Astros in Fantasy: Ranking draft-worthy position players

Which Astros position players are worthy of being drafted in your fantasy baseball league?

With the 2017 season nearly upon us, the fantasy baseball world gears up for another exciting year. After deepening their lineup in the offseason, the Astros may have more fantasy-relevant players this season than they have had in quite some time.

First, we’ll start by analyzing which position players will provide solid fantasy contributions. Next week, we’ll discuss pitchers. Keep in mind scoring projections and player rankings are based on ESPN fantasy baseball’s 2017 player rankings and may vary based on your league. Draft projections are based on standard 10 to 12-team leagues.

The surefire first-rounder: Jose Altuve

Altuve posted a monster year for fantasy owners in 2016, finishing second in ESPN’s player rater and first among second basemen. ESPN again ranks him second in 2017, behind only Mike Trout.

Even if his power numbers come back down from his career-high total, Altuve has proven to be a durable player who hits for a high average and steals plenty of bases. He should also have more run producing opportunities with this deeper Astros lineup. If you want him, you’ll have to take him in the first round.

Clear-cut starters: Carlos Correa, George Springer, Alex Bregman

Correa finished 90th in ESPN’s 2016 player rater despite a great deal of hype coming into the season. The hype returns, however, as he’s ranked 17th overall and second at his position in 2017, behind only Manny Machado, who is also eligible at third base. Correa could be primed for a big year, and his draft position may reflect that. Picking him in the first round would be a reach, but he may go in Round Two. If he falls to the third round, he could be a bargain.

Springer was ranked 78th overall in ESPN’s 2016 rater, owing to strong power numbers and plenty of walks. He’s ranked 13th among outfielders for 2017, though if he can bump up his batting average and cut down on the strikeouts, he could be a steal. As of now, he’ll likely be drafted in the fourth or fifth round. If he falls any lower, grab him.

Bregman presents possibly the most interesting fantasy case among Astros players. His incredibly high ceiling, coupled with his lack of experience at the major league level, makes him difficult to value. ESPN has him ranked ninth among third basemen for the 2017 season. Picking him before the seventh round would be a reach, but beware of someone reaching for him anyway. He could have a huge season, or he could struggle. But I wouldn’t bet against him.

Fringe starters: Carlos Beltran, Evan Gattis, Brian McCann

Beltran defied age in 2016, finishing the season rated as the 83rd overall player. ESPN is expecting a big drop-off in his age-40 season, however, ranking him 157th, and 44th among outfielders. This will likely push him into the second half of your draft, making him either your last starting outfielder or first outfielder off the bench. The good news is he should be in the lineup nearly every day, either in left field or at DH. If he comes anywhere close to his 2016 numbers, he will be an excellent value in rounds 14-17.

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Gattis and McCann are pretty much in the same boat, largely because they will split catching duties. Because Beltran will also get time at DH, it’s unlikely either catcher is in the lineup more than five days in any given week, barring an injury. If you want one of them as your starter, you’ll need a solid backup to fill in the missed days.

However, one possible scenario is to draft both of them. They should both be available in the second half of your draft, with Gattis going before McCann. If your league allows you to switch your lineup each day, you could check the Astros lineup daily to see who to start. If both are starting, Gattis could be placed in a DH or Utility spot. Between the two of them, you’re likely to get solid, if unspectacular, production. ESPN rates Gattis seventh and McCann ninth among catchers.