Things don’t seem to be going the way fantasy baseball drafters thought they would this year. Six of the top ten second basemen right now ranked outside the top 150 on Yahoo! If you average the top ten second basemen on Yahoo! by preseason rank, it was #41. Currently, the same ten batters average out to be the #251 ranked player. Things are rough at second base, and you may need some short, or long term options. Below are three second basemen widely available on Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. The threshold for this article is 50% ownership for two players, and 10% for the third.
[Jeff]
Brandon Phillips, Atlanta (37% owned)
Remember Brandon Phillips? The one-time fantasy baseball stud has found new life so far in Atlanta. He has a six-game hitting streak and has stolen four bases already this season. While his .320 average won’t sustain, he’s a great plug-and-play option for right now. He’s currently a top-ten second baseman, so if you’re waiting for DJ LeMahieu to stop struggling or for Trea Turner to make his way back from the DL.
Joe Panik, San Francisco (18% owned)
Call it homerism (go Giants), call it disrespect to Joe Panik, call it whatever you want, but Panik deserves to be owned in more than one-in-five leagues. The young second baseman has a distinct chance to be the Giants’ best hitter this year. So far he’s rocking a .319/.389/.447 line. He’s currently batting towards the bottom of the order, but in games where he’s hit in the top-third, he’s 4/11with 2 runs. He swiped his first bag this week, too. Panik has incredible plate discipline, but AT&T Park and his position in the lineup limits his power upside. It won’t be long before Panik moves to #1 or #2 in the order, with Span moving down towards the bottom. Once he gets some pitches to hit, it will be opposing pitchers who Panik.
…Sorry.
Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh (6% owned)
The man most likely to fill the Starling Marte “role” in Pittsburgh, Frazier has a good amount of speed and a high average, but not a whole lot of slugging. He is hitting .300, so if you’re in a deep league, he’s unlikely to tank your batting average. His ownership will skyrocket if he assumes the Marte role and gets Marte’s green lights to steal. He’s worth an add in deeper leagues.