With spring training in full swing, we’ve got the 2017 RealGM fantasy baseball draft guide right here. In case you’re not familiar with the format of my rankings, I organize the players in tiers based on position. I strongly suggest using a tier system for all of your drafts. You will also find a composite ranking of the top 150 players at the end of this article, which is to be used to cross-check against the tier rankings (since player values vary based on position). You need to use the tier rankings and the top 150 in tandem in order to best make use of this guide (e.g. a tier 1 catcher doesn’t have the same value as a tier 1 first baseman, etc.). Please also note the following with respect to the rankings:
- Rankings are based on the standard 5 x 5 categories (R, HR, RBI, AVG and SB on offense; W, K, ERA, WHIP and S for pitching). Adjust accordingly for leagues with additional/different categories. For example, Joey Votto gets a bump for leagues with OBP.
- Rankings cover the 2017 season ONLY. For keeper/dynasty leagues, you will need to factor in keeper ramifications accordingly.
Please hit me up on twitter at @NeemaHodjat with any questions whether for your draft or during the season. On that note, here we go:
Catchers:
Tier 1: Buster Posey
Tier 2: Kyle Schwarber, Gary Sanchez, Jonathan Lucroy, Willson Contrares
Tier 3: J.T. Realmuto, Yasmani Grandal, Salvador Perez, Brian McCann, Evan Gattis
Tier 4: Yadier Molina, Welington Castillo, Russell Martin, Matt Wieters, Tom Murphy, Stephen Vogt, Wilson Ramos, Mike Zunino, Francisco Cervelli
First Basemen
Tier 1: Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo
Tier 2: Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, Freddie Freeman
Tier 3: Edwin Encarnacion, Daniel Murphy, Jose Abreu, Wil Myers
Tier 4: Chris Davis, Matt Carpenter, Hanley Ramirez, Eric Hosmer, Carlos Santana
Tier 5: Albert Pujols, Brandon Belt, Adrian Gonzalez, Brad Miller, Mike Napoli
Tier 6: CJ Cron, Mitch Moreland, Kendrys Morales, Eric Thames, Chris Carter, Tommy Joseph, Travis Shaw
Second Basemen
Tier 1: Jose Altuve
Tier 2: Trea Turner, Robinson Cano, Daniel Murphy, Brian Dozier
Tier 3: Roughned Odor, Dee Gordon, Ian Kinsler
Tier 4: Jason Kipnis, DJ LeMahieu, Jean Segura, Matt Carpenter, Dustin Pedroia
Tier 5: Ben Zobrist, Logan Forsythe, Starlin Castro, Neil Walker, Jonathan Schoop, Devon Travis, Javier Baez
Third Basemen
Tier 1: Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson
Tier 2: Kyle Seager, Jonathan Villar, Adrian Beltre, Todd Frazier, Alex Bregman
Tier 3: Matt Carpenter, Evan Longoria, Anthony Rendon
Tier 4: Jose Ramirez, Justin Turner, Miguel Sano
Tier 5: Maikel Franco, Nick Castellanos, Jake Lamb, Eduardo Nunez, Javier Baez, Mike Moustakas, Ryon Healy, Eugenio Suarez, Yulieski Gurriel
Shortstops
Tier 1: Manny Machado
Tier 2: Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Xander Boegarts
Tier 3: Jonathan Villar, Trevor Story
Tier 3.5: Jean Segura
Tier 4: Troy Tulowitzki, Addison Russell, Brad Miller, Dansby Swanson, Aledmys Diaz, Elvis Andrus
Tier 5: Eduardo Nunez, Brandon Crawford, Javier Baez, Jose Peraza, Marcus Semien, Didi Gregorious
Outfielders:
Tier 1: Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Kris Bryant
Tier 2: Bryce Harper, Charlie Blackmon, Trea Turner
Tier 3: Starling Marte, J.D. Martinez, Ryan Braun, George Springer, Carlos Gonzalez, Wil Myers, Giancarlo Stanton, Yoenis Cespedes, Christian Yelich, AJ Pollock, Gregory Polanco, Nelson Cruz
Tier 4: Andrew McCutchen, Justin Upton, Jose Bautista, Kyle Schwarber
Tier 5: Jackie Bradley Jr., Adam Jones, Billy Hamilton, Mark Trumbo, Stephen Piscotty, Adam Eaton, Jose Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Marcell Ozuna, Khris Davis, Andrew Benintendi, Miguel Sano, Kole Calhoun
Tier 6: Willson Contreras, Lorenzo Cain, Odubel Herrera, Byron Buxton, David Dahl, Michael Brantley, Joc Pederson, Ender Inciarte
Tier 7: Jay Bruce, Adam Duvall, Dexter Fowler, Yasmany Tomas, Hunter Pence, Nomar Mazara, Carlos Beltran, Keon Broxton, Yasiel Puig, Brett Gardner, Randal Grichuk, Mitch Haniger, Ben Zobrist, Melky Cabrera, Curtis Granderson, Ian Desmond
Tier 8: Kevin Kiermaier, Rajai Davis, Hunter Renfroe, Matt Holliday, Joshua Bell, Eric Thames, Josh Reddick, Domingo Santana, Manuel Margot Jarod Dyson, Corey Dickerson, Max Kepler, Jose Peraza
Starting Pitchers:
Tier 1: Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Max Scherzer, Chris Sale
Tier 2: Noah Syndergaard, Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Johnny Cueto, Justin Verlander
Tier 3: Carlos Carrasco, Stephen Strasburg, Chris Archer, Yu Darvish, Jacob DeGrom, Carlos Martinez, Kyle Hendricks, Masahiro Tanaka
Tier 4: Gerrit Cole, Jose Quintana, Cole Hamels, David Price, Rick Porcello, Kevin Gausman, Zack Greinke, Julio Teheran, Marcus Stroman, Danny Duffy, Kenta Maeda
Tier 5: Felix Hernandez, Danny Salazaar, Michael Fulmer, Aaron Sanchez, Rich Hill, Drew Pomeranz, Dallas Keuchel, James Paxton, John Lackey
Tier 6: Jeff Samardzija, Matt Shoemaker, Aaron Nola, Drew Smyly, Jake Odorizzi, Jameson Taillion, Sean Manaea, Steven Matz, Julio Urias, Robbie Ray
Tier 7: Hisashi Iwakuma, Carlos Rodon, Adam Wainwright, Lance McCullers, Anthony DeSclafani, Tanner Roark, Vincent Velasquez, Marco Estrada, Jon Gray, Sonny Gray, Taijuan Walker, Jharel Cotton, Michael Pineda, Alex Cobb, JA Happ, Joe Ross
Tier 8: Gio Gonzalez, Ian Kennedy, Garrett Richards, Jason Hammel, Chris Tillman, Jared Eickhoff, Michael Wacha, Mike Fiers, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Jordan Zimmerman, Junior Guerra, Ivan Nova, Ervin Santana
Relief Pitchers
Tier 1: Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Zach Britton
Tier 2: Mark Melancon, Seung Hwan Oh, Wade Davis, Edwin Diaz, Roberto Osuna, Craig Kimbrell
Tier 3: Kelvin Herrera, Cody Allen, Ken Giles, David Robertson, Andrew Miller
Tier 4: Jeurys Familia, Francisco Rodriguez, Alex Colome, Raisel Iglesius, AJ Ramos, Tony Watson, Dellin Betances
Tier 5: Sam Dyson, Adam Ottavino, Jim Johnson, Ryan Madson, Brandon Maurer, Cameron Bedrosian
Tier 6: Neftali Feliz, Shawn Kelley, Hector Neris, Nate Jones, Addison Reed, Fernando Rodney
Top 150
- Mike Trout
- Jose Altuve
- Mookie Betts
- Nolan Arenado
- Kris Bryant
- Paul Goldschmitd
- Clayton Kershaw
- Manny Machado
- Josh Donaldson
- Anthony Rizzo
- Bryce Harper
- Madison Bumgarner
- Miguel Cabrera
- Max Scherzer
- Charlie Blackmon
- Trea Turner
- Joey Votto
- Chris Sale
- Freddie Freeman
- Corey Seager
- Robinson Cano
- Carlos Correa
- Noah Syndergaard
- Francisco Lindor
- Corey Kluber
- Starling Marte
- Xander Boegarts
- Edwin Encarnacion
- Daniel Murphy
- JD Martinez
- Jake Arrieta
- Brian Dozier
- Ryan Braun
- Jon Lester
- George Springer
- Jose Abreu
- Johnny Cueto
- Justin Verlander
- Kyle Seager
- Carlos Gonzalez
- Jonathan Villar
- Wil Myers
- Giancarlo Stanton
- Trevor Story
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Carlos Carrasco
- Stephen Strasburg
- Christian Yelich
- Chris Archer
- Adrian Beltre
- Buster Posey
- Roughned Odor
- AJ Pollock
- Todd Frazier
- Yu Darvish
- Jacob DeGrom
- Gregory Polanco
- Alex Bregman
- Carlos Martinez
- Dee Gordon
- Nelson Cruz
- Aroldis Chapman
- Kenley Jansen
- Ian Kinsler
- Carlos Martinez
- Kyle Hendricks
- Zach Britton
- Andrew McCutchen
- Masahiro Tanaka
- Justin Upton
- Jason Kipnis
- Chris Davis
- Jose Bautista
- DJ LeMahieu
- Gerrit Cole
- Jose Quintana
- Kyle Schwarber
- Jean Segura
- Matt Carpenter
- Cole Hamels
- Hanley Ramirez
- David Price
- Mark Melancon
- Eric Hosmer
- Seung Hwan Oh
- Rick Porcello
- Kevin Gausman
- Carlos Santana
- Jackie Bradley Jr.
- Dustin Pedroia
- Adam Jones
- Billy Hamilton
- Zack Greinke
- Wade Davis
- Gary Sanchez
- Mark Trumbo
- Stephen Piscotty
- Edwin Diaz
- Evan Longoria
- Julio Teheran
- Anthony Rendon
- Marcus Stroman
- Roberto Osuna
- Danny Duffy
- Adam Eaton
- Kenta Maeda
- Jose Ramirez
- Craig Kimbrell
- Matt Kemp
- Marcell Ozuna
- Albert Pujols
- Justin Turner
- Felix Hernandez
- Danny Salazaar
- Khris Davis
- Andrew Benintendi
- Miguel Sano
- Jonathan Lucroy
- Michael Fulmer
- Brandon Belt
- Kole Calhoun
- Aaron Sanchez
- Kelvin Herrera
- Cody Allen
- Troy Tulowitzki
- Adrian Gonzalez
- Rich Hill
- Addison Russell
- Brad Miller
- Ken Giles
- David Robertson
- Drew Pomeranz
- Willson Contreras
- Andrew Miller
- Lorenzo Cain
- Mike Napoli
- Dansby Swanson
- Dallas Keuchel
- Odubel Herrera
- James Paxton
- John Lackey
- Byron Buxton
- Jeurys Familia
- David Dahl
- Michael Brantley
- Francisco Rodriguez
- Aledmys Diaz
- Joc Pederson
- Elvis Andrus
- Ender Inciarte