Paul Sporer’s 2022 Second Base Rankings with Comments

by
March 10, 2022
Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The difference being cited is from my first run of rankings. These are for standard league setups that include 2B, MI, and UT with 20-game eligibility. While I play mostly in 15-team mixers, these wouldn’t change much in 12- or 10-teamers. In the latter formats, I’d elevate injury concerns and small sample guys because the replacement level is much higher. The double- and triple-eligible guys also take a little hit in the shallower formats for that same reason.

2022 2B Rankings with Comments
RK SECOND BASE TM POS LAST RK DIFF. NOTE
1 Trea Turner LAD 2B/SS 1 0 Just a briliant ’21 and now gets a full year in LA w/that lineup!
2 Ozzie Albies ATL 2B 2 0 Posted just the 3rd 30 HR/20 SB yr at 2B since 2010; imagine if his AVG pushes back up
3 Marcus Semien TEX 2B/SS 5 2 Had 18 pt OPS adv. at home w/OAK at a park that plays similar to TEX
4 Whit Merrifield KCR 2B/OF 4 0 MLB-best 542 G since ’18 make him a strong bet to reach his high floor
5 Jose Altuve HOU 2B 3 -2 Double-digit SBs might be gone, but 31 HR ea. of L2 full seasons
6 Ketel Marte ARI 2B/OF 8 2 R & L hammy IL stints dashes lingering SB hope; AVG & pwr carry this profile
7 Jonathan India CIN 2B 9 2 1.058 OPS v. 4-seamers was 4th in MLB (min. 200 PA); will he see fewer in ’22? (hat tip Clay Link)
8 Javier Báez DET 2B/SS 11 3 Plate skills make him super volatile, but pwr & spd remain enticing
9 Jorge Polanco MIN 2B/SS 6 -3 Modest 65% SB% says be careful betting on another 11; solid bet for .260/25
10 Brandon Lowe TBR 2B 7 -3 Was hitting .198 on 6/22 then hit .289 w/26 HR in L80 games
11 Tommy Edman STL 2B/OF 10 -1 A 30 SB speedster who isn’t empty pwr and dual-elig., sign me up!
12 Chris Taylor LAD 2B/SS/OF 12 0 Played 11+ G at 5 pos. as today’s Zobrist; K% could bring AVG into .240s
13 Jazz Chisholm Jr. MIA 2B/SS 13 0 .681 OPS, 14 HR/SB from May on; has upside, but plate skills breed volatility
14 Jake Cronenworth SDP 1B/2B/SS 14 0 No single stat is excellent, but finished 14-14-16 at his elig. positions last yr
15 Jean Segura PHI 2B 22 7 AVG foundation w/pwr & spd is an overlooked bargain at this point
16 Ty France SEA 1B/2B 19 3 A repeat would be great, but I think there is real pwr upside (25+ HRs)
17 DJ LeMahieu NYY 1B/2B/3B 15 -2 Must be healthy, but if so, hard not to see a sharp AVG rebound
18 Luis Urías MIL 2B/3B/SS 18 0 Under the hood backs pwr surge as LA surge drove much better contact results
19 Jonathan Schoop DET 1B/2B 20 1 Bankable full season lines that include a fun in-season rollercoaster ride
20 Enrique Hernández BOS 2B/OF 24 4 Found footing in summer w/14 HR, .876 OPS in final 334 PA; just a rock solid investment
21 Kolten Wong MIL 2B 23 2 Another Segura-type w/double-double skills & strong AVG available at a very fair price
22 Ryan McMahon COL 2B/3B 16 -6 Finally broke out, but only 10 HR & .160 ISO after 13/.254 in Apr-May; where’d the pwr go?
23 Brendan Rodgers COL 2B/SS 17 -6 Former #3 overall hit well in first big MLB sample, incl. an .873 OPS & 12 HR on the road
24 Gavin Lux LAD 2B/SS 21 -3 Performance has to be there to sustain it, but should be given a full-time role this year
25 Max Muncy LAD 1B/2B #N/A #N/A Still playing things cautiously until whatever we get for Spring Training starts
26 Eduardo Escobar NYM 2B/3B 25 -1 Has been a legit pwr bat since ’17; lacks upside of 2 COL guys & Lux, but a more stable floor
27 Cesar Hernandez WAS 2B 41 14 Just 10 SBs since ’19 (15+ from ’15-18); if OBP returns to career .345 area, could get 100 R
28 Andrés Giménez CLE 2B/SS 30 2 Some prospects aren’t quite ready, but still had 15 HR/19 SB in AAA+MLB; is ’22 the leap yr?
29 Josh Rojas ARI 2B/SS/OF 28 -1 At 28 y/o, could just be a less established Segura/Wong-type option
30 Abraham Toro SEA 2B/3B 26 -4 Has AVG upside from ’21 mark; don’t extrapolate SBs over 600 PA; pay for .250/20/5
31 Garrett Hampson COL 2B/OF 31 0 Exhbit 384,097 that Coors can’t make a player (.741 OPS in 506 home PA); spd worth it for some
32 Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 SDP 2B/3B/SS 27 -5 Rough debut stateside, but didn’t come over fully formed like many before him; still just 26 y/o
33 Nick Madrigal CHC 2B 32 -1 AVG stud w/some spd upside, but completely devoid of pwr making him a fit on specific tms only
34 Nick Solak TEX 2B 39 5 Pwr outage from ’20 held & just 7-for-12 in SB; there is upside, but don’t overrate the 27 y/o
35 Nico Hoerner CHC 2B 33 -2 A poor man’s Madrigal
36 Dylan Moore SEA 2B/OF 43 7 A poor man’s Hampson
37 Ramón Urías BAL 2B/SS 40 3 A poor man’s Urias… and also his brother!
38 Josh Harrison FA 2B/3B/OF 46 8 Will sign somewhere & can drop a double-double w/a full-time role
39 Tommy La Stella SFG 2B #N/A #N/A Injuries ate up 1/2 of last 2 full yrs, but still has AVG w/a little punch available super late
40 Tony Kemp OAK 2B/OF #N/A #N/A Without some changes, could have <10 HR even in 600 PA, but did have great plate skills in ’21
41 Wilmer Flores SFG 1B/2B/3B #N/A #N/A Has tightened platoon split & can play everywhere; offers some late AVG
42 Edmundo Sosa STL 2B/SS 42 0 Sprint Spd ≠ SBs as 98th percentile delivered a 4/8 in SBs; but if gets sharper, then 10+ could come
43 Nolan Gorman STL 2B 52 9 StL loves the bat enough to move him to 2B so he can reach MLB quicker; has ROY upside
44 Luis Arraez MIN 2B/3B/OF 34 -10 Starts off our empty average crew of guys who are best used as fill-ins during the yr
45 Jeff McNeil NYM 2B/OF 35 -10 Rabbit ball brought 23 HR in ’19, but then just 11 in 635 PA since; should improve .251 from ’21
46 David Fletcher LAA 2B/SS 36 -10 Hit .255 in first 48 gms, .340 in next 66, but closed w/a .150 in 44 gms; only dual elig.,too
47 Adam Frazier SDP 2B 37 -10 Trade highlights regression of hot start as he went back to being himself w/SDP
48 Michael Chavis PIT 2B 54 6 Has 26 HR in 664 career PA, but huge swing-and-miss could bring sub-.200 AVG too
49 Robinson Canó NYM 2B #N/A #N/A Now age-39, but was great the last time we saw him (142 wRC+, 10 HR in 182 PA)
50 Luis García WAS 2B #N/A #N/A Don’t forget the 22 y/o; makes solid contact & could pop 20 HR w/a full yr role
51 Hoy Park PIT 2B 44 -7 Great patience w/some intriguing spd, but can the bat sustain a consistent role?
52 Zach McKinstry LAD 2B/OF 50 -2 If Muncy inj. is severe enough to cost him time, McKinstry likely benefits; bat has upside
53 Leury García CWS 2B/OF 47 -6 Super deep league Swiss Army Knife with a tinge of SB upside
54 Willi Castro DET 2B/SS 45 -9 .448 BABIP from ’20 came back to earth & took AVG w/it (.220); now jobless w/Baez in town
55 Rougned Odor BAL 2B/3B #N/A #N/A Last 2 yrs feels like the right projection: .191 AVG, 25 HR, 0 SB in 509 PA… have fun, Jason!





 

Paul is the Editor of Rotographs and Content Director for OOTP Perfect Team. Follow Paul on Twitter @sporer and on Twitch at sporer.

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weekendatbidens
2 years ago

I’m curious how many years before a player suiting up every night finally wears down. There must be a limit for Whit, right? I hope this year he continues his ironman prowess.

Last edited 2 years ago by Manco
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