Michael Waterloo | Sun, Mar 8th 2020, 8:51am EDT

Finding Value Picks Using CBS Fantasy Baseball ADP

One of the most polarizing topics on Twitter dot com is about draft timing. Should you draft early in the offseason, or should you wait until Opening Day is just a few days away?

There are pros and cons to both approaches, as the earlier you draft, the more likely your guys are to get hurt in Spring Training, but you can also find a lot of value on guys before the rest of your league catches up.

And as we approach the first pitch of the season, there is still value to be found. Today, we’ll take a look at CBS Roto ADP and highlight a value pick at each position.

Complete a mock draft in minutes with our free Draft Simulator

Catcher

Yadier Molina (C – STL): 352 ADP
Maybe Molina is done. Maybe he’s a veteran who is going to continue to battle injuries that will cost him games each year. At pick 352, he’s worth the gamble — especially given the position. Molina, who played in just 113 games last year, isn’t projected to play in more than 109 games by any model. He still deserves to be taken with one of your last picks in your standard 12-team draft if you wait on the position.

When healthy, Molina is a consistent top 10 catcher year in and year out. Why? It’s not because of anything sexy, but he’s the definition of an accumulator. If he gets hurt, there’s going to be another similar catcher on the wire who you can replace him with.

First Base

Daniel Murphy (1B – COL): 304 ADP
Bounceback candidates are an important thing to look for in your draft prep each year. That could be Murphy in 2020. Remember, just last year, Murphy was going, on average, as the 67th overall player off the board.

He still has the skills to hit .300 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs and runs. If you wait on the position or need a corner infielder, Murphy could be a boring veteran who turns into a league winner for you. He should go ahead of Eric Hosmer, Joey Votto, Michael Chavis, and Christian Walker in ADP.

Second Base

Luis Arraez (2B/OF – MIN): 222 ADP
Second base dries up really quickly, which forces some interesting decisions early in drafts. If you decide to wait, though, there are some intriguing options after the top 200. Robinson Cano, Luis Urias, and Kevin Newman are all guys who fit the bill of punting the position, Arraez should be the main target.

He offers a safe .300-plus batting average, and while he only had four home runs last season, there’s a chance that the doubles power he possesses can turn into double-digit homers. While he’s going to hit toward the bottom of a loaded lineup, which increases his RBI chances, he could move toward the top of the lineup if Jorge Polanco struggles to replicate his 2019 success.

Third Base

Brian Anderson (3B/OF – MIA): 214 ADP
If you’re looking for a home run pick at the end of your draft, don’t draft Anderson. You’d be better off grabbing someone like Travis Shaw, Scott Kingery, or J.D. Davis. However, if you want a solid four-category contributor going much later than he should be going, take Anderson.

Outside of his batting average, which is still a respectable .260, Anderson has a lot of Jeff McNeil in his game. He just is being punished because he has a regular name and plays in Miami. Boring can be good in fantasy.

Shortstop

Carter Kieboom (SS – WAS): 214 ADP
If a prospect doesn’t perform right away to the levels that we expect them to, we cast them off and move on to the next thing. Kieboom is going to make managers who have that approach pay this year. He’s going to win the starting third-base job for the Nationals, and the former top prospect looks like a draft-day value.

He’s the ideal MI or CI candidate, where he can give you 18/65/65 with a .263 average. He’s a great buy right now in dynasty leagues, too.

Outfield

Michael Brantley (OF – HOU): 122 ADP
Mark Canha (OF – OAK): 197 ADP
Trent Grisham (OF – SD): 277 ADP

What more can Brantley do to get respect in the fantasy community? He’s proven that he can stay healthy, and he’s put together two straight great seasons with the Astros, yet he still gets pushed down in drafts. He should be drafted in the top 100 picks.

Canha was a late bloomer last year, but if you look at his numbers, there’s a lot to like, as nothing screams that last year was a fluke. A lot of people are quick to dismiss his breakout season, but he’s a guy you should be comfortable targeting as your OF3.

A trade of Wil Myers would be great, but it still looks like Grisham is going to play every day in a good lineup. The ballpark leaves a lot to be desired, but we are banking on pedigree here with Grisham. Twenty-five homers in 500 plate appearances is within the realm of possibilities.

Starting Pitcher

David Price (SP – LAD): 169 ADP
Kenta Maeda (SP – MIN): 205 ADP
Mitch Keller (SP – PIT): 241 ADP

Out of all of the players who switched teams this offseason, none of them are going to benefit from a change of scenery like Price will. He gets out of an environment in Boston where he got into it with the media, had to face loaded lineups, and was surrounded by bad ballparks. Sure, he gets Coors Field, but the rest of the NL West is filled with great pitcher’s ballparks. Oh yeah, and he moves to the National League from the American League.

The Twins may have Rich Hill and Homer Bailey, but that won’t be enough to allow them to mess with Maeda’s innings like the Dodgers have done the past few years. Maeda should finally get the opportunity to start throughout the entire year instead of being moved to the bullpen in the second half. If he does, he’s more of an SP2 or SP3 this season.

With Ray Searage gone, all of the Pirates pitchers should receive a boost. The change in philosophy to allow each individual pitcher to throw what works best for them instead of using an organizational approach. Keller has the tools to succeed at the big-league level, not to mention the velocity and secondary offerings.

Relief Pitcher

Hunter Harvey (RP – BAL): 416 ADP
Let’s finish this off with a real dart throw. Harvey was a former top prospect for the Orioles, but he struggled in the minors and wasn’t ever able to fully develop as a starter. As is the case with most failed starters, he was moved to the bullpen. The thing is, the only person standing in his way is Mychal Givens, who, with all due respect, isn’t good.

The Orioles aren’t going to win a lot of games, which means the closer won’t get a lot of opportunities. Every save matters, though, and Harvey, with the stuff he possesses, should be able to get it to play up in the ninth inning and take over the role.