Chicago Cubs second baseman Nick Madrigal got his first taste of Major League action in 2020, and turned a promising early impression into productive spot work last season. In his third year with the Cubs, Madrigal came into the preseason competing to be the starter at second base, and looks more and more like a candidate to produce as one of 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers. A reliable set of 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings can help you pick out up-and-comers like Madrigal to help you build a championship-winning roster this season.
Through 83 career games, Madrigal has career batting splits of .317/.349/.425, but will that extrapolate through an entire season as a starter? Forecasting the young players that may hit a wall and trip up your season is crucial for Fantasy success this season. Before going on the clock, be sure to see the 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings 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 Guardians designated hitter Franmil Reyes.
Reyes had a 2021 Fantasy baseball ADP outside the top 200 but the model predicted that he’d outperform that draft position. The result: Reyes hit 30 home runs and drove in 85 in 115 games for Cleveland and slashed .254/.324/.522 for an OPS+ of 127. Anybody who followed its advice and picked up Reyes late in their Fantasy baseball drafts received a huge power boost in their Fantasy baseball lineups.
The SportsLine model is engineered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2022 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 2022 MLB schedule, free agency signings or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers
One of the 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is projecting: Giants second baseman Tommy La Stella. The former All-Star was a rare player that changed teams during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and after an unremarkable stint with the Oakland A’s to close things out, he landed in San Francisco last season. La Stella didn’t have eye-popping numbers in his first year with the Giants, with offensive splits of .250/.308/.405 in 76 games, but he comes into this season competing for a role at second base.
During spring training, younger players like Thairo Estrada and Mauricio Dubon have been getting more time at second, but in La Stella’s limited opportunities, he’s come out strong. Through two games played, La Stella has a home run, a double, another hit and a walk in five total plate appearances. The Giants love veteran players, and the model projects La Stella to be enough of a factor in their lineup to out-produce others like Brendan Rodgers, DJ LeMahieu or Jeff McNeil, who are all going ahead of him later in drafts.
Another of the 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom. Wisdom showed tremendous power in 2021, pacing the Cubs with 28 home runs while driving in 61. He also scored 54 times and chipped in four steals.
If the 30-year-old continues to supply power like he did last season, he’ll certainly be among the top 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers. Wisdom will be given every opportunity to continue producing for the Cubs this season, which is why SportsLine’s model predicts he’ll outperform players like Matt Chapman, Alex Bregman and Yoan Moncada, all of whom are being drafted ahead of him.
How to find proven 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top five of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 100 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Julio Urias, Max Scherzer and Lucas Giolito. 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 2022 Fantasy sleepers should you target in your upcoming drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Franmil Reyes’ big season, and find out.