The influx of multi-position players led to 24 players with second base qualifications finishing with over 500 at-bats. Seven players hit 30 home runs or more. Four hitters scored over 100 runs, and only two players drove in over 100 RBI. Marcus Semien led the way with a dominating four-category season (115 runs, 45 home runs, 102 RBI, and 15 stolen bases). Ozzie Albies also posted his best year (.259/103/30/106/20 over 629 at-bats) of his career.
MORE: 2022 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit
Here's a look at the top 12 second basemen last season:
The stats highlighted by the yellow line show the average stats for the top 12 second basemen in 2021 (.265 with 93 runs, 30 home runs, 87 RBI, and 10 steals over 572 at-bats).
Note: Players with multiple position eligibility will impact the top 12 ratings for each position. I sorted this grouping by position, then at-bats, followed by home runs.
Here’s a look at the top 12 second basemen in 2022 by NFBC ADPs:
A fantasy manager can find power at second base again this year, but building the proper foundation of speed will take some work. Ideally, the best path to a balanced team comes from securing a minimum of 60 steals from 2B, SS, and MI.
Trea Turner gains more fantasy value for me due to his second base qualification. His high floor in five categories to an excellent building block. When adding in the explosiveness of the Dodgers’ starting lineup, Turner may lead the National League in runs. His most significant edge comes in speed at second base, and he has another gear if Turner wants to run more.
Fantasy baseball rankings: Hitters | Pitchers
Over his five seasons with the Braves, Albies scored over 100 runs three times while also having a floor of 24 home runs and 14 stolen bases in those years. He set career highs in home runs (30), RBI (106), and steals (20) while looking comfortable batting cleanup. Albies is an exciting player who plays in a high-scoring offense. This year his batting average may come along for the ride as well.
I understand the attraction of Whit Merrifield and his success with being in the lineup almost every day. However, at some point, an injury will cost him some time, and his age should lead to a sharp decline in stolen bases. In addition, his ceiling in home runs continues to shrink. Nevertheless, Merrifield brings speed to the table while also grading well in batting average and runs. I don’t view him as an impact player, so he is overpriced for me.
Semien turned into a fantasy beast last year. His success wasn’t that far off his high floor season in 2019. The Rangers signed him to a big deal over the winter, but Texas doesn’t have the supporting cast of the Blue Jays. So a step back in production should be expected while offering a 25/10 floor in home runs and stolen bases.
The Tigers landed a stud shortstop in the offseason as they want their offense to arrive at the same time as their young starting pitching. He has plenty of power with help in speed. His big question comes in batting average due to his high strikeout rate. His ADP (58) looks favorable based on his ceiling in four categories.
Jazz Chisholm and Tommy Edman bring speed to the second base positions, but they could be polar opposites in batting average and power. Chisholm has a swing-and-miss approach with the potential to be a 25/25 player down the road. Edman ran more than expected last year while falling short in home runs and batting average. He should be more productive in both areas in 2022.
I’m neutral on Jose Altuve and Jorge Polanco for different reasons. Altuve is no longer a hit machine with an edge in batting average. He took the most walks of his career in 2021 while matching his career-high in home runs (31). Polanco pushed his ceiling higher last year. My question comes from his ability to repeat in power, but I liked his bump in stolen bases (11).
Jonathan India projects to be the safer all-around option than Chisholm and Edman. I expect 20/20 floor with help in runs and potentially batting average.
The second base position has a wide range of skill sets, leading to different targets later in drafts depending on team structure.
DJ LeMahieu earns the most significant edge as a second base option. He’s coming off a down season, and his ground ball swing path does put a damper on his potential power output. However, leading off the Yankees creates an edge in runs, and his career path points to a rebound in batting average.
Luis Urias looks poised to push toward the top-tier conversation at second base. He found his power stroke last year, and his minor league resume gives him a chance to move much higher in batting average. I like his approach, plus Urias will chip in with some steals.
Brendan Rodgers flashed some power over his first season with the Rockies in his 387 at-bats. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on his potential upside. He comes with pedigree while never receiving more than 450 at-bats in any level in the minors. Rodgers is more of a bet on the come than a sure thing. He also gets an offensive bump for his home park.
Gavin Lux doesn’t have a clear path to everyday at-bats with the Dodgers adding Freddie Freeman. In addition, he needs to prove his worth against lefties. His overall bat projects well, so Lux may very well hit himself into the starting lineup. However, runs and RBI may be an issue due to hitting lower in the batting order.
