Mallex Smith Set To Debut Saturday

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mallex Smith is scheduled to play in his first intrasquad game on Saturday night. Smith had arrived to camp earlier this week and seems to be ready for the start of 2020. Smith led the majors in stolen bases last season with 46 in his first season with the Mariners. Though he... Read More

Lewis Brinson Works Out With The Team On Saturday

Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson (undisclosed) was able to work out with the team at their spring training home in Jupiter, Florida, on Saturday. Brinson is still officially on the 10-day injured list, but it's of course a good sign that he was cleared to join his teammates. Brinson has been a massive bust since... Read More

Jose Martinez Arrives At Rays Camp

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder/first baseman Jose Martinez is present at Rays summer camp for the first time on Saturday. Martinez tested positive for COVID-19 and just now has been cleared to join the team with less than a week until Opening Day, so there's a chance he might not be up to speed next week.... Read More

Ryan Braun Could Return Sunday

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/first baseman Ryan Braun could resume playing in the Brewers intrasquad matchups Sunday, Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that, "he's feeling good. He's been a little slowed by just the normal things, for him. Nothing of significance.'' Braun is 36 years old and is entering... Read More

Platoon Situations to Avoid in a Shortened Season

Fantasy baseball fans, the 2020 season is finally almost upon us, which means it’s time to start thinking about drafting and valuing players all over again! As I am sure you are all aware, the shortened season and rule changes will impact aspects of your fantasy baseball strategies, some more than others. One of the... Read More

Schedule Factors - Hitters on the Decline

Earlier this week, we took a look at which hitters have been helped the most by the recently announced 60-game schedule. Now it's time to take a look at the hitters who might be hurt the most by it. Remember that in order to fully break down the way in which a schedule may impact... Read More

The COVID Conundrum - To Drop or Not to Drop?

So….real, actual baseball games are almost upon us. Opening Day is July 23rd. And yet, we are still in the midst of a pandemic. At the time of my writing this, by my calculations, at least 90 players have had COVID-19 or have gone through the COVID Protocol due to players being traced back to... Read More

Attacking Offensive Categories with Z-Scores

The way to win at fantasy baseball is to generate the most aggregate value on your roster. One cannot win with just an average fantasy team; one must be better than the mean. To accomplish this, owners must spend their fantasy capital efficiently in acquiring talent. Finding and drafting undervalued players is the key. Of... Read More

One Last Mock! ADP Values and Reaches

As the sun prepares to rise on the 2020 MLB season (I'm all about hopeful metaphors these days), it also marks the end of draft season for fantasy baseball. This weekend will see a flurry of activity from fantasy league owners trying to figure out how to properly value players amid a global pandemic. Good... Read More

Underpriced Hitters According to ATC Projections

While nothing is guaranteed, we can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. Baseball is back, baby! Summer camp (I refuse to call it Spring Training 2.0) has now begun and Opening Day is set for July 23/24. Coming with the return are seismic changes; a universal DH, limited opponents, a... Read More

Top 250 MLB Dynasty Prospects - Final Preseason Update

The 2020 MLB season is going to look very different. But as long as the virus doesn’t rear its ugly head in an apocalyptic fashion, it’s still going to be fun. And to help fantasy managers prepare for this season and for those to come, we’ve updated our Top 250 dynasty fantasy baseball prospects list.... Read More

Introducing the MLB Baller Ranks

It’s my extraordinary pleasure to introduce The Baller Ranks, an up-to-date rankings sheet for player values. We wanted to roll this out back in March, but 2020 has had other ideas... Ideally, The Baller Ranks are not a set of pre-season rankings or draft recommendations. They are designed to be an in-season set of data-based... Read More

Schedule Factors - Hitters on the Rise

Now that MLB schedules are finally official, it's time we take a look at which hitters are going to be impacted the most. In order to fully breakdown the way in which a schedule may impact a hitter, we need to keep three things in mind: player talent, strength of schedule, and directional park factors.... Read More

Overpriced Hitters According to ATC Projections

RotoBaller is fortunate to have 2019's most accurate ranker, Ariel Cohen, to give us his updated ATC projections. I have taken those projections and turned them into fantasy dollars, ranking them accordingly. By comparing these rankings to the latest NFBC ADP data, we can see which players ATC likes at their draft price, and who should... Read More

Historically Slow Starters to Avoid on Draft Day?

There is no telling how this 60-game jumble of a 2020 season will affect each MLB player individually. Some may relish the opportunity to have an outsized impact on the season. Others may feel uncomfortable playing at all, let alone be at full game speed in time for Opening Day. Regardless of the unknowns, however,... Read More

Universal DH Beneficiaries - Runs Scored

For the first time in baseball history, the National League will employ the position of designated hitter. Besides making NL games more exciting to watch, this change should have two main effects. First, NL pitchers will see some level of decline in their ratios. It is inevitable when facing superior opposing lineups. The second change will... Read More

Toronto Blue Jays: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Toronto Blue Jays will be our final stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking... Read More

Kyle Tucker Should See Plenty Of Action

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that outfielder Kyle Tucker should see plenty of action this season despite saying that right fielder Josh Reddick has the benefit of the doubt for most of the playing time in right field recently. Tucker is a top-50 fantasy outfielder and could easily send Reddick to the bench eventually... Read More

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Leaves Intrasquad Game Early

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder/middle infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (side) left the team's intrasquad game on Friday after his first at-bat of the game when he felt discomfort on his left side. Gurriel will be re-examined on Saturday. The 26-year-old arrived late to camp earlier this week due to undisclosed reasons, too, so there's a chance... Read More

Atlanta Braves: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Atlanta Braves will be our next stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking for... Read More

Rethinking DFS Strategies for a 60-Game MLB Season

The 2020 MLB season is going to be weird. In a 60-game season, previous in-season game performance holds limited value, making game-to-game projections unusually difficult across the entire season. Consider what some player production looked like 60 games into last season: David Dahl had a .457 BABIP Jose Ramirez had a .202/.303/.307 slash line Jake... Read More

Matt Kemp Will Make Opening Day Roster

The Colorado Rockies informed outfielder Matt Kemp, utility man Chris Owings and right-handed pitcher Daniel Bard on Friday that they would all make the 2020 Opening Day roster, according to general manager Jeff Bridich. Kemp is the big name here. The 35-year-old veteran became a free agent after the Marlins chose not to add him... Read More

A.J. Pollock Tested Positive For COVID-19

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder A.J. Pollock was late to summer camp because he tested positive for COVID-19, but he and his daughter, who was born three months premature, are doing well. Pollock experienced some mild symptoms and arrived to camp earlier this week, so he should have no problem getting ready for Opening Day on... Read More

Cristian Pache Expected To Miss A Few Weeks

Atlanta Braves outfield prospect Cristian Pache (ankle) is dealing with an ankle sprain between Grade 1 and 2 and is expected to be sidelined for a few weeks. It's not a serious injury, but the Braves will be cautious with their top center field prospect. Per MLB Pipeline, Pache is the club's No. 1 prospect.... Read More

Nick Castellanos Hit In Upper Back By Pitch

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos gave his new team a scare when he was hit in the upper back by a Tyler Mahle pitch on Friday. Trainers came out to look at him but he was able to walk off the field on his own after being replaced by pinch-runner Travis Jankowski. Castellanos should be... Read More

Is Aaron Judge Worth The Draft Risk?

On September 18, 2019, Aaron Judge suffered a stress fracture in his rib while attempting to make a catch in right field. Judge played through the injury, but he was forced to take a break from hitting in early March thanks to shoulder and pectoral discomfort. Judge recently began swinging again, and GM Brian Cashman... Read More

Dwight Smith Jr. Reports To Orioles Camp

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. reported to summer camp on Friday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Smith was the last player to arrive. His late arrival likely means that he won't be ready for the start of the regular season, which is a hit to his already low fantasy value entering the 2020 campaign.... Read More

Victor Robles Remains Absent From Camp

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles remains absent from the team's summer camp with just less than a week until Opening Day against the Yankees on July 23. Robles has been quarantining in accordance with D.C.'s rules and was expected to arrive sometime this week. He'll need to catch up in a hurry if he arrives... Read More

Yasiel Puig Tests Positive For COVID-19, Won't Join Braves

Yasiel Puig announced on Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19, and he won't be signing with the Atlanta Braves, according to major league sources. Atlanta never formally agreed to a deal with Puig earlier this week, but they were seriously considering it before his positive test. Puig will remain a free agent and the... Read More

Derek Dietrich Needs More Time

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that early reports on outfielder Derek Dietrich are very good, but "it'll take him a little longer than everyone else, but not too much." Dietrich was recently added to the team's 60-man player pool for the upcoming season, but the 30-year-old left-handed hitter batted just .187 despite hitting a... Read More