FANTASY BASEBALL RANKINGS: Here's the expert consensus on the top 50 players
- Fantasy baseball season is almost here.
- To help you prepare, we've put together a consensus ranking based on the predictions of fantasy experts from several different outlets.
- There's no wrong way to draft your team, but a bit of guidance from experts never hurts.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Baseball season is fast approaching and with it, comes fantasy baseball.
While there's no foolproof way of drafting your fantasy team, it's key to get your first few picks right if you hope to compete for your league's championship.
With the help of Fantasy Pros, we gathered the rankings of 12 experts from Yahoo! Sports, FantasyPros, Rotoballer, and The Athletic in order to put together a consensus ranking from experts across the sports world.
Five-tool players such as Mike Trout and Mookie Betts once again highlight the top of the draft board for their ability to help fantasy teams across categories, but there's some interesting value to found in the later rounds.
Take a look below and plan out your strategy for the first few rounds of your upcoming draft. All stat projections are from ESPN.
1. Ronald Acuna Jr. — OF, Atlanta Braves
Average rank: 1.6
2019 stats: .280, 41 HR, 101 RBI, 127 R, 37 SB
2020 projections: .283, 41 HR, 90 RBI, 114 R, 33 SB
2. Mike Trout — OF, Los Angeles Angels
Average rank: 1.9
2019 stats: .294, 45 HR, 104 RBI, 110 R, 11 SB
2020 projections: .300, 44 HR, 105 RBI, 118 R, 16 SB
3. Christian Yelich — OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Average rank: 2.5
2019 stats: .329, 44 HR, 97 RBI, 100 R, 30 SB
2020 projections: .316, 36 HR, 106 RBI, 113 R, 25 SB
4. Cody Bellinger — 1B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Average rank: 4.5
2019 stats: .305, 47 HR, 115 RBI, 121 R, 15 SB
2020 projections: .288, 40 HR, 111 RBI, 111 R, 12 SB
5. Mookie Betts — OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Average rank: 5.0
2019 stats: .296, 29 HR, 80 RBI, 135 R, 16 SB
2020 projections: .294, 30 HR, 81 RBI, 121 R, 22 SB
6. Trevor Story — SS, Colorado Rockies
Average rank: 7.3
2019 stats: .294, 35 HR, 85 RBI, 111 R, 23 SB
2020 projections: .275, 36 HR, 90 RBI, 94 R, 16 SB
7. Francisco Lindor — SS, Cleveland Indians
Average rank: 7.4
2019 stats: .284, 32 HR, 74 RBI, 101 R, 22 SB
2020 projections: .279, 33 HR, 77 RBI, 103 R, 23 SB
8. Trea Turner — SS, Washington Nationals
Average rank: 8.7
2019 stats: .298, 19 HR, 57 RBI, 96 R, 35 SB
2020 projections: .290, 21 HR, 63 RBI, 98 R, 38 SB
9. Gerrit Cole — SP, New York Yankees
Average rank: 9.7
2019 stats: 20 W, 2.50 ERA, 326 Ks, 0.89 WHIP
2020 projections: 18 W, 2.83 ERA, 296 Ks, 0.96 WHIP
10. Jacob deGrom — SP, New York Mets
Average rank: 10.7
2019 stats: 11 W, 2.43 ERA, 255 Ks, 0.97 WHIP
2020 projections: 17 W, 2.50 ERA, 251 Ks, 0.98 WHIP
11. Nolan Arenado — 3B, Colorado Rockies
Average rank: 10.9
2019 stats: .315, 41 HR, 118 RBI, 102 R, 3 SB
2020 projections: .305, 42 HR, 115 RBI, 98 R, 2 SB
12. Juan Soto — OF, Washington Nationals
Average rank: 11.4
2019 stats: .282, 34 HR, 110 RBI, 110 R, 12 SB
2020 projections: .295, 36 HR, 110 RBI, 110 R, 10 SB
13. Justin Verlander — SP, Houston Astros
Average rank: 12.7
2019 stats: 21 W, 2.62 ERA, 300 Ks, 0.81 WHIP
2020 projections: 17 W, 2.93 ERA, 263 Ks, 0.91 WHIP
14. Alex Bregman — 3B/SS, Houston Astros
Average rank: 16.1
2019 stats: .296, 41 HR, 112 RBI, 122 R, 5 SB
2020 projections: .288, 34 HR, 102 RBI, 109 R, 7 SB
15. Jose Ramirez — 3B, Cleveland Indians
Average rank: 16.4
2019 stats: .255, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 68 R, 24 SB
2020 projections: .268, 29 HR, 89 RBI, 85 R, 23 SB
16. Freddie Freeman — 1B, Atlanta Braves
Average rank: 16.4
2019 stats: .293, 38 HR, 121 RBI, 113 R, 6 SB
2020 projections: .303, 38 HR, 104 RBI, 102 R, 5 SB
17. Max Scherzer — SP, Washington Nationals
Average rank: 16.6
2019 stats: 11 W, 2.92 ERA, 243 Ks, 1.03 WHIP
2020 projections: 16 W, 2.92 ERA, 266 Ks, 0.96 WHIP
18. Walker Buehler — SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Average rank: 18.3
2019 stats: 14 W, 3.26 ERA, 215 Ks, 1.04 WHIP
2020 projections: 15 W, 3.26 ERA, 222 Ks, 1.04 WHIP
19. J.D. Martinez — OF/DH, Boston Red Sox
Average rank: 18.9
2019 stats: .304, 36 HR, 105 RBI, 98 R, 2 SB
2020 projections: .309, 36 HR, 106 RBI, 94 R, 3 SB
20. Anthony Rendon — 3B, Los Angeles Angels
Average rank: 20.0
2019 stats: .319, 34 HR, 126 RBI, 117 R, 5 SB
2020 projections: .306, 31 HR, 109 RBI, 100 R, 4 SB
21. Rafael Devers — 3B, Boston Red Sox
Average rank: 20.6
2019 stats: .311, 32 HR, 115 RBI, 129 R, 8 SB
2020 projections: .285, 30 HR, 98 RBI, 104 R, 3 SB
22. Fernando Tatis Jr. — SS, San Diego Padres
Average rank: 22.8
2019 stats: .291, 22 HR, 53 RBI, 61 R, 16 SB
2020 projections: .284, 31 HR, 77 RBI, 100 R, 19 SB
23. Bryce Harper — OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Average rank: 22.8
2019 stats: .260, 35 HR, 114 RBI, 98 R, 15 SB
2020 projections: .269, 37 HR, 110 RBI, 101 R, 10 SB
24. Aaron Judge — OF, New York Yankees
Average rank: 27.7
2019 stats: .272, 27 HR, 55 RBI, 75 R, 3 SB
2020 projections: .274, 37 HR, 84 RBI, 103 R, 4 SB
25. Stephen Strasburg — SP, Washington Nationals
Average rank: 28.1
2019 stats: 18 W, 3.32 ERA, 251 Ks, 1.04 WHIP
2020 projections: 14 W, 3.34 ERA, 219 Ks, 1.10 WHIP
26. Xander Bogaerts — SS, Boston Red Sox
Average rank: 29.3
2019 stats: .311, 33 HR, 117 RBI, 110 R, 4 SB
2020 projections: .288, 25 HR, 100 RBI, 95 R, 6 SB
27. Javier Baez — SS, Chicago Cubs
Average rank: 30.3
2019 stats: .281, 29 HR, 85 RBI, 89 R, 11 SB
2020 projections: .270, 28 HR, 94 RBI, 92 R, 9 SB
28. Shane Bieber — SP, Cleveland Indians
Average rank: 30.7
2019 stats: 15 W, 3.28 ERA, 259 Ks, 1.05 WHIP
2020 projections: 14 W, 3.65 ERA, 225 Ks, 1.11 WHIP
29. Jack Flaherty — SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Average rank: 31.1
2019 stats: 11 W, 2.75 ERA, 231 Ks, 0.97 WHIP
2020 projections: 14 W, 3.22 ERA, 222 Ks, 1.05 WHIP
30. Starling Marte — OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Average rank: 31.3
2019 stats: .295, 23 HR, 82 RBI, 97 R, 25 SB
2020 projections: .293, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 96 R, 22 SB
31. Blake Snell — SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Average rank: 31.6
2019 stats: 6 W, 4.29 ERA, 147 Ks, 1.27 WHIP
2020 projections: 12 W, 3.30 ERA, 221 Ks, 1.14 WHIP
32. Yordan Alvarez — OF, Houston Astros
Average rank: 32.5
2019 stats: .313, 27 HR, 78 RBI, 58 R, 0 SB
2020 projections: .277, 40 HR, 120 RBI, 89 R, 2 SB
33. Jose Altuve — 2B, Houston Astros
Average rank: 33.3
2019 stats: .298, 31 HR, 74 RBI, 89 R, 6 SB
2020 projections: .309, 26 HR, 76 RBI, 97 R, 10 SB
34. Pete Alonso — 1B, New York Mets
Average rank: 33.6
2019 stats: .260, 53 HR, 120 RBI, 103 R, 1 SB
2020 projections: .247, 46 HR, 123 RBI, 102 R, 0 SB
35. Chris Sale — SP, Boston Red Sox
Average rank: 33.9
2019 stats: 6 W, 4.40 ERA, 218 Ks, 1.09 WHIP
2020 projections: 13 W, 3.51 ERA, 236 Ks, 1.02 WHIP
36. Gleyber Torres — 2B/SS, New York Yankees
Average rank: 34.1
2019 stats: .280, 38 HR, 91 RBI, 96 R, 5 SB
2020 projections: .273, 33 HR, 92 RBI, 87 R, 5 SB
37. Charlie Blackmon — OF, Colorado Rockies
Average rank: 34.4
2019 stats: .316, 32 HR, 86 RBI, 112 R, 2 SB
2020 projections: .308, 32 HR, 80 RBI, 109 R, 3 SB
38. Ozzie Albies — 2B, Atlanta Braves
Average rank: 37.2
2019 stats: .295, 24 HR, 86 RBI, 102 R, 15 SB
2020 projections: .276, 23 HR, 73 RBI, 94 R, 13 SB
39. Austin Meadows — OF/DH, Tampa Bay Rays
Average rank: 37.9
2019 stats: .291, 33 HR, 89 RBI, 83 R, 12 SB
2020 projections: .284, 33 HR, 91 RBI, 86 R, 9 SB
40. George Springer — OF, Houston Astros
Average rank: 40.2
2019 stats: .292, 39 HR, 96 RBI, 96 R, 6 SB
2020 projections: .280, 37 HR, 95 RBI, 106 R, 4 SB
41. Ketel Marte — 2B/SS/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Average rank: 41.0
2019 stats: .329, 32 HR, 92 RBI, 97 R, 10 SB
2020 projections: .291, 23 HR, 77 RBI, 86 R, 7 SB
42. Adalberto Mondesi — SS, Kansas City Royals
Average rank: 42.2
2019 stats: .264, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 58 R, 43 SB
2020 projections: .250, 16 HR, 71 RBI, 70 R, 39 SB
43. Giancarlo Stanton — OF, New York Yankees
Average rank: 47.3
2019 stats: .288, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 8 R, 0 SB
2020 projections: .266, 41 HR, 94 RBI, 85 R, 1 SB
44. Clayton Kershaw — SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Average rank: 47.5
2019 stats: 16 W, 3.08 ERA, 189 Ks, 1.04 WHIP
2020 projections: 13 W, 3.41 ERA, 188 Ks, 1.03 WHIP
45. Luis Castillo — SP, Cincinnati Reds
Average rank: 48.8
2019 stats: 15 W, 3.45 ERA, 226 Ks, 1.14 WHIP
2020 projections: 12 W, 3.51 ERA, 219 Ks, 1.16 WHIP
46. Patrick Corbin — SP, Washington Nationals
Average rank: 49.8
2019 stats: 14 W, 3.25 ERA, 238 Ks, 1.18 WHIP
2020 projections: 14 W, 3.71 ERA, 227 Ks, 1.23 WHIP
47. Kris Bryant — 3B/OF, Chicago Cubs
Average rank: 51.0
2019 stats: .282, 31 HR, 77 RBI, 108 R, 4 SB
2020 projections: .278, 29 HR, 79 RBI, 111 R, 4 SB
48. Whit Merrifield — 2B/OF, Kansas City Royals
Average rank: 52.4
2019 stats: .302, 16 HR, 74 RBI, 105 R, 20 SB
2020 projections: .290, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 87 R, 20 SB
49. Charlie Morton — SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Average rank: 52.6
2019 stats: 16 W, 3.05 ERA, 240 Ks, 1.08 WHIP
2020 projections: 13 W, 3.29 ERA, 216 Ks, 1.13 WHIP
50. Anthony Rizzo — 1B, Chicago Cubs
Average rank: 53.3
2019 stats: .293, 27 HR, 94 RBI, 89 R, 5 SB
2020 projections: .293, 26 HR, 99 RBI, 87 R, 4 SB