Whether you are planning your championship lineups or you’re focusing on your upcoming fantasy chess boxing league, it never is too early to start planning for 2018.
Chances are you had your sights set on this season as well as next, especially if you’re in a keeper or dynasty league.
Though it is easy to say you’ll keep Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt or Clayton Kershaw, it’s the players who had the average draft position of 150 or above who outperformed expectations and will start for their teams next year who carry the most value, especially if you’re in a keeper league that rewards draft picks (or in-season moves) with a round value for the following season.
A young player like Baltimore’s Jonathan Schoop is the perfect example. After hitting .267 with 25 homers and 82 RBIs in 2016, he entered the season as the 22nd ranked second baseman and a 179.0 average draft position, according to FantasyPros.
Not only does he play in hitter-friendly Camden Yards, but he is one of three second baseman this season to hit 30 or more homers (and the only one hitting over .250), and the only second baseman to have driven in more than 100 runs already. Numbers like that should not be overlooked, nor should the fact he is just 25-years-old. He’s a keeper.
Here is a look at some other players to keep at great value:
First base
Justin Smoak, Blue Jays: Been waiting for a year like this since he was taken in the first round in 2008. Regular playing time and a reduced strikeout rate, should be enough to keep him on your side next year.
Rhys Hoskins, Phillies: The torrid start to his career may draw comparisons to Gary Sanchez’s red-hot final two months of 2016 and the Yankees’ backstop being overdrafted this year. Sanchez, however, still is having success this season and Hoskins should in 2018, too.
Another option would be Oakland slugger Matt Olson.
Second base
Whit Merrifield, Royals: Hits for a solid average, has 20-HR potential, drives in runs and steals 30-plus bases. What else do you need?
Shortstop
Didi Gregorius, Yankees: Consecutive 20-plus homer seasons while maintaining a solid average and playing on a young, playoff-bound squad sounds like a match made in heaven.
Amed Rosario, Mets: Must improve his plate discipline, but has all the tools to be a superstar.
You also should consider the Angels’ Andrelton Simmons and the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor.
Third base
Mike Moustakas, Royals: Heads into free agency after reaching career highs in homers, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS. Much of his future value, however, lies in where he lands.
Jake Lamb, D’backs: Despite the .250 career average, he has some pop and drives in runs while playing in a hitter-friendly park.
Boston’s Rafael Devers is another solid future option.
Catcher
Gary Sanchez, Yankees: Hard to argue with 30-plus homers.
Wilson Ramos, Rays: From Aug. 21-Wednesday, he went 27-for-83 (.325) with four homers and 11 RBIs. The rust has been coming off slowly, and he has been returning to his 2016 All-Star form.
Outfield
Aaron Judge, Yankees: All rise!
Tommy Pham, Cardinals: Keeping him allows you to name your team “Welcome to the Pham,” or “Modern Pham-ily,” or “Wham! Bam! Thank You, Pham.” That alone makes it worth it.
Byron Buxton, Twins: Would be nice if you didn’t have to wait until August and September for him to produce, but he is young, has tons of upside, and you will be kicking yourself for letting him go if the past two months are the new norm.
Utility
Travis Shaw, Brewers: Playing every day allowed him to have the breakout season Roto Rage predicted, maintaining a solid average while hitting 30 homers, nearing 100 RBIs and reaching double-digit steals.
Scooter Gennett, Reds: No one saw this kind of season coming, not even Scooter Gennett. Not sure many, not even Scooter Gennett, see it happening again, but it could be worth holding onto him to see if lightning strikes twice.
Starting pitchers
Robbie Ray, D’backs: Double-digit wins, ERA under 3.00 and 200-plus strikeouts are exactly what you should build your rotation around.
Luke Weaver, Cardinals: Though his seven-game win streak has come largely against middling opponents, his strikeout totals (11.1 per nine innings), 2.36 FIP and 2.52 xFIP and low walk rate (1.9 per nine innings) indicate this kid is for real.
Luis Severino, Yankees: See Robbie Ray, only with an ever-so-slightly higher ERA.
Alex Wood, Dodgers: It may be just one All-Star season, but he is just 26-years-old, is second mate to Clayton Kershaw and has solid support from his offense.
Other starting pitchers to consider keeping include Seattle’s injury-prone James Paxton, Minnesota’s Jose Berrios, Boston’s Drew Pomeranz, Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola and Milwaukee’s Chase Anderson.
Big Hits
Justin Bour 1B, Marlins
The slugger hit safely in 10 of his first 12 games since coming off the DL, batting .341 with three homers, 11 RBIs, 11 runs scored, seven walks, a .415 OBP and 1.029 OPS.
Nick Castellanos 3B, Tigers
Has had a hot second half, going 77-for-261 (.295) with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and a .883 OPS. Has hit safely in 23 of 25 games since Aug. 28, hitting .390 with seven homers, 23 RBIs and 1.128 OPS in that span.
Yoan Moncada 2B/3B, White Sox
Raised his average from .189 to .237 by going 21-for-68 (.309) with five homers, 11 RBIs, 15 runs, two stolen bases and a .932 OPS over his previous 16 games before Saturday.
Chase Anderson SP, Brewers
In seven starts since coming off the disabled list, he is 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA, 35 strikeouts, just 12 walks and a .213 opponent average.
Big Whiffs
Logan Morrison 1B, Rays
After an amazing first half (.258, 24 HR, 57 RBI), the slugger has slowed down considerably in the second half (.215, 12 HR, 25 RBI). He had just two hits over his past 31 at-bats (.065) before Saturday.
Bartolo Colon SP, Twins
Has lost four straight decisions and is 0-4 with a 7.99 ERA and .317 opponent average over his past five starts.
Gregory Polanco OF, Pirates
It has been a rough month, as he is 7-for-37 (.189) with no homers, one RBI, one run scored, no stolen bases, no walks and nine strikeouts in his first 11 games.
Jeremy Hellickson SP, Orioles
He was 1-5 with a 8.61 ERA over his past eight starts before taking the mound Saturday. He had allowed 12 homers over his last 38 ²/₃ innings.
Check Swings
- In 13 games since urging you to pick up Matt Olson on Sept. 9, the power-hitting youngster has hit .295 with nine homers, 15 RBIs, 13 runs scored, nine walks, a .446 OBP and 1.378 OPS. He is one of two players in the past 30 years to hit 20 homers in the minors and majors in the same season, the other being Giancarlo Stanton in 2010.
- Steven Souza Jr. has been a revelation this season. Well, that was until August came. Since Aug. 3, despite hitting eight homers and stealing eight bases, he has hit .152 and struck out 55 times. Before Saturday, he had just five hits in 52 at-bats (.096) this month, with one homer, one RBI, 24 strikeouts and a .390 OPS.
- Jose Reyes’ 14 homers are the most he has had in a season since hitting 16 in 2008. In other news, “Psycho” was the first American film to show a flushing toilet. What does one have to do with the other? Well, the sentence mentioned Flushing and toilets, hence, the easy Mets reference, and “Psycho,” because you have to be one to be a Mets fan.
Team Name of the Week
Clearance Sale
— submitted by @BStrubel9