After hitting .326 with 30 home runs and stealing 49 bases as a rookie, Mike Trout is sure to top most fantasy drafts this spring.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
It has long been said that baseball is a kid's game. We might as well take note and follow suit in fantasy baseball.
Mike Trout, 21, and his legendary WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in his Rookie of the Year season might not have been able to wrest the MVP from the Triple Crown champion Miguel Cabrera, but he does have another thing going for him: The No. 1 player in SI.com's initial Top 100 rankings for fantasy baseball 2013.
The top pitcher? How about 24-year-old Stephen Strasburg. We tried to justify leaving Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw ahead of the Nationals wunderkind, but if that right arm is allowed (and healthy enough) to go over 200 innings as promised, Verlander and Kershaw won't be able to touch his strikeout totals. Strasburg's wins potential, ERA and WHIP numbers are just as good. He looks like he can be the No. 1 pitcher off the board.
Yeah, baseball is a grind best handled by the young bucks in the post-steroid era. Picking the best young talents becomes of utmost importance.
Below is a rough draft of how the top of your fantasy baseball draft might go in March as we debut a tasty first piece in SI.com's comprehensive fantasy baseball preview. In the coming weeks, we will break down all the positions, the teams, the projections, the dollar values, the breakouts, busts and sleepers. Then, to cap off the series, we will outline the players who will best outperform their draft position well in advance of your own draft.
A new wrinkle this year is the projections below. The numbers are rough statistical estimates for each player in the traditional categories, in case you need to massage these rankings a bit differently to fit your scoring system.
Let the debates, and the fantasy baseball draft prep season, begin!
| MLB Preseason Fantasy Top 100 |
| Statistics projected for 2013 season |
| Rank |
Player |
Team |
Pos. |
AVG |
HR |
RBI |
R |
SB |
OBP |
SLUG |
W |
ERA |
K |
WHIP |
SV |
| 1 |
Mike Trout |
LAA |
OF |
.306 |
32 |
100 |
115 |
50 |
.379 |
.532 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 2 |
Ryan Braun |
MIL |
OF |
.313 |
35 |
110 |
105 |
27 |
.375 |
.575 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 3 |
Miguel Cabrera |
DET |
3B |
.320 |
35 |
120 |
105 |
3 |
.395 |
.595 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 4 |
Matt Kemp |
LAD |
OF |
.295 |
33 |
105 |
105 |
20 |
.375 |
.550 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 5 |
Albert Pujols |
LAA |
1B |
.300 |
35 |
110 |
105 |
7 |
.400 |
.600 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 6 |
Andrew McCutchen |
PIT |
OF |
.299 |
30 |
100 |
105 |
25 |
.375 |
.545 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 7 |
Robinson Cano |
NYY |
2B |
.300 |
30 |
100 |
100 |
3 |
.350 |
.530 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 8 |
Carlos Gonzalez |
COL |
OF |
.300 |
25 |
95 |
95 |
25 |
.365 |
.520 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 9 |
Josh Hamilton |
LAA |
OF |
.295 |
37 |
118 |
94 |
7 |
.360 |
.550 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 10 |
Joey Votto |
CIN |
1B |
.316 |
30 |
100 |
100 |
7 |
.415 |
.553 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 11 |
Prince Fielder |
DET |
1B |
.287 |
35 |
104 |
85 |
1 |
.405 |
.538 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 12 |
Stephen Strasburg |
WAS |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
20 |
2.94 |
285 |
1.100 |
0 |
| 13 |
Justin Verlander |
DET |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
18 |
2.89 |
229 |
1.100 |
0 |
| 14 |
Jose Bautista |
TOR |
OF |
.253 |
33 |
105 |
88 |
5 |
.362 |
.535 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 15 |
Jose Reyes |
TOR |
SS |
.290 |
10 |
52 |
105 |
35 |
.342 |
.438 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 16 |
Clayton Kershaw |
LAD |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
2.80 |
230 |
1.140 |
0 |
| 17 |
Giancarlo Stanton |
FLA |
OF |
.280 |
39 |
100 |
80 |
5 |
.360 |
.595 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 18 |
Buster Posey |
SF |
C/1B |
.314 |
22 |
97 |
80 |
2 |
.380 |
.503 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 19 |
David Wright |
NYM |
3B |
.300 |
20 |
90 |
90 |
15 |
.380 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 20 |
David Price |
TB |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
17 |
3.16 |
210 |
1.120 |
0 |
| 21 |
Bryce Harper |
WAS |
OF |
.289 |
26 |
95 |
100 |
20 |
.365 |
.525 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 22 |
Starlin Castro |
CHC |
SS |
.297 |
15 |
80 |
90 |
30 |
.336 |
.425 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 23 |
Hanley Ramirez |
LAD |
SS/3B |
.260 |
25 |
90 |
85 |
20 |
.325 |
.451 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 24 |
Jason Heyward |
ATL |
OF |
.280 |
30 |
105 |
100 |
25 |
.355 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 25 |
Ryan Zimmerman |
WAS |
3B |
.285 |
27 |
100 |
100 |
5 |
.360 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 26 |
Troy Tulowitzki |
COL |
SS |
.292 |
28 |
91 |
80 |
10 |
.364 |
.504 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 27 |
Adrian Gonzalez |
LAD |
1B |
.294 |
25 |
105 |
80 |
1 |
.371 |
.499 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 28 |
Evan Longoria |
TB |
3B |
.276 |
30 |
100 |
90 |
7 |
.361 |
.516 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 29 |
Adrian Beltre |
TEX |
3B |
.299 |
30 |
100 |
89 |
1 |
.330 |
.549 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 30 |
Jacoby Ellsbury |
BOS |
OF |
.295 |
19 |
70 |
110 |
35 |
.350 |
.450 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 31 |
Ian Kinsler |
TEX |
2B |
.272 |
23 |
90 |
90 |
20 |
.350 |
.460 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 32 |
Joe Mauer |
MIN |
C |
.323 |
10 |
88 |
85 |
7 |
.405 |
.468 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 33 |
Felix Hernandez |
SEA |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
14 |
3.22 |
215 |
1.210 |
0 |
| 34 |
Justin Upton |
ARI |
OF |
.285 |
25 |
94 |
105 |
20 |
.357 |
.475 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 35 |
Curtis Granderson |
NYY |
OF |
.260 |
35 |
105 |
90 |
10 |
.335 |
.499 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 36 |
Edwin Encarnacion |
TOR |
1B |
.264 |
30 |
100 |
89 |
10 |
.354 |
.520 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 37 |
Matt Holliday |
STL |
OF |
.300 |
25 |
100 |
90 |
3 |
.385 |
.515 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 38 |
Adam Jones |
BAL |
OF |
.285 |
28 |
85 |
95 |
15 |
.333 |
.490 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 39 |
Cole Hamels |
PHI |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.00 |
215 |
1.100 |
0 |
| 40 |
Paul Goldschmidt |
ARI |
1B |
.278 |
25 |
100 |
90 |
17 |
.353 |
.487 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 41 |
Jered Weaver |
LAA |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
18 |
2.95 |
175 |
1.050 |
0 |
| 42 |
Matt Cain |
SF |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
2.83 |
189 |
1.060 |
0 |
| 43 |
Yu Darvish |
TEX |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
17 |
3.60 |
210 |
1.250 |
0 |
| 44 |
Billy Butler |
KC |
1B |
.300 |
25 |
100 |
75 |
2 |
.362 |
.468 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 45 |
Freddie Freeman |
ATL |
1B |
.285 |
25 |
100 |
95 |
3 |
.350 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 46 |
Chris Sale |
CHW |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
2.90 |
205 |
1.130 |
0 |
| 47 |
Cliff Lee |
PHI |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
13 |
3.15 |
200 |
1.150 |
0 |
| 48 |
Dustin Pedroia |
BOS |
2B |
.297 |
15 |
80 |
85 |
17 |
.360 |
.460 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 49 |
Jay Bruce |
CIN |
OF |
.255 |
35 |
100 |
90 |
8 |
.330 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 50 |
Mark Teixeira |
NYY |
1B |
.255 |
30 |
100 |
85 |
2 |
.355 |
.480 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 51 |
Craig Kimbrel |
ATL |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
1.75 |
115 |
0.900 |
45 |
| 52 |
Gio Gonzalez |
WAS |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
17 |
3.25 |
205 |
1.200 |
0 |
| 53 |
CC Sabathia |
NYY |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
17 |
3.35 |
195 |
1.200 |
0 |
| 54 |
Johnny Cueto |
CIN |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
2.99 |
175 |
1.150 |
0 |
| 55 |
Aramis Ramirez |
MIL |
3B |
.285 |
25 |
97 |
82 |
6 |
.345 |
.503 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 56 |
Michael Bourn |
FA |
OF |
.272 |
3 |
51 |
95 |
51 |
.339 |
.365 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 57 |
Jason Kipnis |
CLE |
2B |
.260 |
16 |
75 |
90 |
29 |
.335 |
.403 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 58 |
Yoenis Cespedes |
OAK |
OF |
.290 |
25 |
95 |
79 |
15 |
.360 |
.500 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 59 |
Chase Headley |
SD |
3B |
.285 |
26 |
94 |
81 |
15 |
.375 |
.469 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 60 |
Victor Martinez |
DET |
C |
.303 |
17 |
89 |
70 |
1 |
.370 |
.469 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 61 |
Yadier Molina |
STL |
C |
.299 |
17 |
72 |
60 |
8 |
.356 |
.479 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 62 |
B.J. Upton |
ATL |
OF |
.250 |
20 |
75 |
85 |
30 |
.333 |
.425 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 63 |
Alex Rios |
CHW |
OF |
.278 |
23 |
90 |
90 |
20 |
.324 |
.465 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 64 |
Adam Wainwright |
STL |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
3.16 |
199 |
1.210 |
0 |
| 65 |
Matt Wieters |
BAL |
C |
.260 |
25 |
80 |
70 |
2 |
.330 |
.450 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 66 |
Miguel Montero |
ARI |
C |
.275 |
16 |
85 |
65 |
1 |
.370 |
.450 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 67 |
Aaron Hill |
ARI |
2B |
.272 |
25 |
81 |
90 |
13 |
.330 |
.477 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 68 |
Pablo Sandoval |
SF |
3B |
.295 |
21 |
84 |
65 |
1 |
.353 |
.490 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 69 |
Madison Bumgarner |
SF |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.21 |
195 |
1.125 |
0 |
| 70 |
Tim Lincecum |
SF |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
3.32 |
215 |
1.230 |
0 |
| 71 |
Roy Halladay |
PHI |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.31 |
19 |
1.150 |
0 |
| 72 |
R.A. Dickey |
TOR |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.45 |
192 |
1.333 |
0 |
| 73 |
Hunter Pence |
SF |
OF |
.285 |
23 |
99 |
85 |
7 |
.339 |
.460 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 74 |
Mark Trumbo |
LAA |
OF/1B |
.260 |
30 |
99 |
69 |
5 |
.320 |
.495 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 75 |
Aroldis Chapman |
CIN |
LHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
11 |
2.79 |
180 |
1.020 |
7 |
| 76 |
Ben Zobrist |
TB |
2B/SS/OF |
.265 |
20 |
80 |
90 |
12 |
.354 |
.470 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 77 |
Alex Gordon |
KC |
OF |
.295 |
20 |
85 |
95 |
12 |
.348 |
.465 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 78 |
Brian McCann |
ATL |
C |
.270 |
23 |
75 |
60 |
3 |
.350 |
.475 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 79 |
Carlos Santana |
CLE |
C |
.255 |
24 |
75 |
75 |
4 |
.363 |
.443 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 80 |
Mike Napoli |
FA |
C/1B |
.259 |
25 |
71 |
59 |
2 |
.356 |
.470 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 81 |
Max Scherzer |
DET |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
16 |
3.89 |
227 |
1.300 |
0 |
| 82 |
Brett Lawrie |
TOR |
3B |
.278 |
20 |
82 |
92 |
15 |
.336 |
.446 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 83 |
Yovani Gallardo |
MIL |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.64 |
200 |
1.300 |
0 |
| 84 |
Zack Greinke |
LAD |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.59 |
196 |
1.219 |
0 |
| 85 |
Mat Latos |
CIN |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15 |
3.42 |
187 |
1.160 |
0 |
| 86 |
James Shields |
KC |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
14 |
3.15 |
210 |
1.230 |
0 |
| 87 |
David Freese |
STL |
3B |
.296 |
22 |
91 |
75 |
2 |
.363 |
.474 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 88 |
Josh Johnson |
TOR |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
14 |
3.35 |
180 |
1.240 |
0 |
| 89 |
Brandon Morrow |
TOR |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
3.55 |
199 |
1.189 |
0 |
| 90 |
Allen Craig |
STL |
1B/OF |
.300 |
21 |
90 |
75 |
3 |
.348 |
.515 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 91 |
Desmond Jennings |
TB |
OF |
.260 |
17 |
65 |
100 |
35 |
.327 |
.406 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 92 |
Ian Desmond |
WAS |
SS |
.280 |
22 |
75 |
90 |
20 |
.335 |
.480 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 93 |
Carlos Beltran |
STL |
OF |
.282 |
24 |
87 |
80 |
10 |
.360 |
.496 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 94 |
Salvador Perez |
KC |
C |
.299 |
14 |
60 |
58 |
0 |
.339 |
.471 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 95 |
Brandon Phillips |
CIN |
2B |
.273 |
18 |
79 |
89 |
15 |
.322 |
.433 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 96 |
Nick Swisher |
CLE |
OF |
.265 |
25 |
90 |
80 |
2 |
.361 |
.467 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 97 |
Austin Jackson |
DET |
OF |
.280 |
15 |
65 |
100 |
17 |
.350 |
.435 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 98 |
Melky Cabrera |
TOR |
OF |
.284 |
12 |
73 |
95 |
15 |
.338 |
.430 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 99 |
Asdrubal Cabrera |
CLE |
SS |
.279 |
18 |
75 |
85 |
12 |
.342 |
.441 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 100 |
Ian Kennedy |
ARI |
RHP |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
14 |
3.77 |
185 |
1.240 |
0 |
|
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