The MLB landscape has changed dramatically since the Atlanta Braves won their fourth World Series title in franchise history last October. Freddie Freeman, Trevor Story, Carlos Correa and Kris Bryant are among the big-name playmakers who find themselves on a new team ahead of the 2022 MLB season. Knowing how a player will adjust to a new lineup can be tricky, which is exactly why you’ll want a reliable set of 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings to help you identify which players are poised for a big year.
Where should you be targeting those superstars in your upcoming 2022 Fantasy baseball drafts? And who are some of the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts who can outperform their 2022 Fantasy baseball ADP? Before going on the clock, be sure to see the 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last season, SportsLine’s Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
After struggling to realize his middle-of-the-lineup potential his first two seasons, Guerrero had a 2021 Fantasy baseball ADP outside the top 50 and the model predicted he’d outperform that position significantly. The result: Guerrero finished second in AL MVP voting with 48 home runs and 111 RBIs while slashing .311/.401/.601. Anybody who followed its advice and picked up Guerrero in their Fantasy baseball drafts received a top-10 talent for a fourth or fifth-round price.
The SportsLine model is engineered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.
Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2022 MLB schedule, free agency signings or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is projecting: Nationals starter Josiah Gray. The former top-100 prospect was a central figure in the trade that sent Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers and he made a total of 14 appearances (13 starts) during his rookie season, posting a lackluster 5.48 ERA combined with the Dodgers and Nationals.
However, Gray’s stuff seemed to play relatively well, as he struck out 76 batters in 70.2 innings. Gray has a four-pitch arsenal that includes a 95 mph four-seam fastball with arm-side run, a slider, a curveball and a changeup he uses to keep lefties honest. He also has an easy, repeatable three-quarters delivery that should help him stay off the injured list and eat innings for a rebuilding Washington squad. The model likes Gray to take a massive step forward in his second season, ranking him ahead of established veterans like Mike Clevinger and Kyle Gibson who are being drafted seven rounds earlier on average.
Another of the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is projecting: Athletics starting pitcher Cole Irvin. The 28-year-old finished last season with a 10-15 record, while leading the American League in hits allowed (195). However, Irvin appears to be in the mix to be the No. 2 or No. 3 starter in Oakland in 2022.
According to the latest reports from spring training, Irving has unveiled a cutter before the start of the 2022 MLB season. The left-hander doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he has enough pitches in his arsenal to keep hitters off balance. That’s a big reason why SportsLine’s model ranks Irvin ahead of starters like German Marquez, Pablo Lopez and Justin Verlander, making him one of the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts you should be all over.
How to find proven 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top five of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 60 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Scherzer, Corbin Burnes and Shane Bieber. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So which 2022 Fantasy breakouts should you target in your upcoming drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s big season, and find out.
