Houston pitcher Hunter Brown is listed as the Astros best prospect, making him an intriguing option in 2023 Fantasy baseball drafts. He was called up to the majors in September of last year, posting a 0.89 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 20.1 innings down the stretch. But even with Justin Verlander’s departure, the 24-year-old is currently in line to be a relief pitcher this season, but he sits sixth on the starters depth chart. An injury to any of the current starters would open the door for Brown to be one of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts.
Another young pitcher who is coming off a strong campaign is Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo, who logged a 2.48 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP in his final five starts. Is he one of the 2023 Fantasy baseball sleepers that you should be considering, or what other burgeoning players should you pinpoint in 2023 Fantasy baseball rankings? 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: Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy. After suffering a partially torn UCL at the end of the 2021 season, Muncy started 2022 behind in his rehab and it showed on the field. He had averaged 35.3 home runs over his previous three full seasons but could only muster nine long balls on a paltry .161 average through July 31 of last year.
However, he picked things back up in August, slugged 12 homers over the last two months and saw his OPS jump from .613 before Aug. 1 to .858 post-Aug. 1. Muncy says his elbow is “right back where it needs to be” entering the 2023 MLB season but he’s still being overlooked in Fantasy baseball drafts 2023. The model has him on par with Atlanta’s Austin Riley at the third base position, but Muncy is being selected three-to-four rounds later, making him a 2023 Fantasy baseball sleeper pick.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2023 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is jumping on: Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes. He had a semi-breakout season last year, crushing 20 home runs after totaling just two between the 2020 and 2021 campaigns. However, there is still plenty of legitimate breakout potential to be uncovered, as Paredes finished with a .205 average and only played in 111 games.
It is going to be tough for the Rays to leave him out of the lineup this season due to the power that he possesses, especially for a team that finished 25th in home runs (139) last year. He was tied with Randy Arozarena for the team-lead in homers, and he also finished sixth in RBI. Paredes was able to do all of that despite not being an everyday starter, giving him breakout potential in 2023.
Top 2023 Fantasy baseball busts
As for players to avoid, the model has pinpointed new Rangers first baseman Nate Lowe as one of its biggest 2023 Fantasy baseball busts. Lowe is coming off a season where he set new career highs in hits (179), home runs (27), RBI (76), batting average (.302) and slugging percentage (.492) and won the AL Silver Slugger award at his position.
However, there are some peripheral numbers that would indicate he’s due for regression in 2023. His .363 BABIP was 23 points higher than in any season he’d played thus far, and his average exit velocity (90.2 mph) and hard-hit contact rate (45.0%) were actually down from 2021. Lowe is certainly still a useful Fantasy asset but the model projects him as the 17th-best first baseman despite being the seventh player drafted at the position on average.
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.