The key to drafting is all about finding value. If you can value in your drafts then you will fair much better in your drafts than the rest of your league. In this article, I'm going to give you six 2021 Fantasy Baseball Undervalued Infielders to help you do just that.
What is value exactly? Really it is any player who returns more value than his draft price. That could mean as little as one draft spot.
That is not what I'm going after here. I'm going after the guys who can make a real difference in your leagues. Those that if you are able to land them, even at a slight increase in their ADP, will still return value.
In some cases, it will be predictable power, some high-upside guys, some steady average bats. I won't hit on all of these guys, just like we won't be correct about all of our 2021 Fantasy Baseball Rankings. However, I find that in my time of doing this, I'm more right than wrong. Here's to hoping I am here too.
2021 Fantasy Baseball Undervalued Infielders
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Trey Mancini, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
Trey Mancini misses the entire 2020 season because of colon cancer. His current NFBC ADP is 183. That's a steal. pic.twitter.com/yRrdiqck4H
— Joey Ricotta (@theriot326) January 12, 2021
I'm going to start off by saying that if Trey Mancini doesn't win Comeback Player of the Year then something is seriously wrong.
Now let's get to why he is underrated. After missing a full season, albeit, a shortened season, due to colon cancer, Mancini is being drafted as if he is some average player.
Last I checked Mancini hit 35 HR, scoring 106 runs and 97 RBI and a .291 average the last season he played. Will he hit that this season? No, not likely.
However, don't forget he has hit over .290 in two of his three full seasons. Even if he only provides 25 HR, the average alone should help return way more value than his ADP. This makes him a great pick late for your CI or Util spot.
Alec Bohm, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies
Did I purposely pick the first two players on myself and my Fantasy Six Pack Hour co-host favorite teams? Maaaaaaybe.
Bohm was called up last season and had a fantastic rookie campaign. Despite being a success, it was not what many expected or hoped. After hitting 14 HR in 63 games in AA in 2019, power was more of the plan.
Well, Bohm decided that instead of trying to crush the ball, he would hit for more solid contact. This was a pretty drastic approach for Bohm at the plate as he increased his groundball rate and lowered his flyball rate. Some might consider this a bad thing, I actually think the fact that he was able to make this change proves how good of a hitter he really is.
I also think the power will come for Bohm. Not at the rate that he was hitting it in AA, but somewhere between 18-20 HR is attainable for him.
Don't forget he is going to be batting atop a pretty powerful Phillies lineup. With Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins batting behind him, he is going to score a lot of runs.
Those two, paired with a solid batting average, make Bohm a huge value.
Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Riley got a tremendous boost in value this offseason as the Braves decided not to sign or trade for a third baseman.
Batting average will not ever be Riley's game. Power, however, will be as in 2019 he hit 18 HR in 297 plate appearances. There was a slight dip in power last season with eight HR in 206 PA.
I believe Riley has 30+ HR power in him. With those kinds of home run numbers behind that lineup, you can expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-90 runs and RBI as a floor. That is a tremendous value at an ADP of 247.
Ha-Seong Kim, 2B, San Diego Padres
First pass at Ha-seong Kim's projection with the #Padres
.278/.356/.425 - 16 HR, 70 R, 76 RBI, 17 SB.
I have a feeling that might be on the low end, but I'm not sure. I'm wary of his spot in the batting order, and learning a new position while getting acclimated to MLB pitching
— Jeff Erickson (@Jeff_Erickson) December 30, 2020
Kim comes over from the KBO and is actually on the younger side of most players that come over from there. The reason for him coming over earlier than most is he is supremely talented.
That talent led him to hit a ridiculous 30 HR and stole 23 bases in his final year in the KBO. Of course, we can't expect that get anywhere near that in the MLB. That doesn't mean he can't be valuable though.
Kim's batting profile projects him as more of a 15-15 type hitter, with 20-20 upside. That makes him a bit undervalued as he sits behind such players who might be a bit safer but don't have the upside he does.
Kyle Seager, 3B, Seattle Mariners
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Kyle Seager is a great example of how consistent, good production, is not appreciated when there is a lack of upside.
Seager is pretty much guaranteed 25-30 HR each season. Hitting in the middle of the lineup should keep his run and RBI numbers up just enough to make him worthy of being drafted. However, his ADP sits at 249, behind players who will hardly see the field early in the season, if at all.
Seager is one of those players that you can draft late as a safe pick. He is the perfect pick if you took some chances earlier with upside picks, especially if you need power.
C.J. Cron, 1B, Colorado Rockies
In 600 PA with #Rockies, THE BAT X would project CJ Cron for .274 BA, 35 HR, 97 RBI, 82 R, and .366 wOBA 👀
Give this man the starting 1B job!
— Derek Carty (@DerekCarty) February 15, 2021
C.J. Cron's Fantasy Baseball season was saved when he was picked up by the Rockies.
His power is unquestioned as he hit 30 and 25 home runs with the Rays and Twins in 2018 and 2019. Now as he moves to Coors Field, the power should continue.
Cron, unlike most late-round power hitters, will give you a pretty good batting average too. He hit .253 both of those seasons mentioned. So while his ADP is sure to climb now that he has signed with the Rockies, I expect him to still be a value and definitely is for now.
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