So there's a new name atop the OF ranks in 2013 (USAT Images)

Last season, the players who ranked first, second, fourth and sixth in terms of overall fantasy value were all outfielders. This spot gave us one player who went 30/40 in home runs and stolen bases (Mike Trout), and another who went 40/30 (Ryan Braun). Seven different outfielders gave us 20/20 seasons. Thirty-seven outfielders finished with at least 35 homers-plus-steals.

Simply put, this position is a smorgasbord of stats. Among the outfielders, you'll find several of our game's most useful multi-category contributors — guys like Trout, Braun, Kemp, McCutchen, Heyward, Harper, both Uptons and both Car-Gos. You'll also find a collection of high-quality category specialists in the outfield — burners like Ben Revere and Michael Bourn, power hitters like Adam Dunn and Chris Davis.

Whatever you need, you can get it at this position. Don't let the scarcity crowd talk you out of the upper-tier outfielders, because the elite players at this spot are beasts, fantasy's most productive assets.

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Brandon Belt, Cactus League hero (USAT Images)

If it's March, it must be time to re-hype Brandon Belt. The kid is destroying Cactus League pitching, again.

As of this writing, Belt is hitting .417/.432/.861(!) with four homers and nine RBIs in his 37 plate appearances. He was a monster during exhibition play in 2012, too, going 28-for-74 with three bombs and eight doubles.

Belt's spring power surge didn't actually carry over into the regular season last year, you'll recall, as he hit only seven home runs over 145 games. But modest power has always been part of the projection. Belt delivered 76 extra-base hits across three minor league levels in 2010 (including 23 homers), and he cleared the fence 17 times in 2011, splitting time between Triple-A and the majors. He hit the ball plenty hard for San Francisco last year (25.6 line-drive percentage), though not usually on a trajectory that benefited the fantasy community.

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Jose Reyes (USAT Images)

As a group, major league shortstops demonstrated exactly one useful fantasy skill last season: They stole bases.

They didn't do much else, but at least they ran. This position delivered four of the game's top-13 individual stolen base totals, with Everth Cabrera's 44 steals leading the National League. Twelve different shortstops reached the 20-stolen base plateau in 2012, the most at any spot except outfield. And you might recall that Cincinnati farmhand Billy Hamilton had a pretty decent year, establishing a new minor league record for single-season steals (155).

So yeah, there's plenty of speed at short (even with Hamilton making the transition to center field). But if you're looking for power, good luck. Only five shortstops hit 20 or more homers last season, and none topped 25. This spot didn't give us any 100-RBI campaigns, and only one shortstop managed to score 100 runs (Jimmy Rollins, 102).

If you're seeking high-average hitters ... nope, sorry. Just three shortstops hit .300 or better last year, among all who qualified for the batting title.

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Miggy celebrates his preseason Yahoo! rank (USAT Images)

No matter how poorly you draft this year, it seems highly doubtful that you'll be able to screw up this position. Go ahead and try. Can't be done. Third base is uncommonly deep in 2013 — so deep, in fact, that the players we've slotted ninth and tenth in our preseason ranks, Chase Headley and Aramis Ramirez, both finished among the overall top-25 last season.

This position is so stacked that no one in the fantasy community even seems to care that we've lost Alex Rodriguez indefinitely — possibly for the entire season. We've already buried A-Rod in the desert, with Troy Glaus, Hank Blalock and Andy Marte. Thanks for the 600-something homers and 300-something steals, Alex. Your services are no longer needed.

[Baseball 2013 from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports: Join a league today!]

Seriously, in a standard mixed league, every owner is going to feel OK about their third baseman on draft day, whoever it is. The guy we've ranked 12th at the position, Mark Trumbo, hit 32 homers last season and drove in 95 runs. The player we've ranked 16th, Pedro Alvarez, hit 30 bombs and delivered 85 RBIs.

David Wright, greatest American hero (Getty Images)

OK, you guys should know the drill by now: In Spin Doctors, two Yahoo! fantasy experts will debate the merits of two similarly ranked players. Today we're discussing David Wright and Evan Longoria, a pair of third basemen who are typically drafted three picks apart in Yahoo! leagues (ADPs 21.5 and 24.2). Let's play the feud...

Brad begins: Whether we’re discussing baseball market or overall fantasy worth, Wright is the indisputable Big Apple in this debate.

The 30-year-old is in the midst of his prime, cemented as Terry Collins’ three-hitter for the foreseeable future and is coming off a sensational top-5 season among third basemen. Though it appears his power has waned, evident in a sharp ISO decline since 2010, he remains one of the more efficient across-the-board scorers at the position. Blessed with a sharp eye and plus speed, he should come close to matching his .306-21-93-91-15 output from a season ago.

Most importantly, Wright is much more reliable. Since 2005, he’s failed to surpass 530 at-bats in a season only once, a giant leg up on the Ray.

There's no argument at the top of the second base ranks (USAT Images)

Second base is basically the roster spot that keeps the position scarcity advocates in business. If it weren't for the dearth of talent at second, scarcity zealots wouldn't have such a compelling strategy to sell.

Just spend a minute or two examining the position ranks and you'll understand why the top players at this spot are such prized commodities, even in smaller mixed leagues. The top-tier second basemen — Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler — have proven themselves to be reliable four-category fantasy assets, reasonable picks in the opening rounds. But when you drop down to the third tier (see below), suddenly the names are much less appealing.

And when you reach the fourth and fifth tiers ... well, um ... let's just hope it never comes to that. Avoid that range if you can. Those tiers are loaded with overpriced mediocrity, with category specialists, and with dudes who are gonna hit .205. If you find yourself sifting through those names, then there's a decent chance your draft took a bad turn, probably in Rounds 5 or 6.

[Baseball 2013 from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports: Join a league today!]

No more clown leagues, bro (Getty Images)

Yup, that's right: Yahoo! Pro Leagues are LIVE and open for business.

Sign up today, draft your team, and in October we'll show up at your house with one of those giant golf checks.* IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE!

Payouts have increased in both the PRO20 and PRO100 leagues, and you're free to enter as many teams as you like. All Pro Leagues are 12-team public formats using either head-to-head or rotisserie scoring. Protested trades will be reviewed by Yahoo! fantasy staff, so no worries there. We're incorruptible.

If you have any additional questions or concerns — or if I've misled you in some important way — you guys can find the official rules right here.

Now please get in the game. Do it. Go.

Aaron Hicks (USAT Images)

Kids, this right here is how you win a position battle: Aaron Hicks homered three times in the Twins' split-squad win over the Phillies on Thursday, going 4-for-5 and driving in six of his team's 10 runs.

There's a fight underway to claim the starting center field gig in Minnesota, and the 23-year-old Hicks seems to be well ahead on points. He's batting .407 so far this spring with four homers, nine runs scored, 12 RBIs and one steal.

[Baseball 2013 from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports: Join a league today!]

Hicks' first homer on Thursday was an opposite-field shot off Cliff Lee (possibly wind-aided, but hit well), and his second was an absolute no-doubter off Jeremy Horst leading off the fifth. His third bomb was a sky-high blast to right field (again, might have been assisted by a friendly breeze).