(Rick Scuteri, USA TODAY Sports)
Football season is history and now that February is here, it’s time to turn our attention to fantasy baseball.
Overall, expect more ace pitchers to be drafted in the early rounds than usual. But pitching is very deep and good values can be had late. The greatest scarcity seems to be at catcher (naturally) and shortstop. Try to grab one early. And with power at a premium, be sure to concentrate on stockpiling those home runs and RBI.
Position previews:
C | 1B | 2B | SS
Here are our annotated fantasy baseball rankings for 2015 (based on a 5×5 Rotisserie scoring system) plus some bonus players who can help round out your roster. (NOTE: This page will be constantly updated.)
Rank
Player
Pos
Team
Notes
1
Mike Trout
OF
LAA
No-doubt top pick; 5-category star
2
Andrew McCutchen
OF
PIT
MVP candidate in his prime
3
Paul Goldschmidt
1B
ARI
No worries about broken hand
4
Giancarlo Stanton
OF
MIA
Game’s top power hitter
5
Clayton Kershaw
SP
LAD
Dominates 4 pitching categories
6
Carlos Gomez
OF
MIL
25+ HRs, 40+ SBs possible
7
Jose Abreu
1B
CWS
Led majors in slugging in 2014
8
Miguel Cabrera
1B
DET
Foot injury is worth watching
9
Adam Jones
OF
BAL
Value is in his consistency
10
Hanley Ramirez
SS
BOS
Elite skills; will add OF eligibility
11
Robinson Cano
2B
SEA
Adjustment to Safeco complete
12
Edwin Encarnacion
1B
TOR
Monster 2014 derailed by injury
13
Anthony Rendon
2B/3B
WAS
Seems to square up everything
14
Max Scherzer
SP
WAS
NL’s best team = max value
15
Felix Hernandez
SP
SEA
It’s good to be the King
16
Jose Bautista
OF
TOR
Five straight years of 27+ HR
17
Troy Tulowitzki
SS
COL
Game-changer at short if healthy
18
Jose Altuve
2B
HOU
Dominant in average, steals
19
Ian Desmond
SS
WAS
Power, speed at thin position
20
Ryan Braun
OF
MIL
If thumb is 100%, watch out
21
Adrian Beltre
3B
TEX
Rock-solid; better lineup helps
22
Michael Brantley
OF
CLE
Can 2014’s breakout star repeat?
23
Anthony Rizzo
1B
CHC
Rocketing up draft boards
24
Madison Bumgarner
SP
SF
All those innings last season …
25
Chris Sale
SP
CWS
AL’s best K rate among starters
26
Freddie Freeman
1B
ATL
Skills keep improving, not roster
27
Jose Reyes
SS
TOR
Improved offense raises his value
28
Buster Posey
C/1B
SF
4-category stud behind the plate
29
Yasiel Puig
OF
LAD
Wild Horse ready to break out?
30
Jacoby Ellsbury
OF
NYY
Pay for the speed; power’s gravy
31
Bryce Harper
OF
WAS
This could be the year – at age 22
32
Justin Upton
OF
SD
How much will Petco hurt power?
33
Josh Donaldson
3B
TOR
Love the move to a hitter’s park
34
David Price
SP
DET
Ace enters final year of contract
35
Corey Kluber
SP
CLE
Skills profile says he can repeat
36
Hunter Pence
OF
SF
Runs like antelope out of control
37
Jonathan Lucroy
C
MIL
Led majors with 53 doubles
38
Todd Frazier
3B
CIN
One of 5 with 20 HR, 20 SB in ’14
39
Albert Pujols
1B
LAA
Still a 100-RBI threat at age 35
40
Stephen Strasburg
SP
WAS
Legitimate Cy Young candidate
41
Kyle Seager
3B
SEA
Consistent producer at hot corner
42
Zack Greinke
SP
LAD
Dodgers’ No. 2 is a fantasy No. 1
43
Carlos Gonzalez
OF
COL
Knee still a question after surgery
44
Joey Votto
1B
CIN
Huge value if power returns
45
Nolan Arenado
3B
COL
Poised for breakout before injury
46
Johnny Cueto
SP
CIN
Pitching for new contract
47
David Ortiz
DH
BOS
Don’t ever question Big Papi
48
Matt Kemp
OF
SD
Looking to build on huge 2nd half
49
Jason Heyward
OF
STL
A few more fly balls = star power
50
Jordan Zimmermann
SP
WAS
K rate took a nice jump last year
51
Starling Marte
OF
PIT
Not far from McCutchen territory
52
Prince Fielder
1B
TEX
53
Yu Darvish
SP
TEX
54
Brian Dozier
2B
MIN
55
Evan Longoria
3B
TB
56
Billy Hamilton
OF
CIN
57
Adam Wainwright
SP
STL
58
Jon Lester
SP
CHC
59
Ian Kinsler
2B
DET
60
Cole Hamels
SP
PHI
61
Craig Kimbrel
RP
ATL
Top closer, but not by much
62
Victor Martinez
1B
CLE
63
Aroldis Chapman
RP
CIN
64
Jay Bruce
OF
CIN
65
Adrian Gonzalez
1B
LAD
66
Starlin Castro
SS
CHC
67
Carlos Santana
1B/3B
CLE
68
Devin Mesoraco
C
CIN
69
Julio Teheran
SP
ATL
70
Nelson Cruz
OF
SEA
71
Alex Cobb
SP
TB
72
George Springer
OF
HOU
Big-time power, and can run too
73
Dee Gordon
2B
MIA
74
Sonny Gray
SP
OAK
75
Corey Dickerson
OF
COL
76
Greg Holland
RP
KC
77
Dustin Pedroia
2B
BOS
78
David Wright
3B
NYM
Citi Field fences moved in again
79
Jason Kipnis
2B
CLE
80
Jeff Samardzija
SP
CWS
81
Eric Hosmer
1B
KC
82
James Shields
SP
–
Top free agent left on the market
83
Chris Davis
1B
BAL
84
Kole Calhoun
OF
LAA
85
Josh Harrison
3B/OF
PIT
86
Chris Carter
DH
HOU
Good bet for 1B eligibility soon
87
Yoenis Cespedes
OF
DET
88
Yan Gomes
C
CLE
89
Kenley Jansen
RP
LAA
90
Evan Gattis
C/OF
HOU
Big power, won’t catch much
91
Mookie Betts
OF
BOS
Potential gold as a leadoff man
92
Elvis Andrus
SS
TEX
93
Matt Holliday
OF
STL
94
Jayson Werth
OF
WAS
95
Pablo Sandoval
3B
BOS
96
Marcell Ozuna
OF
MIA
97
Yadier Molina
C
STL
98
Dellin Betances
RP
NYY
Andrew Miller handcuff a must
99
Christian Yelich
OF
MIA
100
Mark Trumbo
1B/OF
ARI
101
Alexei Ramirez
SS
CWS
102
Alex Rios
OF
KC
103
Ryan Zimmerman
3B/OF
WAS
Will soon have 1B eligibility, too
104
Salvador Perez
C
KC
105
Yordano Ventura
SP
KC
106
David Robertson
RP
CWS
107
Brandon Belt
1B
SF
108
Manny Machado
3B
BAL
Maturity must catch up to talent
109
Matt Harvey
SP
NYM
110
Doug Fister
SP
WAS
111
Brian McCann
C
NYY
112
Jake Arrieta
SP
CHC
113
Ben Revere
OF
PHI
114
Matt Carpenter
3B
STL
115
Mark Melancon
RP
PIT
116
Gerrit Cole
SP
PIT
K’s, ground balls a lethal combo
117
Trevor Rosenthal
RP
STL
118
Michael Cuddyer
OF
NYM
119
Kolten Wong
2B
STL
Breakout alert
120
Wil Myers
OF
SD
121
Cliff Lee
SP
PHI
122
Neil Walker
2B
PIT
123
Rusney Castillo
OF
BOS
124
J.D. Martinez
OF
DET
125
Chase Utley
2B
PHI
126
Gio Gonzalez
SP
WAS
127
Anibal Sanchez
SP
DET
128
Jimmy Rollins
SS
LAD
129
Alex Gordon
OF
KC
130
Brett Gardner
OF
NYY
131
Adam LaRoche
1B
CWS
132
Leonys Martin
OF
TEX
133
Adam Eaton
OF
CWS
134
Jered Weaver
SP
LAA
135
Drew Storen
RP
WAS
136
Ben Zobrist
2/S/O
OAK
137
Aramis Ramirez
3B
MIL
138
Melky Cabrera
OF
CWS
139
Brandon Moss
1B/OF
CLE
140
Andrew Cashner
SP
SD
141
Chris Archer
SP
TB
142
Shin-Soo Choo
OF
TEX
143
J.J. Hardy
SS
BAL
144
Billy Butler
DH
OAK
145
Hishashi Iwakuma
SP
SEA
146
Jake deGrom
SP
NYM
147
Russell Martin
C
TOR
148
Michael Wacha
SP
STL
149
Howie Kendrick
2B
LAD
150
Marlon Byrd
OF
CIN
151
Chase Headley
3B
NYY
152
Matt Adams
1B
STL
153
Avisail Garcia
OF
CWS
154
Francisco Liriano
SP
PIT
155
Fernando Rodney
RP
SEA
156
A.J. Pollock
OF
ARI
157
Marcus Stroman
SP
TOR
158
Brett Lawrie
2B/3B
OAK
159
Collin McHugh
SP
HOU
160
Charlie Blackmon
OF
COL
161
Jean Segura
SS
MIL
162
Alex Wood
SP
ATL
163
Lucas Duda
1B
NYM
164
Brandon Phillips
2B
CIN
165
Joe Mauer
1B
MIN
166
Lance Lynn
SP
STL
167
Wilson Ramos
C
WAS
168
Denard Span
OF
WAS
169
Tyson Ross
SP
SD
170
Erick Aybar
SS
LAA
171
Zach Britton
RP
BAL
172
Xander Bogaerts
SS/3B
BOS
173
Rougned Odor
2B
TEX
174
Shelby Miller
SP
ATL
175
Danny Santana
SS/OF
MIN
176
Justin Morneau
1B
COL
177
Mat Latos
SP
MIA
178
Huston Street
RP
LAA
179
Carlos Beltran
OF
NYY
180
Carl Crawford
OF
LAD
181
Jhonny Peralta
SS
STL
182
Desmond Jennings
OF
TB
183
Daniel Murphy
2B
NYM
184
Wilin Rosario
C
COL
185
Dexter Fowler
OF
CHC
186
Zack Wheeler
SP
NYM
187
Coco Crisp
OF
OAK
188
Matt Wieters
C
BAL
189
Khris Davis
OF
MIL
190
Justin Verlander
SP
DET
191
Carlos Carrasco
SP
CLE
192
Koji Uehara
RP
BOS
193
Aaron Hill
2B
ARI
194
Masahiro Tanaka
SP
NYY
195
Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP
LAD
196
Jonathan Papelbon
RP
PHI
197
Alcides Escobar
SS
KC
198
Drew Smyly
SP
TB
199
Lorenzo Cain
OF
KC
200
Javier Baez
2B/SS
CHC
Once the top 200 are off the board, round out your roster with players who show potential in these areas:
Hitters
Speed: Alcides Escobar (SS), B.J. Upton (OF), Anthony Gose (OF), Norichika Aoki (OF), Ender Inciarte (OF), Dalton Pompey (OF), Michael Bourn (OF), Drew Stubbs (OF), Jordan Schafer (OF), Emilio Bonifacio (OF/2B).
Power: Pedro Alvarez (3B), Kris Bryant (3B), Jedd Gyorko (2B), Oswaldo Arcia (OF), Michael Morse (OF/1B), Josh Hamilton (OF), Curtis Granderson (OF), Ryan Howard (1B), Mark Teixeira (1B), Mike Zunino (C), Travis d’Arnaud (C), Josh Reddick (OF), Jon Singleton (1B).
Potential impact hitters: Gregory Polanco (OF), Kris Bryant (3B), Adam Lind (1B), Jorge Soler (OF), Joc Pederson (OF), Yasmany Tomas (OF & maybe 3B), Allen Craig (OF), Scott Van Slyke (OF/1B).
Playing time: Yasmani Grandal (C), Martin Prado (2B/3B), Jed Lowrie (SS), Scooter Gennett (2B), Mike Napoli (1B), Kendrys Morales (1B), Steve Pearce (OF/1B), Colby Rasmus (OF), Michael Saunders (OF)
Pitchers
High-impact starters: Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, Drew Smyly, Danny Salazar, Carlos Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, Rick Porcello, Phil Hughes, Kevin Gausman, James Paxton, A.J. Burnett, Derek Holland, Jesse Hahn, Jake Odorizzi, Tony Cingrani, Yusmeiro Petit, Trevor Bauer, Jason Hammel.
Strikeouts: Drew Hutchison, Ian Kennedy, Jose Quintana, Danny Salazar, R.A. Dickey, Scott Kazmir, Michael Pineda.
Potential closers in waiting: Aaron Sanchez, Ken Giles, Joakim Soria, Luke Gregerson, Tyler Clippard, Andrew Miller.
Injury stashes (estimated return): Homer Bailey (April), Garrett Richards (April), Bobby Parnell (May), Ivan Nova (May), Jarrod Parker (May), A.J. Griffin (June), Matt Moore (June), Jose Fernandez (July).
Daily fantasy baseball will be here in no time.
Try your hand at basketball and hockey while you wait.