While it lacks the star power of shortstop or the inherent depth of the outfield, second base is a very important spot for fantasy baseball. There are just a select few elite options before a big dropoff to the rest of the options. However, there are several great fantasy baseball sleepers available late in drafts that can help put your team over the top. Many 2B after the top tier are specialists with one particular category in which they excel. Be sure to consider your roster as a whole when you fortify your team late in drafts, and target just the right sleeper to fulfill your exact needs.
Whether you prefer season-long leagues, DFS contests, or DraftKings Best Ball, DK Network will have you covered throughout the upcoming season. To begin our coverage, we went through potential breakouts at each position: AL SP Breakouts, NL SP Breakouts, AL OF Breakouts, NL OF Breakouts, Catcher Breakouts, 1B Breakouts, 2B Breakouts, 3B Breakouts and SS Breakouts. In my 2B breakouts, I highlighted Jackson Holiday, Christopher Morel and Thairo Estrada while also spotlighting Ceddanne Rafaela in the outfield, Jonathan Aranda as a 1B sleeper, and Connor Norby in my 3B breakouts. I also snuck in Luisangel Acuna and Tyler Fitzgerald in my SS sleepers, but they have 2B eligibility in most formats. There are lonts of different ways to attack the position, so let’s look at three more fantasy baseball sleepers I’m targeting at 2B.
Jonathan India, Kansas City Royals
The Royals landed India in a swap with the Reds this offseason. They pinpointed him as their ideal answer in the leadoff spot, and if India can stay healthy, he could be one of the best fantasy baseball sleepers at 2B since. He should get plenty of run production hitting at the top of a productive lineup, and his current ADP puts him outside the top 20 at the position.
Last year, India hit .248 with 15 home runs, 13 stolen bases and a .333 wOBA. It was the best wOBA since his rookie year due to a career-high 12.6% walk rate and career-low 19.6% strikeout rate. He matched his xwOBA from his rookie season at .352.
A change in scenery should help India. Plus, hitting in front of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez could propel him to a career year across the board with his improved plate discipline. He made it clear he was unhappy with the Reds, but he seems ready to fit in with the Royals whether he ends up at 3B or in the OF.
His versatility will add to his value, and he should at least be a solid source of runs, RBI, low-level steals and home runs. His new home increases his opportunity and makes him one of the best fantasy baseball sleepers at 2B.
Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins
Brooks Lee is another AL Central contributor who will have multiple position eligibility and could be one of the best fantasy baseball sleepers at 2B. Lee played 50 games with the Twins last year, hitting .221 with three homers and three stolen bases. He had flashes of success in his time with the team, but the reason I’m high on Lee this season is more based on his track record of success as a prospect while he rose through the minors.
The Twins snagged Lee with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Cal Poly. In 2022, he hit .303 with four homers and a .386 wOBA in 31 games. The next year, he hit .275 in Double-A and Triple-A with a .359 wOBA. He adjusted to Triple-A and hit .308 in 25 games at that level last year with eight home runs and a .417 wOBA. He has often struggled initially upon promotion but has adjusted and shown dramatic improvement. He’ll look to have similar results this year at the highest level.
Another area which he hopes to improve this year is his health. He missed the first two months of last season with a herniated disc and was sideliend for three weeks with a shoulder injury in August. Playing through those injuries to some extent could be what also limited his offense.
Lee is a switch-hitter who should provide balanced numbers across the board and can be one of the better late-round fantasy baseball sleepers with plenty of upside if he delivers on his top prospect pedigree.
Hyeseong Kim, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have plenty of options in their lineup, for sure, but one very interesting addition this offseason was Hyeseong Kim (not to be confused with the current-Rays, former-Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim). Kim played the last eight years in the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) for the Kiwoom Heroes.
In Korea, Kim was an All-Star who hit over .300 with a wOBA of at least .350 in four straight seasons and had 20+ stolen bases in seven straight years. He set a career-high last year with 11 homers and hit a healthy .326 with a .378 wOBA.
Kim is reworking his swing this spring with input from his new team, so there could be some adjustment period as he settles into the MLB. His speed should translate, though, and if he gets on base, he should be able to score plenty of runs as part of the stacked Dodgers lineup.
Right now, Kim is going off the board after 31 other players at 2B. His role and fit are uncertainties that raise the risk in drafting him for his rookie year in the MLB. Don’t count on any power from him at all, but he has the potential to be one of the best fantasy baseball sleepers of the year if he can translate his success and be a meaningful contributor from the late rounds. speed and run production should be his strengths, so if that’s what your team needs, give him a look late.
