte
Jarrett Allen

Back in Action on Friday
Coby White

Cleared for Action on Friday
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Suiting Up Against Charlotte
Trey Murphy III

Uncertain For Saturday's Matchup
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Returning Versus Knicks
Jaden Ivey

Set To Play Against Orlando
Adem Bona

Back on Friday Night
Andrew Nembhard

Won't Play Versus Washington
De'Anthony Melton

Eyeing Road-Trip Return
Kristaps Porzingis

Sidelined on Friday Night
Kenneth Walker III

Good to Go for Week 13
Jonathan Kuminga

Questionable Ahead Of Pelicans Matchup
Andrew Wiggins

On Track To Suit Up Saturday
Norman Powell

Likely Available Against Detroit
Brian Thomas Jr.

Good to Go Sunday
Isaiah Hartenstein

Won't Play on Friday Night
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Questionable for Week 13
Bucky Irving

Fully Practices Friday, Listed as Questionable for Week 13
Omarion Hampton

Ruled Out for Week 13
Baker Mayfield

Practices in Full Friday, Listed as Questionable for Week 13
Kirill Marchenko

Misses Third Straight Game
Drake London

Officially Ruled Out for Week 13
Jaden Schwartz

to Miss Six Weeks
Chris Olave

Officially Questionable to Play in Week 13 Due to Back Injury
Andre Burakovsky

Set to End Three-Game Absence
Alvin Kamara

Will Not Play in Week 13
William Nylander

Out Friday With Illness
J.J. McCarthy

Officially Ruled Out for Week 13
Ryan Hartman

Returns to Action Friday
Brady Tkachuk

Officially Available Friday
Ja'Marr Chase

Helps Bengals Snap Four-Game Skid on Thanksgiving
Mike Matheson

Signs Five-Year Extension
C.J. Stroud

Will Play on Sunday
Anthony Davis

Reportedly Set to Return on Friday Night
DK Metcalf

Good to Go for Week 13
Aaron Rodgers

Will Play in Week 13
Daniel Jones

Will be Ready to Go on Sunday
Terry McLaurin

Will be Active Against Broncos
Jayden Daniels

Officially Out for Week 13
Jarrett Allen

Nearing Return From Finger Injury
Andrew Nembhard

Questionable Entering Friday's Contest
Brady Tkachuk

Aims to Return Friday
Matthew Tkachuk

Resumes Skating
Jakob Chychrun

Stretches Point Streak to Nine Games
Matej Blumel

Expected to Miss Some Time
Marcus Foligno

Exits With Injury Wednesday
Jaden Schwartz

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Wednesday
Lukas Dostal

Out Wednesday Night
Sean Durzi

Available Against Canadiens
Thomas Chabot

to Remain Out Wednesday
Jared McCann

Expected to Rejoin Kraken Lineup Wednesday
Andre Burakovsky

a Game-Time Decision Wednesday
Mikko Rantanen

Returns to Stars Lineup Wednesday
Mark Stone

Ready to Return Wednesday
Dylan Cease

Agrees With Blue Jays on Seven-Year, $210 Million Deal
Anthony Rendon

Angels Could Buy Out Final Year of Anthony Rendon's Contract
Josh Hader

Says his Shoulder is "Back to Normal"
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks "Actively Listening" on Ketel Marte
Josh Norris

Nearing Return
J.T. Realmuto

Red Sox Showing Interest in J.T. Realmuto
Sonny Gray

Red Sox Acquire Sonny Gray From the Cardinals
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Makai Lemon, Skyler Bell Named Biletnikoff Award Finalists
Shohei Ohtani

to Play for Team Japan in 2026 World Baseball Classic
Colorado Rockies

Warren Schaeffer to Stick Around as Rockies Manager in 2026
CFB

Chris Bell Out for Rivalry Matchup Against Kentucky
Ryan Helsley

Tigers Eyeing Ryan Helsley as a Starter
Dan Hooker

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Marcus Semien

Shipped to the Mets on Sunday
Arman Tsarukyan

Gets Submission Win
Brandon Nimmo

Traded to Texas
Belal Muhammad

Loses Back-to-Back Fights
Belal Muhammad

Ian Machado Garry Outpoints Belal Muhammad
Alonzo Menifield

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Volkan Oezdemir

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jack Hermansson

Gets Knocked Out
Jack Hermansson

Myktybek Orolbai Knocks Out Jack Hermansson
Shamil Gaziev

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Shines At UFC Qatar
Tagir Ulanbekov

Suffers Third-Round Submission Loss
Kyoji Horiguchi

Makes Triumphant UFC Return

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP