As we enter the final stages of Spring Training, teams across the league are beginning to whittle down their rosters to 26 players ahead of 2021 MLB Opening on April 1. Rays shortstop Wander Franco is the top prospect in baseball and will likely make his debut this year, but he was already sent back to minor league camp. Meanwhile, several teams have already announced their MLB Opening Day starters, but where should every player be in your 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings?
Aaron Nola, Lucas Giolito, Shane Bieber, Jacob deGrom and Jack Flaherty are among the most exciting young pitchers in the game, and all five will get the ball on Opening Day for their respective teams. A reliable set of 2021 Fantasy baseball picks can help you figure out where to target these aces and also identify 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, and busts you need to be aware of. Before going on the clock, be sure to see the 2021 Fantasy baseball cheat sheets and rankings from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine's Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant.
The team at SportsLine was all over Bryant as a Fantasy bust from the start and he went on to slash .206/.291/.351 over 34 games, failing to rank among the top 45 third baseman despite being drafted in the fifth or sixth round on average. Their model had him listed much lower than expert consensus rankings, and anyone who listened to their advice avoided a major speedbump that could have derailed their season.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.
Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2021 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Marlins second baseman Jon Berti. The 31-year-old didn't make his Major League debut until 2018 with the Blue Jays, but he's carved out an important role with the Marlins thanks to a solid plate approach and terrific speed.
Berti has posted a .362 OBP over 376 plate appearances with Miami over the last two seasons and stolen 26 bases. Berti has 28 extra-base hits during that span as well, while his 15.4 percent walk rate in 2020 indicates he has a strong feel for the strike zone. That's why the model ranks him ahead of players Tommy La Stella and Keston Hiura, who are being drafted two rounds earlier on average in standard CBS Sports Fantasy baseball leagues.
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is all over: Marlins starting pitcher Sixto Sanchez. The 22-year-old has been a consensus top-30 prospect for the last three seasons and didn't disappoint during seven starts in his MLB debut last season. Sanchez went 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA and struck out 33 batters over 39 innings.
Sanchez ranks in the 98th percentile of MLB pitchers in average fastball velocity (98.5 mph) and also mixes in a sinker at 97, a changeup, a slider, and a curveball. The fastball, changeup, and sinker alone give hitters three dramatically different looks from the same platform. As he continues to develop his two breaking balls, we should see his strikeout numbers continue to improve. That's why the model ranks him ahead of pitchers like Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Brandon Woodruff, who are all being drafted at least five rounds earlier on average.
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball busts the model is fading: Indians left fielder Eddie Rosario. After hitting 119 home runs in six seasons with the Twins, Rosario joined the Indians this offseason on a one-year deal worth $8 million.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, Rosario has seen a declining barrel rate (8.5 percent in 2019 to 6.2 percent in 2020) and average exit velocity (89.2 mph to 87.5), while his batting average has dipped his last three seasons. Plus, Rosario won't have nearly as much protection in Cleveland as he did in Minnesota's loaded lineup. That's why the model ranks him behind left fielders like Corey Dickerson and Jesse Winker, who are being drafted at least six rounds later on average.
SportsLine is also high on a right fielder with a 2021 Fantasy baseball ADP barely outside the top 100 who finishes ahead of studs like defending Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So which 2021 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Kris Bryant's disappointing season, and find out.