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...FANTASY BASEBALL RANKINGS 2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings and TiersAs the preseason progress, below you will find RotoBaller's 2019 fantasy baseball rankings, tiers and auction dollar values for the 2019 MLB season. Our Ranking Wizard displays our staff's rankings for various league formats, all in one easy place. Here's what you'll find:
2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Articles by MLB PositionALL - C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF - SP - RPBelow are links to all of our 2019 fantasy baseball rankings advice and analysis columns, in one easy place. Our articles are broken down by MLB position, and include analysis on numerous league formats including: roto, standard, redraft, keeper, dynasty and deeper formats too.Mixed League 5x5 Rankings Analysis - JanuaryTop 660: Overall Rankings (January) First Base Tiered Rankings (January) Second Base Tiered Rankings (January) Third Base Tiered Rankings (January) Shortstop Tiered Rankings (January) Outfield Tiered Rankings (January) Starting Pitcher Tiered Rankings (January) Relief Pitcher Tiered Rankings (January) Catcher Tiered Rankings (January)Points League (Head-to-Head) Rankings Analysis - JanuaryTop 420: Overall Rankings (January) First Base Tiered Rankings (January) Second Base Tiered Rankings (January) Shortstop Tiered Rankings (January) Third Base Tiered Rankings (January) Outfield Tiered Rankings (January) Relief Pitcher Tiered Rankings (January) Starting Pitcher Tiered Rankings (January) Catcher Tiered Rankings (January)2019 Dynasty Prospect Rankings AnalysisTop 2019 Dynasty Catcher Prospects Top 2019 Dynasty First Base Prospects Top 2019 Dynasty Second Base Prospects Top 2019 Dynasty Outfield Prospects Top 2019 Dynasty Starting Pitcher Prospects More coming soon...Top Impact Fantasy Prospects for 2019 (Redraft)Coming soon...2019 Dynasty Rankings Analysis (February)Coming soon...Rankings ArchivesClick below to see archives of our rankings from previous years. Categories include tiered staff rankings for mixed leagues and points leagues. Also included are impact prospect rankings, dynasty prospect rankings, keeper value rankings, dynasty league rankings and team prospect rankings. 2018 fantasy baseball rankings columns and analysis 2017 fantasy baseball rankings columns and analysis 2016 fantasy baseball rankings columns and analysisAdam Eaton vs. Kyle Schwarber - ADP DebateThis article is about two outfielders with similar ADP who are completely different players in terms of their fantasy production as well as their skill set. Although there is an abundance of riches at the outfield position every year, it is still very important to nail your picks in the middle-to-late rounds as that’s where all of the potential league-winning value resides. Enter Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber (early ADP 201, OF51) and Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton (early ADP 209, OF54). We’ll look at each player's 2018 surface statistics, advanced batted ball metrics, and 2019 projections to determine who you should target if deciding between the two. No Longer a National TreasureAdam Eaton is 30 years old and entering his eighth season at the MLB level. He has displayed consistency in the batting average category throughout his career, having hit over .284 in each of the last five seasons and surpassing the .300 mark in 2018. There is speculation within the beat writer community that Eaton will be playing elsewhere in 2019 due to the emergence of young slugger Victor Robles and Eaton’s own injury struggles, but we will approach this comparison with the thought that he will be a National come Opening Day. Eaton hit for a .301/.394/.411 slash line in 2018, adding five home runs, nine steals, 33 RBI, and 55 runs scored over just 370 plate appearances in an injury-plagued season. Eaton is definitely a platoon-hitter, recording an .831 OPS with 20 homers over 941 plate appearances against right-handed pitching since 2016 (as opposed to .683 OPS with one home run over 242 plate appearances versus left-handed pitchers). He ranked 12th in on-base percentage and 18th in batting average among hitters with a minimum of 300 plate appearances. His advanced hitting metrics do not paint a pretty picture, however. Eaton ranked 52nd in wOBA (weighted on-base average - OBP that accounts for how a player reached base), 132nd in xwOBA (same as wOBA, except it accounts for exit velocity, launch angle, and Sprint Speed), 282nd in Barrels/PA, 278th in Barrels/Batted Ball Event, 258th in Hard Hit %, and 274th in Average Exit Velocity. These are especially concerning numbers considering the Statcast leader-boards only lists 332 qualified hitters. Eaton looks to be a slightly overvalued fantasy producer at this point in his career, though he is capable of assisting in the batting average, on-base percentage, stolen bases, and runs scored categories if he can stay healthy. Steamer projects Adam Eaton for a .283/.366/.412 slash line in 2019, adding 10 home runs, 11 steals, 52 RBI, and 77 runs scored. Not exactly the type of production you’d like to see out of an everyday fantasy lineup option.The Underrated SluggerKyle Schwarber is just 25-years-old and is entering his fifth MLB season, though his 2016 was shortened to just five plate appearances after suffering a torn ACL. Like Eaton, Schwarber has also displayed consistency at the plate in his MLB career. Unlike Eaton, Schwarber suffers in the average department but has shown remarkable power, averaging 24 home runs and a .470 slugging percentage over his three full seasons. Schwarber had a decent year in 2018, slashing .238/.356/.467 with 26 home runs, 61 RBI, 64 runs scored, and four steals over 510 plate appearances. The slugger is also a righty-killer, hitting 25 of his 26 home runs and a 31% higher OPS against right-handers in 2018. He had the eighth-highest strikeout rate in the MLB at 27.5%, but his 15.3% walk rate and .229 ISO were superb. His advanced batted ball profile crushes Eaton’s as well. In 2018, Schwarber ranked 85th in wOBA (the only advanced hitting stat Eaton ranked higher in), 71st in xwOBA, 47th in Barrels/PA, 26th in Barrels/Batted Ball Event, 39th in Hard Hit %, and 75th in Average Exit Velocity. Steamer is projecting a .241/.354/.478 slash line for Schwarber, chipping in 29 home runs, 80 RBI, five steals, and 73 runs scored. He looks to be undervalued coming into the 2019 season due to last year’s dip in batting average and underwhelming RBI total.The DecisionWhen comparing Schwarber and Eaton by evaluating their fantasy prospects for the 2019 season, a few things stand out that tip the scale in Schwarber’s favor. First and foremost, although you shouldn’t put a ton of weight into future projections, the sheer amount of projected fantasy value added for Schwarber needs to be taken into consideration. He’s projected to hit 19 more home runs and 28 more RBI while staying right on par with Eaton’s projected on-base percentage and runs scored. Second, though you’re sacrificing the batting average category and potential for 15 or more steals, the fantasy ceiling for Schwarber seems to be much higher than Eaton’s, who hasn’t ever hit 15 home runs and has had a recent run of serious injuries. You want to pick the player with the higher ceiling at this point in the draft. Bottom line: draft Schwarber ahead of Eaton if given the opportunity to pick between the two, and reach for Schwarber even earlier in points leagues where batting average isn’t taken into account and counting stats hold additional weight. [jiffyNews tags_include='20378' headline='More Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis']Mitch Haniger vs. Michael Brantley - ADP Cost AnalysisThe exciting young gun versus the proven veteran. A sports debate older than fantasy baseball itself, and a decision we’re faced with at every draft pick. That’s why we’re comparing the young gun (Mitch Haniger) to the proven veteran (Michael Brantley), two outfielders within the same sub-elite yet startable tier that owners must decide between on draft day. Haniger is going slightly higher in NFBC leagues at around pick 83, while Brantley is going at pick 117. Is it worth forking up the extra 34 spots for Haniger, or can owners wait and get similar production from Brantley? RotoBaller is going to break down all the pressing ADP questions you need to know before draft day. Mitch Haniger– The Northwestern Jewel(ADP 83 Overall) Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger is a 27-year-old that topped 100 games played for the first time in 2018, but did not top 100 runs scored, or RBI. He was also not part of a playoff team. That being said, Haniger was one of the best values of the 2018 season. Coming into 2018, Haniger only played 130 career games and, while he had a .843 OPS in 2017, was basically an unknown entity. Then, he tallied 68 extra-base hits, 90 runs scored, 93 RBI, and a .859 OPS in 157 games as the right fielder for the Mariners. To say that he was one of the surprise players of the 2018 season is an understatement and the only thing that will limit his future are his injury woes from the past. Haniger was an OF2 in 2018 and his extra-base hit abilities on top of his .350+ OBP will likely keep him on the fringe of OF2 in 2019. A lot of people have soured on the Mariners in 2019, but their offense may be better than some think. Mallex Smith, Jay Bruce, Domingo Santana, and Edwin Encarnacion were all added to the team leading into this season and Dee Gordon is looking for a bounce back as well. If Haniger is still at the top of the lineup for the M's, he will get an opportunity to both knock in the speedy Gordon and Smith while also having the potential to be knocked in by Bruce and Encarnacion. Unfortunately, he will obviously not go unknown in drafts this spring, but could still be a sleeper pick. If you can get him around the ninth round, consider yourself very lucky, as early ADP has him going on average in the seventh round.Michael Brantley – The Stable Veteran(ADP 117 Overall) After posting a .776 OPS over the last two seasons (418 plate appearances), Brantley was seen as a player that was a serious doubt for 2018. He then played his most games since 2015 (143 games) and topped an .800 OPS for the first time since posting back-to-back .800+ OPS seasons in 2014 and 2015. His 36 doubles gave him his fourth season with 35+ doubles in his career and his 17 home runs were the second-highest total of his career. A player with 55 extra-base hit, .300 batting average, and double-digit steal potential is very useful for fantasy owners. Maintaining a solid line drive rate (his 24.7% rate was the second-best of his career), Brantley also had a career-best 37.1% hard-hit ball rate in 2018. He was below his career-average in ground balls (45% vs. 47%) and had a 12.2% soft hit ball rate (the second-best of his career). Most impressively, Brantley had a 90.9% contact rate, 97.3% zone contact rate, and a 4% swinging strike rate that all led the league. A line drive hitter, Cleveland was the 2nd-best stadium for line drives for lefties last season. As for his new home, it actually suppresses line drives, basically allowing a league average of line drives from lefties. Doubles are obviously a big part of Brantley's game as well, and Progressive Field allowed eight percent more doubles than league average to lefties while Minute Maid Park allowed seven percent less than league average. Just to fully confirm that he is downgrading his ballpark, Cleveland helped runs scored for lefties more than any ballpark in 2018 while Houston allowed two percent fewer runs for lefties than league average. Brantley looks like he is going to slot into the middle of the Astros' lineup and could make a run to be a top-100 player for 2019. He looks like he can be an OF3 once again, especially in a lineup that could help him top 100 runs scored or 100 RBI for the first time of his career. There are some issues with his new ballpark, but he is the stereotypical "professional hitter" and will find a way to make an impact. He may not regain his top form from the past, but you could do much worse than Brantley in 2019.ConclusionIn a straight-up comparison, both players have flaws, but could each finish as a fantasy OF3. Brantley may have more risk with a new team and his injury history, but he also has the opportunity to play with one of the best offenses in baseball. That being said, with the two players being so close, value-wise, it is better to wait for up to three rounds and pick Brantley. Looking at value-based picks, you could get a closer like Brad Hand (ADP 86), Roberto Osuna (ADP 87), or Felipe Vázquez (ADP 88) instead of Haniger in the mid-80s or could end up landing Corey Seager returning from injury (ADP 80) or the stable Jose Abreu (ADP 82). Of course, Haniger is coming off of the better season and has exciting new teammates, but he had very little track record coming into 2018, making it a better decision to add the stable veteran Brantley later in the draft. [jiffyNews tags_include='20378' headline='More Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis']ADP Cost Analysis - David Dahl vs Yasiel PuigYoung, exciting, five-tool ballplayers: that is what you have when considering Yasiel Puig and David Dahl. Both have their warts in the past (Dahl's health and Puig's temperament), but each are great assets leading into 2019. Dahl is going about three rounds higher in NFBC leagues at around pick 67, while Puig is going at pick 96. Is it worth forking up the extra 29 spots for Dahl, or can owners wait and get similar production from Puig? RotoBaller is going to break down all the pressing ADP questions you need to know before draft day. Check out a few of our other positional ADP debates: catcher, first base, outfield. David Dahl – Coors Stat-Line Stuffer(ADP 67 Overall) Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl has only played 140 career MLB games but has shown enough in that time to warrant a good amount of fantasy attention. In what has basically constituted a full season of plate appearances (508) in 2016 and 2018, Dahl has a .293/.341/.518 slash line with 53 extra-base hits, 145 R+RBI, and 10 stolen bases. This was in between an injury-riddled 2017 season, but Dahl’s .859 OPS in the big leagues shows that he has the tools to be a fantasy mainstay. A first-round draft pick in 2012, Dahl has been dominant at each level, culminated with a .963 OPS in 2016 while splitting time with Double-A and Triple-A. Hitting 14 home runs in 2014 and 18 home runs in 2016, Dahl has shown power to go along with averaging 20 stolen bases from 2014-2016. Posting a line drive rate above 20% throughout the minors, Dahl had a 23% line drive rate in the majors last season. Paired with a 37.7% hard hit ball rate, Dahl has done a solid job of making contact. A .311 BABIP paired shows that Dahl was a bit unlucky compared to his batted-ball profile, but his 23.2% HR/FB shows that his 16 home runs in 271 plate appearances may have been a bit lucky. Dealing with a rib injury in 2017 and a broken foot in 2018, it seems that injuries are the only thing keeping Dahl from consistent production in the big leagues.Yasiel Puig – Big Cuban Machine(ADP 96 Overall) Yasiel Puig broke onto the scene in 2013 with a .319./.391/.534 slash line in 104 games in 2013, grabbing people's attention with his amazing play and flashy way of doing so. While this was solid, and his .863 OPS in 2014 was strong as well, he dipped to a .748 OPS in only 183 games played over 2015 and 2016. Relatively unconsidered going into 2017, Puig hit 28 home runs in 152 games and followed that up with 23 bombs in 125 games last season. After dealing with a litany of injuries in a relatively short career and looking at a logjam in the Dodgers outfield, Puig was traded to the Reds this offseason. A move to the Reds not only gives Puig more of an opportunity to play but also gives him a good lineup to play with. Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez were top-50 players last season with Joey Votto and Jose Peraza on the fringes of the top-50 as well. This comes off of a 2018 season where Puig posted career-best totals in line drive rate (21.3%) and hard-hit ball rate (38.4%). He also had a career-low with 42.6% ground balls and his 20% HR/FB rate was only topped by his 21.8% rate in 2013. His 24.1% soft hit ball rate was the worst of his career, but his ability to keep the ball off of the ground (and produce a career-best .227 ISO) makes Puig look very attractive. A lot is made about Cincinnati's ballpark, instantly prompting many to tout Puig as a 30-home run player for the Reds. While it is true that Cincinnati is a homer haven, Dodger Stadium is actually the best ballpark for home runs according to advanced metrics. Eno Sarris of The Athletic took a deep dive into ballpark factors recently and showed that Dodger Stadium has a 1.207 homer-to-high-drive factor, with GABP in Cincy third at 1.20. So, yes, Puig is going to a great hitter's ballpark and an increase in playing time will lead to an increase in counting statistics, but it may not be the major ballpark boost that some may expect.ConclusionWhen push comes to shove, Dahl is the better player and the better value in the sixth or seventh round. Puig is going to get the chance to play every day in Cincinnati, but Dahl is primed for a top-50 finish in 2019. No matter what analysis we give on Dahl, there is one thing that supersedes all--he is projected as the cleanup hitter for the Rockies. With Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado in front of him and Trevor Story behind him, there is a good chance that Dahl approaches 175, or even 200, R+RBI this season. Considering that he is slotted in as an OF3 currently, Dahl has the opportunity for massive ROI during the 2019 season. [jiffyNews tags_include='20378' headline='More Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis']Undervalued Draft Targets - Staff Rankings vs. ADPHere at RotoBaller, we've been producing fantasy baseball analysis all offseason. As part of that, our awesome MLB team has written up detailed 2019 fantasy baseball outlooks for 400+ players. These player outlooks include RotoBaller's analysis on how we expect a player to perform in 2019, where to target them in 2019 drafts, and supporting stats to back up the analysis. Typically, we only include these outlooks for Premium subscribers, but we have another special treat for you today. Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing some player outlooks for each position. Normally only available to Premium subscribers, the outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2019 Draft Guide. Our editors have hand-picked these specific players for your enjoyment. You will want to enjoy our sneak peeks into other positions as well: MLB rookies and starting pitchers. Today we are continuing the party with a look at six fantasy baseball players that our staff likes more than their average draft position in 2019. Make sure to subscribe to read all 400+ of our 2019 player outlooks, available exclusively in our 2019 Draft Guide. Matt Carpenter, St. Louis CardinalsRotoBaller Rank: 40 ADP: 70 It was a tale of three seasons for Matt Carpenter (1B/3B, STL) in 2018: a terrible April, a great May-August, and a terrible September. The slow start might be attributed to his recovery from a shoulder injury as well as an unlucky .190 BABIP, but that would not explain the poor finish. His overall stat line—.257/.374/.523 with 36 HR—made him a top-three first baseman in standard leagues last year, but his prospects for 2019 rest on the question of his HR output. With the acquisition of Paul Goldschmidt, he will head to 3B full-time and continue to hit leadoff, where he should score plenty of runs but have fewer RBI opportunities than a typical power hitter. The primary question is to what degree his HR output regresses from his 2018 career-year as his HR outburst in June-August were driven by unsustainably high HR/FB rates (i.e., 25%+), which was not supported by his batted-ball profile. Assuming he maintains his usual BB%, K%, and FB%, then his projected HR/FB roughly translates to about 20 HR in 600 PA. He will not hit for a high BA or steal bases, and his RBI are stunted by his lineup position. But the HR and runs will make him an asset, particularly in leagues where he is 2B eligible. Carpenter’s ADP of 70 is lower that RotoBallers ranking of 40, which provides quite a bit of value.Wil Myers, San Diego PadresRotoBaller Rank: 71 ADP: 114 After a career-high 30 homers in 2017, San Diego Padres outfielder Wil Myers fell back to Earth in a big way in 2018. He played in just 83 games due to injury and hit .253/.318/.446 with 11 home runs, 39 RBI, 39 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Anyone who spent an early-round pick on him for his power/speed combination was sorely disappointed. Myers doesn't take many free passes (career 9.9 percent walk rate) and has struck out more in recent seasons (27.4 percent in 2018), so he's unlikely to be an asset in the average or on-base departments. The 28-year-old's value lies in his 20-20 potential and dual-position eligibility. Myers was the team's primary first baseman in 2016-17 but moved to the outfield with the signing of Eric Hosmer last year. He also finished out his season at the hot corner, and he could move around the diamond again in 2019 depending on trades/acquisitions the club makes in the offseason. As RotoBaller's 71st-ranked overall player, Myers is on the right side of 30 and should return to 20-plus homers and 20-plus steals over a full season in 2019. He’s proven he has the power to negate Petco Park's pitcher-friendly environment.Edwin Encarnacion, Seattle MarinersRotoBaller Rank: 81 ADP: 125 Seattle Mariners first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion is an enigmatic buy due to the uncertainty of his Opening Day uniform. The Mariners traded for him in a three-way deal with Cleveland and Tampa Bay in December but may flip him to another team. Despite only logging 579 plate appearances in 2018 due to a brief DL stint, Encarnacion still matched his ‘17 RBI tally of 107 in 90 fewer PAs and crossed the 30-homer mark in his seventh season in a row. While his plate discipline took marked steps back, such as a five-percentage-point drop in walk rate and his chase rate rising to 29% from 23.5%, his hard-hit rate rose from 37.6% to a career-high 42.4% in ‘18. A notable slow starter, Encarnacion’s shakier second half may have come from an injury, as he was reportedly “swinging with one arm” for a few weeks after being hit on his hand July 15, which then caused a biceps injury. He had a .241 ISO prior to the HBP, which dropped to .206 after getting hit. While the park factor of where he calls home will matter, E5’s declining bat still has immense power to offer as a top-10 first baseman when healthy per our staff rankings and is worth consideration around pick 81, though his ADP of 125 indicates there’s value in waiting.A.J. Pollock, Los Angeles DodgersRotoBaller Rank: 79 ADP: 116 It was another year of injury for Pollock in 2018, as he appeared in fewer than 150 games for the third-straight season. When Pollock is on the field he has shown the ability to be a fantasy powerhouse, as shown in 2018 when he hit a career-high 21 home runs with 13 steals and a .257 average over 113 games. Does the move to L.A. improve his outlook? Read on...Nicholas Castellanos, Detroit TigersRotoBaller Rank: 60 ADP: 85 Detroit Tigers outfielder Nick Castellanos remains the lone offensive bright spot for the team and a consistent high-average, power performer. In 2018, he hit 23 homers, 89 RBI, and had career-best numbers in average (.298) and OPS (.854). Shouldn't we expect Castellanos to return to norm in homers while sustaining the underlying stats? Read on...Jose Abreu, Chicago White SoxRotoBaller Rank: 57 ADP: 82 The model of consistency for Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu broke in 2018. After appearing in at least 145 games in every season since his 2014 debut, Abreu battled a myriad of injuries and played in only 128 contests last season. Predictably, his production dipped to career-lows in OPS (.798), homers (22) and runs+RBI (146). Will he return to his norms in 2019? Read on... [jiffyNews category_include='698' headline='More Fantasy Baseball Analysis']ADP Cost Analysis - Eddie Rosario vs. Aaron HicksAfter years of struggles at the plate early in their careers, Eddie Rosario and Aaron Hicks both figured something out in 2017, which they were able to transfer to 2018. Rosario hit .288/.323/.479 last year with 24 home runs, 77 RBI, eight steals, and 87 runs scored. Meanwhile, Hicks hit .248/.366/.467 with 27 home runs, 79 RBI, 11 steals, and 90 runs scored. Despite a slight edge in every stat except batting average (and slugging), you can get Hicks 119th overall on average while Rosario is typically gone by pick 86. Does this mean Hicks is actually the better value on draft day? Before we dig into the details, keep in mind that we already have player comparisons on a pair of power-hitting first basemen and an unlikely duo of catchers for you to peruse when you're done here. ProjectionsThe three projection systems currently on FanGraphs foresee much of the same in 2019 from each of these players, with a significant BA edge and slight RBI edge for Rosario, with nearly identical runs scored, HR and SB. The better overall asset, however, is projected to be Hicks. STEAMER
xStatsNot only were their expected batting averages (xBA) by Statcast much closer, Hicks had the higher one. Rosario's xBA of .241 was actually well below Hicks' mark of .260. Only Willy Adames, Scooter Gennett, Charlie Culberson, and Mallex Smith outperformed their xBA by more than Rosario's 47-point differential last season. As you might expect from xBA, xSLG doesn't tell a great story for Rosario either. Rosario "should have" slugged only .420 in 2018, compared to .457 for Hicks. By this measure, Hicks slugged 10 points higher than expected, but that pales in comparison to Rosario's 59-point difference. However, while only four players had a larger gap in xBA than Rosario, 37 players had a higher xSLG. You might expect a large BABIP for someone who outdoes his xBA with such regularity, but Rosario's career mark is .322. It's above average, but not close to the mid-.350s that BABIP maestros Mike Trout or Paul Goldschmidt have put up in their careers. Hicks, meanwhile, only has a .270 career BABIP despite good speed. In 2018 alone, Rosario managed a .316 BABIP compared to just .264 for Hicks. Usually, you would look at fly balls to explain such a disparity, but Rosario had a 44.1 FB% and 11.5 IFFB% in 2018 compared to Hicks' 38.4% and 12.0% (Fangraphs). Some good news for Rosario is that he has outperformed his xBA by at least 25 points every year of his career. On the other hand, Hicks has no consistent history in either direction. This might lead to the expectation that Rosario will continue to do so in 2019 while Hicks could bring his average closer to his xBA. Here's the deal, however: there is nothing obvious in Rosario's profile to explain his historical ability to outdo Statcast's impression of his bat. He's fast but certainly not the fastest, nor does he put up huge ground-ball and line-drive rates. If you think he can put another .280-ish batting average in the bank, you may end up disappointed.Plate DisciplineOn top of Rosario's risky batted-ball profile, Hicks simply has a better approach at the plate. In the top lines, you see Hicks with a 15.5% walk rate and 19.1% strikeout rate in 2018 compared to Rosario's 5.1% and 17.6% figures. Each produced similar marks in 2017. Beyond that, Hicks also chases way fewer pitches off the plate, 20.9% of them last year compared to 42.9% for Rosario. Only four hitters swung at more pitches out of the zone than Rosario did in 2018. Hicks also swings at fewer pitches in the zone, but that gap is much smaller, 65.5% compared to 78.5%. As long as Rosario remains a free swinger while Hicks is able to take his walks, the former's floor remains much lower.ConclusionRosario's edge over Hicks is built on a precarious foundation: a single statistic which has appearances of being built on a house of cards that could crumble any season. Outside of that, these two players are fairly even, but Hicks' plate discipline makes him the better hitter, even before considering park and lineup effects. If these players were being drafted around the same spot, you'd want Rosario in standard, batting average leagues, but since you can pass on Rosario and pick up Hicks a couple of rounds later, waiting a bit and ending up with the better hitter is a strong option. (And if you happen not to use BA, ignore the NFBC ADP and place a higher value on Aaron Hicks.) [jiffyNews tags_include='20378' headline='More Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis'].
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Here are links to some recent questions submitted to RotoBaller (and their answers of course). Enjoy!
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