by Few positions compete as fiercely for the top player as the starting pitcher position heading into 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts. You could go with last year’s breakout star in Sandy Alcantara, an established ace like Gerrit Cole, or some former and current Mets in Jacob deGrom and Justin Verlander. But with high expectations also comes a high chance that one of those pitchers ends up as a 2023 Fantasy baseball bust. Pitchers like Walker Buehler and Nathan Eovaldi saw injuries derail their 2022 season after Cy Young-worthy years in 2021.
The risk of missed time is always a concern with pitchers, especially those older ones. A thorough set of 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings would help crystallize when to pick a top pitcher in your drafts, versus selecting players from other positions. Before clocking in 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts, be sure to check out the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings and cheat sheets from the time-tested computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine’s projection model identified several top fantasy baseball players, breakaways and busts, including Reds first baseman Joey Votto. SportsLine’s team was all over Votto from the start as a Fantasy failure after a resurgent 2021 season that saw him go off the board as one of the top 12 first basemen in 2022 Fantasy baseball drafts. After batting .266/.375/.563 with 36 home runs and 99 RBI the year before, Votto hit .205/.319/.370 in 2022 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs. He finished outside the top 45 players at his position and anyone who followed SportsLine’s advice avoided major headaches.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered the projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing their 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets at SportsLine, so you can find Fantasy baseball scorers, breakouts, and busts long before your game. Their cheat sheets, available for competitions on many major sites, are updated several times a day.
Whenever more MLB news comes out about the updated 2023 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, SportsLine’s team updates its projections. Head over to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2023 Fantasy Baseball Leaguers
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball stars the model is all over: Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo. He agreed to an eight-year, $162 million deal with New York in the offseason after hitting 16 home runs at a .274 average. Nimmo was the team’s first choice when he was drafted in 2011 and his production remains a key part of their success.
The 29-year-old missed the first week of spring training as a precaution, but there are no real concerns heading into the season. Nimmo scored a career-high 102 runs in 2022, finishing with a career-best OBP of .385. He is drafted behind Harris of Atlanta and Luis Robert of the White Sox in most drafts, but the model ranks higher on him than either center fielder.
Top 2023 Fantasy Baseball Breakouts
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball escapes the model jumps on: Tigers outfielder Riley Greene. His rookie season got off to a rocky start, as he missed time early in the season due to a broken foot. He was still able to log 93 games last year and got into an offensive groove towards the end of the season. Although he didn’t show much power, he had 12 doubles, 28 RBI and a .369 batting average on balls put into play.
He already showed great promise in spring training and after his first 12 preseason games he had an OPS of .834. Greene had a .298 batting average over 547 at bats at the Double-A and Triple-A level, so hitting is his calling card. Greene’s perks and opportunities give him one of the biggest opportunities to make a huge return on investment this year in the later rounds of Fantasy drafts.
Top 2023 Fantasy Baseball Busts
As for players to avoid, the model has designated Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes as one of the biggest 2023 Fantasy baseball busts. The 2021 NL Cy Young winner didn’t drop much in 2022, posting a sub 3.00 ERA and leading the Senior Circuit with 243 strikeouts. But a few underlying statistics from Burnes indicate he may not be able to sustain that success in 2023.
His FIP nearly doubled from 1.63 in 2021 to 3.14 in 2022. And while the latter is still solid, Milwaukee lost several good defensemen this offseason, including Kolten Wong and Jace Peterson, which could lead to more points on the field. scoreboard. Burnes also declined after the All-Star break, going from a 2.14 ERA in the first half of the season to a 3.97 in the second half. Burnes is being drafted as the SP6 in 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts, but the model is far less bullish and has him outside the top 15 at the position.
How To Find Proven 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings
SportsLine’s model also ranks high on a surprising starting pitcher landing in the top 10 of his positional rankings. This player barely makes it off the board in the top 125 picks, but is expected to outperform starters like Aaron Nola, Shane McClanahan and Brandon Woodruff. This choice can make the difference between 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? Head over to SportsLine now to check out the 2023 Fantasy Baseball rankings for every position, all from the model Joey Votto’s underwhelming season called, and find out.
