The rankings for second basemen are broken into three parts: the top 10 prospects in order, the next five prospects in alphabetical order and a list of those who could provide some value in 2015. As always, these rankings are done from a scouting perspective but with fantasy baseball in mind, generally focusing on standard 5x5 league categories, though other statistics (e.g., OBP) are considered.
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MLB Graduates:
Tim Beckham, Tampa Bay Rays
Ryan Brett, Tampa Bay Rays
Dilson Herrera, New York Mets
Micah Johnson, Chicago White Sox
Jose Pirela, New York Yankees
Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs
Carlos Sanchez, Chicago White Sox
Cory Spangenberg, San Diego Padres
Devon Travis, Toronto Blue Jays
The Top 10:
1. Yoan Moncada, Boston Red Sox (Extended Spring Training)
The Red Sox captured headlines during the offseason with their signing of high-profile Cuban sensation Yoan Moncada. The club gave the 19-year-old infielder a $31.5 million bonus, far and away a record for a July 2 prospect, and they’ll also have to pay a steep penalty for eclipsing their international signing limit, with the total cost coming in at $63 million. The belief is that Moncada, who projects to have three plus tools once fully developed, is a future star, not to mention one with the potential to race through the minor leagues. Expected to play second base in the minors, Moncada began the season in extended spring training, but it shouldn’t be long until he embarks on his first professional assignment, presumably at Low-A Greenville.
Fantasy Upside: .290+ AVG, 22-25 HR, 20+ SB
2. Jose Peraza, Atlanta Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett, International League)
Peraza emerged as the top keystone prospect in the minors last season (until the Red Sox signed Moncada, that is), batting .339/.364/.441 with 60 stolen bases in 110 games last season between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Mississippi. The 21-year-old rarely strikes out (10.7% career strikeout rate) and makes a ton of contact (88.2% contact rate), but he doesn’t work deep counts (5.3% walk rate) and has virtually no over-the-fence pop. Peraza’s speed is game changing, though, and allows him to impact the game on both sides of the ball. That the Braves are in the midst of a rebuild bodes well for Peraza, as it should allow for him to receive significant playing time in the majors later this season.
Fantasy Upside: .280+ AVG, 3-5 HR, 30+ SB
3. Forrest Wall, Colorado Rockies (Low-A Asheville, South Atlantic League)
Wall, 19, quickly proved to be one of the biggest steals from the 2014 draft by posting a .907 OPS with 15 extra-base hits and 18 steals over 41 games in the Pioneer League. The left-handed hitting second baseman is a plus runner who projects for a plus hit tool at maturity to go along with slightly below-average power, though both attributes have the potential to play up at Coors Field. Wall opened 2015 at Low-A Asheville and is off to a fine start offensively, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he received a mid-season promotion to the California League.
Fantasy Upside: .280+ AVG, 12-15 HR, 20+ SB
4. Alen Hanson, Pittsburgh Pirates (Triple-A Indianapolis, International League)
Gregory Polanco’s rise through Pittsburgh’s system last season overshadowed Hanson’s strong performance in Double-A, where the 22-year-old switch-hitter posted a .280/.326/.442 batting line with 21 doubles, 12 triples and 11 home runs in 118 games. He also swiped 25 bags in 36 attempts. As a switch-hitter, Hanson has the potential for a solid-average hit tool thanks to his quick bat from both sides of the plate and an approach that enables the use of the whole field. He’s an extra-base machine with double-digit homer potential, which, when combined with his speed, makes him an intriguing fantasy prospect.
Fantasy Upside: .260+ AVG, 20+ 2B, 20+ SB
5. Robert Refsnyder, New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, International League)
A breakout star in the high minor leagues last season, Refsnyder posted an impressive batting line of .318/.387/.497 to go along with 58 extra-base hits (14 home runs) between AA and AAA. The 24-year-old stands out for his hit tool and excellent baseball IQ, but he’s unlikely to offer consistent power in the major leagues and projects as just average defensively. At the same time, there’s definitely something to be said about how he’s surpassed expectations throughout his pro career.
Fantasy Upside: .270+ AVG, 10-12 HR, 25+ 2B
6. Sean Coyle, Boston Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket, International League)
A third-round pick back in 2010, Coyle batted .295/.371/.512 with 16 homers and 13 stolen bases over 97 games last season at Double-A Portland, earning an invitation to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game along the way. The thing about Coyle is that he has struggled to stay on the field in his career, with injuries limiting the 23-year-old to just 389 games from 2010-14. When healthy, he’s consistently produced double-digit totals in home runs and stolen bases, although his penchant for whiffing limits him in the average and on-base departments. Currently stationed at Triple-A Pawtucket, Coyle could serve as an important trade chip for the Red Sox later this season.
Fantasy Upside: .260+ AVG, 15+ HR, 10+ SB
7. Avery Romero, Miami Marlins (High-A Jupiter, Florida State League)
Romero, a third-round draft pick from 2012, continued to hit his way up the Marlins’ organizational ladder in 2014, combining to bat .320/.367/.423 with 31 doubles between both Class-A levels. Romero’s excellent bat-to-ball skills and a preternatural feel for hitting give the 21-year-old the potential for an above-average hit tool at maturity, but he’s unlikely to offer much in terms of power or speed.
Fantasy Upside: .280 AVG, 9-12 HR, 25+ 2B
8. Domingo Leyba, Arizona Diamondbacks (High-A Visalia, California League)
The Diamondbacks acquired Leyba from the Tigers during the offseason as part of the three-team trade that sent Didi Gregorius to the Yankees. Leyba made the jump directly to the New York-Penn League last summer for his stateside debut, and he held his own for 37 games with Short Season Connecticut. The 19-year-old switch-hitter then moved up to Low-A West Michigan for final month-plus of the season and promptly opened eyes, batting a robust .397/.431/.483 with 46 hits in 30 games. Leyba is without a standout talent, but he has the pitch recognition and contact skills to be an above-average hitter once fully developed.
Fantasy Upside: .280+ AVG, 20+ 2B
9. Wendell Rijo, Boston Red Sox (High-A Salem, Carolina League)
Rijo was one of the younger everyday players in the South Atlantic League last season, but that didn’t stop the then-18-year-old from putting up a solid .254/.348/.416 batting line as well as 42 extra-base hits and 16 stolen bases in 111 games. Though he lacks significant upside, Rijo, now 19, has the potential to be a solid second baseman at maturity, hitting for average and respectable power.
Fantasy Upside: .270+ AVG, 10-12 HR, 10+ SB
10. Josh Morgan, Texas Rangers (Low-A Hickory, South Atlantic League)
Morgan made an immediate impact in his professional debut last summer after signing as a third-round pick, batting .322/.436/.347 with 65 hits and more walks (29) than strikeouts (23) in 243 plate appearances between the Rookie-level Arizona League and Short-Season Northwest League. The 19-year-old possesses the hitting ability and approach to hit for average, and he should start to steal more bases with improved jumps and reads.
Fantasy Upside: .270+ AVG, .350+ OBP
The Next Five (Alphabetical Order):
Travis Demeritte, Texas Rangers (Low-A Hickory, South Atlantic League)
Demeritte, 20, is loaded with power, evidenced by his 25 home runs in his 2014 full-season debut, but he struggles with pitch selection and is prone to chasing pitches out of the strike zone, as shown by 171 strikeouts (36.7% strikeout rate) in that same span. Granted he has the potential to hit 20+ bombs in the majors, but there’s also an enormous gap between his present ability and future potential, with a long list of adjustments that will need to be made along the way.
Mauricio Dubon, Boston Red Sox (Low-A Greenville, South Atlantic League)
A 26th-round draft pick out of high school in 2013, Dubon posted an impressive .320/.337/.395 batting line last season to go along with 12 extra-base hits and only 26 strikeouts in 66 games for Short Season Lowell. The 20-year-old middle infielder is playing at a full-season level for the first time this year, making him a name to follow closely in dynasty leagues.
Tony Renda, Washington Nationals (Double-A Harrisburg, Eastern League)
A second-round draft pick back in 2012, Renda has shown a high-floor blend of hitting ability, on-base skills and speed during his steady, one-level-per-year climb through the Nationals’ system. He’s probably at best a second-division second baseman in the major leagues, but there obviously are spots for guys like that.
Austin Slater, San Francisco Giants (High-A San Jose, California League)
Slater received an above-slot bonus as an eighth-rounder last summer, and then promptly rewarded the Giants by hitting .346/.411/.457 over 31 games in his professional debut. An outfielder at Stanford, Slater was moved to second base prior to his full-season debut, making his bat and on-base skills even more valuable.
Kean Wong, Tampa Bay Rays (High-A Charlotte, Florida State League)
Younger brother of Cardinals’ second baseman Kolten Wong, Kean is more of a gap-to-gap hitter and lacks his brother’s raw power, but he’s still an above-average runner as well as a strong defender at the keystone. The Rays have a wealth of middle-infield talent in its system, so expect Wong to be brought along slowly.
2015 Fantasy Value (Alphabetical Order):
Taylor Lindsey, San Diego Padres
Darnell Sweeney, Los Angeles Dodgers
Joey Wendle, Oakland Athletics
Jacob Wilson, St. Louis Cardinals
Alex Yarbrough, Los Angeles Angels
