It’s easy to draft guys like Jose Altuve, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa at the beginning of a fantasy baseball draft or snag more common players like Robinson Cano or Corey Seager in the middle of it, but that’s boring. If you’re looking to load up on power bats and arms early, then these are the middle infielders you should be targeting deeper into your respective drafts.
Whit Merrifield – The Royals moved their youngster from the outfield and inserted him at the keystone position. The move paid off in spades! All the 29-year old went on to do was hit .288, knock in 78 RBI and score 80 runs. He also launched 19 home runs and swiped 34 bases. With an ECR of 80 and ADP of 77, he’d fit in perfectly to your lineup once you fatten it up with some big bats and stud starting pitching. I don’t expect him to be the power threat he was a year ago, but he should be a continued source of production in the runs and stolen base departments. He also won’t kill you with strikeouts – tasty!
Chris Taylor – Numerous fantasy baseballers are going to look to fade Mr. Taylor after he came from out of nowhere to post his best season as a professional baseball player a year ago. While that’s understandable, I firmly believe the output is more than repeatable. Save for an elevated .280 batting average, his power and ability to swipe bases still remains. His K rate is a bit concerning, but it was mostly alleviated by a solid walk rate. The kid is going to lead off for one of the more imposing offenses in the league, and I stand by that statement even with Justin Turner out of commission the first couple months. He completely changed his swing and reaped the rewards. Scoop him up in the tenth round and laugh all the way to your fantasy baseball league’s playoffs!
Ozzie Albies – A superstar in the making, Albies took the league by storm in his two months at the big league level last season. He’ll be manning second base for his first full season as an Atlanta Brave, and the needle is pointed way up. In just 217 at-bats, the youngster struck out a grand total of 36 times and took 21 walks. That’s an uncanny batting eye for such a young player! Pair that with his .286 average and .810 OPS and you got something in its infancy that can turn into something much bigger. Maybe this season! He’s currently being drafted in the 13th round with an ECR of 116. If he manages to hit 15 homers and swipe 25 or so bags, we could be talking about a player drafted in the first six rounds at such a weak position next year.
Scooter Gennett – If you find yourself without a second baseman in the late stages of your fantasy baseball draft, instead of freaking out and attaching your wagon to a boring veteran like Asdrubal Cabrera or Neil Walker, look Scooter’s way instead. He can be had on the cheap with the multi-positional threat owning an ECR of 214 and ADP of 190. What if I told you he batted .295, launched 27 bombs into the cheap seats and also plated 97 RBI? You’d sign up for that draft value in a New York minute! Playing 81 games in the launching pad otherwise known as the GAB only sweetens the pot. The kid can go HAM at a moment’s notice. Don’t believe me, watch the YouTube clip down below.
Jonathan Villar – Back in 2016, Villar batted .285, launched 19 home runs and swiped 62 bases. Yes, you read that correctly. Because of his huge campaign, the Brewers second basemen was drafted in the second or third round of most fantasy baseball drafts. What ensued thereafter likely cost many that drafted him a shot at the playoffs. He put forth a miserable injury plagued season that saw Craig Counsell bench him in favor of Eric Sogard. Because of it, his ECR now sits at 191 and ADP at 198. Now in his sixth MLB season, the 26-year old looks to be on the right side of the position battle after putting forth a solid spring. Should he revert back to his 2016 form, Villar could end up being one of the biggest steals of the 2018 draft at his current price tag!
Brandon Drury – Moving from Coors Field lite to Yankee Stadium isn’t going to affect this youngster’s output in any way, shape or form. In only 445 at-bats last year, the then 24-year old batted .267, slugged .447 and had a .764 OPS. Not at all jaw dropping stats but we’re talking about a steady bat that excels against right-handed pitching. He’s also shown an ability to hit to the opposite field. Yankee Stadium is known for its friendly right field porch. While many Yankees’ fans are peeved Miguel Andujar didn’t make the big league club, Drury is a suitable replacement and is much better than recent stiffs NY marched out to 3B. He’ll also get dual-position eligibility 5-10 days into the season.
Scott Kingery – Fresh off signing an enormous guaranteed contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kingery made the big league club and is expected to make an impact immediately. The kid forced upper managements hand by hitting .392 over 51 Spring Training at-bats, and enters the season ranked as the team’s No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America. All five of his tools rates out above average, so it should only be a matter of time until he’s taking up shop in the infield on a daily basis. He might not be one to own right away, but make no mistake about it, the kid is going to perform and when he does you’re going to want him on your 2018 fantasy baseball roster. Watch him for now, but once it looks like he’s starting to get it, pounce on him! Philly expects to be in the thick of the NL East race for years to come, and Kingery will be a pertinent piece to the revival.
