With the 2013 Major League Baseball season less than a week away, Fantasy Baseball hounds are surely gearing up for their last minute drafts before the action goes live this Sunday as the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers do battle at Minute Maid Park. While most fantasy drafts have taken place over the last week, those who are looking to get even the slightest edge have waited until the conclusion of Spring Training to make sure the top choices remain healthy. While in theory this seems like a solid practice, even the most cunning of fantasy baseball veterans know that their teams live and die by their diamonds in the rough; the sleepers if you prefer.

For all of you looking to strike gold this season and have the upper hand on your opponent, here are five quality “off the radar” first base bats who will certainly produce this season.

1. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals

Adam LaRoche is the only player on this list who falls in the ranks of the Top-25 first baseman in this year’s drafts. LaRoche had a comeback year in 2012 going .271/33/100 in 154 games played. Due to early season injuries from Jayson Werth and Michael Morse, LaRoche found himself hitting in the cleanup spot for more than 90 percent of the season. LaRoche became the only player on the Nationals to tally more than 100 RBI and over 25 home runs, thus earning him a commendable Top-10 finish in the National League MVP vote. In Spring Training LaRoche has been off to a rocky start; hitting .203/3/6 in only 16 games. Don’t let these numbers sway your decision. LaRoche is a gamer. Don’t roll the dice on him too high. On average he’s been hanging around until after the 11th round.

2. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants

The mere fact that Brandon Belt is not on the Top-25 radar should be used to your advantage. 2012 was Belt’s first full season in the Majors and his .275 average on top of seven home runs and 56 RBI might not come as beneficial to some; however, it was merely the beginning of greater things to come. This Spring Training Belt has been playing out of his mind; clubbing an astonishing .433 with seven home runs and 17 RBI. That’s right, in 19 games Belt has laid pitchers to waste, equaling his power totals from a full previous season. Belt has a lot to prove this season and his work ethic is your gain. Expect to see him around the 12th round and make sure he’s in your queue.

3. Mitch Moreland, Texas Rangers

Despite the fact that he has been an outfield platoon guy for the Texas Rangers the last few seasons, Mitch Moreland is the odds-on favorite to be the every day first baseman for the Rangers in 2013 especially after the loss of Mike Napoli to the Boston Red Sox. In his three seasons with the Rangers, Moreland has been averaging 13 home runs and 42 RBI per year in tandem with a .264 batting average. With the loss of not only Napoli, but also Josh Hamilton to the Los Angeles Angels, expect Moreland to boost his power numbers a little bit and bring home some extra runs. This spring training Moreland has gone .412/4/12 in 20 games. Multiply that by eight and you’ve got yourself a very Merry Christmas. Hold out until the 15th or 16th round if possible.

4. Brandon Moss, Oakland Athletics

Prior to last season, Brandon Moss was the proverbial “player to be named later.” After being brought up to the Major League level in late May of 2012, Moss made sure that his stay lasted the entire season going .291/21/52 including a pie to the face walk-off bomb in the second to last series of the year. The most amount of home runs Moss had clocked in a season was eight in 2008, and so far this spring Moss hasn’t quite found the power he possessed last season, but he is still maintaining a solid .326 average and seven RBI in 17 games. Expect Moss to be way below everyone’s radar especially if they’re focusing heavily on projections. You can grab him around the 19th or 20th round.

5. Justin Smoak, Seattle Mariners 

This is probably the biggest sleeper of them all, unless Ken Griffey Jr. is in the clubhouse. Justin Smoak was once touted as the next premier power hitter; however, once he was dealt from the Rangers to the Mariners all of those suspicions seemed to have gone away. The reality is that his power merely remained dormant until last season. While his season average hovered around .217, it’s his numbers in September and early October that are quite impressive. In the last 26 games of the season Smoak hit .341, had an OPS of 1.005 and went yard five times with 11 RBI. So far this spring Smoak has gone .431 with four home runs and 14 RBI in 16 games. The other things you need to consider are that the outfield walls at Safeco Field have been brought inward feet around AND Smoak has a lot more protection in the lineup with Kendrys Morales and Michael Morse. Smoak will surely go undrafted, unless you do the smart thing and take him with your last pick.