Ottoneu Top 20 Second Basemen for 2020

by
December 30, 2019

Using a format similar to the one Paul Sporer recently posted for 2020 Roto player rankings, below is the 2020 ranking of the Top 20 Second Basemen for Ottoneu fantasy baseball.  Ottoneu leagues are auction style, but with no salaries listed (league dependent), think of these lists as simplified “snake draft” rankings (“which player would I take before the next”), or a value ranking of players above replacement level for 2020. Players with multi-position eligibility may receive a slight bump in value (2020 positions listed).  You can reference average Ottoneu player salaries here, but keep in mind these salaries fluctuate throughout the winter as rosters shape up towards the January 31st keeper deadline for all leagues.

Previous 2020 Ottoneu rankings:

First Base

Third Base

Shortstop

Since a majority of Ottoneu leagues are points leagues (offense based on linear weights), you’ll notice speed is less of a factor here than traditional rotisserie rankings.  Even if you don’t play Ottoneu, this list might be a good proxy for OBP, OPS, or sabermetric leagues, so keep that context in mind as you review.  If I’ve missed an important player, or you believe I’ve wildly over or under-valued someone, please let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to update.

In 2019, the 27 qualified second basemen averaged the following production:

  • 5.27 Points Per Game (P/G)
  • 22 HR
  • 7.6% BB%
  • 18.3% K%
  • .186 ISO
  • .276 AVG
  • .336 OBP
  • .463 SLG
  • .335 wOBA
  • 107 wRC+

Ottoneu 2020 Top 20 Second Basemen
RK Player 2020 POS Outlook
1 Ketel Marte 2B/SS/OF BABIP will regress but xwOBA supports significant skills growth will remain
2 Jose Altuve 2B/SS Career-low zone contact % (86.9%) offset by hitting the ball harder than ever
3 Gleyber Torres 2B/SS At just 23 years old, there is likely another gear or two coming
4 Max Muncy 1B/2B/3B 35 home runs makes him valuable in three key spots for 2020
5 Ozzie Albies 2B Majority of power appears vs. LHP (.295 ISO vs. .177 vs. RHP), but young enough to balance out the splits
6 DJ LeMahieu 1B/2B/3B .349 BABIP hard to repeat but NYY, 20+ HR, and xwOBA make him a mainstay solution
7 Keston Hiura 2B 60/60 Hit/Power tools and history of solid adjustments could push him well up this list by end of 2020
8 Mike Moustakas 2B/3B Steamer’s projected .340 wOBA and 35 HR seems just about right
9 Jeff McNeil 2B/3B/OF Hit 20 of 23 HR vs. RHP; expect shift adjustments in 2020 that could impact power output
10 Whit Merrifield 2B/OF Near lock for 700+ PA’s and OPS around .800; speed may continue slowing now entering 30’s
11 Brandon Lowe 1B/2B/OF MiLB stats provide home for strong OBP floor; one of just five 2B with xSLG above .500 in 2019
12 Eduardo Escobar 2B/3B Don’t expect another 35 HR, but he’s averaged an .825 OPS over the past two seasons
13 Luis Arraez 2B/3B/OF Age 22 MLB BB/K rate of 1.24 makes him a high floor sleeper if any power develops
14 Cavan Biggio 2B/OF Elite approach, launch angle, and zone awareness make him a candidate for power improvement
15 Howie Kendrick 1B/2B/3B His 2019 age 35 xwOBA (.419) ranked 4th in MLB behind Trout, Bellinger, and Yelich
16 Thomas La Stella 2B/3B With power development now looks like a safe bet for .800+ OPS, with most damage vs. RHP
17 Gavin Lux 2B/SS Elite prospect tools that should play up even if moved out of LAD
18 Nick Solak 2B/OF Excellent small sample debut (.375 wOBA in 33 games) bodes well for above average production
19 Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 2B/OF Likely to be streaky, but stats should add up to a starting 2B in 12+ team leagues
20 Ian Happ 2B/3B/OF Still just 25, but he hits the ball hard (.526 xSLG) and just needs the playing time in CHC to jump
Offense in Ottoneu points leagues are based on linear weights.

If you’re interested in tools and resources to help find or create your own Ottoneu player values ($), bookmark the community site, which will be updated often.  You can also find a ranking of these players on the 2020 version of the Surplus Calculator.

Just missing this list:

Kolten Wong (2B)

Asdrubal Cabrera (2B/3B)

Carter Kieboom (2B/SS)

Jurickson Profar (2B/OF)

Tommy Edman (2B/3B/OF)

Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B)

Scott Kingery (2B/SS/3B/OF)

Jonathan Villar (2B/SS)





 

Trey is a 20+ year fantasy veteran and an early adopter of Ottoneu fantasy sports. He currently administers the Ottoneu community, a network of ~1,200 fantasy baseball and football fans talking sports daily. More resources here: http://community.ottoneu.com

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whiptydojoemember
4 years ago

If the Cards offseason continues and Wong is batting at the top of the lineup to start 2020, I’m saying he’s a Top 10 2B. He took off like a rocket when he was moved up in the order, became a bit more aggressive, and nothing in the profile says he can’t continue.

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Trey Baughn
4 years ago
Reply to  whiptydojoe

Agree – he had a monster 2nd half (.381 wOBA) with a significantly improved line drive rate. This entire list is more volatile than others so he could easily finish in the top 10 for 2020.

4