Your fantasy baseball draft(s) are right around the corner. Here’s my try at separating 25 second basemen into six tiers.
Tiers are very subjective and one player could easily be considered just good enough or just bad enough to be in the next higher or lower tier.
Let me know what you think and check out my fantasy baseball first basemen tiers.
Tier 1: Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler, Dustin Pedroia, Michael Young* 
Kinsler is a powerful second baseman with good speed- 32 HR and 30 SB in 2011. Cano and Pedroia are some of the most consistent players in baseball. Young is one of the most underrated players in baseball.
Tier 2: Brandon Phillips, Chase Utley, Dan Uggla
If Utley can stay healthy for a full season, he’s a top three fantasy second baseman, but he hasn’t shown us he can stay healthy for a full season in two years.
Tier 3: Ben Zobrist, Rickie Weeks, Howard Kendrick
The 2011 season was a great one for Zobrist, reaching career-highs in AB (588), R (99), H (158), 2B (46), and RBI (91).
Tier 4: Jemile Weeks, Danny Espinosa, Martin Prado*, Aaron Hill, Jason Kipnis
Weeks was impressive after joining the big leagues. He played in only 97 games in 2011 but stole 22 bases and led all second basemen with eight triples. Hill turned it on after being traded to Arizona late in the season. He also stole 21 bases last season, nearly half of his career total after playing seven seasons.
Tier 5: Dustin Ackley, Neil Walker, Kelly Johnson, Ryan Roberts*
Roberts came out of nowhere en route to 19 HRs, 65 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 2011. He was and is an integral part of Arizona’s lineup.
Tier 6: Daniel Murphy, Gordon Beckham, Jose Altuve, Omar Infante, Alexi Casilla, Brian Roberts
Roberts is not a reliable fantasy option anymore. Altuve could surprise some fantasy owners in 2012.
*Not primary position but eligible for second base
2 Comments
We bandy about the term “tiers” so often in fantasy baseball that it is nice to actually see it laid out. Now for the debate:
I like a healthy R. Weeks in Tier 1, J. Weeks in Tier 3 and Hill in Tier 6.
Can’t wait for fantasy baseball 2012!
Great work!
Thanks for the comment. I am about as excited for the new season as Rebecca Black is for Fridays. The highest I would put a healthy R. Weeks is tier 2, the AVG isn’t high enough for me. Hill in tier 6? Really? I know his power numbers were down last season but if he plays 130 games or so he’ll get back to his old self.