10 Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball bargains

J.D. Martinez, Pham, Shark among great value picks

February 21st, 2018

With Spring Training underway, enthusiastic fantasy owners are flocking in droves to play Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball, the Official Commissioner Game of MLB.com. And by reviewing the recently revealed Yahoo Average Draft Position (ADP) data and the MLB.com Player Preview, wise owners can find market inefficiencies and nab the following 10 value picks on draft day.
, catcher (Rays)
MLB.com ranking: 149 | Yahoo ADP: 191
Ramos logged a solid return from major knee surgery when he hit .260 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs across 208 at-bats last season. But now that the veteran is further removed from the October 2016 procedure, he has the potential to recapture the form that led to a .307 average, 22 long balls and 80 RBIs across 482 at-bats two years ago.
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, 1B/OF (Rockies)
MLB.com ranking: 95 | Yahoo ADP: 141


High hopes for his first season at Coors Field were dashed by injury, as Desmond logged a pair of DL stints and appeared in just 95 games last year. But with a healthy start to this season, the 32-year-old -- who has averaged 20 homers and 19 steals per season across the past six years -- could use his superior speed and hitter-friendly home park to notch a 20-20 campaign; a feat that was accomplished by just nine players last campaign.

, second baseman (Angels)
MLB.com ranking: 114 | Yahoo ADP: 152


With 50 homers across the past two years and a double-digit steals total in each of his 12 big league seasons, Kinsler can be counted on for 20 long balls and 10 swipes during his debut campaign with the Halos. And as the table-setter in front of superstar , the 35-year-old should score more than 100 runs for the seventh time in his career. Wise owners will see the counting-stat potential in the lifetime .273 hitter and also expect an increase on his BABIP-suppressed .236 average from 2017.
, third baseman (Reds)
MLB.com ranking: 164 | Yahoo ADP: 227
Suarez enjoyed the benefits of hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park last season, producing 21 of his 26 homers at home en route to tallying a grand total of 82 runs and 87 runs scored. With nary a DL stint on his career resume and the fielding skills to eventually slide to shortstop once prospect Nick Senzel is ready for the Majors, the 26-year-old can be counted on to appear in more than 150 games for the third straight season in '18.

, shortstop (Brewers)
MLB.com ranking: 141 | Yahoo ADP: 248

Although Arcia arrived as a mixed-league asset in his first full season last year (.277 average, 15 homers, 14 steals), he could make strides this year in multiple areas. The youngster could produce more long balls by boosting his lifetime 28.5 percent fly-ball rate and could collect more steals by upping his career 0.35 BB:K ratio to reach base more frequently. And even without making personal improvements, Arcia could tally more RBIs and runs scored by moving to a higher lineup spot after batting eighth for most of 2017. Wise owners will invest in some anticipated growth and figure out the exact details by midseason.

J.D. Martinez, outfielder (Red Sox)
MLB.com ranking: 16 | Yahoo ADP: 26


While replicating his astonishing 2017 pace (45 homers, 104 RBIs in 119 games) will be a tall task, Martinez can be counted on to make another run at 40-plus homers and rank among the AL leaders in RBIs as part of a talented Red Sox lineup. And even with no shortage of power options available to '18 fantasy owners, players who can produce 40 long balls and a .300 average continue to be in short supply, making the 30-year-old a fine option in Round 2.
Tommy Pham, outfielder (Cardinals)
MLB.com ranking: 50 | Yahoo ADP: 76
The breakout season by Pham in 2017 (23 homers, 95 runs scored, 25 steals, .306 average) is even more remarkable when noticing that he spent all of April in Triple-A. Though his power pace may dip a bit this year due to a lifetime 27.0 percent fly-ball rate, he has the plate discipline, speed, hard-hitting habits and premium lineup spot to be a five-category stud for the entirety of '18.

, starter (Yankees)
MLB.com ranking: 31 | Yahoo ADP: 50
Arguably the biggest breakout pitcher of 2017, Severino is well-positioned to produce ace-level numbers for a second straight season. By replicating the 4.5 K:BB ratio, 50.6 percent ground-ball rate and 28.5 percent hard-hit rate allowed from a year ago, the youngster should continue to thrive -- even while working at his hitter-friendly home park against deep American League lineups.

Jeff Samardzija, starter (Giants) 
MLB.com ranking: 102 | Yahoo ADP: 169
Owners who look past Samardzija's disappointing 4.42 ERA last season will notice that he posted a solid 3.61 FIP while giving his fantasy teams a significant boost in the WHIP (1.14) and whiff (205) categories. The righty can be counted on for solid ratios and nearly 200 strikeouts this year, and his lack of win potential due to a potentially light-hitting supporting cast is offset by the benefits of working at his pitcher-friendly home park.

, reliever (Reds) 
MLB.com ranking: 79 | 
Yahoo ADP: 129

Although he has just 34 career saves to his credit, Iglesias is already a borderline top-tier fantasy closer. With a lifetime 2.44 ERA out of the bullpen and a 10.9 K/9 rate from last season, Iglesias just needs a few more opportunities from a youthful Cincinnati squad before he challenges the 40-save plateau and becomes a four-category star.