Oftentimes, fantasy owners become too caught up in what players performed well the prior year, and will prioritize a player with that one season over a player with a tried and true track record.
However, those one or two year hot streaks that eventually wear off are because that particular player is a good baseball player, but not a great fantasy player. It also works the other way. Some players who put up huge fantasy numbers don’t perform well in the field, or don’t come up in clutch for their respective teams, which requires them to be a true player and not just a fantasy player.
In today’s game, it is important to be able to do a little of both. Great fantasy numbers will often translate to an improvement of your team’s play on the field, but you also can’t be the only person performing for your team. These are the top five players who do just that in today’s MLB. While some of them are great all-around players, they are also some of the best pure fantasy baseball players today, and will likely be sticking around for seasons to come.
5. Carlos Gonzalez - OF, Colorado Rockies
Since coming to the Colorado Rockies in 2009, CarGo has been a hot commodity in almost every fantasy draft. The outfielder brings a great mix of power and contact hitting that makes him extremely desirable. His career average is just below .300, and also has 108 home runs. Not to mention his 92 career stolen bases, which is pretty high for a 6’1” outfielder. Gonzalez is once again off to a good start in 2013, and has nine homers in 29 games, and he has been getting on base 38 percent of the time.
The Rockies have under-performed with him on the team, which usually leaves Gonzalez out of the picture when discussing the top fantasy players, but he has been one of the most consistent players in the past four years.
4. Mike Trout - OF, Los Angeles Angels
About three years, when Trout has truly cemented himself in the league, it’s very likely the 21-year-old will be at the very top of this list. Until then, Trout still has to consistently prove himself, but his current numbers make him more than deserving of being on the list. In 2012, Trout’s first full season in the majors, he posted a .326 average, along with 30 homeruns and 83 runs batted in.
Perhaps his current season is even more impressive than his rookie campaign, considering how poorly the Angels are performing. Despite a very disappointing 15-26 record, Trout has risen up on his roster, driving in 29 runs on 48 hits. Trout is truly a five-tool player, stealing 49 bases last year as well and is a smart hitter, only grounding in to seven double-plays in 2012.
If Trout keeps up these numbers, he could quickly find himself at the top of most fantasy drafts for the next six to eight years.
3. Felix Hernandez - SP, Seattle Mariners
King Felix falls under the category of players who are great fantasy players, but aren’t necessarily the best all-around player. Hernandez has been at or above a .500 record since 2009, but only won 13, 14 and 13 games in the previous three seasons. However, all of his other numbers make him one of the best fantasy pitchers in the game. Since 2006, Hernandez has never finished a season with an ERA higher than 3.47, and it has been as low as 2.49. He is looking to beat that this season, with his ERA sitting at 1.53.
Hernandez also brings a huge number of strikeouts to any fantasy roster, averaging over eight strikeouts per nine innings, and he is almost at a strikeout per inning this season. Hernandez will always be a hot debate topic because his low win count keeps him from being truly outstanding. But there is no doubt that King Felix is a No. 1 fantasy starting pitcher year-in and year-out.
2. Clayton Kershaw - SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Unlike Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw is not only an outstanding fantasy pitcher, but is also a great baseball player. This shows in his recent accolades, finishing second in the Cy Young voting last year and winning the award the year before that. Kershaw is also a winner, never having a losing record for a season, but finishing at .500 the first two seasons of his career. The past two years, his record has been 14-9 in 2012 and 21-5 in 2011. His ERA was also league-leading in those two years, and he currently holds that top spot as well in 2013.
Kershaw is without a doubt the best fantasy pitcher in the game right now, and doesn’t have any notable weak spots that would discourage anyone from taking him as their first pitcher.
1. Miguel Cabrera - OF, Detroit Tigers
While Kershaw may be the most reliable players in the game, the only thing separating he and Miguel Cabrera is the fact that Cabrera plays every game. That allows him to put up the huge numbers he has even before his time with the Tigers.
Cabrera is most known for his power. Not counting his rookie season, Cabrera hits at least one homerun in every 16 at-bats. When the ball isn’t leaving the park, he is still driving in runs, hitting over 100 RBIs in every season of his career besides his rookie year with the then-Florida Marlins. More and more pitchers are starting to intentionally walk Cabrera, but he still manages to keep up his power, slugging .562 for his career. Cabrera’s career will eventually have to end, but until then, he is the undisputed best fantasy baseball player in the world.