RotoWire Roundtable: Updated Composite Rankings

RotoWire Roundtable: Updated Composite Rankings

This article is part of our RotoWire Roundtable series.

The start of the Major League Baseball season will be delayed by at least two weeks as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

RotoWire President Peter Schoenke said it best: the fantasy sports implications of this crisis pale in comparison to the real world events. Stay safe, everyone.

Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal reported that the current thinking inside Major League Baseball as of Friday was still to try to play all 162 games in 2020.

For this installment of the Roundtable, we are going to assume a full 162-game season, with a two-week delay. This seems like an unlikely outcome to many, but we are going with that here, and we will adjust for future installments as we get more clarity from Major League Baseball.

A two-week delay helps the fantasy value of currently-injured players, especially those that were projected to miss time at the beginning of the regular season. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Mike Clevinger, Michael Conforto, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Eugenio Suarez, Oscar Mercado and Alex Verdugo will all have more recovery time than expected before games begin and have received a notable bump in their ranking as a result.

If the start of the season is pushed back further, it could drastically change valuations. Those big, 200-plus-inning workhorses would no longer be as appealing from a fantasy standpoint because they will not have the opportunity to rack up the innings necessary to be the massive strikeout

The start of the Major League Baseball season will be delayed by at least two weeks as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

RotoWire President Peter Schoenke said it best: the fantasy sports implications of this crisis pale in comparison to the real world events. Stay safe, everyone.

Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal reported that the current thinking inside Major League Baseball as of Friday was still to try to play all 162 games in 2020.

For this installment of the Roundtable, we are going to assume a full 162-game season, with a two-week delay. This seems like an unlikely outcome to many, but we are going with that here, and we will adjust for future installments as we get more clarity from Major League Baseball.

A two-week delay helps the fantasy value of currently-injured players, especially those that were projected to miss time at the beginning of the regular season. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Mike Clevinger, Michael Conforto, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Eugenio Suarez, Oscar Mercado and Alex Verdugo will all have more recovery time than expected before games begin and have received a notable bump in their ranking as a result.

If the start of the season is pushed back further, it could drastically change valuations. Those big, 200-plus-inning workhorses would no longer be as appealing from a fantasy standpoint because they will not have the opportunity to rack up the innings necessary to be the massive strikeout outliers and ratios anchors that they had been. If Gerrit Cole and Jacob deGrom can't separate themselves with the innings, they fall closer to the likes of Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell, who we couldn't reasonably project 180-plus innings over a full 162-game season heading into the spring. Similarly, young arms coming off injuries -- Jesus Luzardo, Julio Urias, A.J. Puk and others -- would get a bump in their ranking as the lower-inning projections and managed workloads wouldn't count against them as much if the top arms are limited in how many innings they can accumulate.

We'll pass that bridge if/when we come to it. Again, for now, we are assuming a full 162-game 2020 season, with a two-week delay, for these Roundtable Rankings.

For these, we also assume 5x5 rotisserie scoring with 23 active players (14 hitters, including two catchers, and nine pitchers).

You can sort the list below by individual ranker, and you can also sort by average ranking (AVG) or median ranking (Med). The default rank (Rk) is by AVG.

Intro written by Clay Link

RkAVGMedPlayerTeamPosJECLTZEH
11.51Ronald AcunaBravesOF1113
22.02Mike TroutAngelsOF2231
32.52.5Christian YelichBrewersOF3322
44.54.5Gerrit ColeYankeesSP5454
55.85Jacob deGromMetsSP4649
67.07Mookie BettsDodgersOF7777
77.87.5Cody BellingerDodgers1B/OF61195
87.88Francisco LindorIndiansSS105106
99.810.5Trea TurnerNationalsSS129612
1010.010.5Juan SotoNationalsOF1110118
1111.310Trevor StoryRockiesSS981711
1211.813Max ScherzerNationalsSP1313813
1314.014.5Nolan ArenadoRockies3B16171310
1414.813.5Walker BuehlerDodgersSP8122415
1518.517J.D. MartinezRed SoxOF18161624
1618.517Jack FlahertyCardinalsSP14142620
1719.320.5Alex BregmanAstros3B/SS22202114
1819.319Bryce HarperPhilliesOF19191821
1919.317.5Jose RamirezIndians3B15152027
2020.521Freddie FreemanBraves1B24181525
2121.522Fernando TatisPadresSS17222522
2221.519.5Anthony RendonAngels3B20301917
2323.523Rafael DeversRed Sox3B25213018
2428.522Shane BieberIndiansSP21235416
2529.825.5Stephen StrasburgNationalsSP27244523
2629.829Austin MeadowsRaysOF30282338
2730.027Starling MarteDiamondbacksOF23311452
2830.831Xander BogaertsRed SoxSS31263531
2931.832.5Charlie BlackmonRockiesOF38272240
3032.329Javier BaezCubsSS29294229
3132.533.5Pete AlonsoMets1B35323726
3233.829.5Mike ClevingerIndiansSP34255719
3335.041Justin VerlanderAstrosSP46391243
3436.332.5Jose AltuveAstros2B33532732
3537.837.5Ozzie AlbiesBraves2B32434630
3638.037.5Clayton KershawDodgersSP26365139
3739.536Gleyber TorresYankees2B/SS28445828
3841.039.5George SpringerAstrosOF51413834
3944.839.5Yordan AlvarezAstrosDH69463133
4046.042.5Keston HiuraBrewers2B37634836
4147.350.5Charlie MortonRaysSP53515035
4248.543Adalberto MondesiRoyalsSS76353251
4348.545.5J.T. RealmutoPhilliesC47693444
4448.547Victor RoblesNationalsOF54403961
4550.856Yoan MoncadaWhite Sox2B56335658
4651.349.5Kris BryantCubs3B/OF61475245
4752.552Aaron NolaPhilliesSP55495947
4852.551.5Bo BichetteBlue JaysSS40546749
4953.045Jonathan VillarMarlins2B/SS39504083
5054.554Chris PaddackPadresSP45526556
5155.356Lucas GiolitoWhite SoxSP44687237
5255.353.5Ketel MarteDiamondbacks2B/OF43736441
5356.353.5Zack GreinkeAstrosSP49584969
5456.552Anthony RizzoCubs1B81564148
5556.849.5Patrick CorbinNationalsSP42428657
5657.355Blake SnellRaysSP68388142
5758.043.5Yu DarvishCubsSP363710950
5859.357Eloy JimenezWhite SoxOF60457854
5960.362Whit MerrifieldRoyals2B/OF50743384
6060.565.5Jose AbreuWhite Sox1B64673675
6161.857.5Luis CastilloRedsSP41609155
6266.866Nelson CruzTwinsDH82655367
6367.874Ramon LaureanoAthleticsOF77952871
6468.066Josh HaderBrewersRP58827359
6568.066.5Eugenio SuarezReds3B91488053
6668.366DJ LeMahieuYankees1B/2B/3B72865560
6769.074Tommy PhamPadresOF70784385
6869.876.5Marcell OzunaBravesOF97752978
6971.073Matt OlsonAthletics1B48769070
7072.070.5Manny MachadoPadresSS/3B59667588
7172.374Tim AndersonWhite SoxSS86556286
7272.363.5Tyler GlasnowRaysSP525911068
7374.078Vladimir GuerreroBlue Jays3B623410694
7474.573.5Jorge SolerRoyalsOF90617176
7574.879.5Marcus SemienAthleticsSS96724487
7675.076.5Paul GoldschmidtCardinals1B100714782
7775.078Nick CastellanosRedsOF83836173
7875.863.5Noah SyndergaardMetsSP576211965
7978.577Kirby YatesPadresRP66968864
8078.881Matt ChapmanAthletics3B80578296
8179.573Brandon WoodruffBrewersSP741036972
8279.881.5Luis RobertWhite SoxOF89647492
8379.882.5Eddie RosarioTwinsOF84916381
8484.592Giancarlo StantonYankeesOF1081018346
8585.082Josh DonaldsonTwins3B738579103
8685.391.5Josh BellPirates1B95948963
8787.084.5Trevor BauerRedsSP751139466
8890.890Jose BerriosTwinsSP6779101116
8991.385Jeff McNeilMets2B/3B/OF791257091
9091.394.5Liam HendriksAthleticsRP78989693
9191.888.5Aaron JudgeYankeesOF1207010077
9292.095.5Max MuncyDodgers1B/2B/3B711069398
9392.894Roberto OsunaAstrosRP6381120107
9494.380Aroldis ChapmanYankeesRP658015280
9596.395.5Sonny GrayRedsSP8589102109
9698.398Mike SorokaBravesSP1098760137
97100.5105.5Gary SanchezYankeesC10710412962
98101.899.5Mike MoustakasReds2B/3B1027713197
99102.597.5Andrew BenintendiRed SoxOF9310276139
100103.8102.5Carlos SantanaIndians1B10493117101
101105.0106Joey GalloRangersOF10310913474
102108.0103.5Yasmani GrandalWhite SoxC/1B10584141102
103108.5116.5Michael BrantleyAstrosOF12810568133
104108.5104Lance LynnRangersSP1169214779
105109.0108Carlos CorreaAstrosSS101119108108
106114.5118.5Eduardo EscobarDiamondbacks2B/3B11712497120
107115.097.5Kenley JansenDodgersRP989717689
108116.5115.5Zack WheelerPhilliesSP92112143119
109116.5118Taylor RogersTwinsRP94130136106
110117.0118.5Tommy EdmanCardinals2B/3B13913392104
111118.0118.5Amed RosarioMetsSS121116103132
112118.0120.5Cavan BiggioBlue Jays2B13212799114
113118.3123Corey KluberRangersSP99128128118
114121.3127Elvis AndrusRangersSS13412084147
115121.5128Michael ConfortoMetsOF13811887143
116121.8131Jorge PolancoTwinsSS14012685136
117123.5119Madison BumgarnerDiamondbacksSP113111145125
118124.5127Miguel SanoTwins3B115129127127
119124.8119Corey SeagerDodgersSS124114113148
120124.8120.5Kyle HendricksCubsSP12788114170
121125.0125Kyle SchwarberCubsOF135115139111
122125.8104.5Zac GallenDiamondbacksSP8799207110
123126.3116Willson ContrerasCubsC110110163122
124127.8134Eduardo RodriguezRed SoxSP143100142126
125128.5126.5Rhys HoskinsPhillies1B123108130153
126128.8127.5Frankie MontasAthleticsSP8817216590
127128.8119.5Franmil ReyesIndiansOF12211718195
128130.0130Mitch GarverTwinsC112148137123
129131.3130Oscar MercadoIndiansOF111154118142
130131.5134.5Lourdes GurrielBlue JaysOF145152105124
131134.8125Jesus LuzardoAthleticsSP118132172117
132135.8134Hyun-Jin RyuBlue JaysSP154143125121
133137.5142Khris DavisAthleticsDH153131107159
134137.8136Brad HandIndiansRP12614618099
135138.5106.5Edwin DiazMetsRP106107241100
136141.3136Max KeplerTwinsOF14290203130
137143.5145Justin TurnerDodgers3B151141133149
138145.8152.5Bryan ReynoldsPiratesOF14418395161
139147.3138Yuli GurrielAstros1B/3B181136132140
140147.5149.5Lorenzo CainBrewersOF187139104160
141148.3162.5Adam EatonNationalsOF19118177144
142149.8147Max FriedBravesSP114138191156
143150.0134Shohei OhtaniAngelsDH/SP133135220112
144150.3150.5Nick AndersonRaysRP129171155146
145152.0148Edwin EncarnacionWhite Sox1B136123160189
146152.0149.5Mike MinorRangersSP155144116193
147153.8146.5Ken GilesBlue JaysRP146147209113
148155.5132Hector NerisPhilliesRP119145243115
149156.5154.5Dinelson LametPadresSP130175187134
150157.8171.5Jean SeguraPhilliesSS19016198182
151158.0153.5Salvador PerezRoyalsC150149157176
152159.3151.5Will Smith (LAD)DodgersC147187151152
153160.0155Matthew BoydTigersSP170140225105
154160.5167Sean ManaeaAthleticsSP172122162186
155162.5158.5Gavin LuxDodgers2B162155205128
156162.5166.5Paul DeJongCardinalsSS177165140168
157162.8164.5Carlos MartinezCardinalsSP173164149165
158164.0157Julio UriasDodgersSP137121221177
159164.5167.5Wilson RamosMetsC168179144167
160166.3157.5Robbie RayDiamondbacksSP178137215135
161166.3174J.D. DavisMets3B/OF186193124162
162166.5165.5Kyle TuckerAstrosOF176151184155
163167.0161Carlos CarrascoIndiansSP125221159163
164167.3174.5Byron BuxtonTwinsOF161199121188
165169.8177David DahlRockiesOF175194179131
166169.8167Kevin NewmanPirates2B/SS159191154175
167170.5180.5Avisail GarciaBrewersOF198166123195
168171.5176David PriceRed SoxSP131203195157
169171.8166Raisel IglesiasRedsRP141178214154
170174.0173.5Hansel RoblesAngelsRP163159190184
171174.3168.5Didi GregoriusYankeesSS157150210180
172174.8179Giovanny GallegosCardinalsRP185156185173
173179.8163Chris SaleRed SoxSP197267126129
174180.3152.5Danny SantanaRangers1B/OF160301115145
175181.8172.5Brandon WorkmanRed SoxRP165217173172
176183.5181Kenta MaedaTwinsSP164208198164
177183.5168Scott KingeryPhillies3B/OF152184260138
178184.0216.5Yasiel PuigFAOF23223766201
179184.8186.5James PaxtonYankeesSP208167206158
180186.3191Christian WalkerDiamondbacks1B158205186196
181187.8183.5Omar NarvaezBrewersC213180171187
182188.3189German MarquezRockiesSP179163212199
183191.8162Trey ManciniOrioles1B/OF309134183141
184192.5181Jose UrquidyAstrosSP194168242166
185194.8175Jake OdorizziTwinsSP192158279150
186195.0171.5Craig KimbrelCubsRP183160286151
187197.8198Yadier MolinaCardinalsC225186170210
188198.0198Nick SenzelRedsOF211200196185
189199.8188Mallex SmithMarinersOF202311112174
190200.3199.5Luke VoitYankees1B199209193200
191201.0206.5Justin UptonAngelsOF234157199214
192201.5199.5Joe MusgrovePiratesSP193240167206
193202.3192Ryan McMahonRockies2B/3B167153272217
194203.0199.5Garrett HampsonRockies2B/OF182231197202
195203.3195Jose LeclercRangersRP171219254169
196203.5194.5Shin-Soo ChooRangersOF189177200248
197204.0201.5Christian VazquezRed SoxC206260153197
198204.3217.5Archie BradleyDiamondbacksRP148228234207
199206.3213Hunter DozierRoyals1B/3B166196233230
200207.3202Sean MurphyAthleticsC200190204235
201208.0224Joc PedersonDodgers1B/OF242142217231
202208.0207.5Marcus StromanMetsSP235182182233
203208.0205.5Will Smith (ATL)BravesRP184227148273
204208.8187.5Andrew HeaneyAngelsSP204162298171
205209.3210Brandon LoweRays2B215198219205
206209.8208.5Andrew McCutchenPhilliesOF203214161261
207209.8219Alex ColomeWhite SoxRP149244252194
208210.5206.5Cesar HernandezIndians2B221192111318
209212.5212Carson KellyDiamondbacksC218206222204
210213.3217.5Masahiro TanakaYankeesSP209176226242
211213.5217.5Miguel AndujarYankeesDH210225240179
212214.3226Nick SolakRangersUT267201138251
213215.5212Josh JamesAstrosSP264246174178
214218.3213.5Mike FoltynewiczBravesSP196189231257
215218.8239.5Alex VerdugoRed SoxOF241274122238
216219.5221.5C.J. CronTigers1B269215166228
217220.5226.5Shogo AkiyamaRedsOF231222177252
218222.8232Jon BertiMarlinsSS/3B/OF238277150226
219223.0210.5Randal GrichukBlue JaysOF293223178198
220224.5225Caleb SmithMarlinsSP223202246227
221224.8233.5Adrian HouserBrewersSP249257175218
222225.3229.5Luke WeaverDiamondbacksSP236259223183
223226.3220Eric HosmerPadres1B222174218291
224226.5219David PeraltaDiamondbacksOF180204288234
225229.0228Brian AndersonMarlins3B/OF205255227229
226231.3223Lance McCullersAstrosSP207289239190
227236.3251Gio UrshelaYankees3B246256169274
228236.8210.5Joe JimenezTigersRP195226345181
229237.5271Starlin CastroNationals2B273270135272
230237.8223Yonny ChirinosRaysSP214232194311
231238.0240Dylan BundyOriolesSP233247249223
232242.0239A.J. PukAthleticsSP237241299191
233243.0225.5Joey LucchesiPadresSP217304229222
234243.8253Corey DickersonMarlinsOF296210164305
235245.0250Mark CanhaAthleticsOF259195285241
236247.3247.5Anthony DeSclafaniRedsSP245258236250
237248.0249.5Ryan BraunBrewersOF286335158213
238248.5241.5Austin HaysOriolesOF250233202309
239249.5258.5Luis ArraezTwins2B/OF270254211263
240250.5237.5Dylan CarlsonCardinalsOF216173354259
241250.8259Sean DoolittleNationalsRP188278297240
242251.3241.5Joey VottoReds1B292238230245
243252.3228Nomar MazaraWhite SoxOF201207352249
244253.0243Rougned OdorRangers2B230314256212
245254.0261.5Ian KennedyRoyalsSP169216324307
246254.0233.5Sandy AlcantaraMarlinsSP219211248338
247256.5274Dansby SwansonBravesSS281197267281
248259.5241Nick MadrigalWhite Sox2B243239320236
249260.5239Hunter RenfroePadresOF228345250219
250262.0267.5Aaron CivaleIndiansSP266220269293
251262.3254Buster PoseyGiantsC297261244247
252263.0265Jonathan SchoopTigers2B260330192270
253263.8258.5Brett GardnerYankeesOF220235318282
254266.5251Michael ChavisRed Sox2B247230334255
255268.5224.5Jorge AlfaroMarlinsC229424201220
256269.3270Dallas KeuchelWhite SoxSP288252305232
257271.8284A.J. PollockDodgersOF301218270298
258272.8274.5Wil MyersPadresOF255287284265
259273.3225Willie CalhounRangersOF156188487262
260274.5285.5Daniel MurphyRockies1B338283189288
261275.5225.5Mark MelanconBravesRP174212477239
262278.3283Chris ArcherPiratesSP300266339208
263279.3246Mitch KellerPiratesSP239253414211
264281.8286Jose QuintanaCubsSP321234273299
265282.3231.5Kyle SeagerMariners3B496170188275
266283.5271Danny JansenBlue JaysC274339253268
267286.8265.5Jon GrayRockiesSP252364277254
268287.8261Kevin GausmanGiantsSP385248274244
269288.8246Travis d'ArnaudBravesC/1B268495168224
270290.0257.5Keone KelaPiratesRP212442303203
271290.8307Francisco MejiaPadresC224303311325
272292.5287.5Andrelton SimmonsAngelsSS285285290310
273295.3294.5Alex WoodRedsSP280355309237
274298.3317.5Rick PorcelloMetsSP313322228330
275299.0272Brandon KintzlerCubsRP294250436216
276302.0268.5Ryan YarbroughRaysSP271458213266
277302.3210.5Kolten WongCardinals2B642229146192
278302.3304Kole CalhounDiamondbacksOF295393208313
279302.8271.5Seth LugoMetsRP276413255267
280304.8296Yoshi TsutsugoRaysOF248185442344
281305.3290Robinson CanoMets2B263286378294
282305.3284Ryan PresslyAstrosRP375279278289
283306.3306.5Steven MatzMetsSP257299355314
284307.3278Kurt SuzukiNationalsC287405268269
285307.5327Gregory PolancoPiratesOF352350224304
286308.3307.5Yusei KikuchiMarinersSP308298307320
287311.0288Eric ThamesNationals1B431284237292
288314.3302Mike FiersAthleticsSP258288316395
289314.3319.5Jackie BradleyRed SoxOF322292317326
290315.8314.5Willy AdamesRaysSS278356343286
291317.0310Jurickson ProfarPadres2B254320300394
292317.5296.5Pablo LopezMarlinsSP401276293300
293317.5307.5Miles MikolasCardinalsSP334268281387
294319.0273.5Sam HilliardRockiesOF226213516321
295320.5316.5Travis ShawBlue Jays3B256312321393
296320.8304.5Anibal SanchezNationalsSP290282319392
297321.3311.5J.A. HappYankeesSP265294397329
298322.3326Niko GoodrumTigers1B/2B373293359264
299322.3322.5Marco GonzalesMarinersSP323382262322
300324.0317.5Nathan EovaldiRed SoxSP272329389306

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jeff Erickson
Jeff Erickson is a co-founder of RotoWire and the only two-time winner of Baseball Writer of the Year from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. He's also in the FSWA Hall of Fame. He roots for the Reds, Bengals, Red Wings, Pacers and Northwestern University (the real NU).
Erik Halterman
Erik Halterman is the Features Editor for RotoWire. He also co-hosts RotoWire Fantasy Baseball on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio.
Clay Link
Clay Link is the MLB Editor at RotoWire. Clay won the overall championship in The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational and finished top 10 in the NFBC Online Championship in 2018. He can be heard on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, MLB Network Radio and twice a week on the RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Podcast during baseball season.
Todd Zola
Todd has been writing about fantasy baseball since 1997. He won NL Tout Wars and Mixed LABR in 2016 as well as a multi-time league winner in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship. Todd is now setting his sights even higher: The Rotowire Staff League. Lord Zola, as he's known in the industry, won the 2013 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Article of the Year award and was named the 2017 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Writer of the Year. Todd is a five-time FSWA awards finalist.
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