2 min read • March 26, 2023
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Every year heading into Fantasy Baseball drafts consumers build lists of players they want, avoids, and sleepers pre-draft helping them eliminate players from a player pool that seems progressively terrifying every second ticked off. Reasoning for taking or avoiding a player can be tied to how available a player is in a given season and this can be specifically due to a current injury or a chronic injury history.
Previously covered are the avoids heading into the new season, here is a compiled list of players to target regardless of injuries past or present:
Ronald Acuna OF Atlanta Braves, ADP 2.57
The arguable number one pick heading into the new season has his share of injury concern but is trending hard in the right direction coming into his second season post-ACL tear. The Braves phenom suffered the tear July 10, 2021 and in his first year back hit the usual bumps in the recovery road.
The star played sparingly totaling just 119 games and hit his second lowest HR total of his career (15). Coming back from the ACL tear did not affect him on the base paths as we opined at sicscore.com, due to the ACL effecting his cutting and side to side - not straight line running.
You saw the effect in the field with Acuna posting his lowest fielding percentage of his career. The DH spot has been a god-send for NL teams dealing with injuries ala Bryce Harper and the Braves used the spot well giving Acuna additional playing time when he was sore (27 games played at DH).
With the injury far behind him Acuna should enjoy a fine statistical year on base paths and expect an improvement in batting stats in 2023.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B Miami Marlins, ADP 39.83
The electric Marlins second baseman and cover-man of the New MLB 2K23 is high on many draft boards going into the 2023 season due to his 5 tool ability and potential to jump to top overall fantasy second baseman. Last year Chisholm played just 15 games as he dealt with a bothersome back injury.
During the early parts of June there were points Chisholm struggled to walk or lie down and was later diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back according to a CT scan. After breaking out in the first half notching 28 extra base hits including 14 HR launching him to the All-star game. However the back injury prevented him from playing in game and eventually was shut down for the season.
The stud infielder enjoyed a normal offseason with the injury happening early on and has played 15 games in Spring training showing no ill effects on the diamond.
Although back injuries can be a cause for concern Chisholm has shown signs of being 100% healed meaning a big season is in store if the Marlins offense abides.
Eloy Jimenez OF Chicago White Sox, ADP 70.07
The Dominican slugger holds high expectations every year but has fell short the past two years due to injury playing in less than 85 games in 2021 and 2022.
Late April last year Jimenez suffered a significant hamstring strain stepping awkwardly on a base while running. Combined with a slow start pre-injury, Jimenez had finished with a measly 16 HRs.
This is his second year lost due to injury with 2021 he played in just 55 games due to a torn left pectoral muscle suffered attempting to rob a HR in spring training. The outfielder did not return until late July batting just .249 for the season.
The good news is both injuries are bad luck and unrelated meaning Jinenez is not the dreaded “injury prone”. In fact, take advantage of the lower ADP in drafts because if he can play even 130 games he will likely surpass career high totals in HRs, RBIs, and Runs. An added silver lining is that the White Sox outfielder finished hot batting just under .296 for the year in 2022 and has every opportunity to bring the hot streak into the new season.
Carlos Correa SS Minnesota Twins, ADP 118
The transfer saga of the offseason landed him right back where he started the offseason but arguably the better spot for fantasy purposes.
The former Astro had agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants until an issue popped up in his physical. After being spurned by the Giants the SS signed a 12-year, $315 million contract with the Mets less than 24 hours after but that was also eventually rejected by the Mets after reviewing medicals. Correa found his way back with the Twins and we at sicscore.com have no issues with his ability to play a full season despite the rejected medicals.
The SS has long term issues with his back and a metal plate in his ankle but both issues should not have prevented him from signing with either Giants or Mets. Since 2020, Correa has played in 342 of 384 games (89.1%).
At the plate the SS has shown no ill effects averaging 24 HRs and 78 RBIs the last two seasons. Consistency is key in baseball and Correa should continue this trend in 2023.
Jacob deGrom SP Texas Rangers, ADP 32.8
The former Mets superstar surprisingly left the developing New York juggernaut for the Rangers to the tune of 5 years $180 million. His arm has been well documented at sicscore.com of the past year and now has the chance for a new start as the ace of the new look AL West contender.
In the last two years the SP has started a combined 26 times with 15 being the most in one season (2021). This is a reason why the Mets didn’t throw bills at him with his durability a major question.
The starter has logged just 156 innings between 2021-2022 due to injuries including a partial tear in his UCL and a stress fracture in his right scapula. Both injuries in simpler terms cut each season short but the hope is DeGrom can manage this in 2023.
The spring has begun with no issues which is already good news but expect the new Ranger to find a path to a healthy season. He had a normal offseason to ramp up after the majority of the 2022 sidelined and with care should be deployed as a SP1 with Cy Young type expectations.
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