We couldn’t figure out the right total of outfields to rank for our fantasy baseball coverage is year. We decided that 150 was the right (and lofty) total.
There have been some top-ranked outfielders join new teams this offseason. The Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton, the Cardinals added Marcell Ozuna while the Red Sox paid big bucks for J.D. Martinez.
Which of these new faces make the biggest impact?
Which late-round sleepers have the best odds of success?
My rankings are based on a standard 5×5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me BobbyMcrib@gmail.com.
1. Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels – Trout would have been in the MVP race again if he didn’t injure his thumb. He missed a quarter of the season and still hit 33 homers, scored 92 runs and stole 22 bases. He’s about as safe of a first-round pick as you can get. Trout is one of the best fantasy baseball players in recent memory.
2. Mookie Betts – Boston Red Sox – Betts was drafted higher than Trout in some leagues last season. They thought he was going to take the next step in his development. The jump didn’t happen, but Betts still had a pretty darn good season. I predict that this season is the year he will take it to the next level. He has all the tools to be a 30/30 guy. The Red Sox added some bats and Betts will benefit from the added lineup protection. Also, his average should bounce back and hit at a .300-ish clip.
3. Charlie Blackmon – Colorado Rockies – I’m a little more bullish on Blackmon than most. He had a high BABIP last season, but some of that is from the benefit of playing in Denver. He’s going to hit around .320, hit 30+ homers and be one of the league leaders in runs. He’s a no-brainer first-round pick.
4. Bryce Harper – Washington Nationals – I docked Harper a little in my rankings since he just can’t stay healthy. He takes too many risks in the outfield that led to him missing extended amount of games. He was seeing the ball well and putting up some great numbers before missing 42 games due to a knee injury. I’m factoring in him missing a couple dozen games in my rankings. He will still hit for power and if you’re in an OBP league, he will be walked plenty.
5. Giancarlo Stanton – New York Yankees – How will Stanton perform in homer-friendly Yankee Stadium? He was the hottest hitter on the planet late last season and would have cracked 60+ homers if he played 81 games at his new park. It’s crazy to think that Stanton, Judge and Sanchez are all in the same lineup. Stanton will drive in 100+ RBI, hit 45+ homers and score 100+ runs. Also, I’m being quite conservative with my 45 home run total prediction.
6. Aaron Judge – New York Yankees – Judge destroyed pitching as a rookie, but pitchers did start to figure him out. He struck out 208 times and the Yankees were starting to take him out late in the season to avoid breaking strikeout records. Unlike many strikeout-prone guys, he will draw plenty of walks. He has an Adam Dunn-esque fantasy baseball ability of being an OBP guy and still strikeout in 25% of his at-bats.
7. J.D. Martinez – Boston Red Sox – Martinez was right up there with Giancarlo Stanton in power late last season. He crushed 45 homers in only 432 at-bats. He has a track record of success in the Majors, but it’s impossible to keep up that pace. I’ve owned Martinez in many leagues over the last couple years and he helps you greatly in batting average too. He will have plenty more RBI opportunities with the Red Sox, so he’s a top-ten fantasy outfielder.
8. Cody Bellinger – Los Angeles Dodgers – Bellinger was called up early last season and instantly made a huge impact for the Dodgers. He made Adrian Gonzalez expendable and won NL Rookie of the Year in the process. Aaron Judge got a lot of the ‘rookie hype’, but Bellinger was just as good. He should even see an increase in his overall numbers in what will be his first full season in the Majors. Also, he has first base-eligibility, so he’s the first guy on this list with some position-flexibility.
9. George Springer – Houston Astros – Springer is one of the young core members of the Astros. He had his best career fantasy numbers on his way to a World Series ring. He hit .283 and hit 34 homers, but his speed numbers fell off a cliff. He only stole five bases, but I see that number bouncing back a tad. It’s not like he was caught a lot; he just didn’t take enough chances. I expect a repeat performance for him in all the other categories.
10. Marcell Ozuna – St. Louis Cardinals – Ozuna was one of the guys who was dumped traded away from the Marlins. He’s going to be a huge piece for the Cardinals on offense. He’s going to be a 30+ home run hitter and still have a .300-ish batting average. I’m not sure he will match last season’s 37 dinger total, but the Cardinals got a elite power hitter in this trade.
11. Justin Upton – Los Angeles Angels – Upton has been a fantasy baseball disappointment for most of his career. He has all the physical tools to be a top-ten player, but he has only managed to have just two or three very good fantasy seasons. Strikeouts will always be a problem for him, but he managed to hit .273 last season after striking out 180 times. I don’t think that average is sustainable, but his power numbers should stick. I can’t lie and say selecting him early is a safe pick, because he is fairly risky. I liked what I saw after the trade enough to rank him this high.
12. Andrew Benintendi – Boston Red Sox – Benintendi has been on my watch list for a few seasons. I like what he did in the minors and think he will develop into an elite fantasy player. I could see him finishing the season with Mookie Betts-like numbers. Will it happen this season? It may be a bit early, but he’s going to be a 20/20 guy and be a big part of a stacked Red Sox team.
13. Christian Yelich – Milwaukee Brewers – Like Ozuna, Yelich was booted from South Florida and landed in the Midwest. Yelich will now be in a hitter-friendly park in a lineup with a green-light to steal bases. The Brewers love to run, so I think he will be a 20+ steal guy this season. The reason some have him ranked a little higher than me is because his Runs and RBIs aren’t at the level you would expect of a top-ten fantasy outfielder.
14. Rhys Hoskins – Philadelphia Phillies – Hoskins is probably the riskiest top-fifteen guy in my rankings. He knocked the cover off the ball when he was called-up late last season. Pitchers started to figure him out and he only batted .227 the final month of the season. I do know that Hoskins is a power hitter that will be playing 81 games in a very power-friendly park. He may not help your batting average much, but his upside is tied to his power, which could really pay off for you.
15. Byron Buxton – Minnesota Twins – I feel like I’ve been waiting a decade for Buxton to figure out Major League pitching. He finally figured it all out a few months into last season. I love his speed and his confidence will continue to grow. He also has the tools to be a 20+ home run hitter.
16. Tommy Pham – St. Louis Cardinals – Pham might be the best overall player on the Cardinals this season. He could even be a 30/30 guy while keeping a .290+ average. He will help every category and would be a steal if he slips in your draft. He’s not as ‘sexy’ as guys like Yoenis Cespedes or Khris Davis, since those guys will finish with more power numbers. I’d take Pham over both of them.
17. Nicholas Castellanos – Detroit Tigers – As I sad in our third baseman fantasy rankings, I love Castellanos. The Tigers weren’t very good last season, so he had a very sneaky good season. He’s another guy that can help you in more ways than just power. I’m higher on him than a lot of people. I think you’ll be able to get him a round or two later than where he should be drafted.
18. A.J. Pollock – Arizona Diamondbacks – Since 2015, Pollock has been on the DL nearly just as much as he’s been healthy. He managed to get 425 at-bats last season and was nearly a 20/20 guy. There is some risk there due to his injury history, but he will be a nice source of speed and still give you a little pop.
19. Yoenis Cespedes – New York Mets – Cespedes struggled to stay healthy last season. He only managed 291 at-bats, but did make the most out of those. He hit 17 homers and hit .292, which was an improved rate for him. I expect him to hit 30+ homers if he can stay healthy. He could be worth the risk.
20. Lorenzo Cain – Milwaukee Brewers – Cain has been a pretty darn good fantasy baseball player the last two seasons. He now plays in a better hitter park and like Yelich, he will have a green light to steal. He could have numbers similar to his 2016 season.
21. Adam Eaton – Washington Nationals – Eaton was off to an incredible start to the season when he tore his ACL in late-April. He is expected to start the season again as the lead-off hitter, so I see no reason why he can’t be the same player pre-ACL surgery. He’s a young guy with a good batting eye. He’s going to have a good fantasy season.
22. Khris Davis – Oakland A’s – I’ve said this plenty of times, but I’m not a fan of power guys that kill other categories. Davis will hit 40+ homers, but is so damn streaky in the process. He will go two weeks without a homer and then hit six in the following week. He’s a much better Roto player than in head-to-head leagues. I still downgrade him due to personal preference of just not wanting to deal with all of the frustration.
23. Starling Marte – Pittsburgh Pirates – Marte killed many fantasy teams last season. He was hit with an 80-game PED suspension early in the season. It makes me question his production the last two seasons. I’ve seen him ranked as high as #15 in some rankings, but that would be way too risky for me. I mostly just view him as a good source of steals with low double-digit power.
24. Billy Hamilton – Cincinnati Reds – He may not be the best hitter in the Majors, but he’s one of the fastest guys in the league. The fact that he plays at a homer-friendly park probably hurts him. If he played in a bigger park, he could test more outfielder’s arms by taking an extra base. I think we all know what sort of fantasy player Hamilton is now, so have fun with your 50+ steals and .240 batting average.
25. Andrew McCutchen – San Francisco Giants – McCutchen may no longer be the level of player he was when he won NL MVP, but the guy still has a pretty darn good bat. The trade to San Francisco may lead to a decline in power numbers (AT&T Park is pitcher-friendly), but the rest of the stats will be similar. The Giants have a better lineup than the Pirates, so he should see better pitches.
26. Ryan Braun – Milwaukee Brewers – Braun was once one of the best in fantasy, but he’s now at the end of his peak. He will also find himself playing some games at first base as the Brewers outfield is extremely crowded. He still have some speed and power, so he’s a pretty safe pick. His only unknown variable is the risk the Brewers could trade him. I think a trade would help his fantasy value.
27. Domingo Santana – Milwaukee Brewers – Speaking of Milwaukee’s crowded outfield, Santana is #27 in our rankings. He had a career year in 2017 with 30 homers, 15 steals and 85 RBI. His BABIP was .360+ and has a staggering flyball ratio, so he’s a regression candidate. He will also be facing pressure to produce since playing time will be at a premium. He’s still worth the risk due to his power/speed combo upside.
28. Ian Desmond – Colorado Rockies – Many thought Desmond was going to have a huge fantasy year last season, but an early-season hand injury derailed it. He is a bounce-back candidate this year due to his speed and the fact that he plays in Colorado. His position-flexibility helps him since he’s also first base-eligible.
29. Gregory Polanco – Pittsburgh Pirates – Polanco picked up the ball when Marte was suspended for half of the year, but then found himself on the DL off-and-on with nagging hamstring injuries. I expect his numbers to jump since his hamstring issues are now behind him. He only stole eight bases last year and he could be a 20+ guy in 2018.
30. Ender Inciarte – Atlanta Braves – Inciarte was thought of as basically just a ‘batting average guy’ in fantasy. He changed some opinions last year after hitting 11 homers and stealing 22 bases. He did have 662 at-bats, so cumulative numbers will start to add up in a big way.
31. Adam Jones – Baltimore Orioles – A lot of people are sleeping on Jones. He’s an automatic 25+ homer guy and will help you across the board (except in steals). He no longer has the speed he did just a few years ago. Jones is still the kind of outfielder you need to balance out your team in fantasy.
32. Yasiel Puig – Los Angeles Dodgers – I’m of the opinion that Puig will always be a ‘boom or bust guy.’ He will have huge weeks and then disappear and get benched soon after. He still had one of his best overall fantasy seasons and he only had 499 at-bats. He’s one of the riskier picks in the middle rounds, but he could be a 20/20 guy this season.
33. Manuel Margot – San Diego Padres – Margot was a stolen base machine in the minors, but he hasn’t been given the green light in the Majors. If he doesn’t accumulate stolen bases, he’s a fringe fifth outfielder, but if Padres manager Andy Green lets him go, he could be an top-25 fantasy outfielder.
34. Nomar Mazara – Texas Rangers – I didn’t expect Mazara would drive in 100+ RBI last season, but he pulled it off. He’s still a really young guy, so that production was predicted for much later. I’m curious how much Mazara will improve this season. He hit 20 homers last year and hit .253. I always thought this would be right around his ceiling, but I could be wrong. Even if he does plateau a bit and remain a 20/.250 hitter, it’s not a huge disappointment.
35. Eduardo Nunez – Boston Red Sox – Nunez would probably be a better 2B in fantasy, but it helps that he’s eligible at 3B and OF. He’s going to be a source of steals and solid average for Boston.
36. Adam Duvall – Cincinnati Reds – Duvall followed up his surprising 2016 season with another solid campaign. There is talk of the Reds deploying a four outfielder rotation, so this could mean less at-bats for Duvall. Although, if this just means that he’s being put in a lefty-heavy platoon, that could be great news for his overall fantasy numbers.
37. Eddie Rosario – Minnesota Twins – Rosario was one of the reasons Minnesota made it into the postseason. He stepped up his production in the second-half with 17 homers in the final 70 games. I doubt he will keep up that rate of production, but he’s still a very good player that will hit for power and maintain a .280-ish average.
38. Jay Bruce – New York Mets – Bruce has been playing long enough that we pretty much know the level of production he will give your team. He will hit 30+ homers, but could be a detriment to your team’s batting average. He should see some action at first base this season, so he will also be eligible there early in the season.
39. Corey Dickerson – Pittsburgh Pirates – I’m probably 20+ spots higher on Dickerson than most people. He was a great fantasy player on the Rays down the stretch last season. He hit .282 and hit 27 homers on a bad team. The unceremonious departure from the Rays may leave some people scratching their heads. Do the Rays know something about him that we don’t? The short answer is probably ‘no, they are just dumping salary.’ I love him this season and would be a nice late-round selection.
40. Chris Taylor – Los Angeles Dodgers – Taylor had an unexpected power surge last season. He never shown much power in the minors, so don’t be shocked if he only has low double-digit power numbers this season. The plus with him is that he will also steal a dozen or so bases and hit for .270-ish average. He’s a nice fourth or fifth outfielder.
41. Steven Souza – Arizona Diamondbacks – I owned Souza on plenty of teams over the last two seasons. He’s a streaky player and goes stretches where he can’t find the ball. His strikeout rate is among the highest in the Majors and changing leagues could affect that rate. He will be facing many new pitchers for the first time. He will still have solid power numbers by the end of the season, but I worry about him early in the season.
42. Kevin Kiermaier – Tampa Bay Rays – Kiermaier saw nearly every good hitter on the team be traded this offseason. He could even find himself elsewhere at some point, but he’s still on the Rays in the meantime. He could be a 20/20 guy with some upside. I wouldn’t reach in a draft for him, but he’s going to help every category.
43. Brett Gardner – New York Yankees – The outfield is a crowded position for the Yankees. They have five players good enough to play everyday fighting for three outfield spots and designated hitter. Gardner could find himself on the short-end of the draw a few times this year, especially if they face a lefty. He’s still good enough to be a fourth or fifth outfielder in fantasy.
44. Michael Conforto – New York Mets – Conforto was one of the Majors best young hitters before tearing up his shoulder. He is expected to start the season on the DL and may not be ready until May (at the earliest). He’s good enough to draft and stash in a DL-spot until he’s healthy. He could be a nice source of power when he returns.
45. Marwin Gonzalez – Houston Astros – Gonzalez is Houston’s Swiss Army knife. He’s eligible just about everywhere in fantasy. He’d be a much better middle infield fantasy option, but if you’re stacked there, you can stick him in the outfield.
46. Ian Happ – Chicago Cubs – Happ was called up without much fanfare, but he managed to stick with the team the rest of the season due to his hot start. He didn’t stay hot for the entire season, but his power numbers are legit. He’s still a young guy and will be prone to slumps. He’s also eligible at second base, so that boosts his fantasy stock.
47. Eric Thames – Milwaukee Brewers – Thames was a beast in the Korean Baseball Organization. He didn’t have much success in the MLB before he left for the KBO. He found his power stroke overseas and it looked like it was working last season. He was a homer machine until around June. His production fell off a cliff and then fell into a platoon situation.
48. Ronald Acuna – Atlanta Braves – Acuna is one of the top prospects in baseball. He’s a 20/20 guy that has also had success hitting for contact. He’s still only 20, but the Braves want to get him some action in the Majors. I do wonder if they will delay his MLB debut just to keep an extra year of team control. He has all the skills to be a good fantasy player for many years.
49. Josh Reddick – Houston Astros – Reddick had a great season for the Astros. He had a career year by hitting a surprising .314. His power numbers weren’t the same as in past seasons, but I guess he traded out some power for contact. I don’t see him keeping a .300 average, but it would still be a plus if he was at .280 at the end of the year.
50. Max Kepler – Minnesota Twins – Kepler is a talented young outfielder, but if he doesn’t start hitting lefties, he could find himself in the dreaded platoon. He’s skilled enough to make the adjustments, but he’s a risky player. He should be in the mix for your last outfield spot.
51. Trey Mancini – Baltimore Orioles
52. Stephen Piscotty – Oakland A’s
53. Kyle Schwarber – Chicago Cubs
54. Shin-Soo Choo – Texas Rangers
55. Odubel Herrera – Philadelphia Phillies
56. Delino DeShields – Texas Rangers
57. Avisail Garcia – Chicago White Sox
58. Dexter Fowler – St. Louis Cardinals
59. Bradley Zimmer – Cleveland Indians
60. Kole Calhoun – Los Angeles Angels
I’m a little lower on Schwarber than most people. I don’t view his extreme weight loss as a huge plus. I’ve seen many power hitters lose some power thanks to an offseason weight loss program. He will still be very good, but it’s a red flag. I also expect Odubel Herrera to bounce back after a flat 2017 season.
61. Jackie Bradley Jr. – Boston Red Sox
62. Aaron Altherr – Philadelphia Phillies
63. Mark Trumbo – Baltimore Orioles
64. Mitch Haniger – Seattle Mariners
65. David Peralta – Arizona Diamondbacks
66. David Dahl – Colorado Rockies
67. Michael Bradley – Cleveland Indians
68. Jose Martinez – St. Louis Cardinals
69. Hunter Renfroe – San Diego Padres
70. Randal Grichuk – Toronto Blue Jays
I expect Mitch Haniger to be a sleeper. He was a really good player for stretches last season. I also don’t want people to forget about David Dahl. He was once the best prospect in the Rockies farm system. He’s dealing with a rib injury and could miss the start of the season. Michael Bradley and Randal Grichuk are both post-hype sleeper candidates.
71. Aaron Hicks – New York Yankees
72. Carlos Gomez – Tampa Bay Rays
73. Nick Williams – Philadelphia Phillies
74. Scott Schebler – Cincinnati Reds
75. Carlos Gonzalez – Free Agent
76. Melky Cabrera – Free Agent
77. Lonnie Chisenhall – Cleveland Indians
78. Kevin Pillar – Toronto Blue Jays
79. Jarrod Dyson – Arizona Diamondbacks
80. Cameron Maybin – Miami Marlins
The group above is filled with some speed sources. I also believe CarGo and Melky will be ranked higher later, but since they are currently unsigned, I’ve slotted them in the mid-70’s.
81. Jose Bautista – Free Agent
82. Nicky Delmonico – Chicago White Sox
83. Hernan Perez – Milwaukee Brewers
84. Chris Owings – Arizona Diamondbacks
85. Chad Pinder – Oakland A’s
86. Cory Spangenberg – San Diego Padres
87. Matt Joyce – Oakland A’s
88. Gerardo Parra – Colorado Rockies
89. Michael Taylor – Washington Nationals
90. Hunter Pence – San Francisco Giants
Nicky Delmonico and Chad Pinder could easily be top-50 guys as they are both that talented. They are upside picks that you could take late in drafts in mixed leagues or guys to target in AL-only leagues. Also, Taylor had some success after Eaton went down with an injury last season. I’m curious how he will do this season in a crowded outfield in Washington.
91. Joc Pederson – Los Angeles Dodgers
92. Albert Almora – Chicago Cubs
93. Jason Heyward – Chicago Cubs
94. Jesse Winker – Cincinnati Reds
95. Charlie Tilson – Chicago White Sox
96. Keon Broxton – Milwaukee Brewers
97. Mikie Mahtook – Detroit Tigers
98. Denard Span – Tampa Bay Rays
99. Willie Calhoun – Texas Rangers
100. Colby Rasmus – Baltimore Orioles
Pederson was drafted in every league last season, but he struggled early and landed in Triple-A. He earned a call-up, but has been stuck in a platoon ever since. He’s going to kills your batting average, but he walks a ton and will still probably hit 20 homers in limited work. Winker is a guy to keep your eye on. He has always been a high average guy in the minors and could develop into a very good player for the Reds.
101. Nick Markakis – Atlanta Braves
102. Lewis Brinson – Miami Marlins
103. Victor Robles – Washington Nationals
104. Dustin Fowler – Oakland A’s
105. Jacoby Ellsbury – New York Yankees
106. Ben Gamel – Seattle Mariners
107. Ben Zobrist – Chicago Cubs
108. Yasmany Thomas – Arizona Diamondbacks
109. Curtis Granderson – Toronto Blue Jays
110. Matt Kemp – Los Angeles Dodgers
111. Jorge Bonifacio – Kansas City Royals
112. Jose Pirela – San Diego Padres
113. Raimel Tapia – Colorado Rockies
114. Clint Frazier – New York Yankees
115. Austin Hays – Baltimore Orioles
116. Jorge Soler – Kansas City Royals
117. Mallex Smith – Tampa Bay Rays
118. Leonys Martin – Detroit Tigers
119. Adam Lind – Free Agent
120. Brandon Nimmo – New York Mets
121. Austin Jackson – San Francisco Giants
122. Boog Powell – Oakland A’s
123. Alex Gordon – Kansas City Royals
124. Rajai Davis – Cleveland Indians
125. Enrique Hernandez – Los Angeles Dodgers
126. Adam Frazier – Pittsburgh Pirates
127. Howie Kendrick – Washington Nationals
128. Michael Saunders – Kansas City Royals
129. Austin Meadows – Pittsburgh Pirates
130. Jurickson Profar – Texas Rangers
131. Eloy Jimenez – Chicago White Sox
132. Tyler Naquin – Cleveland Indians
133. Daniel Descalso – Arizona Diamondbacks
134. Steve Pearce – Toronto Blue Jays
135. Ben Revere – Cincinnati Reds
136. Juan Lagares – New York Mets
137. Andrew Toles – Los Angeles Dodgers
138. Teoscar Hernandez – Toronto Blue Jays
139. Robbie Grossman – Minnesota Twins
140. Adam Engel – Chicago White Sox
141. Leury Garcia – Chicago White Sox
142. Jarrett Parker – San Francisco Giants
143. Joey Rickard – Baltimore Orioles
144. Magneuris Sierra – Miami Marlins
145. Sean Rodriguez – Pittsburgh Pirates
146. Jake Marisnick – Houston Astros
147. Lane Adams – Atlanta Braves
148. Paulo Orlando – Kansas City Royals
149. Taylor Motter – Seattle Mariners
150. Tyler Collins – Kansas City Royals
I hope you enjoyed our 2018 Fantasy Baseball Top 150 Outfielders rankings.
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About the Author…
Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.