2022 SECONDBASEMEN

(Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

by Doug Gruber

Like a year ago, there is a scarcity of players with multiple assets at the keystone. BABS lists only nine full time second basemen with two or more above average skills. And their acquisition costs are high, as all but one of the nine are being drafted within the top 100 picks.

Let’s look closer at the BABS ratings for the 2Bmen in 2022:

ADP R$ 2BMEN Pos Tm PT Pw Sp Av * Rg Sk Inj Ex Ag Rg RISK
80 $15 Lowe,Brandon 4 TAM F P+ a *         0.00
77 $15 Chisholm,Jazz 46 MIA F p S+ inj- e   2.00
31 $24 Merrifield,Whit 4o KC F SB AV         0.00
20 $28 Albies,Ozzie 4 ATL F p s a   INJ     5.00
95 $13 India,Jonathan 4 CIN F p s a *     e   1.00
83 $14 Polanco,Jorge 46 MIN F p AV         0.00
84 $14 Edman,Tommy 4o9 STL F SB a         0.00
326 $1 Brujan,Vidal o4 TAM P S+ a   -P   EX   3.00
298 $2 Madrigal,Nick 4 CHC F s A+   -P INJ EX   6.00
413 $(1) Kemp,Anthony 4o7 OAK P s a *         0.00
33 $24 Semien,Marcus 46 TEX F p a         0.25
714 $(7) Lowrie,Jed 40 OAK M p a   INJ   Ag   3.25
73 $16 Altuve,Jose 4 HOU F AV   inj-     1.00
119 $11 Cronenworth,Jake 463 SD F AV     e   1.00
315 $1 McNeil,Jeff 4o7 NYM M AV   inj-     1.00
520 $(3) Cano,Robinson 4 NYM M AV   INJ   Ag   3.25
702 $(6) Solano,Donovan 4 SF M AV   INJ     3.00
748 $(7) Young,Andy 4 ARI P P+   -A   EX   5.00
160 $8 Rodgers,Brendan 46 COL F a   INJ e Rg- 4.25
195 $6 Wong,Kolten 4 MIL F a   inj-     1.00
229 $5 Rojas,Josh 4o69 ARI M a   inj- e Rg- 2.25
260 $3 Toro,Abraham 45 SEA F a     e   1.00
380 $(0) Harrison,Josh 45o OAK M a         0.00
387 $(1) Solak,Nick 4 TEX F a     e   1.00
528 $(4) La Stella,Tommy 4 SF M a   INJ     3.00
617 $(5) Ibanez,Andy 4 TEX M a   inj- EX   3.00
691 $(6) Arroyo,Christian 4 BOS P a   INJ EX   5.00
333 $1 Fletcher,David 46 LAA F s AV   -P inj-     2.00
112 $12 LeMahieu,DJ 435 NYY F AV Rg+ -P inj-     2.00
207 $6 Segura,Jean 4 PHI F AV   -P inj-     2.00
322 $1 Frazier,Adam 4 SEA F AV   -P       1.25
749 $(7) Freeman,Tyler 4 CLE P AV   -P   EX   3.00
367 $(0) Hernandez,Cesar 4 WAS F         0.25
454 $(2) Odor,Rougned 45 BAL M PW   -A inj-     4.25
522 $(4) Castro,Willi 46 DET P SB Rg+ -P   e   2.00
446 $(2) Moore,Dylan 4o7 SEA P SB Rg+ -A INJ e   7.00
400 $(1) Hoerner,Nico 4 CHC F a   -P INJ EX Rg- 6.25
492 $(3) Garcia,Luis 4 WAS M a Rg+ -P   EX   3.25
739 $(7) Paredes,Isaac 4 DET P a *   -P INJ EX   6.00
584 $(5) Peterson,Jace 4o3 MIL P s *   -A inj-     4.00
678 $(6) Brosseau,Michael 45 MIL P p   -A   e   4.00
713 $(7) VanMeter,Josh 45 ARI P p   -A   e   4.00
1000 $(10) Clement,Ernie 4 CLE P   -P   EX   3.00
608 $(5) Chavis,Michael 4 PIT F   -A inj- e   5.00
707 $(6) Bote,David 45 CHC P Rg+ -A INJ     6.00
746 $(7) Jones,Jahmai 4 BAL P SB Rg+ -PA   EX   6.00
745 $(7) Miller,Owen 4 CLE P   -PA   EX   6.00

ASSETS: PT (Playing time), Pw (Power), Sp (Speed), Av (Batting Effectiveness), * (OBP help), Rg (Regression help). LIABILITIES: Sk (Skills risk), Inj (Injury), Ex (Inexperience),  Ag (Age decline), Rg (Regression hurt), Risk cost

The top secondbaseman according to the market is Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies (p,s,a|INJ). BABS agrees Albies is a fine triple asset player, however, she has identified Jonathan India (p,s,a|e) as having comparable skills who can be acquired five to six rounds later. Last year’s NL rookie of the year, India came on especially strong in the second half providing $28 worth of five category production, while also benefitting from his home park.

If you are looking for power and speed from this position, the market favors Marcus Semien (p,a) coming off a career year and now with a new long-term deal with the Rangers. BABS is not sold that Semien has improved his skillset and offers a better idea. Target Brandon Lowe (P+,a), who not only can be acquired four rounds after Semien, but also owns extreme power. Alternatively, Jorge Polanco (p,AV) also brings an attractive power and batting skills blend and could be a fallback if needed. Polanco had his best season from a fantasy perspective a year ago, and importantly has logged three consecutive campaigns without a visit to the IL.

For power and speed, BABS labels Jazz Chisholm (p,S+|inj-,e) as possessing the rare S+, an enormously valuable skill in today’s game. Injuries kept him just short of 20/20 or better in his first full season, and his upside may be worth the risk costs in the fifth round. Whit Merrifield (SB,AV) brings an uncommon blend of significant speed and batting skills, but you will have to pay up to acquire his services fresh off his outstanding 2021. No need to do that, as BABS has classified Tommy Edman (SB,a) as having nearly the same skill set as Merrifield with a price tag 50 picks later. The 27-year-old Edman improved his contact rate to 85% while quietly amassing 30 stolen bases and accumulating nearly 700 plate appearances.

Looking for a late round sleeper? BABS has identified Nick Madrigal (s,A+,-P|INJ,EX) as possessing extreme batting skills to go along with his speed asset. He also comes chockfull of liabilities including major injury and experience risk, as well as a dearth of power, concerns which have suppressed his draft price. The Cubs made Madrigal a key part of their Craig Kimbrel returns, and with his batting and speed skills, he may bring sizable returns to your 20th round investment if he claims the starting 2B job this spring.

The remaining full-time second baseman offer batting effectiveness skills but not much else. BABS is skeptical on the overall skill sets of popular 2B choices like Jose Altuve (AV|inj-) and DJ LeMahieu (AV,-P|inj-), thinking their price is excessive. But if you need a 2Bman in the late rounds to help with batting average, BABS lists several who could contribute positively, or could be free agent candidates during the season if you need a category boost.

Intriguing part-timers include Tampa’s Vidal Brujan (S+,a,-P|EX) and Oakland’s Tony Kemp (s,a). Brujan may well be a late source of extreme speed skills and, knowing that the Rays tend to find playing time for many of its top prospects, Brujan could be one to stash in deeper formats. The A’s could continue to undergo many changes, and playing time will further open with both Josh Harrison and Jed Lowrie on the free agent market. Meanwhile Kemp finished last season as the starting 2B and is signed for 2022. Kemp’s combination of speed and batting skills could allow him to build off a career high 400 plate appearances where he hit .279 with eight stolen bases. BABS considers Kemp worth a speculative selection at his reserve round price.

Last, one other name for your list. Andy Young (P+,-A|EX) is a free swinger with contact issues, but when he does connect, BABS rates his power as Extreme. The Nationals thought enough of Young to use their Rule 5 first round selection to pry him away from the D’Backs in December. Keep him on your radar if he wins a Washington roster spot.

NOTES: The chart above may vary slightly from the latest database update which was run after this analysis was written. To engage with other readers on this topic, head over to the Reader Forums. If you have a question that would be best answered by one of our experts and benefit everyone, submit it on our Contact Page and put MAILBAG in the Subject Line