Astros in Fantasy Baseball: Could Two Astros be First Round Picks?

Astros in Fantasy Baseball: Are Altuve and Correa first-round picks in 2016?

As the 2016 Houston Astros season is quickly approaching, it’s time to bring back the Astros in Fantasy series. Which Astros could help you the most on your fantasy team in 2016? Who are the Astros sleepers, no one predicted that Lance McCullers would have the impact he did this year? We will look at the current Astros, who should be a lock on the opening day roster and those who may not be in the spotlight right now but could have an impact later. For this post, I will shock you a little, two Astros will most likely be drafted in the first round of your 2016 draft.

Last year, Jose Altuve was drafted mostly in the first two rounds, so it is no surprise that he is one of the two players. The second player will be a surprise for people outside of Houston, but he is entering his second year in MLB and won the AL Rookie of the Year last year. You guessed it, Carlos Correa. However, don’t fall asleep on George Springer, as some Fantasy experts have him in the top 12 instead of Correa. Either way, these three players are going to lead this team offensively for the foreseeable future. Let’s take a look at where they are projected.

The following ranking and projections are from Fantasy Pros

#9 Jose Altuve

The second baseman added a different element to his game as he hit 15 homers in 2015 after hitting only seven in 2014. Yes, his average dropped from .341 to .313, but the increase in power could have led to the drop in average. He also struck out 14 more times than he did in 2014, went from 53 to 67 in 2015. It is surprising that while Altuve did get 200+ hits in the past two seasons, he only scored 85 and 86. With continued improvement of the Astros offense

With the continued growth of the Astros offense, Altuve should be able to score closer to 100 runs a season. Yes, according to Fantasy Pros, who gets their rankings from six experts rankings, Altuve is the top second baseman for 2016. Altuve is worth a first round pick in any league, except for NL-Only leagues.

Range: #4 – #18

2016 Projections (Fantasy Pros): .311/ 92 runs/ 11 hr/ 72 RBI/ 39 sb

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#12 Carlos Correa

The young shortstop would be the most anticipated player to watch by Astros’ fans and fantasy baseball owners alike. It looks like the experts think so as well, as he would be the last pick in a 12-team league according to Fantasy Pros. He has shown across the board talent in his 2015 debut with the Astros, but he could have only skimmed the surface of his full potential in 2015. The problem with investing so much in a second years player, even one as good as Correa, is the dreaded sophomore curse. While it could be an old wives tale, the other teams do have tape on him now to try to get him out.

His power is legit, he can steal a bag here and there, but the question right now is what type of batting average will he have. With his overall game, he does not necessarily have to bat .300, but it would sure help the whole team if he did. I think there could be a possibility of a 20-20 season this year, but a 30-30 year would be preferred. Like Altuve, Correa is the top shortstop in the rankings.

Range: #9 – #22

2016 Projections (Fantasy Pros): .272/ 84 runs/ 23 hr/ 82 RBI/ 21 sb

Next: Jeff Bagwell: Maybe he will get the call in 2017, not 2016

The Astros are once again relevant in fantasy baseball, doesn’t it feel nice? Even if you don’t play fantasy baseball, you can appreciate the respect the Astros are getting this offseason. The Astros will no longer be sneaking up on anyone, so the Astros have to make sure they beat the teams that they have to in 2016. Springer is ranked as the 33rd overall player which represents about a second or third round pick.

**Stats from Baseball-Reference**

**Rankings and Projections from Fantasy Pros**

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