as much as we all want to draft next giant fantasy baseball starMany times a successful team is defined by how secure each player’s floor is – how secure their production is. Here is the all-safe fantasy baseball team for 2023!
[Batter up: Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for free today]
I agree that calling a top-ranked player “safe” at his position isn’t significant news, but we’re talking about the hypothetically least-secure position in terms of production. Realmuto was a cheat code last year, delivering league-winning numbers from a terrible position.
1B: Pete Alonso, New York Mets, 18.6 ADP
Alonso gives you power, run production and run-scoring, and he’s not even a batting average drain; He hit .271 last year, with a .261 career average. It’s an excellent floor for a slugger who hits into the heart of a powerful lineup.
Altuve fits the mold of Realmuto: an apparently safe pick at a position in 2023 that has some question marks. But Altuve isn’t a top-order option because of some huge untapped upside or youth; That’s up because you know what you’re about to get. A top spot in the Astros’ brutal lineup and five-class potential. Thirty-two is also not the age to hold your nose.
[Free bracket contests for both tourneys | Printable Men’s | Women’s]
sensing a pattern? Ramirez is another player who fits the hypothetical ideal of being top-ranked because of his safety in an insecure position. It also helps that he is one of the best pure hitters in MLB.
Still just 29 years old, there’s a chance we haven’t seen Lindor’s best season with the Mets yet. However, we are not here for what might have happened; That’s what we’re here for. And the Lindor is a handy .270 with a 20-20 caliber and some 100-100 thrown in there for good measure. I’ll take.
A perennial beacon of safety in the first round of drafts the past few seasons, only injury could derail Bates’ floor (fingers crossed I didn’t just bluff him). He’s a quality source of five-range production, and he just so happens to bat for arguably the best team in baseball.
SP: Julio Urias, Los Angeles Dodgers, 43.9 ADP
Urias is only 26 years old, yet he has 37 wins in his last two seasons. In case you missed it, it helps to be a dodger. But we have known since eternity that Uris is good; He’s finally putting it all together in the prime of his career. He won’t give you a 2.16 ERA and 0.96 WHIP again in 2023, but what’s to stop him from saying oh, 3.10 and 1.05, respectively? Elite floor number from a man who hasn’t quite hit his peak yet.
RP: Edwin Diaz, New York Mets, 29.3 ADP
Díaz is one of the last men standing with the old guard — true workhorse closers who not only own the ninth inning but excel at it. Just look at his past few seasons with the Mariners and Mets. The previous year in particular was a dominant one for “Sugar”, posting 118 strikeouts in less than 65 innings, all while maintaining an astonishing 1.31 ERA. He has a skeleton key in its place; Draft Diaz and you’ll never need to address a reliever again for five or more innings.