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One word about this top 100 for 2020 fantasy baseball, before I give you another 5,000 words. I’m going to avoid repeating myself from the position rankings in the 2020 fantasy baseball rankings. If you want to know my in-depth feelings about a player, then you need to go to his positional page, i.e., the top 20 1st basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball, the top 20 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball, the top 20 Patterns In Queso That Look Like Messages From Another Planet for 2020– Okay, but I almost got you. This post is meant to give you an idea where guys from different positions are in relation to each other. Since this post is only the top 100, there’s more players where this came from. 467 more, to be very exact. Next up, there will be a top 500 that will go to 567. Then, after that, there will be a top 7,500 that will go to 8,602, then a top 25,000 that will go to 28,765, then a top 600,000 that will go to 892,121, until we end up with a top kajillion in April that will go to a kajillion and one. Or maybe I’ll stop at the top 500. Yeah, that makes sense. Not to get all biblical on you, but this is the gospel. Print it out and take it to Mt. Sinai and it will say, “Win your 2020 fantasy baseball league, young prematurely balding man.” Projections were done by me and a crack team of 100 monkeys fighting amongst themselves because there were only 99 typewriters. Somebody please buy Ling-Ling his own typewriter! Razzball Subscriptions are also now open. Early subscribers get Rudy’s War Room, and you can go ad-free for a $9.99. Anyway, here’s the top 100 for 2020 fantasy baseball:
ALL PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 60 GAMES PLAYED, DUE TO COVID-19. BE SAFE OUT THERE!
1. Ronald Acuña Jr. – The number one THOT. When I ranked Tildaddy 4th overall last year, it was too aggressive for some and his ADP was 9th overall. ESPN ranked him 16th; CBS ranked him 12th and Yahoo ranked him 9th. ESPN is especially a jizzoke. Can you imagine being that awful at your job and not just keeping your job, but being revered as an expert? I will now cackle for 45 minutes until I’m dragged away by lab-coated doctors until they realize I don’t have insurance. Tildaddy says you can stay under his insurance coverage if you get a fake ID that claims you’re 25! 2020 Projections: 44/15/36/.287/15 in 219 ABs
2. Christian Yelich – Because I had the page open to last year’s rankings, I had Yelich ranked third overall last year and ESPN had him 8th. Just so very117 bad. No kidding, ESPN could hire a person who doesn’t know anything about fantasy, give them my rankings, have them make a few tweaks so it’s not too obvious of a ripe-off job, and clear their previous year’s hurdles. Who are we fooling, Klara Bell could honk his clown nose while an intern puts together rankings and it would be better. By the way, I’m in a league with Klara Bell this year. It’s gonna be fun! 2020 Projections: 43/14/41/.312/6 in 204 ABs
3. Cody Bellinger – There’s a little birdie in the back of my brain saying, “You loved Bellinger, ranking him in the top 20 in 2018, but missed him last year. Now you’re ranking him high again and he’s going to screw you again. Also, who started calling it an insanity plea and not a loco motive? You ever think about that or is just me? Also, do you–” Shut up, little birdie! 2020 Projections: 40/16/43/.292/4 in 208 ABs
4. Trevor Story – I see a lot of people being drafted above Story, so let’s just grab one random name I see drafted ahead of him who share Coors: Sam Hilliard. Kidding, Arenado is being drafted above Story in most leagues. Their projections are great/37/great/great/20 vs. great/40/great/great/garbage. Honestly, don’t see how you can go great/40/great/great/garbage there. Don’t think it’s close. 2020 Projections: 39/14/38/.293/6 in 216 ABs
5. Mookie Betts – There was a huge trade update for Betts in the top 10 for 2020 fantasy baseball, which was un-updated when the trade fell through, then re-updated. 2020 Projections: 43/10/33/.292/7 in 218 ABs
6. Francisco Lindor – It seems doubtful that his value will go down wherever he’s traded, and, I’m not joking when I say he’ll be traded. The Indians seem so determined they might send him to the Mariners for Tom Murphy and the rights to sell Seattle’s Best Coffee in stadium kiosks. 2020 Projections: 41/13/33/.287/8 in 229 ABs
7. Trea Turner – Unlike some, I don’t think Treat Urner will stay healthy just because he missed time last year and is due to stay healthy. That doesn’t make any sense. I do think that if he stays healthy, he could challenge the top 5 overall. If he misses time (as long as it’s not more than a month to six weeks), he’ll still be worth this draft pick. 2020 Projections: 41/7/23/.287/15 in 229 ABs
8. Juan Soto – Sexy Dr. Pepper is everything you want when building a real baseball team, but real teams are not fantasy teams. For one, real teams have players who aren’t reprimanded by their mothers when they scratch themselves. My worry is, and I’ll keep it super short, because saying negative things about Sexy Dr. Pepper is illegal in 46 states and Guam, Sexy Dr. Pepper is just about maxed out on fantasy value. He’s not a huge steals guy, so you’re approaching territory where he’s starting, I know this is blasphemy, to be overrated. 2020 Projections: 37/13/40/.294/4 in 199 ABs
9. Mike Trout – Can’t remember a time before where it was so advantageous to have the third pick in every draft. Third pick is better than the first pick. Not because Trout is better than Tildaddy. If he were, I would’ve ranked them that way. But if you’re getting Trout at three, then able to draft two slots earlier in the 2nd round, there’s an advantage. Though, now that I write it out, the difference between Acuña and Trout and the two picks difference in the 2nd round might be closer to even or in Acuña’s favor. Wow, had a theory that I shot down in the matter of, like, 15 words. UPDATE: See top 10 for 2020 fantasy baseball for why he’s ranked 9th vs. 3rd. 2020 Projections: 40/16/43/.285/4 in 190 ABs
10. Fernando Tatis Jr. – So, I wrote my top 10 about seven weeks ago (back in December) and it hasn’t changed. Then, someone asked in the comments in December, about a week after I wrote it, what my top 10 was, and, I said something like, “You’ll have to wait and see in January,” and then Donkey Teeth said, “I’m gonna guess…” and he literally listed my exact same top 10. When I told him what he had done, he was shocked, but I thought that it wasn’t that weird at the time. This top ten just feels so locked in. More so than years past. First three are obvious, four thru nine seem like they have to be that way, and ten, well, ten does feel a little surprising, but how surprising is even FTJ? Fun The Jewels is just too exciting to pass up. Maybe Jo-Ram or Torenado over him, but 30/30/.260 vs. 27/27/.260 vs. 40/3/.305? Feels less surprising when you say that, right? In retrospect, as I see so many other top tens, it is slightly nuts Donkey and I had the exact same top 10. 2020 Projections: 39/12/25/.259/11 in 220 ABs
11. Jose Ramirez – I look at what I project for players, then rank, then adjust based on likelihood the projections come true, age, upside, downside, etc. What I don’t do is look at other rankings. Until afterwards. Now that I’m seeing where others ranked Jo-Ram, there is some overcorrecting happening for how much they screwed the pooch last year. Everyone ranked him 3rd overall, now they’re ranking him in the 20s. Think it goes back to the overriding theme that dictates most rankings. People are trying to rank based on what they think you want to see. 2020 Projections: 33/10/36/.263/10 in 213 ABs
12. Nolan Arenado – Thinking about drafting Torenado this low gives me life, but it also makes me want to l’chaim some steals in the draft before it’s too late. 2020 Projections: 39/15/42/.306/1 in 219 ABs
13. Anthony Rendon – Here’s my Anthony Rendon fantasy. It was written after saying I have to hit the head, then banged my head into a wall. 2020 Projections: 39/12/41/.312/1 in 194 ABs
14. Pete Alonso – I don’t believe in sophomore slumps. They’re a made-up thing and you can find hundreds of examples of players who were actually better their sophomore year. With that said (here’s where I turn this ship around), hopefully Albombso doesn’t sophomoreso slumpso. 2020 Projections: 35/16/41/.263/1 in 218 ABs
15. Alex Bregman – I saw he was drafted 4th overall in one league. Someone (me) might have to write themselves (youselves) a schmohawk post for Bregman, and, honestly, I’m not concerned at all with all that banging coming from just offscreen. 2020 Projections: 38/11/40/.284/3 in 204 ABs
16. Gerrit Cole – Here’s my Gerrit Cole fantasy. It was written while tending to my sheep. 2020 Projections: 6-2/2.61/0.93/109 in 77 IP
17. Bryce Harper – Member what I said in FTJ’s blurb about how locked in the top 10 is? Exact opposite for 11 thru 20. I keep wanting to move Harper up and Rendon down and Bregman down and Devers up and Jo-Jo-Ram down and Mondesi up and all of them up and down! 2020 Projections: 39/14/41/.261/4 in 208 ABs
18. Rafael Devers – You know what’s a fun thing to do? Don’t say sniff your own junk. That’s not cool. A fun thing I do is totally forget why I ranked a guy somewhere, then go back to look while writing this post and see his stats and think, “Hmm, maybe I should’ve ranked Devers even higher.” Grey hearts Devers forevers! 2020 Projections: 40/12/42/.303/3 in 219 ABs
19. Adalberto Mondesi – If you draft Mondesi anywhere, please put your team in the comments so I can gently touch the screen where Mondesi is. My God, man, I love him! 2020 Projections: 31/6/29/.258/19 in 206 ABs
20. Matt Olson – How much do I want Olson this year? It wasn’t that I ranked him this high overall, it was that I strongly considered ranking him in the top 12. If he stole five-plus bags or was a better bet for a .300+ average, I would’ve had no problem doing it. *adjusts kufi and black rimmed glasses, kneels, bows* Allahson, my aim is true. 2020 Projections: 35/14/40/.273 in 224 ABs
21. J.D. Martinez – Think about my Miguel Sano sleeper, then keep in mind how Just Dong was once also considered “injury prone.” 2020 Projections: 34/12/36/.288/1 in 191 ABs
22. Javier Baez – There’s just too many players who deserve to be in the top 20. There’s so little reason Baez isn’t ranked in the top 20, I can’t even make one up. The Cubs became a small market team this offseason so Baez will rebel against ownership–Yeah, I can’t even finish that thought because it’s so dumb. What’s also dumb, Baez’s ADP is about 20 spots after this. It most be an OBP bias because there’s no reason he’s not in the top 20, but even less reason why he’d be drafted around 40th overall. 2020 Projections: 38/11/40/.286/6 in 220 ABs
23. Xander Bogaerts – If you draft Tildaddy and Bogaerts with your 1st two picks, may you enjoy multiple fantasy championships, they will get you into heaven. 2020 Projections: 39/13/41/.307/2 in 221 ABs
24. Jacob deGrom – Exhibit A why my rankings will never get top five in any contest. I know deGrom will be more valuable than this spot (at least I’d imagine he will), but drafting a starter in the top 25 will hurt your team in other ways. Not having a top 25 bat hurts you more than having a top 25 arm helps you. So PantasyFros can say so-and-so had the best rankings, but, honestly, I would beat those people in a league nine out of 10 times. Also, not to go too far down this rabbit hole, but HOW can anyone have the best rankings that doesn’t rank specifically for, say, NL-Only? Or 15-team OBP? Or 12 team? Or whatever. It’s impossible. If someone says Bandy Ehrens or Pott Scianowski have the best rankings, I say, “For what league?” By the way, we have all of those different league rankings on our 2020 fantasy baseball rankings page. My rankings are heavily favored for 14-team and shallower. Though, my thoughts in each blurb in the positional rankings apply across any league. Moving on! 2020 Projections: 6-3/2.58/0.96/98 in 77 IP
25. Jack Flaherty – There is no Exhibit C! 2020 Projections: 6-4/2.69/0.99/89 in 75 IP
26. Gleyber Torres – Not to put logic into your feelings, but Gleyber is regularly being drafted before Bryce because…? You like Gleyber better as a person? I do too, but it makes no sense. Last year Gleyber had an insane year, and Bryce was his usual whatever self, right? Well, no. On the Player Rater Harper was the 21st best value and Gleyber was 48th. Bryce being whatever is better than Gleyber at his best. 2020 Projections: 33/12/35/.264/2 in 204 ABs
27. Shane Bieber – Couple of more thoughts on starters. I’m bummed I won’t own Bieber, but I was bummed I wouldn’t own Snell or Sale last year, and guess what? I wasn’t bummed once the season started. Starters only seem safe in the cold, dankness of February and March. It’s June, the ball is flying out of parks and your starter who you spent a top 25 pick on has a 4.25 ERA and you’re like, “What have I wrought?” 2020 Projections: 6-3/2.81/1.01/92 in 76 IP
28. Jose Altuve – His last three years for steals: 32, 17, 6. So, my nine projected steals is being optimistic. A closer projected line for Altuve might be 5′ 1″. 2020 Projections: 30/8/34/.303/3 in 216 ABs
29. George Springer – If 11 Greys were all drafting against me, and we had time to draft after complimenting each other on our hair, I’d own Springer on every team because he’s the only player from like 25 overall to 39 that I could conceivably draft. Unfortunately, as wonderful as 11 Greys sounds, there’s no way all of the 1st 30 players are drafted by this point. I could draft Springer at 31 overall, but more than likely I’ll be drafting Mondesi, Olson, Baez or Bogaerts. Yes, I have Olson at 21 overall, but would likely draft him at 31. Know why? ADP. 2020 Projections: 40/11/31/.281/2 in 204 ABs
30. Max Scherzer – There’s legitimately no way I’m owning Scherzer this year. I had a robot run 40,000 simulations to see if I would get Scherzer anywhere and the robot said, “Boy are my arms tired.” Sounds like Scherzer. 2020 Projections: 5-2/2.83/1.02/93 in 66 IP
31. Walker Buehler – Still not drafting a starter; feel free to look at the top 20 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball for my thoughts on these guys. 2020 Projections: 6-3/2.91/1.03/87 in 73 IP
32. Stephen Strasburg – This whole sub-tier of starters have no chance of a full season of innings. Mansplainingly, only four pitchers have 200 IP in each of the last three years (Cole, deGrom, Greinke and Verlander), so it’s pretty good odds betting someone won’t throw 200 IP. Think about that when you want to draft a top starter. Also, think about how they don’t give you saves, which is, at last blush, an actual category in your league. Oh, and wins are fickle. You, who wants to draft a top starter, is drafting ERA, WHIP and Ks — three categories. Imagine drafting a top hitter who only gave you homers, steals and runs. 2020 Projections: 6-4/3.03/1.03/83 in 71 IP
33. Starling Marte -In my top 20 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball, I updated Marte after his trade. The Starling one. 2020 Projections: 2020 Projections: 36/8/32/.289/8 in 215 ABs
34. Jonathan Villar – Went back to my Jonathan Villar sleeper post from last year to read the comments to see if anyone was massively disagreeing, and, damn you all, you all kinda agreed. Blessings to frequent commenter, Knucks, who posted the ADP from last year. NFBC was 102 and ESPN was 126. I was at 89. Now, he’s being drafted in the 20s in some leagues. Y’all a bunch of over-correctors! 2020 Projections: 31/6/25/.257/11 in 209 ABs
35. Ketel Marte – Back in December, I drafted Ketel at pick 39 overall in my way too early NFBC draft. (We’ll do a few more NFBC leagues in February/March. Stay tuned. Or not. Your choice.) 2020 Projections: 35/10/29/.308/3 in 221 ABs
36. Ozzie Albies – Something I may or may not have mentioned in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball, Albies feels like he could sneak into a 30/30 season. What he has going against him, which isn’t really an objective reason, could Acuña and Albies really be 30/30 on the same team? If Howard Johnson and Daryl Strawberry or Ellis Burks and Dante Bichette could do it, why not? When I list those players who were 30/30 on the same team, really makes you think, huh? By the by, whatever happened with Alfonso Soriano? Is he in the Hall of Fame? How about Sammy Sosa who once had a month of 30/30? And you thought offense was only goofy nowadays. 2020 Projections: 38/9/29/.291/6 in 232 ABs
37. Keston Hiura – You know what would be interesting? A psychological study why some guys who have less than 100 games in the majors like Hiura are consensus top 50 picks, but guys like Dannys Antana, who just had a great season, are ignored. My guess is people prefer guys who have only succeeded and never failed, even if the guy who once failed has corrected issues. This assumes Hiura has no possible route to ever failing, which is what I type as I’m ranking Hiura damn high myself. 2020 Projections: 30/10/34/.264/4 in 211 ABs
38. Anthony Rizzo – R to the anking for R to the Izzo! Did I do that right? 2020 Projections: 34/11/39/.295/1 in 209 ABs
39. Jose Abreu – New writer, Dan Richards, gave you his Jose Abreu fantasy, while writing more about Jose Abreu than anyone has ever written before. 2020 Projections: 33/13/40/.280/1 in 225 ABs
40. Lucas Giolito – Draft a starter! 2020 Projections: 6-3/3.27/1.05/90 in 73 IP
41. Patrick Corbin – “I pardon you,” Ralph Fiennes giving you permission to draft a starter too. 2020 Projections: 6-2/3.36/1.09/90 in 75 IP
42. Eloy Jimenez – This is going to be my toughest draft pick in every single draft. Not Eloy, but everyone within ten spots of him. I have to draft a starter around here, but I also wouldn’t mind drafting any of the hitters you see here either. Of course, Austin Meadows…Well, continued in next blurb. 2020 Projections: 32/13/38/.284 in 216 ABs
43. Austin Meadows – I would draft Meadows, but it might be lip service ranking him this low. If you can make a strong case for why a 25-28 homer, 10-15 steal guy who doesn’t have an elite batting average should be ranked in the top 25 overall as I’ve seen Meadows drafted, let me know. 2020 Projections: 34/10/33/.277/4 in 215 ABs
44. Freddie Freeman – One concern with this little sub-tier of corner men is how fickle runs and RBIs are. Hard to imagine Freeman (or any of these corner men) getting 85 runs and 95 RBIs, but those stats are a bit out of his control. Not saying 85/30/95/.303/7 would be a bad line, but that does take someone down a peg in value. Another way of me saying how important it is you get an early pick that gives some speed. UPDATE: Tested positive for Covid. 2020 Projections: 39/11/40/.303/3 in 223 ABs
45. Manny Machado – I could see two scenarios for Machado this year: 1st scenario has us in October laughing at us preseason herbs (bringing that word back!) for ranking Machado so low. 2nd scenario is you own Machado expecting the 1st scenario, end up yawnstipated, thinking of Machado as a Michael Conforto clone who disappears for huge chunks of the season. 2020 Projections: 33/13/38/.269/2 in 219 ABs
46. Eugenio Suarez – As I draft a starter in this part of the draft, there’s little chance I get Eugenio (or prolly Machado), so please give me an early prayer for my 3rd base spot, which I have a feeling is going to mess in every league. 100% expect to draft Matt Chapman way too early in every league, justifying it to myself that I need a 3rd baseman. As for the news that Eugenio just had a water wings incident in his swimming pool and needed shoulder surgery to remove loose cartilage and will be limited in spring training, Rudy subtracted eight games from his hitter projections. I’m not changing them yet. If Suarez gets to the end of March and is limited still, I might change my mind. We’re still very far away from meaningful games, don’t overreact. 2020 Projections: 30/14/39/.274/1 in 215 ABs
47. Luis Castillo – Bit surprised there’s a chance I could own Castillo after his previous year, even more surprised people are drafting Aaron Nola before him. I’m pretty sure if you drafted starters based on their previous year SwStr% you couldn’t go that wrong. Here’s the top 10: Cole, Scherzer, Verlander, Castillo (!!!), deGrom, Giolito, Corbin, Boyd, Bieber and Flaherty. Boyd has a bit of wonkiness, due to his high homers allowed, but otherwise? That is a loud, echoing chef’s kiss that can be heard by Dr. Manhattan on Mars. (By the way, pitchers ranked 11 thru 20 on SwStr% aren’t bad either.) 2020 Projections: 6-4/3.32/1.09/88 in 73 IP
48. Mike Clevinger – With the delay to the season and rest Clevinger will get, it’s hard not to like him in a very short, fantastic season. Shoot 120 innings from Clevinger right into my veins, then let me make snow angels in a giant pile of coke while twirling a phone cord around my pinkie as I talk to Pablo Escobar. 2020 Projections: 6-3/3.07/1.06/83 in 71 IP
49. Chris Paddack – Feel a bit like I won’t own Paddack this year. Not that I won’t, I mean, I won’t but not because I don’t like him. Who doesn’t love The Sheriff? Well, not Bob Marley, but otherwise? No one. Unfortch, I have Paddack after Giolito, Corbin and Castillo, so it seems unlikely I’d miss on one of those and take Paddack instead. 2020 Projections: 4-2/3.03/0.96/73 in 64 IP
50. Jorge Soler – Bit surprised at how much I like Soler this year, but maybe, and this is gonna be some galaxy brain shizz right here, I should be surprised at my surprise. Or maybe, and this is going to get real confusing now, it’s most surprising that I’m surprised at my surprise. That’s like going into Plato’s Cave for the echo. 2020 Projections: 31/13/38/.271/1 in 216 ABs
51. Yoan Moncada – As I said in the Suarez blurb, 3rd base feels almost assuredly like a punt for me early on, which is what I say before I overcompensate for my fear of not having a 3rd baseman and reach two rounds early for Moncada, because I really want to own him. 2020 Projections: 31/10/35/.272/4 in 206 ABs
52. Matt Chapman – Imagining one of my teams owning Laureano, Chapman and Olson and staying up late to watch an A’s game, then punching a hole in my TV when Dallas Braden appears. 2020 Projections: 35/14/39/.256/1 in 214 ABs
53. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Another guy who seems so unlikely to end up on any of my teams. It’s not thankful. It’s Glad Vuerrero Jr. 2020 Projections: 29/11/34/.291 in 211 ABs
54. Yordan Alvarez – Trying to figure out why I have Yordan ranked 41st overall and his daddy, Nelson Cruz, who has done what son hopes to do, for 27 straight seasons, tying the Yankees’ championship record, about 25 picks later, or why Yordan’s ADP is 60 picks before Cruz. Age does make a difference. Fan them flames of upside with my pants tent. Yordan’s making money moves; Cruz is a goofy, is a opp. Okay, now I’m just singing Cardi B. Yordan’s exit velocity is ridiculous. He ranked/raked 13th overall in majors, but Cruz ranked 3rd, so *raspberries lips* I don’t know. The comparison gets more without the can, i.e., uncanny. They both averaged 411 feet on homers. Yordan is top 2% of xSLG; Cruz was top 1%. Cruz is top 2% of wOBA; Yordan is 1%. Yordan’s HR/FB% was 32.9%; Cruz’s was equally crazy at 31.3%. Yordan’s chase rate was 30.7% and Cruz’s was 30.5%. Holy crap, Nelson Cruz isn’t getting old, he’s getting younger and is now playing under different name for a different team and OH MY GOD! Really, only thing I can think why Yordan over Cruz is latter was born in 1962 and gave birth to Yordan. UPDATE: Tested positive for Covid. 2020 Projections: 29/10/31/.291/1 in 181 ABs
55. Max Muncy – Last two years in a row he has 35 homers. If Muncy gets three years in a row, Khris Davis will send him a framed pic of “.247,” signed and dated. It was a limited run. You can guess how many were made. 2020 Projections: 34/13/36/.265/1 in 187 ABs
56. Marcus Semien – Member those specialty baseball cards with Vida Blue and Bud Black pictured that was labeled Black & Blue? Hoping Fleer brings that back for Jazz Chisholm and Semien for “Jazz Hands.” 2020 Projections: 40/9/30/.282/4 in 229 ABs
57. Yu Darvish – Since you might be wondering on his SwStr%, Darvish was 13th on that list from Castillo’s blurb, between Strasburg and Morton, and Darvish was 7th in the 2nd half with a 15% SwStr%. 2020 Projections: 5-4/3.41/1.09/86 in 67 IP
58. Tyler Glasnow – Due to the shortened season, I’m jazzed about the idea of Glasnow in less innings. Jazznow? *insert GIF of Jack Nicholson with a Cheshire cat grin while nodding his head* 2020 Projections: 5-3/3.77/1.20/73 in 63 IP
59. Charlie Morton – Old pitchers just hit different this year. This is a new feeling for me, and I’m still getting used to it, but when I see fifteen of the top 20 starters from last year are over the age of 30, I can’t continue to ignore it. 35 is the new 25 for pitchers. What’s old is new again. *searching Idioms dot com* An old apple falls from any tree because it’s ripe. (I made that up, but it sounded good, right?) 2020 Projections: 6-3/3.36/1.10/86 in 71 IP
60. Ramon Laureano – Another guy who gets very little love elsewhere. I have Austin Meadows ranked above him too, but not by an insane amount like when I see Meadows being drafted in the top 20 in some leagues. Can you imagine Laureano being drafted anywhere near that? Well, he’s nearly as good with the potential to be better. 2020 Projections: 30/10/29/.272/6 in 213 ABs
61. Josh Donaldson – This post is going on 56,000 words, so I direct you to my top 20 3rd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball for my thoughts on Donaldson on his new team. 2020 Projections: 35/12/36/.254/1 in 189 ABs
62. Mike Moustakas – Pro tip! Bet on the 2020 Reds/White Sox World Series now and cash boku checks later. 2020 Projections: 29/13/33/.252/1 in 211 ABs
63. Tim Anderson – In only 123 games last year, he went 18/17. Year before he went 20/26 in 153 games. He is a .275 hitter, give or take some. (Not .335 hitter like last year with a .399 BABIP.) So, 20/20/.275 isn’t a top 75 pick? Okay, then why is Bo Bichette, with 46 games in his career, a top 70 pick? We judging on same scales or nah? 2020 Projections: 32/8/27/.272/8 in 216 ABs
64. Bo Bichette – Speaking of the devil, or as Larry Walker used to call him, “That little devil put Icy/Hot in my jockstrap!” Don’t take my Tim Anderson blurb as a slight on Bichette. Could see Bichette being great, but there’s a lot more unknown with him (for better or worse), i.e., Bichette will happen or Bichette happens. 2020 Projections: 36/7/27/.284/7 in 218 ABs
65. Sonny Gray – You know what’s gonna be fun? When we all own Sonny Gray this year and people are like, “You are so dumb for drafting him so high,” then, when he’s a top three vote getter for NL Cy, people are gonna be like, “You are a witch and I will now burn you at the stake.” 2020 Projections: 5-4/3.27/1.10/80 in 73 IP
66. Eddie Rosario – For those with short memories or have been hit on the head too many times, Rosario was a 2018 sleeper for me. Been nailing them since Pontius was doing pilates. 2020 Projections: 35/11/40/.281/1 in 214 ABs
67. Nelson Cruz – See Yordan Alvarez’s blurb or 7 inches above or 14 inches above if a girl is reading. 2020 Projections: 33/13/37/.283 in 176 ABs
68. Giancarlo Stanton – Okay, so I keep talking about people over-correcting for good years or bad years, and I might 100% doing just that with Giancarlo, but how long can I dream he’s dressed as a giant tongue while I’m dressed in a bikini of whipped cream only to wake up to find him being IL’d? 2020 Projections: 31/13/33/.272/1 in 190 ABs
69. Aaron Nola – Nothing’s taken a worse turn in the last year than The Circle Game. I can’t even watch Malcolm in the Middle reruns anymore, you bastards! Second worse recent turn is Nola, but there’s hope for him. The Circle Game, though? I think that’s lost for good. 2020 Projections: 6-4/3.51/1.07/87 in 78 IP
70. Aaron Judge – If anyone can hit 30+ homers in only 100 games, it’s Aaron Judge, so I still don’t trust his health, but I had to move him up in the rankings. 2020 Projections: 39/15/34/.262/1 in 187 ABs
71. Charlie Blackmon – A beard flowing on romance novel cover. The book’s title, Chazz Noir Saves The Accidental Princess. Opens to the first page. “Hey, Princess,” Chazz Noir hops off his horse, “Can I be of some service?” The Accidental Princess courtesies, then tumbles into a pile of manure. That’s from a novel where the author mistakenly confused accidental with accident-prone for 275 pages. 2020 Projections: 39/10/29/.288/1 in 211 ABs
72. Blake Snell – People either gave me crap for ranking Snell in a tier of pitchers I didn’t want last year or just drafted him anyway, ignoring me. He ended up as the 284th best fantasy value, just behind Tanner Roark. Good stuff! UPDATE: Elbow problems already. Whee! Enjoy your early starter picks. They always work out great! 2020 Projections: 4-3/3.12/1.09/57 in 70 IP
73. Justin Verlander – Exhibit B. UPDATE: Dealing with triceps soreness. See what I said on his injury(ies — is that how you make a plural of that?) at the top 20 starters. 2020 Projections: 5-1/2.66/0.98/71 in 56 IP
74. Zack Greinke – At some point, Greinke will be drafted more like a top 50 starter rather than a top blackjack starter! Oops, I used the thesaurus for “21.” 2020 Projections: 6-3/3.44/1.09/68 in 76 IP
75. Paul Goldschmidt – Might play around and stop calling him Au Shizz and start calling him Just Shizz. 2020 Projections: 34/11/36/.264/1 in 217 ABs
76. Clayton Kershaw – Toyed real hard with drafting Kershaw, but I am out for, like, well, his whole career. “Toyed real hard” is also the explanation you use when a doctor is looking at an x-ray of your butt and seeing a Matchbox car. 2020 Projections: 2020 Projections: 5-3/3.42/1.05/60 in 61 IP
77. Josh Hader – SAGNOF and all that, but I’m starting to believe there might be some buying opportunities to the top closers now. For a dozen or so years, there was never a top closer drafted after top 50 overall, but now no one seems to want them. I get it — hey, I invented it! — but are they this bad? *looks at Player Rater for values of closers last year* Okay, they were this bad. Not a good time to be a closer. No bigger sign of this that the number one closer, Hader, saved less than 40 saves last year, and, as someone who owned him last year I can say he was far from a guarantee. His Ks tho *emoji of eggplant emojis falling on a smiling face emoji* 2020 Projections: 2-1/2.48/0.84/47, 15 saves in 26 IP
78. Kirby Yates – Was about to say that Yates has going for him an added bonus that I can’t see anyone behind him getting any real saves instead of him, which sounds remarkably similar to what I would’ve said last year for Edwin Diaz. Oops, jinxed Yates! 2020 Projections: 1-1/2.37/0.91/36, 16 saves in 23 IP
79. Aroldis Chapman – Not sure if everyone saw that Aroldis weighed in on the Astros’ cheating scandal, i.e., a scandalous trash person weighed in on Trash can scandal. Ya know, Cheaty Cheaty Bang Bang aka Banghazi aka Bang A Gong (Chasing Pitches Is Gone) aka Fiers Festival. I will say this though, it does seem like a pretty sizable advantage to know a guy who can touch 100 MPH is about to throw a change. Sizable is a pun there, because the hitter was Altuve. 2020 Projections: 1-1/2.41/1.10/34, 14 saves in 22 IP
80. Jose Berrios – His last three years ERAs: 3.89, 3.84, 3.68. So, Steamer projects him for 4.49. I don’t love that his velocity fell a tad last year, but he changed his pitch mix and it seemed to work for him. From what I’ve seen, I’m a high man on Berrios, and I’ll take all the shares. 2020 Projections: 5-3/3.54/1.11/76 in 75 IP
81. Trevor Bauer – As I go over in the top 40 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball, I’m drafting Bauer this year. Please pray for me. 2020 Projections: 5-3/3.61/1.16/96 in 80 IP
82. Kris Bryant – Anyone looking to draft Bryant, just go and read my Hunter Dozier sleeper. You don’t have to agree with Dozier, but for the Bryant info. 2020 Projections: 38/10/30/.278/1 in 207 ABs
83. Joey Gallo – I was searching March Madness on WebMD recently. Some of the symptoms it listed were, “Overuse of the phrase ‘my bracket,'” an “inflamed Gonzaga” and a “hunger to gamble on things you know nothing about.” Then I remembered I was supposed to be looking up Gallo’s injury. I oop! This brings me to my point, I have no idea what to expect of Gallo’s injury. He could be absolutely fine and a steal this late, but I’m pretty shook. Typing “pretty shook” into WebMD says I’m too close to a fault line. 2020 Projections: 28/12/13/.247/2 in 184 ABs
84. Tommy Pham – Since this post is pushing 7,000 words, just go check out what I wrote at top 40 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball. 2020 Projections: 29/6/26/.271/9 in 214 ABs
85. Oscar Mercado – Already gave you an Oscar Mercado sleeper. It was written while listening to old Future songs. 2020 Projections: 29/6/23/.261/11 in 209 ABs
86. Luis Robert – Already gave you a Luis Robert fantasy. I wrote it while sniffing an old horse that a farmer named Glue. 2020 Projections: 28/8/22/.248/9 in 190 ABs
87. Victor Robles – Confession, I wrote a Robles sleeper post, but I never published it because I write my sleeper posts in November, and usually this isn’t an issue, I have a good idea of when players will be drafted (or should be drafted) as soon as the previous season ends. Was wrong on Robles. In most leagues, he’s being drafted way above where I’d draft him. So, I like him, but at his top 50 overall price tag? Might be the first guy to go from sleeper to overrated before mid-February. 2020 Projections: 31/5/23/.261/12 in 210 ABs
88. Marcell Ozuna – OZUNA landed in Atlanta. OZUNA is ready for fights with Kenya and to marry Nene. OZUNA knows his Real Housewives. 2020 Projections: 31/11/36/.274/2 in 216 ABs
89. Michael Conforto – If you click his name, you see his Steamer projections (and we added all of my position blurbs onto the player pages). We’re not far off, two homers and steals, and 10 runs and 15 RBIs, but on the Steamer rankings, he’s down in the 140s. Interesting, because last year Conforto ranked 72nd on the end-of-the-season Player Rater. Interesting as in I’m right. UPDATE: He was moved after his injury, see top 500 for 2020 fantasy baseball for new rank and projections. UPDATE II: To make sure Conforto would be ready for the start of the season, the Mets sent their doctors out to all drive-through coronavirus checkpoints.2020 Projections: 34/12/38/.254/2 in 216 ABs
90. Nicholas Castellanos – The GGoHC jammed up the Reds’ outfield is spectacular ways. I moved Aristides Aquino to the top 80 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball because now it’s Shogo, Aquino and Winker for two outfield spots, and updated the GGoHC in the top 40 outfielders. If I didn’t like GGoHC before (which I didn’t), this makes me more aggro. 2020 Projections: 33/9/30/.277/1 in 225 ABs
91. Lance Lynn – Not sure what’s more insane, that I want to draft Lynn, but I’ve projected him for 238 Ks. Here’s hoping One-Week-Ago Grey knows what the hell he’s doing. 2020 Projections: 6-2/3.58/1.20/88 in 76 IP
92. Eduardo Rodriguez – I’ll go over exactly how to draft a pitching staff in another post on Friday, but just think about this for a second. I’ve seen people draft Blake Snell and Max Scherzer on the same team. Skills-wise? Those guys are amazing, but what you have been better off with them or Lance Lynn and Ed-Rod last year? Of course, we’re drafting for this year, but don’t be so sure guys taking top ten starters are going the “safe” way. 2020 Projections: 5-3/3.64/1.24/81 in 76 IP
93. Josh Bell – This guy has one of the widest ranges of ADP I’ve seen this year, which makes me think there’s as many people who trust Bell’s great 1st half as there are people who think he was more of shizz-stain of the 2nd half. Like kids who wanna become firemen, I’m in the latter summer camp. 2020 Projections: 32/11/36/.271/1 in 203 ABs
94. Yuli Gurriel – When I wrote up the top 20 1st basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball, I didn’t like Yuli, and still don’t especially, but now that I’m seeing ADP, I guess there’s a remote chance he’s available to me, but it’s moot because if things go correctly I will be drafting my 2nd starter around here. 2020 Projections: 26/9/30/.294/2 in 206 ABs
95. DJ LeMahieu – Since I’m in a “looking at Steamer’s projections”-type mood, let’s take me out of the equation with LeMahieu. His Steamer projections are 89/18/71/.284/7. Different positions, but that’s slightly worse than Bryan Reynolds’s 83/19/74/.288/7. That makes DJ LeMahieu about as good as a quinceanera DJ who forgot his Despacito record. 2020 Projections: 35/6/29/.288/2 in 221 ABs
96. Eduardo Escobar – Samesies on what I said for Yuli. With how I draft and wait on my first starter, the need to draft a 2nd starter in this range is exceptionally important, because if you don’t grab a 2nd starter in this range, then your staff gets wonky super fast without a top five starter, i.e., a person who drafts Gerrit Cole in the 1st round could be happy with Bumgarner as their number two. Whereas, I’ll have Giolito (possibly) as my number one and will need a higher number two earlier. On the other hand (were we using our hands?), the person with Gerrit Cole will likely be looking at the Yuli, Bell andf Escobars of the world as their corner man, and I will likely have a much better one. Check it: You want Gerrit/Yuli or Bellinger/Giolito? That’s just one example, but you get the picture. 2020 Projections: 29/10/35/.264/1 in 211 ABs
97. Whit Merrifield – If I had a larger set of cojones (mo’jones?), I would’ve ranked Merrifield about 100 spots later, but I’m still a low man on him by about four rounds, and not drafting him. 2020 Projections: 34/5/26/.305/6 in 226 ABs
98. Jeff McNeil – His previous year was so shocking it actually could cause controversy that I’m out on McNeil this year. If you would’ve told me last February that people would care if I were low on McNeil, I would’ve told you you were crazy with a small, but noticeable gesture of a circling motion of the index finger at the ear or temple. 2020 Projections: 38/7/26/.306/2 in 218 ABs
99. Brandon Woodruff – Because I couldn’t end the top 100 with a series of downers like the last few, here’s one of my absolute boo/bae/loves. Check out my Brandon Woodruff sleeper. 2020 Projections: 6-2/3.43/1.12/77 in 68 IP
100. Dinelson Lamet – Okay, okay, OKAY! One more. Here’s my Dinelson Lamet sleeper. Here’s basically an R-rated GIF from Uncut Gems in human form. I wrote this post while icing my fingers as I prepared to write the top 500 for 2020 fantasy baseball. 2020 Projections: 4-2/3.86/1.22/81 in 62 IP
