In the third of an eight-part series, we will take a look at the top five second basemen in fantasy baseball for 2020. Reminder why DJ Lemahieu of the New York Yankees is not on the list. He currently has coronavirus, and we literally do not know when he will be back. With a shortened 60 game season set to start, it is simply not worth the risk to take him.
5) Whit Merrifield–Kansas City Royals–The native of Florence, South Carolina is literally the heart and soul of the Kansas City Royals batting order. In 2019, Merrifield was an All-Star for the first time. He led Major League Baseball with 206 hits and 10 triples. Merrifield also batted .302 with 16 home runs and 74 runs batted in. During 2019, he had career highs in runs scored (105), hits (206), triples (10), slugging percentage (.463), and total bases (315).
4) Ozzie Albies–Atlanta Braves–The National League silver slugger award winner for second basemen in 2019, Albies led the National League in hits last season with 189. In 640 at bats, Albies, a native of Willemstad, Curacao, had 24 home runs and 86 runs batted in. Despite not being an All-Star in 2019 after being one in 2018, Albies set career highs during 2019 in hits (189), doubles (43), triples (five), runs batted in (86), stolen bases (15), walks (54), batting average (.295), slugging percentage (.500), total bases (320), and sacrifice flies (four).
3) Eduardo Escobar–Arizona Diamondbacks–Even though Escobar primarily plays third base, he did play 33 games at second base in 2019, and can be used at either position. Escobar’s ninth Major League season was by far his best. He batted .269 with 35 home runs and 118 runs batted in. Escobar also had career highs in runs scored (94), hits (171), triples (10), home runs (35), runs batted in (118), slugging percentage (.511), total bases (329), and sacrifice flies (10).
2) Ketel Marte–Arizona Diamondbacks–An all-star for the first time in 2019, Marte had a breakout season as he had career highs in batting average (.329), home runs (32), runs batted in (92), runs scored (97), hits (187), doubles (36), on base percentage (.389), slugging percentage (.592), and total bases (337). In the offseason, the Diamondbacks acquired a second Marte in Starling Marte in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 27. It should be noted that Ketel Marte and Starling Marte are not related despite both being from the Dominican Republic.
1)Jonathan Villar–Miami Marlins–On December 2, 2019, the Marlins acquired Villar, a stolen base machine, from the Baltimore Orioles, for minor league left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas. In 2019, Villar recorded 40 stolen bases. That was the second-highest stolen base total of his career, as Villar led Major League Baseball with 62 home runs while with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016. However what Villar was able to accomplish in 2020, was power to go along with his speed. He had career highs in home runs (24), triples (five), runs batted in (73), and total bases (291).
