Once a position known primarily for defense, second base has more recently become a hub for dynamic offensive talents in fantasy baseball. With a diverse cast of characters capable of impacting your team in a variety of ways, arguably no position outside of the outfield is as subjective within the top 10 as the second basemen are.
There are a number of early to mid round quality second basemen who can help considerably to either stack or round out your lineup depending on the build you are going for.
The State of Fantasy Baseball Second Base in 2019
As mentioned above, recent years have seen considerably more offensive production out of the second baseman and the position is no longer a vacuum consisting of two or three usable players. Instead, with the increased emphasis on versatility in the MLB, many second basemen see time at other positions and provide fantasy value at multiple positions.
While second basemen have long been useful utility pieces in fantasy, those usually consisted of defensive specialists who didn’t bring much value to the table regarding fantasy baseball. However, many of the games most dynamic talents at the position including Javier Baez, Whit Merrifield, and Gleyber Torres among others are eligible to provide production at multiple positions.
This combination of unmatched historical production and roster utility make second base one of the most intriguing positions heading into the 2019 fantasy baseball season. As with the previous installments, all rankings are for standard-format, season=long leagues.
Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
10. Jurickson Profar, Oakland A’s 2B/1B/SS/3B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 130 H, 79 R, 22 HR, 73 RBI, 11 SB, .259 avg
Despite there being a few other second base options who project to produce a bit more on the offensive end, Profar makes this list for his incredible lineup versatility. Able to play all four infield positions while producing a well-rounded stat line, Profar makes for one of the most unique players in all of fantasy baseball.
Despite struggling to hit for average in his breakout 2018 campaign, Profar is still just 25 and projects to have quite a bit of upside as he heads into his athletic prime.
9. Brian Dozier, Washington Nationals, 2B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 129 H, 91 R, 25 HR, 83 RBI, 14 SB, .240 avg
Although Dozier’s stats were down a bit to start 2018 with the Twins, his numbers took a nosedive once he reached Los Angeles via trade. Hitting just .182 with five home runs across 47 games, Dozier looked like a far cry from his former self with the Dodgers.
Meanwhile in baseball, Brian Dozier turned a bunt into a home run #SCtop10
The main reason Dozier even makes this list is the fact that he at one point was a fringe MVP candidate with an ability to put up unmatched power numbers from second base. In fact, Dozier hit 42 dingers just as recently as 2016. With a fresh start in D.C. and only in his age 32 season, if Dozier can recapture his power stroke he could be a steal in most fantasy baseball leagues.
8. Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers 2B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 147 H, 83 R, 29 HR, 79 RBI, 10 SB, .256 avg
One of the MLB’s most talented young players, Odor’s biggest issue has been his consistency on the offensive end. After a brutal 2017 in which he barely hit above the infamous Mendoza Line, Odor saw his power numbers drop and his average start to trend back to its former career average.
Odor was able to put together a fantastic 2016 season which suggests that it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to see him return to that form. Turning 25 this year, Odor still has some room to grow and with any luck, should outperform both his stats and ranking here.
7. Scooter Gennett, Cincinnati Reds 2B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 158 H, 79 R, 23 HR, 88 RBI, 4 SB, .299 avg
Over the past two seasons, Scooter Gennett has shown that he is good for 20+ home runs, 90+ RBI, and an average around .300. Despite his power numbers taking a slight dip last season, Gennett actually increased everywhere else and was one of fantasy baseball’s most reliable options.
The @Sgennett2 revenge game.
Gennett isn’t necessarily a player that will ever win your league for you, but he is a high-floor option at second base. He also lacks the roster versatility of other players which hurts his ranking here a bit, but overall you can do far worse at second base than Scooter Gennett.
6. Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees 2B/SS
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 144 H, 73 R, 24 HR, 88 RBI, 12 SB, .274 avg
Torres exploded onto the scene in the bright lights of the Bronx in 2018 and took the baseball world by storm alongside fellow rookie sensation Miguel Andujar. Despite a late call-up and missing nearly 40 games on the season, Torres was still able to hit 24 homers and drive in 77 runs.
Although Yahoo projects Torres to hit a bit of a sophomore slump, he gave little indication of slowing down over the course of the season. In fact, Torres hit a scalding .308 in the ALDS against the Red Sox. With so much lineup protection around him and playing in the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium, expect Torres to far exceed his projected stat line.
5. Robinson Cano, New York Mets 2B/1B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 181 H, 88 R, 25 HR, 95 RBI, 0 SB, .300 avg
Once the premier second baseman in Major League Baseball, Cano still remains a top option even in his age 36 season. Despite having his year cut short by injuries, Cano still flashed his above-average power at the position in just 80 games.
Smooth, @RobinsonCano. Very smooth. 😎
With a clean bill of health and getting out of T-Mobile Park, Cano should likely find himself hitting north of 20 home runs and driving in around 100 runs. If Cano can stay healthy, which is a big if, given his age, he should be able to produce some big numbers for the Mets.
4. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves 2B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 172 H, 102 R, 19 HR, 70 RBI, 20 SB, .273 avg
One of the Braves exciting young prospects, Albies did an excellent job of helping to set the table for centerpiece Freddie Freeman. Clocking in at 8th in the league in total runs, Albies did so despite having an OBP of .307. Heading into his age 23 season, Albies should have considerable room for improvement on this front moving forward.
Especially factoring in the added growth of Ronald Acuna Jr., it wouldn’t be out of the question to see Albies actually exceed his projected run total. Putting up well-rounded stats to go along with his gaudy run count, Ozzie Albies makes for one of the best options at second base in the 2019 fantasy baseball season.
3. Whit Merrifield, Kansas City Royals 2B/1B/OF
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 183 H, 82 R, 14 HR, 73 RBI, 38 SB, .298 avg
Major League Baseball’s premier stolen base artist, Whit Merrifield rounded out the rest of his game last year to the point where he actually found himself on the outside fringes of the MVP conversation. A prospect initially known for his pure speed, Merrifield showcased a much-improved approach at the plate in 2018.
40 steals & 40 doubles for Whit Merrifield 💨 #RaisedRoyal
If Merrifield played on another team with a deeper lineup, he would likely find his runs and RBI projected to be much higher. However, for the time being, Merrifield is stuck on the Royals and will be largely dependent on himself to produce fantasy value. Fortunately, that shouldn’t be much of an issue as he did just that last year.
2. Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs 2B/3B/SS
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 167 H, 90 R, 29 HR, 96 RBI, 18 SB, .282 avg
Baez rolls into 2019 on the back of a monster 2018 season that nearly saw him take home the NL MVP. Putting up 34 homers to go with an NL leading 111 RBI, Baez offers unmatched power numbers from the second base position
While it isn’t unrealistic to expect a small bit of regression for Baez, he should still be capable of putting up incredibly productive fantasy numbers. Baez is still fairly young and just entering the start of his offensive prime, so there always remains the chance that he actually improves on last seasons’ incredible performance.
1. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros 2B
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Projections: 189 H, 97 R, 19 HR, 74 RBI,251 SB, .331 avg
While Baez may flash a higher upside, there is no second baseman who offers more consistent and steady production than Jose Altuve. A model of consistency, you can pencil Altuve in for an average well north of .300 to go with 100 runs.
Jose Altuve can’t stop, won’t stop hitting. #CarryTheFreight
Although he was hampered slightly by injuries last season, Altuve has still never missed more than 30 games in a season and is one of the more durable players in the league. With the highest floor of any second baseman, Jose Altuve finds himself in the top spot for our second base rankings.
READ NEXT: Fantasy Baseball 2019 Player Rankings & Projections: First Base
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Fantasy Baseball 2019 Player Rankings & Projections: Second Base