Went over the catchers, 1st basemen, 2nd basemen and shortstops and top 20 3rd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball. Guess what’s next! No, not pitchers. Read the title, man. The title is above! Oh, forget it. These are the top 20 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball, yippee-ki-yay, you motheroutfielders! This post is long, let’s get to it. But first! A word of exposition. As before, these rankings are from our Fantasy Baseball Player Rater with my comments. Anyway, here’s the top 20 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball and how they compare to where I originally ranked them:
1. Marcell Ozuna – It’s pretty impressive the top two hitters at two of the top three deepest positions (Ozuna and Jose Abreu) are guys who provided no steals at all. Similar feelings to Jose Abreu with Ozuna, if the season continued longer, both prolly would’ve been replaced at the top of the rankings by someone who gave speed as well as power. It’s very hard to maintain a top spot in fantasy hitter rankings with absolutely nothing in one category. With that said, OZUNA number one. OZUNA make everyone else look like number two. Preseason Rank #26, 2020 Projections: 31/11/36/.274/2 in 216 ABs, Final Numbers: 38/18/56/.338 in 228 ABs
2. Mookie Betts – Okay, last point about what I was saying in the Ozuna blurb. Betts’s fantasy value was $43.2 and Ozuna’s was $43.7. So, if the season were just a day longer, Betts prolly would’ve been Mookie Best, and that’s with Ozuna getting him for 23 more RBIs, two more HRs, only five less runs and 46 points on average. Preseason Rank #4, 2020 Projections: 43/10/33/.292/7 in 218 ABs, Final Numbers: 47/16/39/.292/10 in 219 ABs
3. Juan Soto – My urge in each blurb is to make this about 2021 and not that abomination that was last year, but all I’ll say is I’m toying with the idea of Juan Soto as #1 overall. He’s a 40/12/.320 hitter with upside. Damn, I love Sexy Dr. Pepper so much I’m literally dry-humping a soda machine. Yes, literally! Preseason Rank #5, 2020 Projections: 37/13/40/.294/4 in 199 ABs, Final Numbers: 39/13/37/.351/6 in 154 ABs
4. Mike Trout – As great as Trout’s been — yes, here’s where I’m about to say something blasphemous, but, hey, since he’s an Angel it evens out — when was the last time he was the top outfielder, let alone the top player in fantasy? I get it, I GET IT! He’s consistent, and you’re paying for that high floor, but he’s nowhere near a 40/20/.310 player anymore. Not even sure he’s 40/5/.290. Preseason Rank #6, 2020 Projections: 40/16/43/.285/4 in 190 ABs, Final Numbers: 41/17/46/.281/1 in 199 ABs
5. Whit Merrifield – Already went over him in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball recap.
6. Bryce Harper – If you think Saberhagenmetrics is goofy nonsense — shame on you, you coastal elite! — but, if you did, Harper is still fascinating. He had major gains in strikeout and walk rate, and that’s from a guy who was already an elite walker like you in those New Balance. But even with the rate changes, his swing changes were just as dramatic and equally detrimental to his average. His Launch Angle and fly balls went way up — hey, stop hanging out with Rhys Hoskins! — and his Hard Contact went down. Though, his exit velocity was pretty solid and similar to past years. Guess what I’m saying is he was a different hitter whose net result was exactly same as past years. Preseason Rank #7, 2020 Projections: 39/14/41/.261/4 in 208 ABs, Final Numbers: 41/13/33/.268/8 in 190 ABs
7. Teoscar Hernandez – So, my projections and rankings were way off, but if you didn’t draft Teoscar, that was on you. I highlighted him pre-shutdown, during the shutdown, and as soon as the season started. The Teoscar for Most Convincing Argument Why Grey Was Right Even Though It Appears He Was Wrong goes to…Grey! Yes! This is my first Teoscar, but hopefully not my last. Preseason Rank #88, 2020 Projections: 19/8/23/.219/1 in 168 ABs, Final Numbers: 33/16/34/.289/6 in 190 ABs
8. Ronald Acuña Jr. – With injuries and just an otherwise down year, Tildaddy was still easily a top ten outfielder. Tildaddy allows you to watch TV! Preseason Rank #1, 2020 Projections: 44/15/36/.287/15 in 219 ABs, Final Numbers: 46/14/29/.250/8 in 160 ABs
9. Wil Myers – Think there could be 15,000 words written about Myers and his 2020 season. Not the first time we’ve seen him be ‘good’ but it’s been awhile. Have to go back to 2017 for anything remotely close to this. He cut his Ks, and lost some walks, but the numbers that stand out most are HardHit% and games he was healthy. That last point might’ve been all he needed. Or maybe not. He was on the field for 155 games the previous year, but was he healthy? I don’t know. If I can lay out one narrative for him this year, I’d say he was healthy, cut his Ks and was making good contact, which is similar to 2017, but with less Ks. Overall, he looks like he could be a 30/10/.270, so like a contiution of 2017 without those terrible 2018 and 2019 years. Preseason Rank #94, 2020 Projections: 19/6/21/.231/4 in 131 ABs, Final Numbers: 34/15/40/.288/2 in 198 ABs
10. Kyle Tucker – There’s a few outfielders in this recap that seem way off — like Trent Grisham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., but I was actually high on them and everyone who paid attention knew to draft them. Tucker? — that’s what Jame Gumb said! — I was out on Tucker. Wasn’t interested whatsoever. Figured Dusty would do Dusty-type stuff and make Bud Black seem like a friend of rookies by playing everyone over Tucker, but it turned out Tucker was the only Astros hitter to do well. It is wild to think the narrative coming into this year was the Astros were cheating, and Tucker, the one guy who wasn’t with the cheaters, is the only one to hit. That is not a way to kill a narrative. A way to kill that narrative is to win the World Series. That would be a fitting end to the 2020 season. Any hoo! I learned my lesson on Tucker. I’m in now. From Tuckered Out to Tuckered In, sounds like the CEO of Untuckit coming out in favor of belts. Preseason Rank #44, 2020 Projections: 17/6/20/.252/4 in 140 ABs, Final Numbers: 33/9/42/.268/8 in 209 ABs
11. Michael Conforto – Was expecting to see better stats from Conforto. Not only are his stats kind of a “Larry David meh face” his numbers are also saying he was a sell candidate if the season was longer. His .412 BABIP and strikeout and walk rates worse year-over-year are not great signs this was some sorta breakout. Brutal blurb, was expecting to like Conforto. Gonna move on. Preseason Rank #27, 2020 Projections: 34/12/38/.254/2 in 216 ABs, Final Numbers: 40/9/31/.322/3 in 202 ABs
12. Brandon Lowe – Already went over him in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball recap.
13. Trent Grisham – As mentioned in the Tucker blurb and kinda inferred in the Teoscar blurb, my preseason rankings and projections might say one thing, but I owned Trent Grisham in a bunch of leagues, and told every one of youse to do the same. Member when people were scared Grisham might not play every day? Haha, yeah, no. He played in 59 games. Member when people were thinking the Brewers made a good trade by getting Urias for Grisham? Haha, yeah, no. Member when people were thinking they should draft Tommy Pham and not Grisham? Haha, yeah, no. Preseason Rank #72, 2020 Projections: 24/7/19/.254/5 in 168 ABs, Final Numbers: 42/10/26/.251/10 in 215 ABs
14. Mike Yastrzemski – Yaz Jr. Jr. broke out in 2020, and no one noticed so we need to whisper to keep his draft price down — by the by, “whisper” should be spelled “whishhper,” you messed up, English language. *speaks in a low whishhper, quietly opens trench coat* Looks at Yaz Jr. Jr.’s strikeout rate, his walks, his HR/FB%, his barrel%, everything you can want, and a little sniffy-sniffy, if you need it. Preseason Rank #83, 2020 Projections: 26/9/27/.254/1 in 200 ABs, Final Numbers: 39/10/35/.297/2 in 192 ABs
15. Eddie Rosario – Get the sense that Rosario gets no sorta love. Consistently Rosario is a top 20 outfielder and also one of those names that is floated in comments as a guy, “Who I could maybe drop, if you think I should.” He’s going on four straight productive years. Can’t find his upside, so I get that you get bored by him, but he’s been more productive year-over-year than, say, Marcell Ozuna. Preseason Rank #16, 2020 Projections: 35/11/40/.281/1 in 214 ABs, Final Numbers: 31/13/42/.257/3 in 210 ABs
16. A.J. Pollock – Not only did I not tell you to draft Pollock, I’m not sure I ever believed in him while the season was actually going on. Who’s the Pollock now? Still me, apparently. As for ‘was this year for real,’ no, it was not. He had a great 55 games, but in a longer season, he could’ve been one of the worst outfielders. Pinpointing why he was ‘lucky’ is a spray chart scattershot, but that’s appropriate for Pollock. Preseason Rank #102, 2020 Projections: 17/5/15/.259/2 in 117 ABs, Final Numbers: 30/16/34/.276/2 in 196 ABs
17. Eloy Jimenez – Not sure why I projected Eloy to hit for that good of an average, but I guess I was smarter — more smart? — than I thought. “I can’t spell genius without a spellchecker, but I am one of those things.” — famous quote by Grey Albright, Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate). I’d contend (for the featherweight championship) that Eloy never even hit his stride or got as hot as he’s capable of this year. So, while great year, it wasn’t nearly the best we’ve seen from him. Grab your horsey mops, because it’s time the giddy up! Preseason Rank #12, 2020 Projections: 32/13/38/.284 in 216 ABs, Final Numbers: 26/14/41/.296 in 213 ABs
18. Starling Marte – At least one Marte was good this year — that’s shade your way, Ketel! You know Starling, so I won’t belabor this blurb. It is hilarious though that they sent his hat to Cooperstown because he played in 61 of a possible 60 games (due to the trade). 61 games is not a lot in a regular season. They know this, right? Preseason Rank #10, 2020 Projections: 36/8/32/.289/8 in 215 ABs, Final Numbers: 36/6/27/.281/10 in 228 ABs
19. Randal Grichuk – This year was so goofy — Audience screams in unison, “How goofy was it?” It was so goofy that Grichuk had one ten-game hot streak and was a top 20 outfielder. Audience screams in unison, “Okay.” Then a long pause, “Interesting.” Preseason Rank #90, 2020 Projections: 24/10/26/.238/1 in 181 ABs, Final Numbers: 38/12/35/.273/1 in 216 ABs
20. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. – Same glorious smart stuff that went into Trent Grisham and Teoscar was bestowed on your eye-bulbs with Lou-Gu-Ju. One tiny little side note that is related, the Jays were playing in such a goofy stadium this year that all their hitters did so well. Imagine how great it would be in 2021 if the Jays are playing in Buffalo again all year. Wait, that would mean there’s still a pandemic. Okay, not great. Preseason Rank #41, 2020 Projections: 29/10/31/.252/3 in 211 ABs, Final Numbers: 28/11/33/.308/3 in 208
