2022 Deeep Sleepers

by Curt Brooks

Every season sees its fair share of draft anomalies: First-rounders go belly up. Roles carved in concrete get passed along to other players. And undrafted afterthoughts end up having an impact on the standings.

We always like to scan the ADPs for high-skilled players who are so “blocked” on depth charts that their name never comes up on Draft Day. Last year, Santiago Espinal (SB,AV|-P) had an ADP of 537 but earned $7 behind six SBs and a .311 average in 222 AB. Pictured above, Tyrone Taylor’s (p,SB+) 482 ADP had him undrafted in most mixed leagues, but he managed to earn $8. Let’s not forget the Cubs’ Matt Duffy (s,a|-P) who earned $11 on a 658 ADP. And on the pitching side, Hector Neris (e,K+) earned $8 on an ADP of 512 while Luis Cessa (ER,k) earned $7 with an ADP of only 704.

BABS does a great job of identifying high skilled players and you have seen quite a few articles that have identified a bunch within the draftable population. Here are some interesting names who are still around the ADP 500 vicinity since the beginning of February. While some of these players may be after-thoughts or waiver wire pickups in shallower leagues, those of you in deeper leagues or draft-and-hold leagues can certainly take advantage of these lower draft rankings.

The previously mentioned Tyrone Taylor (p.SB,a) is one of BABS’s relatively few triple asset hitters and is still available at an ADP of around 480. Leury Garcia (s,a|-P) is projected for full-time ABs yet is only showing up at ADP 524. There is the potential for profit here with both players, even when taking their respective liabilities into account.

The veteran Kevin Kiermaier (SB,a) keeps plugging along and can still provide some needed speed and a BA boost at ADP 621, plus he is almost guaranteed a minimum number of ABs as his defense will put him in the lineup semi-regularly. Rookie infielder Kevin Smith (PW,s) could also provide a power/speed boost as the presumed new 3Bman for the A’s. His 724 ADP should rise, but odds are not enough for most to notice.

BABS projects Peter Fairbanks (ER,k) for solid skills plus some saves – a difficult combination to find at an ADP of 538. Likewise, our old friend Hector Neris (ER,K+) still possesses valuable skills but yet is only at ADP 510 – he is projected to be a primary set-up man in Houston this year. And Colin McHugh (ER,KK) is yet another middle reliever at ADP 559 who can add value to your roster in the later stages of a draft.

Among starting pitchers, several highly skilled rookies stand out. Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez (e,k) is at ADP 505. Similarly-skilled Max Meyer (e,k) follows at ADP of 559. Matt Brash (e,KK) is at ADP 651. But the highest-rated rookie SP is the one with the lowest-ranked ADP at 700, that being the Rangers’ Cole Winn (ER,KK), and, given their rotation, he could well end up with the most IP of this group.