Judge headlines top tier of fantasy outfielders

The outfield will not be solely house to a few of baseball’s largest stars but additionally the place round which many fantasy managers will construct their lineups in 2023.

Seven of the highest 9 gamers in MLB.com’s fantasy rankings this 12 months are outfielders, led by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge. Those who eschew choosing an outfielder within the first two rounds can nonetheless discover some strong decisions later, however passing on the elite choices on the place isn’t simple.

Whichever route you select to take, this tier-by-tier information might help.

Tier 1: Aaron Judge, Ronald Acuña Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Kyle Tucker, Juan Soto, Yordan Alvarez, Mookie Betts

Judge could have a tough time matching his unimaginable output from final season, when he set an AL file with 62 homers and produced 131 RBIs, 133 runs, 16 steals, a .311 common and a 1.111 OPS. But the 30-year-old has now put collectively back-to-back wholesome seasons and is certainly one of 10 gamers all time with a number of 50-homer campaigns.

Acuña’s manufacturing in his return from a torn ACL wasn’t as much as his regular requirements, however as he strikes additional away from that damage, the 25-year-old might get again to his 30/30 methods, and possibly even 40/40. (Steamer initiatives him for 30 homers and 43 steals.)

Along with Trea Turner and José Ramírez, Judge and Acuña each have a robust case to be the No. 1 total decide in fantasy leagues, and J-Rod may be in that spot a 12 months from now if he makes a leap in Year 2. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year is one other 30/30 risk. Tucker is, too. He had 30 homers and 25 steals final season.

Up subsequent are Soto, whose definition of a “down” 12 months nonetheless included 27 homers, 93 runs, 135 walks and an .853 OPS; and Alvarez, certainly one of two qualifiers (Judge was the opposite) who posted an OPS north of 1.000 in 2022.

Betts stays a positive first-round selection as effectively after going 35/12 with an NL-leading 117 runs over 142 video games final 12 months.

Tier 2: Mike Trout, Michael Harris II, Randy Arozarena, Luis Robert, Cedric Mullins II

Trout had a prolonged run because the consensus No. 1 fantasy decide, however damage issues and a decline in stolen bases have dropped him down the rankings some. He’s nonetheless a high 10 outfielder after socking 40 dingers and posting a .999 OPS over 119 video games in 2022.

After ending with 19 homers, 20 steals and a .297 common throughout 114 video games and successful the NL Rookie of the Year Award final season, Harris cracks Tier 2. He’s adopted by Arozarena, the AL Rookie of the Year in 2021. The Rays outfielder has recorded 40 homers and 52 steals over the previous two years.

Robert stays a possible fantasy stud, however accidents have restricted him to 166 video games over the previous two seasons, throughout which he has hit .307 with 25 house runs and 17 steals.

Mullins (16 HR, 34 SB) took a step again final season after his 30/30 breakout in 2021, however he’s nonetheless a strong early-round choice.

Tier 3: Kyle Schwarber, Daulton Varsho, Adolis García, Teoscar Hernández, Starling Marte, Eloy Jiménez, George Springer, Corbin Carroll, Bryan Reynolds, Byron Buxton

Long thought-about a possible 40-homer bat, Schwarber lastly crossed that threshold in 2022, main the NL with 46 dingers, albeit with a .218 batting common.

If you’re on the lookout for one other participant from this tier who might put up 40-plus house runs in 2023, Jiménez arguably is the very best wager, although the 26-year-old wants to indicate he can keep wholesome after enjoying simply 139 video games mixed the previous two years.

Speaking of injury-prone outfielders, Buxton once more spent appreciable time on the IL in 2022, enjoying 92 video games and hitting 28 homers. The 29-year-old has top-tier abilities, however anybody drafting him should put together for some missed time.

With all due respect to Buxton, Carroll affords the very best fantasy ceiling of anybody in Tier 3 getting into 2023. After hitting .307 with 24 homers, 31 steals and a 1.036 OPS within the Minors final season, MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 total prospect gave fantasy managers a glimpse of his potential whereas enjoying for the D-backs down the stretch.

Carroll’s emergence made Varsho expendable for Arizona, and the membership traded him to the Blue Jays in December. The 26-year-old is at his most beneficial in fantasy as a catcher, rating simply behind our No. 2 choice on the place, Will Smith. It’s attainable this would be the final 12 months Varsho has catcher eligibility, contemplating Toronto has Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen behind the plate.

Tier 4: Tyler O’Neill, Seiya Suzuki, Christian Yelich, Steven Kwan, Nick Castellanos, Anthony Santander, Giancarlo Stanton, Taylor Ward, Jake McCarthy, Kris Bryant

O’Neill soared up fantasy draft boards final 12 months on the heels of a 34-homer, 15-steal, .912 OPS season in 2021, however he has rather a lot to show after tailing off final 12 months whereas battling accidents.

Fantasy managers who took an opportunity on Suzuki after the Japanese star signed a five-year cope with the Cubs needed to be thrilled by his sizzling begin, however he missed greater than a month with a left finger damage and completed with underwhelming numbers. He’ll search for higher ends in his second MLB season.

This tier additionally features a trio of former MVPs who’ve seen higher days — Yelich, Stanton and Bryant. With 14 homers, 19 steals and 99 runs scored final season, Yelich was nonetheless a helpful fantasy outfielder, however he hasn’t come near his manufacturing from 2018-19. Stanton hit 31 homers in 2022, however he set profession lows in common (.211), on-base proportion (.297) and slugging (.462) and missed 52 video games. Bryant performed solely 42 video games in his first season with the Rockies, although he did put up a .306/.376/.475 slash.

Tier 5: Andrew Vaughn, Hunter Renfroe, Ian Happ, Brandon Nimmo, Mitch Haniger, Bryce Harper, Harrison Bader, Oscar Gonzalez, Cody Bellinger, Riley Greene, Lars Nootbaar, Alex Verdugo

The White Sox want extra from Vaughn this season after José Abreu departed as a free agent to affix the Astros. The 24-year-old did put up the fourth-highest hard-hit fee on a per-swing foundation (20.7%) in MLB final 12 months, so there’s hope for a breakout this 12 months.

Two extra former MVPs — Harper and Bellinger — reside on this tier, although they’re right here for very completely different causes. If he was wholesome, Harper can be an early-round decide, however his return date is unsure after he underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in November. Bellinger, in the meantime, has recorded a lowly .648 OPS since his MVP season in 2019. We’ll see if a change of surroundings (he signed with the Cubs after being non-tendered by the Dodgers) does the trick for the 27-year-old.