The 2023 MLB season is just days away, leaving Fantasy baseball owners scrambling to formulate their 2023 Fantasy baseball strategy. There are multiple new rule changes to consider before heading into 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts, with some limited spring training data to work with. Stolen bases are expected to be more common this season, so should you be looking at speedy players with your 2023 Fantasy baseball picks? Some players are going to benefit from the banning of the shift more than others, so quality 2023 Fantasy baseball advice needs to be a part of your strategy.
Philadelphia's Darick Hall hit nine home runs in 142 plate appearances last year, and he should get some early opportunities this year with Bryce Harper sidelined for at least two months and Rhys Hoskins out for the year. Hall hit five home runs in his first 45 plate appearances during spring training, hinting that he could be one of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers. Before going on the clock in any 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts, be sure to see the Fantasy baseball rankings 2023 and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine's Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Reds first baseman Joey Votto. The team at SportsLine was all over Votto as a Fantasy bust from the start after a resurgent 2021 season that saw him going as one of the top 12 first basemen off the board in 2022 Fantasy baseball drafts. After slashing .266/.375/.563 with 36 homers and 99 RBI the year prior, Votto slashed .205/.319/.370 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 2022. He finished outside the top 45 players at his position and anybody who followed SportsLine's advice avoided a major headache.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.
Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2023 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Rockies catcher Elias Diaz. He got off to a hot start during spring training, going 11 for 35 (.314) with two home runs and six RBI in the Cactus League. Diaz is expected to be Colorado's primary starter behind the plate, hoping to improve on his .228 batting average from last season.
He has hit 27 home runs over the previous two seasons, despite playing just 211 combined games. Diaz plays in the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the majors, giving him an edge over similar players at his position. SportsLine's model has him ranked above catchers Cal Raleigh and William Contreras, who are both being taken ahead of Diaz in average drafts.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is jumping on: Tigers outfielder Riley Greene. The No. 4 prospect in all of baseball prior to 2022, Greene made his MLB debut in June of last year. He got off to a rough start, hitting .224 through his first 55 games but then rebounded and hit .297 over his last 38 games of the season.
That falls in line with his minors career as he hit .298 in Double-A and .299 in Triple-A. Greene has displayed his contact skills during spring training, batting .308 across his first 19 games. Greene has the potential for double digit homers and stolen bases in 2023, and the model has him slotted above former MVP Cody Bellinger in its 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball busts
As for players to avoid, the model has pinpointed Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu as one of its biggest 2023 Fantasy baseball busts. The 34-year-old is a two-time batting champion and looked like an offensive juggernaut when he joined the Yankees in 2019 and then again in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. However, his productivity has dropped off considerably since and the model predicts he won't live up to his 2023 Fantasy baseball ADP of 174.11.
LeMahieu has hit just .265 over the last two seasons and the surprising power he showed in 2019 and 2020 has dissipated. His slugging percentage has dropped to .368 in 2021 and 2022 after it had been at .536 the previous two seasons. And his average exit velocity has tumbled from 92.4 MPH in 2019 to 88.7 MPH in 2022. All the supporting data points to LeMahieu continuing his downward trend and the model likes Isaac Paredes and Yoan Moncada more, with both players going at least five rounds later in 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts on average.
How to find proven 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine's model is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top 10 of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 125 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Aaron Nola, Shane McClanahan and Brandon Woodruff. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So which 2023 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Joey Votto's disappointing season, and find out.
