Who is the 1.01 in 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts?

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It’s about that time of year folks. Recent minor-league signings of players like Kevin Pillar are functionally harbingers of fantasy baseball draft season. The main focus of any fantasy baseball draft – for better or worse – is that first pick. While the season is not won or lost on that 1.01 selection, a metaphorical home run at the 1.01 spot can carry an otherwise mediocre team to the championship.

There’s a short list of players who should be drafted at the 1.01 spot. I’ll go over the pros and cons of some of the traditional picks. Watch out for next week’s article on some of the more underrated picks for the 1.01 spot.

Jose Ramirez

Can the Cleveland superstar finally put together an MVP season?

Pros:

Jose Ramirez is the undoubted star of the playoff-contending Cleveland Guardians and will be surrounded by a group of young contact demons. Jose Ramirez is in a prime position to drive in, and be driven in, by the likes of Steven Kwan, Andres Gimenez, Josh Naylor, and Amed Rosario – all of them (outside of Rosario) holding an OPS+ upwards of 120. Per Zack Miesel of the Athletic, Ramirez may have been playing through a hand injury in the final months of the season and will get surgery before the season to rectify that. With that issue being solved — and 3B being a position that lacks top-end talent – I’d reach for JRam.

Cons:

The aforementioned young lineup could be due for a sophomore slump. Kwan, while proving himself reliable as a hitter in 2022, had a terrible month of May this past season (.173 BA). While he steadied the ship, there is an outside chance that he repeats that month in 2023 over a more extended period of time – indirectly leading to lessened production from JRam. Andres Gimenez could be due for a sophomore slump, Naylor may have hit his peak, and Rosario hasn’t been particularly convincing offensively. It would take a lot for this Cleveland offense to falter, but keep an eye out.

Shohei Ohtani

The Unicorn is going to be a popular pick, but should he be your 1.01?

Pros:

I know we say this every year, but the Los Angeles Angels should be better. Guys like Reid Detmers and Taylor Ward should improve upon decent 2022 seasons. Guys like Max Stassi and Jared Walsh can’t possibly decline from their poor showings last season. And I imagine at least one of Tyler Anderson, Hunter Renfroe, and Brandon Drury to pan out well. With less of the load on Shohei, we may see more efficiency from him on both ends. Also, with this being his contract year I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a 2022 Aaron Judge-type showing on both ends. In 2022, Shohei was a top 5 pitcher in the AL and a top 20 hitter in the AL. In 2023, we could finally see Ohtani putting up top-10 seasons in both disciplines.

Cons:

Ohtani’s best production came late in the season as his best month of the season was a practically meaningless September (1.18 ERA, .317 BA). Is it because he plays better with no pressure? Or is it because the Angels themselves caught a groove in September? Neither option seems to be more likely than the other, so with that being said, Shohei may be a bit risky. Plus, his eligibility being solely at the DH spot limits his offensive fantasy value.

Aaron Judge

Can the 2022 MVP give us an encore?

Pros:

It’s hard to overexaggerate when it comes to talking about Judge’s 2022 season. Judge was in the 100th percentile for AVG EV, hard hit %, xwOBA, barrel %, xSLG, and in the 99th percentile for walk rate, xBA, and max EV. He hit 62 home runs, had an ops of 1.111, and had an OPS+ of 211!!! Even if Judge is due for a regression, he may still be too good to pass up.

Cons:

Judge has his monster contract. Not saying he’ll fall off, but there was a little oomph in his play near the end of the season as Judge looked to get his record and solidify a massive contract. With that oomph being gone, Judge may return to consistently posting an OPS+ of 150 instead of last season’s 211 OPS+. For any fantasy football players, this could become the equivalent of drafting Derrick Henry in 2021: a player who keeps pace on replicating a previous legendary season, but falls off near the end of the season because of injury.

Yordan Alvarez

Can Alvarez escape the shadow of Judge and Ohtani this season?

Pros:

It is truly sad that Yordan Alvarez’s 2022 season was overshadowed by Judge’s dominance. While Judge was undoubtedly better, Alvarez was in the 100th percentile for about the same number of offensive peripherals as Judge, and had an OPS+ of 187. While Judge is due for a regression, Alvarez doesn’t seem destined for a similar fate. Alvarez had a similar statline in his rookie year, but with a far higher BABIP.

Cons:

Alvarez doesn’t have any positional versatility as an exclusive DH. I honestly don’t have much else to point out.

Mike Trout

Will he finally put together a full season?

Pros:

I don’t have to talk about Mike Trout. You all know who Mike Trout is; what he’s capable of. HE’S MIKE TROUT. Even in an injury-shortened season, Trout found a way to get to 40 dingers. He’s been the 1.01 for several years, but many have been burned too many times by his inopportune injuries. But at his peak, Mike Trout is possibly the greatest ever to swing a baseball bat.

Cons:

Mike Trout is the most fragile player in baseball (yes, we are including Jacob deGrom). I’d love to pick Mike Trout every year, but I can’t take that risk knowing his injury history – especially considering how stacked the OF position is fantasy-wise.

considering Trevor Bauer in fantasy baseball drafts? Don’t. Look back at last week’s article to see why