The 2023 MLB season is less than three months away and savvy Fantasy baseball owners are beginning their 2023 Fantasy baseball draft prep. After a whirlwind offseason that saw deals with the Giants and Mets fall through because of health concerns, Carlos Correa accepted a six-year, $200 million deal to return to the Twins and it will be interesting to see how the buzz surrounding his offseason impacts his Fantasy baseball draft stock. Early 2023 Fantasy baseball ADP data shows owners being tentative with Correa, as he’s being drafted well outside the top 100 overall despite turning in a top 70 season in 2022.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge decided to stay put with the Yankees after his historic 62-homer season, signing a nine-year, $360 million contract during the offseason. Judge outscored the No. 2 player in CBS Sports Fantasy baseball rankings by more than 120 points last season, but does that mean that he should be the top pick in 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts? And who are some of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts that you need to be aware of? Before going on the clock in any 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts, be sure to see the Fantasy baseball rankings 2023 and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine’s Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Reds first baseman Joey Votto. The team at SportsLine was all over Votto as a Fantasy bust from the start after a resurgent 2021 season that saw him going as one of the top 12 first basemen off the board in 2022 Fantasy baseball drafts. After slashing .266/.375/.563 with 36 homers and 99 RBI the year prior, Votto slashed .205/.319/.370 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 2022. He finished outside the top 45 players at his position and anybody who following SportsLine’s advice avoided a major headache.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2023 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 2023 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.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo. After a couple of down seasons to close out a 10-year stretch with the Cubs, Rizzo found new life with the Yankees and matched a career-high with 32 home runs in 2022.
And while he only hit .224 on the season, he still managed a very respectable .817 OPS with 75 RBI and even stole six bases to help further enhance his Fantasy value. That earned him a two-year contract with $40 million in guarantees during the offseason to return to the Bronx. SportsLine’s model likes him as a top-10 option at first base in 2023 despite an ADP at the position outside the top 15.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is all over: Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas. A consensus top-50 prospect in 2022, Casas only played 76 games in the minors because of injuries but he still turned in an impressive .281/.389/.500 slash line with 12 home runs and 41 RBI.
In 1,210 career minor-league plate appearances, Casas produced a productive .269/.374/.485 slash with 46 home runs and 181 RBI. That earned him a 27-game September call-up to the Red Sox where he produced a .358 OBP and hit five home runs in just 95 plate appearances. He should pencil in as an Opening Day starter for Boston and the model likes him as a top-25 option at his position.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball busts
As for players to avoid, the model has pinpointed White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease as one of its biggest 2023 Fantasy baseball busts. Building off a 2021 season where he went 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA and 226 strikeouts over 165 2/3 innings, Cease put himself on the map as one of the most dominant starters in the American League in 2022.
He went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and struck out 227 over 184 innings to finish as the AL Cy Young runner-up. However, he did lead the league in walks (78) and his 3.10 FIP seemed to indicate that he was outperforming his metrics a bit. Cease is currently one of the top 10 starting pitchers off the board in 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts, but the model ranks him outside its top 30 at the position for next season.
How to find proven 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine’s model is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top 10 of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 125 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Aaron Nola, Shane McClanahan and Brandon Woodruff. 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 2023 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Joey Votto’s disappointing season, and find out.