This week’s fantasy baseball second baseman review will help you identify second basemen available in 50% or more of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. For deep league players, the third is available in 85% or more of Yahoo! leagues.
Neil Walker, Mets (41% owned)
Only Jason Kipnis and Ryan Schimpf hit more home runs than Walker in the last two weeks, and he’s hit .313 in the same time frame. The #7 second baseman over the last two weeks has quietly built up the fourth-most RBI and seventh-most runs scored on the year from second basemen. While his home runs (seven) only qualify him for fourteenth-most on the year, he’s hit three of those in the last couple of weeks. Bake that all together and add a .263 average, and you have a player who needs to be owned in more than two-of-five leagues. You’re catching him on an upturn, too, as his low BABIP stems more from bad luck than any change in his batting profile.
Whit Merrifield, Kansas City (34% owned)
I sure hope that you snagged Whit when I told you to last week. If not, two-thirds of you should still have the opportunity to get him. He’s currently the #2 second basemen in the last two weeks with three steals, two dingers, seven runs scored and six RBI. He’s also chipped in a .462 average, which will obviously go down. The Royals moved him to #1 in the order, which means more runs are on the way. His season-long pace would put him as a shoo-in for a top-five second baseman. Go get him and enjoy the ride, for now.
Tyler Motter, Seattle (6% owned)
Motter bounced back from his extended cold streak just in time to fill in for an injured Jean Segura. He’s gotten a hit in every game so far in June (four whole games) and has a home run, four runs, and four RBI so far in the month. He’s getting every day at bats at shortstop, and the consistency should help him get into a groove at the plate. His BABIP is an absurdly low .243. He had a .217 BABIP last year, but there’s no way that is his true talent line. Motter, like Merrifield above, also has six homers and six stolen bases. He’ll lose his job when Segura gets back, but he’s an obvious replacement for Segura owners in the interim.