With spring training in full swing, we’ve got the 2018 RealGM fantasy baseball draft guide right here. In case you’re not familiar with the format of my rankings, I organize the players in tiers based on position. I strongly suggest using a tier system for all of your drafts. You will also find a composite ranking of the top 150 players at the end of this article, which you must use to cross-check against the tier rankings (since player values vary based on position). So to reiterate because it’s important, you need to use the tier rankings and the top 150 in tandem in order to best make use of this guide (e.g. a tier 1 catcher doesn’t have the same value as a tier 1 first baseman, etc.). Please also note the following with respect to the rankings:
- Rankings are based on the standard 5 x 5 categories (R, HR, RBI, AVG and SB on offense; W, K, ERA, WHIP and S for pitching). Adjust accordingly for leagues with additional/different categories. For example, Joey Votto gets a bump for leagues with OBP.
- Rankings cover the 2018 season ONLY. For keeper/dynasty leagues, you will need to factor in keeper ramifications accordingly.
Please hit me up on twitter at @NeemaHodjat with any questions for your draft or the rankings. With that, here we go:
Catchers:
Tier 1: Gary Sanchez
Tier 2: Buster Posey, Willson Contreras
Tier 3: Salvador Perez, J.T. Realmuto, Evan Gattis
Tier 4: Wilson Ramos, Mike Zunino, Brian McCann, Yadier Molina, Welington Castillo
Tier 5: Yasmani Grandal, Jonathan Lucroy, Robinson Chirinos, Chris Iannetta, Austin Hedges, Alex Avila, Russell Martin, Matt Wieters
First Base:
Tier 1: Paul Goldschmidt, Freddie Freeman, Joey Votto, Anthony Rizzo
Tier 2: Cody Bellinger, Jose Abreu, Rhys Hoskins, Edwin Encarnacion
Tier 3: Will Myers, Buster Posey, Eric Hosmer, Matt Olson, Carlos Santana, Joey Gallo, Matt Carpenter
Tier 4: Ian Desmond, Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Zimmerman, Justin Smoak, Josh Bell, Marwin Gonzalez, Justin Bour, Greg Bird, Chris Davis
Tier 5: Logan Morrison, Yonder Alonso, Trey Mancini, Eric Thames, Yuli Gurriel, Brandon Belt, Lucas Duda
Second Base:
Tier 1: Jose Altuve
Tier 2: Jose Ramirez, Brian Dozier, Dee Gordon
Tier 3: Robinson Cano, Jonathan Schoop, Daniel Murphy, DJ LeMahieu, Whit Merrifield
Tier 4: Chris Taylor, Eduardo Nunez, Ian Happ, Rougned Odor, Marwin Gonzalez, Javier Baez, Ozzie Albies, Yoan Moncada
Tier 5: Ian Kinsler, Paul deJong, Starlin Castro, Jason Kipnis, Cesar Hernandez
Third Base:
Tier 1: Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Manny Machado
Tier 2: Jose Ramirez, Josh Donaldson, Anthony Rendon, Alex Bregman, Justin Turner
Tier 3: Miguel Sano, Travis Shaw, Mike Moustakas, Joey Gallo, Kyle Seager, Nick Castellanos, Rafael Devers
Tier 4: Jake Lamb, Eduardo Nunez, Matt Chapman, Evan Longoria, Adrian Beltre, Eugenio Suarez
Tier 5: Todd Frazier, Josh Harrison, Maikel Franco, Ryon Healy
Shortstop:
Tier 1: Trea Turner, Carlos Correa
Tier 2: Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, Alex Bregman
Tier 3: Jean Segura, Xander Bogaerts, Elvis Andrus, Trevor Story
Tier 4: Didi Gregorius, Marwin Gonzalez, Javier Baez, Gleyber Torres, Amed Rosario, Andrelton Simmons
Tier 5: Orlando Arcia, Paul DeJong, Addison Russell, Tim Anderson, Jose Peraza, Dansby Swanson, Zack Cozart, Marcus Semien, Ketel Marte
Outfield:
Tier 1: Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton, Charlie Blackmon
Tier 2: Aaron Judge, George Springer, JD Martinez, Cody Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins
Tier 3: Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, Justin Upton, Andrew Benintendi, Tommy Pham, Khris Davis, Byron Buxton, AJ Pollock, Yoenis Cespedes, Starling Marte
Tier 4: Lorenzo Cain, Andrew McCutchen, Domingo Santana, Greg Polanco, Billy Hamilton, Ryan Braun, Nick Castellanos
Tier 5: Ian Desmond, Manuel Margot, Ronald Acuna, Yasiel Puig, Ender Inciarte, Adam Eaton, Jay Bruce, Marwin Gonzalez, Eddie Rosario, Adam Jones, Nomar Mazara, Adam Duvall, Brett Gardner, Kevin Kiermaier, Chris Taylor, Steven Souza, Ian Happ, Mitch Haniger
Tier 6: Michael Conforto, Josh Reddick, Max Kepler, Trey Mancini, Stephen Piscotty, Eric Thames, Dexter Fowler, Avisail Garcia, Kole Calhoun, Jackie Bradley Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Odubel Herrera, Corey Dickerson, Lewis Brinson, Aaron Altherr
Tier 7: Delino DeShields, Bradley Zimmer, Shin-Soo Choo, David Peralta, Mark Trumbo, Carlos Gonzalez, David Dahl, Aaron Hicks, Melky Cabrera, Jose Martinez, Michael Taylor
Starting Pitcher:
Tier 1: Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, Chris Sale
Tier 2: Noah Syndergaard, Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, Carlos Carrasco, Justin Verlander, Jacob deGrom, Zack Greinke, Luis Severino
Tier 3: Robbie Ray, Chris Archer, Dallas Keuchel, Jose Quintana, Carlos Martinez, Yu Darvish, Gerrit Cole
Tier 4: Aaron Nola, James Paxton, Shohei Ohtani, Masahiro Tanaka, Jake Arrieta, Rich Hill, Kyle Kendricks, Luis Castillo, Jon Lester
Tier 5: Alex Wood, Zack Godley, Jose Berrios, Jon Gray, Trevor Bauer, Luke Weaver, Sonny Gray, Lance McCullers Jr., Johnny Cueto, David Price, Danny Duffy, Garrett Richards
Tier 6: Dylan Bundy, Marcus Stroman, Felix Hernandez, Gio Gonzalez, Jeff Samardzija, Lance Lynn, Michael Fulmer, Alex Cobb, Danny Salazar, Kevin Gausman, Chase Anderson, Charlie Morton, Kenta Maeda, Blake Snell, Taijuan Walker, Aaron Sanchez, Sean Manaea, Cole Hamels
Tier 7: Drew Pomeranz, Julio Teheran, Jacob Faria, Eduardo Rodriguez, Alex Reyes, Jameson Taillon, Lucas Giolito, Michael Wacha, Luiz Gohara, Zach Davies, Miles Mikolas, Rick Porcello, JA Happ, Dinelson Lamet, Brad Peacock
Relief Pitcher:
Tier 1: Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel
Tier 2: Aroldis Chapman, Edwin Diaz, Roberto Osuna, Corey Knebel, Ken Giles, Raisel Iglesias, Cody Allen, Felipe Rivero
Tier 3: Brad Hand, Alex Colome, Wade Davis, Sean Doolittle, Luke Gregerson, Arodys Vizcaino, Mark Melancon, Jeurys Familia
Tier 4: Hector Neris, Kelvin Herrera, Blake Treinen, Kelvin Herrera, Andrew Miller, Brad Brach, Shane Greene, Brad Ziegler, Brandon Morrow, Greg Holland, Fernando Rodney, Alex Claudio
Tier 5: Archie Bradley, Blake Parker, Juan Minaya, Brad Peacock, Dellin Betances, Cam Bedrosian, Mike Clevinger
Top 150:
- Mike Trout
- Jose Altuve
- Nolan Arenado
- Mookie Betts
- Paul Goldschmidt
- Trea Turner
- Bryce Harper
- Charlie Blackmon
- Clayton Kershaw
- Carlos Correa
- Giancarlo Stanton
- Kris Bryant
- Max Scherzer
- Freddie Freeman
- Manny Machado
- Joey Votto
- Corey Kluber
- Chris Sale
- Anthony Rizzo
- Francisco Lindor
- Aaron Judge
- Jose Ramirez
- George Springer
- Corey Seager
- Noah Syndergaard
- Josh Donaldson
- Brian Dozier
- JD Martinez
- Stephen Strasburg
- Madison Bumgarner
- Cody Bellinger
- Alex Bregman
- Carlos Carrasco
- Dee Gordon
- Justin Verlander
- Jose Abreu
- Rhys Hoskins
- Jacob deGrom
- Justin Turner
- Gary Sanchez
- Zack Greinke
- Luis Severino
- Edwin Encarnacion
- Christian Yelich
- Marcel Ozuna
- Justin Upton
- Kenley Jansen
- Will Myers
- Andrew Benintendi
- Robby Ray
- Chris Archer
- Jean Segura
- Robinson Cano
- Tommy Pham
- Khris Davis
- Craig Kimbrell
- Dallas Keuchel
- Jonathan Schoop
- Xander Boegarts
- Buster Posey
- Byron Buxton
- AJ Pollack
- Jose Quintana
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Starling Marte
- Eric Hosmer
- Carlos Martinez
- Miguel Sano
- Yu Darvish
- Elvis Andrus
- Gerrit Cole
- Daniel Murphy
- Aroldis Chapman
- Willson Contreras
- Trevor Story
- Travis Shaw
- Lorenzo Cain
- DJ LeMahieu
- Matt Olson
- Andrew McCutchen
- Edwin Diaz
- Aaron Nola
- James Paxton
- Whit Merrifield
- Domingo Santana
- Carlos Santana
- Roberto Osuna
- Greg Polanco
- Mike Moustakas
- Joey Gallo
- Shohei Ohtani
- Matt Carpenter
- Corey Knebel
- Masahiro Tanaka
- Kyle Seager
- Billy Hamilton
- Ryan Braun
- Nick Castellanos
- Ken Giles
- Jake Arrieta
- Rafael Devers
- Rich Hill
- Raisel Iglesias
- Cody Allen
- Kyle Hendricks
- Felipe Rivero
- Luis Castillo
- Jon Lester
- Ian Desmond
- Manuel Margot
- Miguel Cabrera
- Ryan Zimmerman
- Ronald Acuna
- Yasiel Puig
- Ender Inciarte
- Justin Smoak
- Adam Eaton
- Alex Wood
- Brad Hand
- Zack Godley
- Jake Lamb
- Alex Colome
- Jay Bruce
- Josh Bell
- Chris Taylor
- Jose Berrios
- Wade Davis
- Jon Gray
- Trevor Bauer
- Eduardo Nunez
- Luke Weaver
- Ian Happ
- Sean Doolittle
- Didi Gregorius
- Sonny Gray
- Matt Chapman
- Roughned Odor
- Luke Gregerson
- Marwin Gonzalez
- Lance McCullers Jr.
- Salvador Perez
- Johnny Cueto
- Justin Bour
- Javier Baez
- Eddie Rosario
- David Price
- Arodys Vizcaino
- Ozzie Albies
- Evan Longoria
- Danny Duffy