Jahmai Jones Optioned To Triple-A

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jahmai Jones was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk last Friday, per MASN Sports' Rock Kubatko. The 23-year-old joined a crowded O's infield this spring with just seven big-league plate appearances and managed to slash just .136/.240/.273 throughout the spring, so it is not all that surprising that he got optioned. Ramon Urias […]

Ty France Reaches Base Three Times

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ty France reached base three times Monday, twice by walk and once by hit-by-pitch. France has had a breakout spring training, slashing .327/.421/.714. He's always had a strong hit tool, but his patience at the plate is an asset as well, especially in OBP and points leagues. France is a popular […]

Sam Haggerty Steals Seventh Spring Base

Seattle Mariners utility man Sam Haggerty has found ways to contribute all spring, and that continued Monday. Against the Cincinnati Reds, Haggerty went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI and stole his seventh base of the spring. Those seven steals lead the league, and he's accomplished that number in only 46 at-bats. With Kyle […]

Rougned Odor Will Not Make Rangers Opening Day Roster

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor will not be on the Opening Day roster for Texas, and is expected to either be traded or designated for assignment, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Odor has been an all or nothing player for most of his career, averaging 28 home runs and 150 […]

Yankees Option Thairo Estrada

New York Yankees infielder Thairo Estrada was optioned to the minor leagues after losing a roster battle with infielder Tyler Wade this spring. Estrada is buried behind several capable players on the team's depth chart, and it's unlikely that he receives much meaningful playing time as a result. Still, Estrada offers decent contact skills and […]

Tyler Wade Makes Opening Day Roster

New York Yankees infielder Tyler Wade will be on the team's Opening Day roster. Wade's defensive versatility effectively guaranteed him a spot on the team's crowded bench to start the season, but his roster spot could be threatened when first baseman Luke Voit (knee) rejoins the team in mid-May. A light-hitting 26-year-old with a career […]

Anderson Tejeda To Get More Minor League Seasoning

Texas Rangers infielder Anderson Tejeda was a surprise contributor to the club in 2020 but he'll open this year at the alternate training site. He had a solid showing in spring training by hitting 8-for-20 (.400) with three doubles and a BB-K of 3-8 but with Nick Solak at second base and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at […]

Advanced MLB DFS Strategy: Targeting Pitchers Due For Regression

Spring is in the air and MLB regular season is only a few weeks away! Hopefully, you're using our RotoBaller rankings and preseason content to crush your season-long drafts and build some winners in your season-long leagues. If you haven't already read it, check out Jon Anderson's article about stacking hitters for GPPs and some great […]

Later-Round Second Basemen - Targets and Avoids

Once you reach the middle-to-late rounds of drafts, everyone wants to draft some upside fliers that can provide a great return on value. You can take a risk or two on a variety of different players, including a prospect, forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even players with skills but have playing time concerns. […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: Statcast xStats

Statcast is a valuable tool for fantasy analysis, and it can be easy to look at a stat called "Expected Batting Average" and blindly use it as your projection moving forward. Of course, proper use of these metrics is a little bit more nuanced than that. First, a disclaimer: This article is about the "Expected […]

Hitters Primed for Comebacks After Injury-Plagued Seasons

Injuries can be tough to manage for fantasy managers, especially coming off of a 2020 season that saw coronavirus have a significant effect. Additionally, injuries can sometimes be freak accidents, and it can be difficult to separate concerning injuries from noise. Still, there are general truths about injuries that can help fantasy managers properly value […]

Pierre Camus' Bold Predictions for 2021

Can any prediction really be considered bold after 2020? We hope for a return to normalcy but we also have to remember that the very definition of normal is constantly changing. I've never shied away from pushing the envelope when it comes to this bold predictions column, so this year will be no exception. I […]

Which Batters Are Being Overlooked in 2021?

Pre-season analysis has achieved peak velocity, and at this point, we've started to hear certain names mentioned again and again: Jarred Kelenic, Andrew Vaughn, Randy Arozarena. Those three examples follow the expected pattern: young, exciting players whose potential outstrips the established knowledge. Put more simply, there are interesting things to say about Kelenic, Vaughn, and Arozarena. But […]

Second Base Draft Sleepers

As you probably know by now, second base is not a loaded position this year. It’s top-heavy with D.J. LeMahieu, Ozzie Albies, and Whit Merrifield but gets pretty dicey after that. I think it’s deeper than the casual observer may think, though. You can find batting average, OBP, stolen bases, and some pop down the […]

Finding Breakout Power Hitters Using Barrel Rates

In part one of this article, I explained how important Statcast is to determining surface stats and the usefulness of barrel rates. Before continuing, I would recommend checking out that article if you're interested in learning how Statcast metrics affect surface stats and player outcomes, and which Statcast metrics are the best predictors of success (hint: […]

Hanser Alberto Contending For Starting Job

Kansas City Royals infielder Hanser Alberto could be the Kansas City Royals starting third baseman when they break camp. Alberto came to the Royals this offseason as a non-roster invitee, but has had a solid spring thus far as he is now 11-for-29 with two RBI and six runs scored. He provides exceptional value against […]

Chad Pinder To Occupy Super Utility Role

Oakland Athletics infielder Chad Pinder is again slated to be a "super-utility player" for the team this season, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Pinder's versatility makes him a very valuable player for the A's, but less so in fantasy, even if he finds himself starting four or five games per week. Non-starters can have […]

David Bote Wins Second Base Job

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross has named infielder David Bote his starting second baseman to open the 2021 season. Bote beat out Nico Hoerner who had a very impressive spring and will get everyday at-bats in Triple-A to open the season. Bote will be backed up by veteran Eric Sogard to open the season, but […]

Updated Top 50 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Prospects for 2021

Opening day is just around the corner. So what better way to celebrate the occasion than to refresh the Top 50 prospects list for 2021 redraft leagues. If you're a habitual prospect watcher then you could have a leg up on your fantasy competition in 2021. Managers around baseball will heavily rely on rookies like […]

Ramon Urias, Pat Valaika Could Play Second Base For Orioles

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Sunday that Ramon Urias and Pat Valaika are the leading contenders to play second base now that Yolmer Sanchez has been designated for assignment. Elias said, "That does not preclude us from looking outside as well. We're more than comfortable with either of those guys.". Both players put […]

Yolmer Sanchez Designated For Assignment Saturday

The Baltimore Orioles designated second baseman Yolmer Sanchez for assignment on Saturday. The move occurred to make room for Adam Plutko, who the team traded for in exchange for cash considerations. The 28-year-old is a former Gold Glove winner who was expected to be the O's starting second baseman. Sanchez could remain in the organization […]

Tommy La Stella Day-To-Day With Knee Contusion

San Francisco Giants second baseman Tommy La Stella (knee) is day-to-day with a left knee contusion, according to Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group. After being hit in the leg by a breaking ball, La Stella exited Sunday's game in the third inning after he was slow to get up following an attempt […]

Rougned Odor Not Guaranteed A Role

Texas Rangers infielder Rougned Odor's spot on the opening day roster is not a guarantee. Manager Chris Woodward was asked about the infielder's status on Sunday and he declined to confirm that Odor's inclusion on the team was guaranteed. With Nick Solak earmarked for second base this year, it was expected that the second base […]

Tommy Edman Named Starting Second Baseman

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman was named the team's starting second baseman by manager Mike Shildt. With Kolten Wong now a member of the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals were in need of a new player to take over the keystone. Matt Carpenter's .028 spring batting average made this decision much easier for St. […]

Matt Carpenter Sinks Even Deeper

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter continued to sink even deeper into his spring slump in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Washington Nationals. Carpenter got the start at third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk, lowering his spring batting average to .028. That's not a typo. That's .028. Carpenter has one hit in […]

Isan Diaz Headed Back To Triple-A

Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz is heading back to Triple-A after an incredibly disappointing spring performance. Diaz came into spring training with the starting second base job essentially handed to him and then proceeded to get just two hits in the entirety of Grapefruit League play. Diaz ended the spring with a .059 batting […]

Jazz Chisholm Wins The Starting Second Base Job

Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm has officially won the starting job according to general manager Kim Ng. Chisholm and Isan Diaz came into spring training competing for the job, and all signs pointed to Diaz having a significant advantage to start things off. Chisholm ended up hitting .268 with an .821 OPS while Diaz […]

Tucupita Marcano Has Fighting Chance To Make Team

San Diego Padres infield prospect Tucupita Marcano has raked this spring and has a chance to make the Opening Day roster. The Friars No. 6 prospect has gone 15-for-36 with six extra-base hits, tallying a 1.167 OPS. A long shot entering March, Marcano's strong performance and injury to starting center fielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) has […]

Seattle Mariners Sleepers to Watch in 2021

In a division with the star-studded Angels and Astros and the ever-consistent Athletics, it's easy to overlook the Mariners and Rangers in the American League West. And while you may have good reasons to look past the Rangers, the Mariners have several intriguing fantasy players for the 2021 season that could be going a bit […]

Engel's Insider Angles: Front Office Views On Dylan Moore, Musgrove, Ohtani And More

The Fantasy Sports Writers Association award-winning Fantasy Baseball Insider Series continues on RotoBaller.com! Every year during fantasy baseball draft season, Scott Engel talks to prime MLB sources to get exclusive nuggets of information. On the condition of anonymity, former and current players, executives, scouts and media members provide their unfiltered insights on key players and […]