2023 Outfielders
(Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire)
by Doug Gruber
The outfield position must be deep, as ten OFers are going off the board in the first two rounds. Big bats… Ronald Acuna, Julio Rodriguez, Aaron Judge, Yordan Alvarez (pictured)… and BABS would agree that you should target these, as they provide three or more valuable batter assets in almost all cases.
However, once you get beyond Round 2, the outfield pool is not as deep as you might think. After the top 10, BABS lists only 27 additional OFs who are rated as full-time with multiple assets, a far cry from the 60 starters needed in standard 15-team leagues. No worries! For the savvy BABSian owner, we can develop a plan to get more than our fair share.
| ADP | R$ | OUTFIELDERS | Pos | Tm | PT | Pw | Sp | Av | * | Rg | Sk | Inj | Ex | Ag | Rg | RISK | |
| 20 | $28 | Tatis Jr.,Fernando | 7 | SD | F | P+ | S+ | a | INJ | 5.00 | |||||||
| 4 | $44 | Rodriguez,Julio | 8o | SEA | F | PW | S+ | AV | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 11 | $34 | Alvarez,Yordan | 0o7 | HOU | F | P+ | A+ | * | Rg+ | 0.00 | |||||||
| 11 | $34 | Betts,Mookie | o9 | LA | F | P+ | s | AV | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 107 | $12 | Buxton,Byron | 8o0 | MIN | M | P+ | SB | a | Rg+ | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||
| 5 | $42 | Judge,Aaron | o890 | NYY | F | P+ | AV | * | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 23 | $27 | Trout,Mike | 8o | LAA | F | P+ | AV | * | inj- | 3.00 | |||||||
| 7 | $39 | Tucker,Kyle | o9 | HOU | F | PW | s | AV | Rg+ | 0.00 | |||||||
| 28 | $25 | Harris II,Michael | 8o | ATL | F | p | SB | AV | EX | 3.00 | |||||||
| 74 | $16 | Carroll,Corbin | o7 | ARI | F | S+ | a | * | EX | 2.00 | |||||||
| 3 | $47 | Acuna,Ronald | o90 | ATL | F | PW | s | a | * | inj- | 3.00 | ||||||
| 81 | $15 | Springer,George | o809 | TOR | F | PW | AV | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 127 | $10 | Castellanos,Nick | o9 | PHI | F | PW | AV | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 40 | $22 | Arozarena,Randy | o709 | TAM | F | p | SB | a | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 285 | $2 | Gordon,Nick | o784 | MIN | M | p | SB | a | e | 1.00 | |||||||
| 78 | $15 | Marte,Starling | o9 | NYM | F | SB | AV | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 60 | $18 | Garcia,Adolis | o980 | TEX | F | PW | SB | Rg- | 0.50 | ||||||||
| 127 | $10 | McCarthy,Jake | o97 | ARI | F | S+ | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 751 | -$7 | Cave,Jake | o7 | PHI | P | PW | S+ | -A | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 58 | $18 | Schwarber,Kyle | o7 | PHI | F | P+ | * | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 72 | $16 | Hernandez,Teoscar | o9 | SEA | F | PW | a | 0.50 | |||||||||
| 129 | $10 | Bryant,Kris | o7 | COL | F | PW | a | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 133 | $10 | Santander,Anthony | o970 | BAL | F | PW | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 133 | $10 | Ward,Taylor | o9 | LAA | F | PW | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 148 | $9 | Renfroe,Hunter | o9 | LAA | F | PW | a | inj- | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 240 | $4 | Pederson,Joc | o7 | SF | M | PW | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 475 | -$3 | Myers,Wil | o93 | CIN | F | PW | a | INJ | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 10 | $35 | Soto,Juan | o9 | SD | F | p | AV | * | Rg+ | 0.00 | |||||||
| 49 | $20 | Robert,Luis | 8o | CHW | F | p | AV | INJ | e | 7.00 | |||||||
| 108 | $12 | O Neill,Tyler | o78 | STL | F | PW | s | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 50 | $19 | Mullins II,Cedric | 8o | BAL | F | SB | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 126 | $10 | Yelich,Christian | o70 | MIL | F | SB | a | * | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 709 | -$7 | Slater,Austin | o8 | SF | P | SB | a | * | inj- | 1.00 | |||||||
| 584 | -$5 | Moore,Dylan | o96 | SEA | P | p | S+ | * | -A | inj- | 4.00 | ||||||
| 77 | $15 | Jimenez,Eloy | 0o7 | CHW | F | p | a | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 92 | $13 | Reynolds,Bryan | o8 | PIT | F | p | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 114 | $11 | Suzuki,Seiya | o9 | CHC | F | p | a | * | inj- | EX | 3.00 | ||||||
| 154 | $8 | Happ,Ian | o7 | CHC | F | p | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 172 | $7 | Haniger,Mitch | o9 | SF | F | p | a | INJ | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 233 | $4 | Conforto,Michael | 9 | SF | F | p | a | * | INJ | 3.25 | |||||||
| 235 | $4 | De La Cruz,Bryan | o897 | MIA | P | p | a | e | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 253 | $4 | Grichuk,Randal | o98 | COL | F | p | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 291 | $2 | Winker,Jesse | o7 | MIL | F | p | a | * | Rg+ | INJ | 3.25 | ||||||
| 347 | $0 | Carlson,Dylan | o89 | STL | M | p | a | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 569 | -$4 | Pollock,A.J. | o78 | SEA | P | p | a | 0.50 | |||||||||
| 198 | $6 | Verdugo,Alex | o79 | BOS | F | AV | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 224 | $5 | Gurriel,Lourdes | o7 | ARI | F | AV | INJ | 3.50 | |||||||||
| 232 | $4 | Benintendi,Andrew | o7 | CHW | F | AV | inj- | Rg- | 1.75 | ||||||||
| 502 | -$3 | Brantley,Michael | 0o7 | HOU | M | AV | inj- | Ag | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 733 | -$7 | Dickerson,Corey | o70 | WAS | M | AV | INJ | 3.25 | |||||||||
| 494 | -$3 | Carpenter,Kerry | o | DET | M | PW | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 545 | -$4 | Taylor,Tyrone | o897 | MIL | M | PW | inj- | e | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 574 | -$4 | Jones,Nolan | o9 | COL | M | PW | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 1000 | -$10 | Luplow,Jordan | o97 | ATL | P | PW | inj- | e | 2.25 | ||||||||
| 120 | $11 | Kwan,Steven | o79 | CLE | F | SB | AV | -P | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 197 | $6 | Greene,Riley | 8o | DET | F | SB | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 677 | -$6 | Kiermaier,Kevin | 8o | TOR | F | SB | INJ | 3.25 | |||||||||
| 727 | -$7 | Velazquez,Nelson | o89 | CHC | P | PW | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 532 | -$4 | Straw,Myles | 8o | CLE | M | S+ | -P | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 595 | -$5 | Bae,Ji-Hwan | o | PIT | P | S+ | -P | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 340 | $1 | Siri,Jose | o8 | TAM | M | S+ | -A | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 728 | -$7 | Haggerty,Sam | o97 | SEA | P | S+ | -A | inj- | EX | 6.00 | |||||||
| 488 | -$3 | Gallo,Joey | o79 | MIN | F | P+ | * | Rg+ | -A | 3.25 | |||||||
| 562 | -$4 | Thompson,Trayce | o79 | LA | P | P+ | -A | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 633 | -$5 | Duvall,Adam | o87 | BOS | F | P+ | -A | INJ | 6.25 | ||||||||
| 175 | $7 | Nimmo,Brandon | 8o | NYM | F | a | * | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 178 | $7 | Gonzalez,Oscar | o9 | CLE | M | a | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 268 | $3 | Hays,Austin | o79 | BAL | F | a | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 284 | $2 | Blackmon,Charlie | 0o9 | COL | F | a | INJ | Ag | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 402 | -$1 | Canha,Mark | o7 | NYM | F | a | * | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 449 | -$2 | Profar,Jurickson | o7 | SD | M | a | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 452 | -$2 | Kirilloff,Alex | o7 | MIN | F | a | INJ | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 475 | -$3 | Kepler,Max | o9 | MIN | F | a | Rg+ | inj- | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 477 | -$3 | Olivares,Edward | o9 | KC | M | a | INJ | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 522 | -$4 | Thomas,Alek | 8o | ARI | P | a | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 569 | -$4 | Diaz,Aledmys | o74 | OAK | F | a | inj- | 1.50 | |||||||||
| 593 | -$5 | Brennan,Will | o | CLE | P | a | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 1000 | -$10 | Frelick,Sal | 8 | MIL | P | s | AV | -P | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 737 | -$7 | Meyers,Jake | 8o | HOU | P | s | INJ | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 194 | $6 | Nootbaar,Lars | o9 | STL | F | p | * | Rg+ | EX | 2.00 | |||||||
| 294 | $2 | Meadows,Austin | o | DET | M | p | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 378 | $0 | Ozuna,Marcell | 0o7 | ATL | M | p | 0.00 | ||||||||||
| 536 | -$4 | McCutchen,Andrew | 0o7 | PIT | M | p | * | Ag | 0.50 | ||||||||
| 544 | -$4 | McCormick,Chas | o78 | HOU | P | p | e | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 580 | -$5 | Sheets,Gavin | o9 | CHW | M | p | e | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 618 | -$5 | Wade,LaMonte | o93 | SF | M | p | * | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 721 | -$7 | Naquin,Tyler | o9 | FAN | P | p | inj- | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 658 | -$6 | Garrett,Stone | o7 | WAS | P | PW | s | -A | EX | 5.25 | |||||||
| 245 | $4 | Morel,Christopher | o84 | CHC | M | p | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 277 | $3 | Marsh,Brandon | o78 | PHI | F | p | SB | -A | e | 4.00 | |||||||
| 363 | $0 | Taylor,Chris | o74 | LA | M | p | SB | -A | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 366 | $0 | Cabrera,Oswaldo | o9 | NYY | P | p | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 572 | -$4 | Waters,Drew | o | KC | M | p | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 739 | -$7 | Leon,Pedro | 8 | HOU | P | p | SB | -A | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 1000 | -$10 | Friedl,T.J. | o78 | CIN | M | p | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 305 | $2 | Margot,Manuel | o9 | TAM | F | s | a | -P | INJ | 4.00 | |||||||
| 749 | -$7 | Reyes,Victor | o9 | CHW | M | s | a | -P | INJ | 4.25 | |||||||
| 186 | $7 | Bellinger,Cody | 8o | CHC | F | p | s | -A | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 684 | -$6 | Daza,Yonathan | o87 | COL | F | AV | -P | inj- | e | 3.00 | |||||||
| 492 | -$3 | Hernandez,Enrique | o8 | BOS | F | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||||
| 618 | -$5 | Rosario,Eddie | o7 | ATL | M | INJ | 3.00 | ||||||||||
| 692 | -$6 | Burleson,Alec | o | STL | P | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||||
| 711 | -$7 | Capel,Conner | o | OAK | F | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||||
| 745 | -$7 | Hernandez,Yadiel | o7 | WAS | P | INJ | e | 4.00 | |||||||||
| 147 | $9 | Stanton,Giancarlo | 0o9 | NYY | F | PW | * | Rg+ | -A | inj- | 4.00 | ||||||
| 294 | $2 | Kelenic,Jarred | o89 | SEA | P | PW | -A | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 309 | $2 | Soler,Jorge | o7 | MIA | M | PW | * | -A | INJ | 6.00 | |||||||
| 454 | -$2 | Yastrzemski,Mike | o98 | SF | F | PW | Rg+ | -A | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 571 | -$4 | Suwinski,Jack | o79 | PIT | M | PW | * | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 603 | -$5 | Outman,James | o7 | LA | P | PW | -A | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 745 | -$7 | Refsnyder,Rob | o9 | BOS | P | PW | * | -A | inj- | e | 5.00 | ||||||
| 169 | $8 | Bader,Harrison | 8o | NYY | F | SB | -A | INJ | 6.00 | ||||||||
| 320 | $1 | Mitchell,Garrett | 8o | MIL | M | SB | -A | EX | Rg- | 5.50 | |||||||
| 478 | -$3 | Taveras,Leody | 8o | TEX | F | SB | -A | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 587 | -$5 | Baddoo,Akil | o7 | DET | M | SB | -A | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 705 | -$6 | Isbel,Kyle | o987 | KC | M | SB | -A | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 330 | $1 | Ruiz,Esteury | o | OAK | M | S+ | -PA | EX | 6.50 | ||||||||
| 405 | -$1 | Thompson,Bubba | o7 | TEX | P | S+ | -PA | EX | 6.00 | ||||||||
| 687 | -$6 | Eaton,Nate | o9 | KC | P | S+ | -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. (Some BABS categories have been omitted due to space limitations but appear in the full database and spreadsheet charts.)
Byron Buxton (P+,SB,a|INJ) immediately jumps off the page, with his asset rating nestled amongst the outfielders going early. Yes, it was another year full of injuries, but when in the lineup, he hit 28 HRs in 92 games, the most he has played in five years. Could this be the year he logs a full season? It’s doubtful, but his ADP is the cheapest it has been.
BABS rates both George Springer and Nick Castellanos as (PW,AV) and ranking both just outside the top 10 for all outfielders. The market is pricing them much lower, in particular Castellanos, whose 9th round ADP screams of profit upside.
When looking for elite speed, BABS recommends the Diamondback duo of Corbin Carroll (S+,a) and Jake McCarthy (S+) at their ADPs. Experience risk is a concern, but there is no denying their extreme speed on a ballclub known to regularly flash the green light.
The (PW,a) asset group offers up a sextet of interesting OF bats if you don’t want to pay up for Teoscar Hernandez. Chronic foot issues never allowed Kris Bryant to show off his power skills at his new Coors home, resulting in his ADP falling more than 60 picks versus a year ago. If your roster can absorb the risk, that’s a 4-round discount. Both Anthony Santander and Taylor Ward had career bests in power and seem to be undervalued in the market. Or grab Hunter Renfroe a round later, who has averaged 30 HRs in his last four seasons as well as a solid batting average the past two years. Joc Pederson earned $18 in mostly a strong side platoon role, yet his current draft price sits near round 17. The asset group’s best value is Wil Myers, who should be locked into a middle-of-the order position at Great American that should maximize his skill set. Place a circle around Myers but watch for his ADP to trend upwards.
Triple-asset threats in the (p,SB,a) group are Nick Gordon and Randy Arozarena. The big difference… Arozarena will cost you a third-round pick while Gordon is available as late as round 20.
As you look to complete your outfield rosters, numerous members from the (p,a) group have a market price at Round 15 and beyond, making for attractive targets at this point in your drafts. Michael Conforto missed the last season and a half, but put up $20 plus campaigns in 2019 and 2020. Bryan De La Cruz was demoted during the year, but turned it on late in the season when recalled, finishing near the league leaders in barrels/PA, EV and xBA, albeit in a small sample of 355 PAs. Randal Grichuk finally settled into Coors Field in the second half and now finds himself in a less crowded outfield heading into 2023. Jesse Winker struggled during his year in Seattle, but he is one year removed from a 24/71/.305 season and is now in a friendlier hitter’s park. BABS rates Dylan Carlson as the more adept Cards OFer versus current market favorites Lars Nootbaar (p|EX) and Juan Yepez (p|-A,inj-,EX).
BABS also identifies some talented part-timers that could, with opportunity, provide value in multiple categories. Names to watch in the spring, who are going undrafted:
Austin Slater (SB,a|inj-). A specialist versus southpaws, Slater keeps earning more PAs each year against RHPs, and has stolen 27 of 30 bases over the last two campaigns.
Dylan Moore (p,S+|-A,inj-). Did you know Moore has stolen 21 bases in each of the past two seasons? His 50 FB% and 20 degree average launch angle also leads to some long balls (at the expense of BA).
A.J. Pollock (p,a). Still can be counted on for double digit HRs and solid plate skills and could earn a full time role in Seattle if he can turn around handle RH pitchers.
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.