San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to remain suspended until April 20 due to a PED violation, leading to a wide range of opinions on him heading into 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts. Tatis is one of the most talented players in the MLB and just turned 24 in January, so his best could still be ahead of him. However, he might not immediately return as a five-category Fantasy baseball star. Should you be avoiding him with your 2023 Fantasy baseball picks?
Another young star generating hype entering the 2023 MLB season is Atlanta's Michael Harris Jr. He was named the NL Rookie of the Year last season, hitting 19 home runs and stealing 20 bases. Before going on the clock in any 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts, be sure to see the Fantasy baseball rankings 2023 and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine's Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Reds first baseman Joey Votto. The team at SportsLine was all over Votto as a Fantasy bust from the start after a resurgent 2021 season that saw him going as one of the top 12 first basemen off the board in 2022 Fantasy baseball drafts. After slashing .266/.375/.563 with 36 homers and 99 RBI the year prior, Votto slashed .205/.319/.370 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 2022. He finished outside the top 45 players at his position and anybody who followed SportsLine's advice avoided a major headache.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.
Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2023 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Giants right fielder Mitch Haniger. The 2018 All-Star has largely fallen off after that season, and is coming off of a year in which he only played 57 games last season. However, Haniger smashed 39 home runs with 100 RBI in 2021, and will be counted on to recapture that success at the plate for the Giants.
Last season, the Giants finished eighth-worst in the majors in right field wins above average (-1.1), but they're hoping that a healthy Haniger can bring stability to the position and change that. Haniger hit balls to the opposite field 18% of the time last season, which was his highest rate since 2017, and that should serve him well in Oracle Park. The right field wall in San Francisco is just 309 feet, compared to 326 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, which should help position him to rediscover his power numbers from a few years ago.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is jumping on: Tigers outfielder Riley Greene. His rookie season got off to a rough 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 by the end of the season. Although he didn't display a great deal of power, he had 12 doubles, 28 RBI and a batting average of .369 on balls put in play.
He has already shown great promise in spring training, and after his first 12 preseason games, he had an OPS of .834. Greene had a .298 batting average across 547 at-bats at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, so hitting is his calling card. Greene's upside and opportunity gives him some of the greatest potential to deliver a tremendous return on investment in the later rounds of Fantasy drafts this year.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball busts
As for players to avoid, the model has pinpointed White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi as one of its biggest 2023 Fantasy baseball busts. He dealt with a wrist injury down the stretch last season, but that did not stop Chicago from signing him to a five-year, $75 million contract in December. Benintendi's power has dropped off significantly though, and he does not run nearly as well as he used to.
He has struggled during spring training as well, hitting just .208 through the first four weeks. Benintendi provides valuable experience and defensive prowess for Chicago, but those intangibles will not generate any Fantasy baseball numbers for his owners. He is being drafted ahead of left fielders like David Peralta, Alex Verdugo and Eddie Rosario, but the model has all three of those players ranked ahead of him.
How to find proven 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine's model is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top 10 of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 125 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Aaron Nola, Shane McClanahan and Brandon Woodruff. This pick could be the difference in 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? Visit SportsLine now to get 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Joey Votto's disappointing season, and find out.
