2014 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers – Outfielders

We move on to the most undervalued outfielders heading into your fantasy baseball draft. These sleepers are a good mix of veterans and young players who are poised to have a good 2014.

Josh Hamilton, LAA

It wasn’t too long ago that Hamilton was regarded as one of the game’s top sluggers while playing for the Rangers. Last season was his first with the Halos and it was his worst since 2009. The 32-year-old veteran posted career-lows in batting average (.250) and on-base percentage (.307) in 2013.

Generally speaking, Hamilton is being drafted somewhere between rounds seven and nine as well as behind more than 20 other outfielders. A healthy Albert Pujols will help Hamilton see more pitches to hit in a lineup that also includes phenom Mike Trout. Hamilton will bounce-back some and hit around .280 with 30 jacks while reaching at least 90 runs batted in.

Christian Yelich, Mia

One of the game’s top prospects a season ago is ready to make himself a household name. Yelich got called up last July and ended with a .288 average, 17 extra-base hits including four home runs and he was 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.

The 22-year-old is about to embark on his first, full season in the Big Leagues playing everyday. If he were to end with 600 plate appearances, Yelich could slash a .300 batting average, 10 home runs, 30 doubles, with 80 runs scored and 25 stolen bases.

Leonys Martin, Tex

Here is another young player on the verge of bursting onto the scene with a breakout year. Martin will man centerfield for the Rangers this season and is heading into his second as a starter.

The Cuban defector is a speedster who stole 36 bases in 2013 to go along with 35 extra-base hits (21 doubles, six triples and eight home runs). Martin makes for a great sleeper in category leagues because of the way he fills up the box score, but also can be valuable in points leagues.

Khris Davis, Mil

This Milwaukee Brewer made the most of his opportunity to play last year in replacing the suspended Ryan Braun in left field. The former seventh-round pick in 2009 hit .279, with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in just 56 games.

Davis will likely play the opposite corner outfield position to Braun going forward with Carlos Gomez in center. Expect Davis to start ’14 hitting towards the bottom of the lineup while trying to build on his first taste of the Show. He should be available fairly late in drafts, but has the prospective to be a fantasy starter in most leagues.

Kole Calhoun, LAA

Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia has already deemed the former eighth-round pick out of Arizona State in 2010 to be the club’s leadoff hitter. Calhoun made a strong statement that he’s ready for the challenge with his .282 average, eight home runs and 32 RBIs in only 58 games late last season. He will set the table for a potent offense and should score over 100 runs, hit 15 or more home runs with an average around .285 in 2014.

Wil Venable, SD

The 31-year-old veteran is coming off his best season as a pro when he batted .268, with 22 home runs and 53 RBIs, which were all career-highs. The Padres will need him to hit in the heart of the order in a lineup that is offensively challenged. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him lead the team in home runs and RBIs in 2014 with somewhere around 25 and 90, respectively.

Oswaldo Arcia, Min

The Twins promoted Arcia to the big club in the middle of last April and the youngster proceeded to hit .251, along with 14 long balls and 43 RBIs in 378 plate appearances. Arcia will be the primary right fielder this season and at just 22-years-old, he has a lot of room to grow. The Venezuelan has great pop and only his average needs to be dramatically improved for him to be a fantasy superstar someday.

Eric Young, NYM

The Mets traded for Young in the middle of last season and he instantly made his presence felt on the base paths en route to the National League stolen base crown with a total of 46. The 28-year-old swiped 38 bags in 91 games for New York and that should continue in 2014. Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect much in the way of power, but the speedster can handle the bat some (he hit .316 in 2012) and should score around 90 runs atop the Mets’ lineup.

Junior Lake, ChC

The 23-year-old Dominican played himself onto a lot of fantasy teams after he made his Big League debut in late July. Lake finished the campaign with .284 average, six home runs, 16 doubles and 16 RBIs. He will be playing frequently for the Cubbies this year and should be a nice, late-round pick in most fantasy leagues.

Grady Sizemore, Bos

Injuries had derailed Sizemore’s once promising career and the Red Sox gave him a chance to rebuild it by signing him this past offseason. The former third-round pick by the Montreal Expos in 2000 is hitting over .300 through 30 plate appearances in preseason games. It is uncertain as to how Sizemore will be used by manager John Ferrell.

Marcell Ozuna and Jake Marisnick, Mia

Like Lake, Ozuna is also a 23-year-old and from the Dominican Republic who made his debut and made some solid strides last year. Ozuna played in 70 games and finished with a .265 average, three jacks, 17 doubles and 32 RBIs. He is currently battling Marisnick for the Marlins’ starting center fielder job.

Marisnick, age 22 himself, is having a great spring training as he is currently batting over .400 and making a strong case to be on the Opening Day roster. He did not fair very well last September when he was called up. Depending on who wins the starting gig or whether it becomes a platoon will really dictate who will be the better sleeper.

Oscar Taveres (StL), George Springer (Hou), Gregory Polanco (Pit)

All three players are their respective team’s top, position prospects and will likely start the 2014 campaign in the Minors. Each player can rake and will be very good for years to come. Of course, fantasy owners should temper their expectations a bit as they are all young, inexperienced talents, but all three should be picked up immediately once they get called up. Keepers and dynasty league owners should consider drafting each player as well.

Click here to see all our 2014 fantasy baseball sleepers.
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