25 fantasy sleepers for the 2023 MLB season

A former top prospect, Alzolay missed most of last season with a shoulder injury but came out firing in September. He had an elite 19/2 K/BB in 13.1 innings out of the pen. The Cubs haven't added a proven closer this offseason, so Alzolay could work himself into the role if his late-season dominance continues.

Aranada didn't do much to impress with the Rays last year, but he's been a hitting machine in the minors. The infielder has hit well above .300 in back-to-back years, including .318-18-85 in 465 plate appearances at Triple-A last season. His defense remains a work in progress, but Aranda should force his way into the lineup with a good Spring.

The Red Sox failed to add a reliable shortstop to replace Xander Bogaerts, and Trevor Story is set to miss at least the first half of the season following elbow surgery. The path for regular playing time is clear for Arroyo, who is coming off a breakout season, hitting .286-6-36 with five steals in 300 plate appearances. Add another 150 plate appearances to that total, and he's a viable option in fantasy lineups.

Ashby has such an electric arm that the Brewers have already signed him to an extension, but he had trouble harnessing that power last year. His 4.44 ERA from 2022 isn't pretty, but his 3.48 SIERA as a result of a 10.6 K/9 and 57% groundball rate show improvement pending. The biggest issue for Ashby at the start of the year will be dealing with shoulder inflammation that could keep him sidelined until mid-May or later.

Baty has had a whirlwind offseason, as it looked like he'd be on the move with New York set to sign Carlos Correa. He's back as the Mets third baseman of the future after the Correa deal fell through, yet the hype has been quieted. Baty struggled in 11 games in Queens last season but hit .315-19-60 in 420 plate appearances between Double- and Triple-A. We shouldn't put it past the former first-rounder to outplay Eduardo Escobar in Spring Training and win the third-base job.

Brown made a lot of noise down the stretch last season, most of it in the pen. The top prospect had a sub-1.00 ERA in 20.1 innings during the regular season and added three scoreless playoff appearances. He's penciled in as the next man up for a rotation spot following Justin Verlander's departure and shows ace upside with a high-90s sinker that produced an amazing 68% groundball rate for the Astros. The innings could be capped, but Brown has ace potential already.

Cabrera had a quietly strong debut as a utilityman for the Yankees, hitting .247-6-19 with three steals in 44 games. He has several paths to playing time entering the season, including left field, shortstop, and (gasp!) third base if Josh Donaldson continues to decline. Cabrera showed his upside as a 20/20 man in the minors during 2021 and could be had almost for free in 12-team mixed leagues.

Cobb has had a long and winding road in his career filled with injuries, but last season showed a different pitcher. He had an uptick in velocity and came just short of throwing 150 innings. Now with two plus-plus pitches in his fastball and changeup, along with a 62% groundball rate and outstanding 3.51 K/BB ratio, Cobb could be on the cusp of an ace-like season at a minimal cost.

The Marlins are desperate for power, and De La Cruz is one of the few hitters in their lineup capable of delivering. He had only 13 home runs in 355 plate appearances last season, but much of his power production came with an increased launch angle in September, resulting in six home runs. He has a history as a productive minor league hitter and finished off 2022 in the middle of the Marlins batting order.

Detmers was slow out of the gate last season but found his form in the second half of the season. He pitched like an ace after the break with a 3.36 ERA, 9.9 K/9, and only two home runs allowed over 59 innings. An innings cap could remain in his age-23 season, but Detmers could be set for a breakout.

Injuries have been an issue for Fraley since he was first called up in 2019, but he's started to show his ability in MLB. With regular playing time in the second half of last season, Fraley hit .295-11-25 in 199 plate appearances for the Reds and has a strong .845 career OPS in the minors. Without much competition for playing time, Fraley could be a nice, late find.

Who will close for the Dodgers? Their front office was uncharacteristically quiet this offseason, failing to replace Craig Kimbrel with another experienced closer. Hudson would appear to be the most experienced "closer" in the pen and should be healthy after a torn ACL. More importantly, Hudson was terrific when he pitched last season with a 2.22 ERA and 6.00 K/BB ratio in 25 appearances. Dave Roberts' preference for naming a sole closer, as he did with Kimbrel early last year, gives Hudson a high ceiling.

Lugo has been a reliever for most of his career, but he signed in San Diego with the understanding that he will get a shot to start. Known for his curveball, Lugo has a strong career 3.48 ERA. An outstanding supporting cast around Lugo should help him tally wins if he does earn a rotation spot.

The Mariners operated without a primary closer for much of last season, though their best relief pitcher was clear. Returning from Tommy John surgery, Munoz posted a 2.49 ERA with an unbelievable 0.89 WHIP and 6.40 K/BB ratio in 65 innings. He showed off electric stuff and got most of his saves over the last two months of the year. No one in the M's pen can claim better peripherals, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Munoz slowly unseat Paul Sewald as Scott Servais' primary closing option.

The Royals have been clearing out some of their infield depth, including Adalberto Mondesi, with the idea that Massey would see more playing time in 2023. He showed some pop and speed in his debut with four home runs and three steals in 194 plate appearances but has shown much more in the minors, including 21/12 HR/SB in 2021 and 16/13 HR/SB in only 391 plate appearances in the upper minors last year. With the versatility to also play the hot corner, Massey should work his way into the lineup with a strong Spring. 

It's human nature for us to shy away after getting burned once, but fantasy managers would be smart to give Matz another look after a nightmarish 2022 season. The lefty missed time with multiple injuries, yet he threw over 150 innings three times in the previous three full seasons and showed intriguing peripherals last season with a 10.1 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. The Cardinals have an elite defense behind Matz, making him a strong option to bounce back if he can have better luck.

Ruiz is a polarizing prospect who didn't do much hitting in the minors until last year when he hit .332-16-65 with 85 stolen bases in some favorable hitting environments. He looked lost at the plate with San Diego and Milwaukee, but Oakland's rebuild gives Ruiz the ability to tread water for a while. In the price, he should be able to patrol center field and swipe bases whenever he gets on, making him a Jorge Mateo-like one-category superstar in 5x5 roto-scoring leagues.

If Sale didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any luck at all. Since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2021, Sale has had one more injury after another. The result has been 11 starts over two years, yet he's remained effective when he has pitched with a 3.17 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 10.6 K/9. He enters Spring Training fully healthy and motivated to stay that way in a walk year. The price has dropped to the point that Sale is more than a viable risk, and still has the ceiling of a top starter as his seven top seven Cy Young finishes show.

Schmidt quietly gained some momentum last season after years of arm problems, with a 3.12 ERA in 57.2 innings over 29 appearances plus eight minor league starts. He should enter Spring Training as a starter and have a realistic shot of a rotation spot with Frankie Montas missing the start of the year. A dominant history in the upper minors as a starter and last year's MLB success make Schmidt very intriguing late in drafts.

Suarez has shown interesting ability with the Angels over the last two seasons and particularly in the second half of 2022. He lefty adjusted his repertoire and showed elite control in the second half, going 7-4 with a 2.81 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and only 11 walks in 64 innings. That success should give him the lead on a rotation spot and the potential to be a great find for fantasy rosters.

Thomas was promoted by Arizona last season with great fanfare, but the buzz wore off between his MLB struggles and the success of Jake McCarthy and Corbin Carroll. Certainly, Thomas will need to make adjustments after hitting only .231-8-39 with four steals and a .619 OPS in 411 plate appearances, but the trade of Daulton Varsho gives him more slack. Thomas was a hyped prospect for good reason, hitting .313/.389/.499 for his minor league career and producing 59 extra-base hits and 13 steals in the upper minors during 2021. He's a worthy flier in roto leagues and could see his stock take off with a strong Spring.

Tovar's presence in the Rockies farm system was likely one reason the team felt comfortable moving on from Trevor Story. He took off between Double- and Triple-A last year, hitting .319-14-49 with 17 stolen bases and excellent defense. Tovar impressed so much that he's penciled in as the starting shortstop entering Spring Training. That's a big ask, but the upside is astronomical while playing his home games at Coors Field.

The Dodgers rarely count on young players, but the loss of Trea Turner and Justin Turner could force them to do just that. Vargas is a productive line-drive hitter who should be up for the challenge, hitting above .300 in all four of his minor league seasons with excellent contact, power, and speed. Last year's production at Triple-A looks enticing for fantasy managers, hitting .304-17-82 with 16 steals in 520 plate appearances, and his versatility gives him multiple paths for playing time.

The Tigers made an under-the-radar addition in Vierling this Winter, providing them with a potential regular outfielder. He has a mediocre .682 OPS in 434 MLB plate appearances, but there's upside in his power and speed ability for roto leagues, as he showed with 11 home runs and 10 steals in only 80 games between Double- and Triple-A in 2021. Vierling will be out to prove he can hit right-handed pitching enough to be a regular and shows 15/15 potential for roto-scoring leagues in the process.

Boston has been heavily criticized for their offseason, but their pitching depth is interesting. Whitlock is one of their higher-upside pitchers, showing off dominance in a variety of roles over the last two seasons. He had a 3.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 5.47 K/BB ratio between starting and relief last season but missed time to injury. Whitlock is likely to be stretched out in Spring Training, with a much higher innings cap this year if he can stay healthy. Plus, stuff and impeccable control gives him real ace upside for a low price.