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Hello, all you brave, courageous, adventure-seekers, you’ve found the wrong website. This is fantasy baseball, not fantasy role playing, unless it’s fantasy roll-playing and this is Stratomatic, but that’s still not right. Still, fantasy baseball. Good, now that we got rid of all those people wearing fedoras and shopping from the Indiana Jones collection at Eddie Bauer, we can get down to the bidness. The Auction value bidness? Not quite, but you can find all auction values in Rudy’s rankings — one example, 12-team mixed league auction values. This is a top 100 for 2022 fantasy baseball. Let’s do this!
One word about this top 100 for 2022 fantasy baseball, before I give you another 5,000 words. I’m going to avoid repeating myself from the position rankings in the 2022 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 2022 fantasy baseball, the top 20 outfielders for 2022 fantasy baseball, the top 20 Patterns In Queso That Look Like Messages From Another Planet for 2022– 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. 448 more, to be very exact. Next up, there will be a top 500 that will go to 551. 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 2022 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, which include the Fantasy Baseball War Room. Anyway, here’s the top 100 for 2022 fantasy baseball:
NOTE: All 2022 fantasy baseball projections are based on a 162-game season, and will be until we hear definitively there will be less games, due to the CBA. Also, I’m going on the assumption the NL is getting the DH.
NOTE II: We’re giving away 10 spots to RazzSlam for subscribers to Patreon. Compete against ‘perts from Yahoo, Rotoworld, FanGraphs, and all Razzball writers.
1. Bo Bichette – If Fernanda Tatis and Bo Bichette, Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. have a son, it’s basically going to be Shohei Ohtani, the IV, and will win the MVP, Cy Young, and Rolaids Relief Man of the Year, which by then will be called the Red Pill Award and we’ll all be living in The Matrix, while not understanding it. That would be hilarious and way more life-like, if the people in The Matrix movies were like, “I’m in The Matrix, and I don’t understand it at all,” because you know if there was an actual Matrix at least 98% of its population wouldn’t understand what it was. Everyone is way too smart in those movies, understanding what is going on. Where’s the dummies? Or, wait, is that the whole point of the movies and I’m too dumb to understand? Any hoo! Bichette is a guy I want so bad in all my leagues. Talk about hard-to-find skills: Hitting .300 and 30-steal speed? Please and thank you. 2022 Projections: 115/30/92/.303/28 in 607 ABs
2. Juan Soto – “Hello, I am Sexy Dr. Pepper, and I approve this message.” — That’s Juan Soto after reading the message, “Please start calling yourself Sexy Dr. Pepper and talk in third person,” which was written on an index card, and left mysteriously on his nightstand as a mustachioed man stumbled out of his bedroom window. 2022 Projections: 106/36/112/.319/8 in 517 ABs
3. Trea Turner – This is Treat Urner over the last few years: edging up to the top 10, then boosted just a little to around 8th overall, then nudged up to around 7th overall. The whole time we’re (I’re) worried that his steals would disappear and his power wasn’t real. This year, finally, we’re (I’re) embracing how good he is, which is when the bottom falls out. I kid. I hope. 2022 Projections: 114/26/81/.312/33 in 584 ABs
4. Jose Ramirez – Here’s what I said last year, “In case you’re wondering, I’m not concerned about Jo-Jo-Ram’s lineup with Lindor traded. Josh Naylor in front of him and Jake Bauers is, um, something, but Ramirez is in his peak years and is a 30/25/.260-ish hitter at his core floor. If you want and/or worry too much, take ten runs and RBIs off his line.” And that’s me quoting me! Now he doesn’t even have Josh Naylor or Bauers. So add five runs and RBIs! Burn! 2022 Projections: 106/34/108/.273/25 in 567 ABs
5. Ronald Acuña Jr. – Deeper you get in the rankings, the more wiggle room. This top 100 isn’t changing based on some random bit of news in the spring, and, like my grip on any balcony railing over three stories, the top 10 are the firmest. How’sever, if Tildaddy gets to the end of March and is like, “Vroom, vroom, let’s go, suckers!” Then I could see moving Tildaddy up to the top five overall at the last minute. UPDATE: That random bit of news happened, only it was the stupid lockout, moving everyone’s timetable, so Acuña’s suddenly doesn’t seem so bad. 2022 Projections: 88/37/84/.281/23 in 489 ABs
6. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Okay, Fernanda Tatis, and Bo Bichette Jr. Jr. Jr. are in a car, Vladdy, the Mini Impala. That’s a computerized sedan from the year 2095 that is used strictly for pinch running, until an affair with a robot ump gets a rule overturned and Vladdy the Mini Impala, breaks Rickey Henderson’s 130-steals-in-a-season record, only a mere 113 years later. Rickey Henderson is in attendance, and looks like he could steal a base, even though he’s 137 years old. 2022 Projections: 109/37/116/.306/4 in 589 ABs
7. Shohei Ohtani – Guess you can argue whether Ohtani should be higher, but if you agree that Ohtani is fine around here in the rankings, he might also be the best 7th guy off the board that we’ve ever seen. 2022 Projections: 97/36/90/.254/19 in 511 ABs and 10-8/3.59/1.11/141 in 122 IP
8. Luis Robert – Have received some pushback on my Luis Robert ranking. There’s so many things I want to say to this. A) DP is a cinematographer. Wait, that’s right, but wrong. ADP is a joke. It means nothing. Do I have to remind you last year Vlad Jr. had an ADP of 45 overall and Ohtani was around 200 overall? I was the high man three years ago on Acuña; the high man two years ago on Tatis, and last year I was the which man on Bichette? High man! You are drafting for the upcoming year. You should not just be regurgitating rankings with how well guys did last year. Just take one second and think about what 2nd half rankings look like. Think about last year’s rankings vs. what players do. This is a ranking to say if Luis Robert stays healthy for 140+ games, he will be a top ten hitter. Honestly, if there was no “if”s on health, Robert would prolly be a top five hitter. Him vs. Jose Ramirez is only because Jose Ramirez has done it before, but “doing it before” is not always the best predictor of future success. 2022 Projections: 89/34/104/.281/17 in 561 ABs
9. Rafael Devers – It has been about a month since I did my top ten, so I tried to do it by memory. I got nine of ten correct, but I placed Devers above Robert, which makes sense too. You want safer with Devers? By all means. You want upside of Robert? Be my guest. That’s why there’s tiers in the top 10 overall, and why I say all guys in the same tier are interchangeable. 2022 Projections: 104/36/115/.284/4 in 597 ABs
10. Kyle Tucker – I wonder how people would react if Tucker was like, “I really like what Enrique Hernandez did with his name, so now I want you to call me, Kyké.” 2022 Projections: 94/35/108/.303/15 in 564 ABs
11. Ozzie Albies – Is it illegal to hire a translator for, say, a million dollars, then have them say to Albies his contract is worth $100 million more than it is? Because whether it’s legal or not, I’d guess the Braves did it. 2022 Projections: 96/32/94/.264/17 in 591 ABs
12. Freddie Freeman – Up until now, I had been holding off on projecting free agents, but, as you’ll see tomorrow with my top 500, I project every free agent I’ve ranked, because it was too janky for the rankings to not have projections as placeholders. As you see from this blurb, I still have no major thoughts on some free agents until they sign. Freeman, though? I mean, you kinda know him. 2022 Projections: 103/34/113/.312/6 in 586 ABs
13. Bryce Harper – In the coming days (weeks?), I’ll go over how I would draft the opening round salvos, and salvo is a top five word of all-time. Curmudgeon, salvo, persnickety, and qualm might all be in the first tier. If the lockout goes into March, my word rankings will drop then. 2022 Projections: 97/34/102/.283/12 in 514 ABs
14. Mike Trout – How good is MLB right now? The guy ranked 15th this year might be a top five hitter of all-time. 2022 Projections: 86/33/101/.286/7 in 461 ABs
15. Mookie Betts – I would’ve ranked Betts higher if I had any faith in his speed returning, or his power, or his average, or his hip, or–Okay, so there’s some issues here, but Betts was a top five pick as recently as last year and he’s only 29. By the way, “But Betts” sounds like a Barstool segment. 2022 Projections: 103/24/72/.272/13 in 514 ABs
16. Corbin Burnes – People are always saying, “Any set strategy that doesn’t change, isn’t good, whether it’s draft aces high or don’t draft aces high.” To that I say, “When ‘don’t draft aces high’ doesn’t work for me, that’s when I’ll change.” 2022 Projections: 17-6/2.51/0.93/264 in 191 IP
17. Gerrit Cole – Continued from previous blurb: Just have around 75% return from the top starters, and maybe I’ll reevaluate, but, as I said in the top 20 starters for 2022 fantasy baseball, seven of the top nine starters last year disappointed, and I’m not counting Cole, who had a 3.23 ERA and absolutely disappointed! 2022 Projections: 17-7/2.73/0.99/271 in 204 IP
18. Yordan Alvarez – There’s guys like Luis Robert, who I’m sure I’m the highest on way before I look at any ADP or rankings from anyone else (not that I ever really look at anyone else’s rankings, tee bee aitch, until after I’ve ranked) but Yordan was one where I’m surprised there’s not more people lining up to get on the Captain Woo Cubano Rubber Band Beard TrainTM, because he’s just so incredibly beautiful in the Statcast. 2022 Projections: 94/42/112/.282/1 in 566 ABs
19. Wander Franco – If he showed a penchant to steal 20+bags, I would’ve ranked him ten spots higher. That’s not to say he doesn’t have the ability to steal all those bags, but he or the Rays just may not want him to. Another guy, like Yordan, where I’m the high man, and everyone else’s Wander rankings make me think they’re the high ones. Also, we use Steamer projections, after Rudy fiddles with them, so I think they’re great, but it does show a shortcoming when they project Wander for a 19/10/.289 season in 149 games. It’s not just Steamer either, projections almost always struggle with top prospects and what they will do a year after promotion. Think about Tatis and Acuña’s projections their sophomore year. Computer projections can’t wrap their virtual head around a step forward in ability. That’s more art than science. 2022 Projections: 94/27/89/.297/12 in 583 ABs
20. Teoscar Hernandez – You see Teoscar ranked this high and you might be like, “The Teoscar goes to…Grey in every draft for his role in, Mr. Idiot, where he plays the eponymous character that got his name from ranking Teoscar so high.” You have to trust your projections (or my projections). 34/9/.280 in the middle of a stacked lineup is hard to argue with here. Are those numbers much different than what you’d expect from Bryce, Freeman or other guys in the 10 to 15 range? Rhetorical! 2022 Projections: 87/34/102/.282/9 in 563 ABs
21. Max Scherzer – Already gave you my Max Scherzer fantasy when he signed with the Mets. It was written while googling how to get Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story out of your brain forever. 2022 Projections: 16-5/2.71/0.91/228 in 172 IP
22. Manny Machado – Could conceivably draft Machado and I’m kinda indifferent about it. Appropriate since that’s how Machado seems when he’s running to first. 2022 Projections: 94/32/109/.283/10 in 559 ABs
23. Trevor Story – Still a free agent. His projections are based on a neutral park, so if he goes to Coors, and they continue with that stupid humidor, I’ll take his projections down. Kidding. Kinda. It does take extreme brain worms to have a garbage pitching staff like the Rockies, and then institute a humidor to take down your hitting, your only worthwhile attribute. Kinda like what we’re seeing in Baltimore. UPDATE: Signed with the Red Sox. 2022 Projections: 93/27/81/.269/19 in 554 ABs
24. Matt Olson – Went and did a vibe check (looked at the Player Rater from last year) to see if I was completely crazy with this ranking, and Olson was 20th overall last year, so the vibes checked out. 2022 Projections: 93/37/109/.266/3 in 584 ABs
25. Zack Wheeler – Not remotely interested in drafting a starter yet. To read a 15,000 word treatise on why, check out my top 20 starters for 2022 fantasy baseball. 2022 Projections: 16-7/2.74/0.98/247 in 210 IP
26. Tyler O’Neill – If you believe projections fuel rankings, which you absolutely should, and if you trust my projections for Tyler O’Neill, then I’m not sure how you can justify ranking him any lower than here. 38/11/.262 is screaming to be a top 15 overall hitter, and near Bryce Harper, but I threw in a ten spot ranking discount simply because O’Neill has a bit more risk, but, still, I don’t know, interjection, why would a 38/11/.262 player be ranked lower than around here? 2022 Projections: 92/38/106/.262/11 in 571 ABs
27. Aaron Judge – If I had to guess, I’m always a bit more optimistic with my projections vs. Steamer, except with Judge and Giancarlo. I have a similar amount of faith in Aaron Judge and Giancarlo staying on the field as I do when purchasing tickets to see Lauryn Hill in concert. 2022 Projections: 91/37/101/.272/3 in 541 ABs
28. Eloy Jimenez – I could absolutely be sharing the brains with a garden slug, but I think I’m the only ‘pert in fantasy baseball ranking Eloy and Luis Robert correctly, i.e., high. 2022 Projections: 82/37/111/.272/1 in 581 ABs
29. Marcus Semien – Dears Sirs and Ma’ams,
I am writing you today hoping I can convince you to install a giant lotion bottle in the outfield bleachers so every time Semien homers a giant splooge of lotion shoots out over your fans.
Sincerely,
Grey Albright, Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate). 2022 Projections: 93/27/69/.253/12 in 607 ABs
30. Xander Bogaerts – It’s a freakin’ smorgasbord of hitters to choose from early. Or maybe I should say *pinkie to mouth* S’Bogaertsbord. 2022 Projections: 104/28/109/.291/7 in 587 ABs
31. Brandon Woodruff – When he’s taking the field, he’s so nasty, you can almost hear the mounds say, “Oh no, here comes Bra-Wood.” *lowers sunglasses, wry smile* 2022 Projections: 14-5/2.69/0.98/224 in 190 IP
32. Francisco Lindor – Pretty sure with my overall feelings on Lindor (mostly positive) and my overall feelings on wanting a shortstop early, there’s a pretty good chance I draft Lindor on a team or three this year. Maybe he was a tad bit overrated in the rankings the last two years, but it’s hard to believe he was a top 15 overall hitter last year, and now a barely top 50 guy. (His ADP is around 50 at least at the time this parenthetical was, um, hmm, well, w…r…i…t…t…e…n–Okay, tried to stall to see if his ADP would change, but it didn’t.) 2022 Projections: 95/24/88/.261/14 in 581 ABs
33. Tim Anderson – As you know from my top 20 shortstops, and why the positional rankings are important, these shortstops are all in the same tier, so I could draft Anderson before Bogaerts (if I felt I needed steals) or other iterations like that. As I say 1500 times a day during the preseason, each fantasy team is different, the rankings are a guide. 2022 Projections: 101/17/66/.281/22 in 563 ABs
34. Starling Marte – Already gave you my Starling Marte fantasy. It was written while going caca-cuckoo. 2022 Projections: 89/19/61/.277/32 in 534 ABs
35. Pete Alonso – For whatever reason, I always feel like I want Albombso more than anyone else. You know that thing where you remove the players’ names and just show their stats to try to get rid of biases? Okay, do that with Albombso and Aaron Judge’s stats and tell me how Alonso is so much worse? I mean, I have Alonso worse than Judge, but barely, and in some drafts Alonso’s going rounds later. 2022 Projections: 86/42/98/.253/1 in 581 ABs
36. Walker Buehler – Random Prediction Alert! Buehler will have a down season, and I’ll be able to draft him next year where I have Giolito this year. Every year, a handful of the top ten starters disappoint, and then me and Saberhagenmetricians can draft them the following year. 2022 Projections: 15-5/2.76/0.99/226 in 211 IP
37. Paul Goldschmidt – Somewhere in Au Shizz’s previous year might be an argument for why it’s still fine to draft Jose Abreu and feel confident. If you find that argument, let me know. Lost it along with some Yellowjackets. 2022 Projections: 91/30/97/.289/8 in 572 ABs
38. Cedric Mullins – Cedric the HRtainer’s early ADP is cruising for a schmohawk post. (I like how I make it seem like it’s out of my control who I call overrated. Slick, Grey, slick.) 2022 Projections: 85/20/48/.263/26 in 588 ABs
39. Randy Arozarena – The floor for guys who can steal 18-23 bags with 20-ish homers is a lot higher than guys who are 30/10 candidates. 25/10 becomes 27/5 and before you know it, you have C.J. Cron. Anyway, that’s my argument for why I have The Rice Bowl ranked around here, while conceding I don’t want him. It feels a bit like voodoo mixed with junk science when I’m explaining my rankings, but everyone has players they don’t want, don’t they? If you don’t, then you’re more well-adjusted than me. We can fix that. Sit down with a list of 500 players listed by ADP, and cross off around 300 of them. 2022 Projections: 81/18/87/.251/18 in 549 ABs
40. Nick Castellanos – Still a free agent, so subject to change, but want to put a bit larger red flag on the Greek God of Hard Contact, because he’s driven by counting stats more than some, so his landing place could wreak havoc on his ranking a little. 2022 Projections: 94/33/103/.277/3 in 581 ABs
41. Jose Abreu – Part of the alchemy of ranking is favoring guys who get you stats. Abreu is a big-time recipient of that alchemy. Are there guys with more upside? Dur. Are there guys with more downside? Dur dur. Is Jose Abreu classically trained at getting his stats year after year? Don’t make me triple dur you. Continued down in the Riley blurb. (This is becoming a Fantasy Baseball Choose Your Own Adventure. Want to draft a starter? Continue to Aaron Nola. Want to draft a corner man? Jump to Austin Riley. Want to draft a closer? Click autodraft and take a 30-minute nap.) 2022 Projections: 81/30/101/.255/1 in 541 ABs
42. Jonathan India – Shoot me in 70mm and call me Lawrence of Arabia because I’m extremely excited about India. 2022 Projections: 103/26/72/.275/12 in 547 ABs
43. Aaron Nola – All right you jive turkeys, start drafting starters! 2022 Projections: 13-6/3.19/1.08/247 in 198 IP
44. Freddy Peralta – FreddyKBB is my prototypical first starter. Stuff as good as anyone. Just had a top 15 starter season but is not being drafted in the top 40 overall. Plus, upside! People who scoff at you for taking FreddyKBB as your first starter are the ones looking up at you in the standings by June. 2022 Projections: 12-7/2.72/1.01/221 in 164 IP
45. Austin Riley – Continuing my thought from the Abreu blurb: Are Riley’s projections a teensy-weensy bit better than Abreu? Yeah, but Riley worries me on how likely the repeat is and Abreu seems like a lock. 2022 Projections: 87/33/98/.262 in 588 ABs
46. Jorge Polanco – Is Polanco ranked too high? Well, he was 26th on the Player Rater last year, so was everything he did a fluke? I’m firmly in the No Camp. The No Camp doesn’t have a great kayak team, by the way, because their gear was sent to No address. I’m legitimately crazy about all the guys in this area of the top 100, so let’s be realistic on how I can draft them all. Pretty easily, actually. Draft Freddy Peralta at 50; Polanco’s ADP is 85 so draft him at 70; Winker’s ADP is 100, so grab him at 90. Just because you see Jo-Po ranked here doesn’t mean you have to draft him here. 2022 Projections: 88/28/94/.275/10 in 567 ABs
47. Javier Baez – Already gave you my Javier Baez fantasy. It was written while limboing under a turnstile. 2022 Projections: 84/25/91/.257/14 in 541 ABs
48. Lucas Giolito – Another example of why you shouldn’t overdraft starters. Giolito was the third starter off the board last year; this year he’s around 10 thru 12th. Has anything changed? Nope! I’d simply draft him around the 10th to 12th starter off the board, nothing more or less, without something major happening. 2022 Projections: 13-6/3.34/1.05/218 in 191 IP
49. Robbie Ray – Speaking of something majorly happening (I just was in Giolito’s blurb), Ray became a new pitcher, and I fully accept it until he reverts to being his old self, or becomes something else entirely. This isn’t difficult stuff to understand. A pitcher can’t smoke and mirrors a 11.5 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 over the course of 190+ IP. Ray did it, so he owns it, until he doesn’t do it. 2022 Projections: 14-8/3.12/1.06/257 in 202 IP
50. Kevin Gausman – Sorta following same train of thought as Ray’s blurb, but I see so many people overthinking things — overthinkthings? — with someone like Gausman. Like the people who rostered Gausman got lucky last year and want out before the Splitter Tax Man comes to collect. The Splitter Tax Man does not exist, you’re thinking of the Slender Man. 2022 Projections: 13-9/3.16/1.07/219 in 189 IP
51. Liam Hendriks – I’m not drafting a closer this early, if you didn’t know, welcome to the site! Google: SAGNOF. 2022 Projections: 6-2/2.04/0.81/107, 39 saves in 69 IP
52. Josh Hader – Last year for the first time ever I drafted a closer (Hader) in the the top 50, and that team came in, like, third or fourth and just reenforced my thoughts on why you should never draft expensive closers. Hader was totally fine but he didn’t win me the saves category and I was lacking in starters and hitting that could’ve been helped by that pick. 2022 Projections: 3-3/2.23/0.86/117, 38 saves in 68 IP
53. Franmil Reyes – The $54 Vending Machine Steak hit 30 homers last year. Guess in how many games. Bzzt! Wrongo! It was in 115 games. The $54 Vending Machine Steak is the 26-year-old version of Aaron Judge/Giancarlo Stanton that no one wants to talk about. Not to give a splash of insight into your cement mixer, but younger is better. 2022 Projections: 71/36/94/.252/2 in 527 ABs
54. Adalberto Mondesi – I wish Mondesi nothing but the best, but if he fails to stay on the field this year, can he retire so I never have to have my heart broken again? 2022 Projections: 51/12/41/.242/32 in 337 ABs
55. Bobby Witt Jr. – Here’s my Bobby Witt Jr. fantasy. It was dogeared so badly the library wouldn’t take it back. 2022 Projections: 71/22/68/.272/24 in 504 ABs
56. Lance Lynn – Love Lynn, which sounds like a movie starring me and Lynn Redgrave, but drafting Lynn or Ketel Marte is kinda irrelevant based on their rankings, so we already see how goofy it is to just look at rankings numbers vs. the actual projections and thoughts behind the players. If I need a 2nd baseman or outfielder and want batting average more than anything, what difference does it make that Lynn is ranked so far in front of Ketel Marte? Do you see how silly rankings are? There’s no getting around actually knowing what your team needs vs. just looking at ranking number 60 vs. 75th overall, which is again why I say use our Fantasy Baseball War Room. 2022 Projections: 15-9/3.27/1.06/204 in 184 IP
57. Jose Berrios – Also, in regards to my Lance Lynn thoughts, if you want a 2nd starter, and Lynn goes around 50 overall, and Max Fried flies off the board and then Castillo, and your forehead has a high barrel rate because you’re sweating so profusely they’re selling barrel rides off your scalp like it’s Niagara Falls. Now, you’re up, and you need Ketel but also worry you won’t get a 2nd starter if you wait, so you take Berrios at 53rd overall. Are you mad that you had to take Berrios before his ADP or are you just glad you got a 2nd starter? Again, shows you how dumb it is following ADP or rankings too strictly. Draft your team. 2022 Projections: 14-8/3.47/1.05/211 in 202 IP
58. Sandy Alcantara – This post will be… 2022 Projections: 12-9/3.08/1.05/195 in 201 IP
59. Joe Musgrove – …18,000 words long…2022 Projections: 13-8/3.10/1.06/207 in 184 IP
60. Frankie Montas – …if I don’t start conserving. Also, here’s Coolwhip’s Frankie Montas fantasy. 2022 Projections: 12-7/3.41/1.10/214 in 190 IP
61. Jazz Chisholm – So, here’s the thing and there’s always a thing: I like Jazz. Put me in a five-piece band and let me chase the dragon. How’sever, how I draft, and since there’s a good chance I might be taking my 2nd starter here, and Jazz’s ADP is near here, well, there’s a strong chance I just don’t draft him this year. I think I’ve said that for more guys with 20+ steal speed than anyone else this year, which has me truly concerned I’m going to be lacking steals in every league. Might need to reevaluate and get Jazz hands for the five-finger discounts on the steals. 2022 Projections: 86/22/72/.251/27 in 581 ABs
62. Julio Urias – See, this is how I know “smart” leagues aren’t that “smart.” Julio Urias is being drafted around 30th overall. This is literal truth. Also, literal truth: I ranked him at 105 overall last year, and told everyone to draft him, and he was ranked by ESPN at 248 overall. I am not joking. Now, because he won 20 games last year, he’s worth how much more? Does that make any sense? This is what I’m talking about when I say a guy has around the same value for years of his career, and it doesn’t change much from year to year. Urias was likely a 75 overall player last year, and I put him at 105. This year he’s still worth around 75, but I have him nudged up just a hair. That might be my greatest contribution to fantasy sports, that every player has a floor ADP for different stages of their career. Sure, if Urias starts throwing 88 MPH at age 34, his ADP changes, but prime Urias is around a 75 overall pick. If you think about it, that’s why I’m wrong every year for a guy like Whit Merrifield. His floor ADP should be around 40, and I keep ranking him too low, expecting him to fall off the age cliff. 2022 Projections: 13-6/3.56/1.04/203 in 194 IP
63. Shane Bieber – Continuing my Urias’s blurb thought, Bieber is likely around 35 overall for his floor ADP, but I don’t trust his health right now, so I have him much lower. 2022 Projections: 9-3/3.09/1.01/187 in 146 IP
64. Jacob deGrom – January Grey does all kinds of magical sorcery to come up with the rankings and projections. Have you seen the movie Free Solo? About the guy climbing up El Capitan without a rope. Okay, imagine that, but with writing projections and rankings. That’s January Grey. Now, with fresh eyes in February, I look back at what January Grey did and I have some questions occasionally, and one is the projected innings for deGrom. I’m taking the under on 121 IP. So, why not change them now? Meh, I told you not to draft him, so caveat emptor. UPDATE: He’s going to miss a month of the season, and I wouldn’t go anywhere near him. 2022 Projections: 6-2/2.19/0.83/89 in 60 IP
65. Logan Webb – So, as I was saying in the top 40 starters for 2022 fantasy baseball, this is around where I’m potentially drafting my 2nd starter. “Potentially” because it’s contingent on my first starter, and how the draft is going. More on that when I do my Pitchers Pairing Draft tool. As for the floor ADP on Webb, I’d guess I’m high on him. Feels like a 115 overall-type guy, but you’re paying for the unknown upside. Kinda getting Kyle Hendricks vibes from Webb. 2022 Projections: 12-6/3.12/1.09/182 in 179 IP
66. Charlie Morton – It’s legit weird how excited I am to draft a 38-year-old starter whose main attraction is gaining velocity on his fastball, yet here we are. 2022 Projections: 13-8/3.47/1.08/206 in 178 IP
67. Max Fried – Didja hear he went to Harvard-Westlake with Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito? Kidding, of course you did. Everyone knows it. It’s the number one thing every baseball announcer says about any of them. Many people don’t know I played 2nd base for Harfard-Weslake, which is a made-up school but if you say it fast people think it’s Harvard-Westlake. 2022 Projections: 13-8/3.36/1.08/181 in 185 IP
68. Luis Castillo – Impressive how well the long-time Marlins and Mets’ 2nd baseman was able to reinvent himself. UPDATE: Don’t draft Luis Castillo, he has shoulder soreness. 2022 Projections: 11-10/3.67/1.25/204 in 196 IP
69. Ketel Marte – If Ketel was a vodka, he’d be .315 proof. Oh, heck yeah! Call me, Broseph Gordon-A-Little-Levity. 2022 Projections: 83/19/71/.315/6 in 523 ABs
70. Raisel Iglesias – The S in SAGNOF can be steals or saves but when it’s in the top 100 rankings, it could also stand for stalling, since I’m ranking these guys even though I’m not drafting them. Continued in next blurb. 2022 Projections: 5-2/2.47/0.92/92, 35 saves in 64 IP
71. Aroldis Chapman – Hey, is SAGNOF the Wordle of the Day, or what? By the way, Wordle is six letters, what gives? 2022 Projections: 6-2/2.94/1.06/111, 36 saves in 63 IP
72. Emmanuel Clase – Just slyly gave the fingies a little breaksie. Okay, back to work, fingies! One thing I will say for SAGNOF strategy in the top 100 is if one of these guys falls to the range where I take my first closer (little after 100 overall), then grab one. I mention this here, because maybe Clase falls. I don’t know, tee bee aitch. There’s also JKJ covering all the closers and here’s his Bullpen Chart. 2022 Projections: 3-3/2.31/0.95/84, 32 saves in 70 IP
73. Edwin Diaz – Ya know how they say there’s five ingredients in all Taco Bell menu items but they just reconfigure them for a new dish? That’s me with words and rankings blurbs. Oh, and still SAGNOF! 2022 Projections: 6-3/2.91/1.03/95, 35 saves in 67 IP
74. Salvador Perez – So, you might be thinking, if you’re not drafting closers, and obviously not drafting a catcher, what are you drafting here? At this point, I’m deep into drafting my 2nd starter or a hitter wild card, like an outfielder, corner or middle infielder. 2022 Projections: 82/33/97/.269/1 in 571 ABs
75. Brandon Lowe – Last year, he hits 39 homers, and, at 27 years old, everyone thinks Lowe will hit a lot fewer this year. Everyone, even me. On a barely related note, whenever I see Lowe’s name, I start singing, “Feels like a midget is hangin’ from my necklace,” even though that’s from a song by Ludacris and Get Low is by Lil’ Jon, and Lowe is not pronounced like “low,” but both songs came out in 2003, so maybe that’s why my brain is diseased. 2022 Projections: 91/35/95/.253/5 in 512 ABs
76. Giancarlo Stanton – I dressed up as a barbell with four plates recently, and laid by the other weights that Giancarlo was benching. You could say I was “weighting.” If you could say it aloud, it would make even more sense. So, as I was laying in weight, I thought how I might actually draft Giancarlo this year. The price is decent (early ADP has him around 100), as long as I don’t expect 140+ games. 2022 Projections: 81/36/91/.262/1 in 487 ABs
77. J.D. Martinez – Just Dong was more Just Double last year, but, in Fenway, Just Double turns to Just Dong in a hurry with just a skosh of difference in how the ball is hit. By the way, “skosh” is a top 7% word on my Statcast. 2022 Projections: 91/33/96/.279/1 in 558 ABs
78. Jared Walsh – As I lay out the overall rankings with all the positions jumbled up, I’m beginning to realize what an absolute shizzshow 1st base is. The good news (the bad news was the previous sentence) is right after the top 100 there’s a ton of 1st basemen options, so you can get someone if you wait. Unlike the 3rd base position, which is just a shizzshow all around. 2022 Projections: 81/30/93/.289/2 in 583 ABs
79. Ryan Mountcastle – Don’t think I mentioned this in my NFBC draft recap diatribe about ADP (Screed? Old man yelling at kids on his lawn?) but Mountcastle was a guy I took some heat about drafting at 74 overall, because his ADP was 110. Guess I could’ve waited another round, but that would be around 100 overall, because I was near the turn and it was a 15 team league — so 30-ish picks, and near his ADP. So, risk losing him to prove some kind of moral victory over ADP. Also, and way more importantly (which makes you wonder why I even bothered saying that other stuff), last year on the Player Rater, Mountcastle was 69 overall. Rawr! For what it’s Cronenworth, that draft was before it was announced that the Orioles would play in Camden Miles this year, so now I understand the Mountcastle hesitation a little bit more, but back in December it made no sense. 2022 Projections: 82/30/90/.268/6 in 577 ABs
80. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. – Multiple choice: Lou-Gu-Ju is a baseball player I’m higher on than most others or a Korean cocktail. Please write on an index card, “Mailbox” then tape that “Mailbox” index card on your garbage, then mail me your answers! Hey, Lou-Gu-Ju is a big-time contact guy with a huge 2nd half. Sign me up! 2022 Projections: 84/27/92/.281/3 in 541 ABs
81. Tommy Edman – That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure played a mean five positions last year! *rock opera guitar sting* I miss Edman at five positions. It was like I had Edmen. Welp, I still like him. 2022 Projections: 105/15/63/.276/26 in 604 ABs
82. Kris Bryant – Unlike what I said on Castellanos, it’s hard to imagine Bryant doing anything too different from his projections. Sure, he might hit 17 homers and .240 or 35 homers and .310, but neutral luck and he’s doing: 2022 Projections: 86/28/79/.283/8 in 501 ABs
83. Dansby Swanson – Think I’m underrating Dansby Swanson with this ranking, but you know who else underrates Dansby Swanson? The entire fantasy baseball community every year. By the by, the “fantasy baseball community” and “grown men who have yelled at their moms for not buying ice pops” is two overlapping circles. 2022 Projections: 78/28/89/.262/11 in 572 ABs
84. Nolan Arenado – Hey, I’m just going to put all my goodwill for Nolan Arenado on this windowsill, but it sure is getting stuffy in here, so I’m going to quickly let in some fresh air–NOOOOO!!! Torenado!!! 2022 Projections: 76/32/89/.252/1 in 580 ABs
85. Sean Manaea – Already gave you my Sean Manaea sleeper. It was written while parasailing over a volcano. UPDATE: Traded to the Padres. 2022 Projections: 13-8/3.47/1.11/208 in 193 IP
86. Dylan Cease – Already gave you my Dylan Cease sleeper. It got caught in an amusement park turnstile for ten minutes. 2022 Projections: 15-6/3.58/1.12/241 in 184 IP
87. Alek Manoah – My love for Alek Manoah is only eclipsed by my love for his mother. I wonder if she would be interested in double dating with me and Mike Napoli’s mom. 2022 Projections: 12-9/3.67/1.07/187 in 161 IP
88. Shane McClanahan – Already gave you my Shane McClanahan sleeper. It took an online class to learn how to take online classes. 2022 Projections: 14-8/3.43/1.17/189 in 163 IP
89. Shane Baz – Already gave you my Shane Baz fantasy. It reminded me to take out the trash every Thursday. UPDATE: Removed due to his elbow. 2022 Projections: 10-8/3.64/1.14/163 in 130 IP
89. Trevor Rogers – Similar thoughts to what I said about Jazz. What is so bad about Kenny G? He makes elevator rides with strangers less awkward. Wait, not that jazz, but Jazz Chisholm. I said I’d draft Trevor Rogers, but sitting after guys I am almost definitely drafting before him, and it’s hard to see how Trevor ends up on my teams. It means I’ll have less Trevor, and not Rogers more, if my word is Bond. 2022 Projections: 10-8/3.30/1.16/176 in 151 IP
90. Whit Merrifield – The year is 2054. All fantasy baseball ‘perts, myself included, are anticipating the 65-year-old Whit Merrifield will drop-off, even though he’s coming off a 25-steal, .280 season. 2022 Projections: 94/12/72/.271/26 in 643 ABs
91. Corey Seager – As our Patreon members know, I lowered Corey Seager after about a week of deliberation, and if I didn’t release my top 20 shortstops for 2022 fantasy baseball until March, I might’ve lowered Seager another ten to fifteen picks. Just hate the 20/.300/nothing speed guy so much. I’m like Don Quixote but I’m chasing speed, power guys who hit .250. 2022 Projections: 86/22/81/.302/1 in 507 ABs
92. George Springer – Just grab a random guy who I think is underrated, say, Dansby Swanson. Now take George Springer. Why would Springer have an ADP almost 70 picks before Swanson? Oh, there’s no answer that I can think of, but by all means try to explain it. 2022 Projections: 91/27/63/.246/7 in 503 ABs
93. Jesse Winker – Not to give anyone a kenahora (Jew Word of the Day!), but it wouldn’t shock me to see Winker get injured before Spring Training ends and get dropped in my rankings. Trying to remain optimistic (obviously) while sounding mostly negative. 2022 Projections: 85/29/81/.293/2 in 503 ABs
94. Cody Bellinger – Recently, I had the Cody Bellinger part of my brain removed. The operation was a success and I’m ready to be hert again–hert…hert…Hmm, can’t figure out what I meant to write there. Cody Bellinger has never h6ert…hert…hert…He never hert me? Ugh, not sure what I’m getting at since I have no recollection of any previous Cody Bellinger seasons. 2022 Projections: 74/25/81/.231/7 in 533 ABs
95. Christian Yelich – This is a fun little section of the top 100 where I want to open the window and ask bluebirds if they taste like blueberries. 2022 Projections: 82/20/88/.267/14 in 578 ABs
96. Byron Buxton – Here’s me looking at Seager, Springer, Bellinger. Yelich and Buxton in drafts: *whistling as I open up the refrigerator* Hey, Cougs, do we have any cottage cheese? I’m noshy. 2022 Projections: 67/22/71/.266/11 in 471 ABs
97. Jose Altuve – “On this leg of The Amazing Race, we have hidden Travelocity gnomes at the road block. In order to complete this leg of the race, you must bring me your assigned gnome.” *12 hours later* “I’m sorry, Susan and Jennifer, that’s not the Travelocity gnome, that’s Jose Altuve.” 2022 Projections: 92/27/87/.268/5 in 577 ABs
98. Jarred Kelenic – Already gave you my Jarred Kelenic sleeper. It was written while snapping my fingers and saying, “Nuh-uh.” 2022 Projections: 81/29/92/.253/14 in 554 ABs
99. Alex Bregman – This is legitimately a terrible ranking for Bregman, and I think he’s still being overrated. He badly needs the Astros to figure out a new way to cheat. How hard could it be? Just find something else to bang on. Have they tried hiring a Tambourine Man? 2022 Projections: 92/23/102/.267/1 in 561 ABs
100. Seiya Suzuki – Signed with the Cubs, and I moved him way up in my rankings into the top 40 outfielders. See Coolwhip’s Seiya Suzuki fantasy. 2022 Projections: 82/28/78/.272/7 in 514 ABs
101. Carlos Correa – With the signing of Correa by the Twins, moved him up a little based on the question, “Would I really draft Tatis before Correa?” And the answer being no. 2022 Projections: 85/25/79/.272/1 in 531 ABs
102. Fernando Tatis Jr. – What if the Tatisses (Tatii) get better with each generation like some kind of Russian nesting dolls that pack so much wallop in the further down the genetic line we go? Fernando Tatis Jr. Jr. will be a 50/50/.350 hitter and Fernando Tatis Jr. Jr. Jr. will be a 75/75/.375 hitter and Fernanda Tatis, the great-great-granddaughter of the original Fernando Tatis, who decides she doesn’t want to be the greatest hitter we’ve ever seen, but pitches instead and throws 202 no-hit innings her rookie year? What then?! What I may or may not have mentioned in the top 10 overall for 2022 fantasy baseball (I refuse to repeat myself, so if you want more info on players, go to their respective posts, and that’s me vaguely quoting me from the opening paragraph, but I fear a lot of you skip that and jump right into the player blurbs, and most of you will skip this too. Y’all bunch of skippers while acting like Gilligans!), Fun The Jewels has real health concerns, but he missed a month last year, and still put up the stats he did. I’ll take 130 games of Fun and figure out the rest with waivers, if need be. UPDATE: MLB lockout was the butterfly’s wings and Tatis’s wrist is the earthquake in Indonesia. Hope you’re happy Rob Manfred! 2022 Projections: 51/17/45/.287/15 in 303 ABs
