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The top 60 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball will be filled with guys you absolutely should and will own, and guys you absolutely won’t and should not own. Was like that last year, was like that the year before and has been like that since the dawn of time. In 6,000 B.C., a caveman scratched his butt on a stick and thought, “Hey, I wonder if I can patent a stick for butt scratching, and should I hold this top 60 outfielder or drop him?” Such is life with the top 60 outfielders. So, here’s Steamer’s 2020 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Hitters and 2020 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Pitchers. As with all of my 2020 fantasy baseball rankings, my projections are included and where I see tiers starting and stopping. Anyway, here’s the top 60 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball:
ALL PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 60 GAMES PLAYED, DUE TO COVID-19. BE SAFE OUT THERE!
CLICK THRU TO TOP 40 OUTFIELDERS FOR 2020 FANTASY BASEBALL
41. Max Kepler – This tier started in the top 40 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball. This tier ends at Calhoun. I called this tier, “Do I feel warm to you?” As for Kepler, I should’ve named this tier, “Will life be forever cruel?” Because all of these guys could bite me so hard in the ass I will think I wandered into a S&M swingers retreat. “Hey, are you filming episode 22 of Real Sex? Cause that gross guy is naked and wants to massage my pectorals.” Some of the guys in this tier also have this attached to their names: Guys I loved in 2018 who defecated all over my teams that year, then broke out in 2019 on other people’s teams. So, if they now do a #2 in the proverbial bed in 2020, it will prove they all hate me so much and we are filming a weird episode of Real Sex. Sure, Max Kepler’s grandfather prolly would’ve hated me as he partied with John Demjanjuk, but why does Max have to hate me? He did exactly what I expected from him last year, only I predicted it a year too early. He can now do the same again, right? *hems and haws for ten minutes* Maybe. 36 homers last year does seem a tad high. I did think he was a 30-homer hitter though. The thing I loved about him prior and still do: He hits a lot of fly balls. He can have a manageable 16% HR/FB, and still hit 32 homers, which I think is well within his floor. 2020 Projections: 31/12/34/.250/1 in 200 ABs
42. Willie Calhoun – Already gave you my Willie Calhoun sleeper. It was like this y’all, it was like that y’all. UPDATE: Hit on the mouth by a fastball and was carted off the field. Took them a bit longer than usual for the cart because they had to sterilize it prior to using. Hashtag coronavirus, hashtag know your disease. Without bad luck, Calhoun would have no luck at all. He finally gets a real chance to play and he gets his jaw broke. Hopefully he returns with one of those Bill Laimbeer-Hannibal Lecter masks and chews up all (fava) beanballs, but I’ve deducted 100 ABs from his line, and moved him down in the rankings. UPDATE II: With the season in delay, Willie’s back in my good graces. It was all worth it, wasn’t it? No? Yeah, you’re likely right. 2020 Projections: 25/10/29/.282/2 in 190 ABs
43. J.D. Davis – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Lowe. I call this tier, “T.I. is surprisingly entertaining.” During the offseason, I watched Rhythm + Flow on Netflix. It’s like The Voice, but with rap. I expected absolutely nothing from this show, but, I gotta say, I loved it, even if I can barely remember who won. T.I., who I knew nothing about except his songs, was especially fun. That’s this tier. I’d expect nothing, and you might just be entertained. As for Davis, already went over him in my top 20 3rd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
44. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. – Went over him in my top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
45. Tommy Edman – Went over him in my top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
46. David Dahl – Call me a sucker for Dahl, but a sucker is also a lollipop, so I’m a Dum-Dum for Dahl! How can you hate Dahl so much to not draft him this late? Seriously, how? Is it possible? I don’t think it is. He’s just too alluring with his 30/15/.280–Ha, I’m kidding. He’s never hit more than 16 homers or stole more than five bags. I’m a total Dum-Dum, this is very true, but I’m not a Dum-Dum enough to think Dahl is some kind of guarantee for 30/15/.280 even if he stays healthy, which he’s had an eensy bit of trouble doing. Dahl stays about as healthy as Mr. Glass from Unbreakable. Dahl sneezes and his oblique shoots out his mouth. Joking aside, I think it’s very possible Dahl is so injury prone that he’s not giving it his all because he’s afraid he’s going to hurt himself. You can see him out there playing gingerly just to try to stay on the field. The one thing about this is a lot of players were injury prone for a few years only to become 150 games per season-type players. At one point Brantley, Puig and Nelson Cruz all seemed quote-unquote injury prone only to shake that tag. Dahl, of course, is especially injury prone, but that’s only the case until he puts together a 145+ game season. How’sever, at this point, I don’t even know what he can do with 145 games. 2020 Projections: 33/10/24/.281/2 in 200 ABs
47. Brandon Lowe – Went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
48. Byron Buxton – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Mallex. I call this tier, “*making the crazy-in-head motion by rotating index finger by ear*.” This tier is pretty self-explanatory. I think you are legitimately out of your mind if you’re drafting these guys. This tier is like winning a game of dominos on a broken card table. BAM! You smack your last tile down on the table and the legs gives out and you fall over, spraining your back. You think shizz is good, but it’s about to go horribly wrong. As for Buxton, when I see someone draft Buxton, I clutch my pearls and say, “Oh, dear me.” Sure, he could go 25/25/.260, and George Clooney could show up at your house and ask you to become his stunt double because of the incredible resemblance. I guess a lottery ticket isn’t a bad idea once in a while. The people on My Lottery Dream House seemed to have done all right for themselves. Just know, that is exactly what Buxton is. He’s a scratch-off ticket, which might be why he’s always getting scratched from games. 2020 Projections: 29/7/23/.256/7 in 161 ABs
49. Kyle Tucker – I’ve seen him ranked as high as a top 25 outfielder. Okay, okay, OKAY! Did you have a lobotomy drafting (or ranking) him that high? Is there a jar on your desk filled with formaldehyde and your brain? Blink once for yes, blink twice for no. Do you need someone to blink your eyes for you? Okay, drop your head on your desk once for yes, bang your head on your desk twice for no. Bang you head on your desk three times for a changeup. Who are the Astros benching indefinitely for Tucker? Sure, Reddick should be benched for him while also sounding like someone who would be a Tucker, but will the Astros do that? I’d guess Tucker is traded in July for a starter before I projected him 550+ ABs. 2020 Projections: 17/6/20/.252/4 in 140 ABs
50. Mallex Smith – This tier is all lottery tickets. Mallex could get crazy lucky and have a .375 BABIP and a .285 average with 50+ steals. I’m not opposed to lottery tickets either, but they should be the last round or three of a draft. I’ve seen Mallex drafted barely out of the top 100 overall in some leagues. That’s not a lottery ticket, that’s a low #2 outfielder or a high #3 outfielder. That’s ludicrous for a guy who might be in a platoon and/or batting ninth. Jarrod Dyson is being drafted about 150 spots later and is essentially the same. Sure, you say, Dyson doesn’t have a team, and, ya know what, Mallex might not either by June. Mallex sounds like indigestion medicine, and that’s what you’ll need if you draft him too high. 2020 Projections: 22/2/19/.241/11 in 177 ABs
51. Joc Pederson – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the top 80 outfielders for 2020 fantasy baseball. I call this tier, “O.J.’s killing it.” The tier name is self-explanatory. I mean these guys are Old and/or Janky, and those two traits are killing it, as in Urban Dictionary’s definition of ‘killing it,’ which is good. Put in layman’s terms, I like this tier of guys, but they all have major red flags. As for Joc, went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
52. Ian Happ – Went over him in my top 20 2nd basemen for 2020 fantasy baseball.
53. Ryan Braun – We’re a Steamer family here, so when I see Steamer in NY in March (I usually see them every year — they’re multiple guys; I know, crazy), I’m going to mention to them, they might want to look at their projections for older guys. Braun did have a solid season last year: 70/22/75/.285/11 with a .325 BABIP, uptick in Ks and downtick in walks. Batted ball profile looked relatively samesies, bit lower on HR/FB%, but he’s 36 years old so the ball isn’t traveling as far, even when he gets into one. Therefore, ergo, vis-a-vie, how is Steamer coming away with a statline of 82/29/92/.268/11 in a similar number of games as last year? That’s Crazytown; population: Them. I don’t even know how to get my projections that high for Braun. He’s settled into a 20/10/.260 hitter, who the Brewers inexplicably hit third, so he gets good counting stats. But 29 homers? Sure, with maybe a 35% HR/FB. 2020 Projections: 27/7/28/.262/3 in 173 ABs
54. Andrew McCutchen – He’s old and coming off major surgery, so this is weird for me, but I’m seeing a small buying opportunity for McClutchin-My-Knee. I stopped believing in the steals from McClutchin a few years ago, so I’m not too worried about the loss of those, and he’s continued to maintain his OBP with decent power. Honestly, without too much effort, I can look at McCutchen and see Blackmon. Hmm, that sounds weird and maybe racist. UPDATE: Won’t be ready for Opening Day. They don’t call him McClutchin-His-Knee for nothing (or to his face). Him not being ready for Opening Day was baked into his price, so I’m not moving him in the rankings. *Beavis laugh* I said ‘baked.’ I did cut 50 ABs off his line, though. UPDATE II: Guess what? He could be ready for Opening Day, if there is one! 2020 Projections: 31/9/25/.257/1 in 187 ABs
55. Shin-Soo Choo – The Seoul Train’s last season was so remarkable (24/15) at the age of 37, and it didn’t seem to get that much recognition. Don Koreanlius deserves major props and all the galbi beef he can eat, but he had a shoulder procedure this offseason, so not sure he can still do the Soo Choo Slide. 2020 Projections: 30/7/21/.259/2 in 194 ABs
56. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Rays. Ya know what would be awesome? If every country in the world, posted baseball players. It’s like the Red Ryder BB gun, or any Christmas present you didn’t think you were getting that was hidden in a different closet to fool you into thinking you had opened all the gifts. “You’ve already opened all your free agents, Grey. Yup, Ozuna or Castellanos are it for big-name free agent outfielders left.” You start to crumple the Christmas wrapping paper together to throw away because you know if you leave a mess and Dad’s drinking the spiked nog, he’s going to spike your noggin, then, suddenly mom walks out of the closet with Yoshitomo Tsutsugo. “Grey, you said you wanted another free agent…right?” Then you run up, hug Yoshitomo around the waist, sobbing from joy. Then your father spikes your head anyway. Ah, yes, the holiday spirit. So, Tsutsugo is a chunky Ishikaya meatball, huh? I watched every at-bat I could find and he looks like Bryce Harper’s swing has entered Kyle Schwarber’s body. Kyce Harber? Hmm, nope, has to be Bryle Schwarper. Any time you can start a word with Sch, you do it. That’s like rule #1 in Yiddish Fight Club. That’s like having Howie Kendrick and Mike Schmidt and passing on Mowie Schmendrick for Hike Kidt. Any hoo! Tsutsugo has shown solid power (44 HRs in 2016), but last year was by far his worst year (29 HRs, 25.3% K%). Not to pee in the Gatorade and call it Lemon-Lime, but I could see him getting eaten up by major league pitching, or at least platooning out vs. lefties. Also, the profile he’s bringing to the U.S. isn’t exactly missing from today’s game. Throw a rock and hit two 25-homer hitters and nick a third. In the end, a BB gun is fun, but feety pajamas actually keep you warm.” And that’s me quoting me! Also, I went over him in the video at the top of the page. 2020 Projections: 23/10/27/.248 in 167 ABs
57. Shogo Akiyama – Upfront, I’m not some kind of psycho who is grouping players by country of origin. These guys just feel like they have similar levels of risk attached. Grab one BB gun and fun, but dangerous and watch your eyes! Grab two and you’re gonna go blind after shooting out both eyes. They’re not at all similar players. Shogo Akiyama went 20/12/.303 last year with a 15.9% K% and 11.5% BB%. Akiyama is Brett Gardner to Tsutsugo’s Schwarber. What do they have in common? Joe Buck watches video of them when he wants a little Asian flair under the sheets. After watching Shogo, I’ve concluded he could be a solid 3rd to 4th fantasy outfielder, or a boring 12/12/.285 player. I don’t know, which is why they’re in this janky tier. They’re not old, obviously. Remember, at one point, Kosuke Fukudome seemed all but a lock for greatness. Also, I have no idea where the Reds plan on playing Akiyama to get everyday at-bats. I know where they could, but have they abandoned Senzel completely? Winker? Things that make you go hmm, while sitting like The Thinker. 2020 Projections: 30/6/23/.284/4 in 164 ABs
58. David Peralta – In early ADP, Peralta seems entirely forgotten. Let’s put aside his jankiness for now, which is that he struggles to stay on the field. If we assume he gets 512 ABs, he averages 22 HRs, 6 SBs and .293. That was super easy for me to figure out. Ya know why? Because he had at least 512 ABs in two of the past three years and averaged exactly those stats. Yes, he has the health concern, due to last year, but Peralta is being wildly underrated in drafts thus far. If he’s healthy, he’s hitting in a top three spot in the lineup and will be productive. 2020 Projections: 31/8/27/.282/1 in 190 ABs
59. Bryan Reynolds – He’s not old, so obviously a little janky. The jankiness of Reynolds is less to do with him, than it has to do with the Pirates. If Reynolds is really a 20/7/.290 hitter, which he looks like, it would mean the Pirates were actually correct on one of their prospects, which is laughable. The Pirates haven’t been right since Barry Bonds and they let him go too. Everyone saw Reynolds as a 45 grade guy and the Pirates saw more, and they might’ve been right? That’s crazy! And, frankly, janky. Jankly? Also, I go over him in the video at the top of the page. 2020 Projections: 33/6/26/.281/1 in 219 ABs
60. Gregory Polanco – Latest news I saw on Polanco, “Pirates unsure if he’ll be ready to start the year.” Sounds like he’s in game shape by not being in game shape! By the way, if Polanco bats third for the Pirates, he’ll have way more value than a pick this late while also being the saddest three-hole hitter in baseball. *looks at Tigers lineup* Okay, it’s a close race, but Polanco’s sadder. 2020 Projections: 26/7/26/.247/3 in 181 ABs
