Advertisement

Fantasy Baseball: Our top draft targets from the AL Central

Our fantasy baseball analysts jump into each MLB division and reveal the player they're targeting in drafts from each team. Here are Scott Pianowski, Dalton Del Don and Andy Behrens' picks for the AL Central.

Kansas City Royals

-It’s tough to imagine Bobby Witt Jr. won’t thrive upon arrival. He just delivered a 33/29 season in the high minors, slashing .290/.361/.576 across two levels. Witt was excellent in spring games last year as well. At this stage, it’s impossible to make the case that he requires additional seasoning. — Andy Behrens

-I get the obvious downside and injury risk when it comes to Adalberto Mondesi; he’s never even managed to play 105 games during his career. But in a time when steals are down across the league, THE BAT X projects Mondesi to easily lead MLB in stolen bases this season despite missing 40+ games. Mondesi is still just 26 years old and capable of adding 20+ homers with all that speed, and he plays a third base position widely considered to be thin this year. He’s going to be a real difference-maker even if you don’t get a full season from him. — Dalton Del Don

-I don’t want Adalberto Mondesi on all of my rosters, but in a mixed league (or in a league with an overall component) he’s an exciting play-to-win pick. If he can get 130 games on the books, he’ll lead the majors in steals. Sure, he’s a hacker at the plate, but he also offers pop. And perhaps his injury risk is overblown; he missed all of one game in the truncated 2020 season. Try to get a share or two. — Scott Pianowski

Chicago White Sox

-There’s no shortage of must-draft candidates on this squad. I’ll take Michael Kopech wherever I can get him, as he’s presumably headed to the starting rotation (finally) after delivering useful ratios in relief last season and striking out 103 batters in 69.1 innings. Regardless of role, any pitcher with Kopech’s K-rate and obscene stuff is worth rostering. — Behrens

[Batter up: Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for free today]

-Yoan Moncada was a meh hitter last year, but I’ll call it an excused absence and double-down for his age-27 season. Third base is a thin fantasy position, and Moncada likely slots second in a stacked Chicago lineup. You’ll want the South Siders locked in as a nightly watch. — Pianowski

-Dylan Cease fanned 109 batters over 73.2 innings after the All-Star break last season and has emerged as one of the game’s newest aces. Cease throws hard and also features a devastating slider with swing-and-miss stuff that portends a much lower ERA in the future. The White Sox should provide real nice run and bullpen support, so I have Cease ranked as a top-15 fantasy starter. — Del Don

Michael Kopech (L) and Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox are intriguing fantasy baseball pitchers
The White Sox possess a young pitching duo ready to make serious fantasy baseball noise. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Detroit Tigers

-Look, this is a weird team with a lineup full of flawed, fun players. I’m not sure I’m all-in on anyone in Detroit, but I’m not all-out, either. I’ve actually drafted Robbie Grossman in a pair of early industry leagues, so I’d feel like a fraud if I didn’t select him here. He was a 20/20 guy last year and he was basically on the same pace in the mini-season the year before. If you’re giving him to me late in a draft, I’m game. — Behrens

[Try Yahoo Fantasy Plus for free to get premium baseball draft tools and more]

-Don’t let the batting average fool you, Robbie Grossman is a modern, efficient offensive player. He’s posted an OPS+ of 128 and 116 the last two years (where 100 is league average), and while that’s not a direct boon to 5x5 leagues, what’s wrong with 88 runs, 23 homers, 20 steals and 67 RBIs from last year? The ennui of Detroit’s roster is giving you Grossman at a juicy discount. — Pianowski

-Spencer Torkelson was the first pick in the 2020 draft after a prolific three years at Arizona State as college baseball’s best hitter. His bat looks ready after a successful first season across the minors last year (30 homers over 431 ABs), and he’s expected to be fully recovered from an ankle injury that cut short his stint in the AFL. Torkelson’s ADP currently sits in Round 20 in Yahoo leagues; Steamer is projecting 29 homers and 77 RBI over just 130 games (with a 129 wRC+ for the rookie). The fact Torkelson is also 3B eligible makes him even more enticing in fantasy leagues; he looks like an excellent target. — Del Don

Minnesota Twins

-Alex Kirilloff was a well-hyped prospect who slashed .318/.366/.503 in his minor league career, then slugged eight homers over 59 games for the Twins in 2021. Among all players with at least 200 plate appearances last year, Kirilloff ranked No. 41 in xwOBA (.365), yet his wOBA was 58 points lower. That’s a huge difference, suggesting he was stinging the ball without the expected results. He’s one of my favorite fliers in the back half of drafts. — Behrens

[Join the Yahoo Fantasy Tourney Pick'Em $25K Best Bracket Contest]

-Jorge Polanco's Yahoo ADP is 21 picks cheaper than the NFBC cost; I want you to take advantage. Has anyone ever hit a quieter 33 homers? Polanco was a top-40 player in Yahoo 5x5 value last year; he can regress a fair amount and still be worth your while. And into an age-28 season, are we even sure he’ll regress to begin with? — Pianowski

-Miguel Sano is admittedly a batting average risk, but he hit .250/.343/.504 after the All-Star break last season, including 15 homers over 240 at-bats. He also sported the lowest K% of his career while ranking in the top 3% of the league in Barrel%, average exit velocity and max exit velocity; he was in the top 1% in Hard Hit%. Finally settled in at first base, Sano is a dark horse to win the home run title, yet his Yahoo ADP is just barely inside 250. — Del Don

Cleveland Guardians

-I can’t tell you exactly when Cody Morris will arrive in Cleveland, but you’ll want him on your fantasy rosters when he gets there. He struck out 93 batters over 61.0 minor league innings last year while delivering silly ratios (1.62 ERA, 1.00 WHIP). Morris finished at Triple-A, where he was utterly dominant. He’s an excellent last-round stash. — Behrens

-It feels like forever when Amed Rosario was the hot-shot Mets prospect; they tossed him away like yesterday’s coffee. He’s still just 26, and coming off a year where he hit for a plus average, conked 11 homers and was a perfect 13-for-13 on steals. If Rosario simply repeats last year, he recoups his current ADP. And who’s to say a growth season isn’t coming?

(I’m also willing to take a stab at Paul Quantrill; while he outkicked his suggested ERA last year, the “Regression, drop mic” crowd is giving you a juicy discount. Quantrill was a rated prospect and it’s not a jagged division.) — Pianowski

-With steals at an absolute premium and my aggressive approach to drafting pitching early, Myles Straw is a frequent mid-round target of mine. He’s not a great hitter but good plate discipline leads to strong OBPs. Slated to hit leadoff in Cleveland, Straw’s elite centerfield defense should help keep his bat in the lineup. Straw once stole 70 bases over 131 games in the minors as a 23-year-old. — Del Don