Dave Funnell continues his series looking at the injury history and risk position by position. This week, he digs into the injury concerns at second base. For more injury analysis make sure to follow Dave on Twitter @sportz_nutt51.
When assessing the future stats of a player, it’s imperative to consider player health and injury risk when speculating on playing time. After all, getting onto the field and being given a chance to succeed only happens if the player is healthy enough. That’s why looking at a player’s track record of health gives credence to whether someone is worth drafting. A fantasy team could have all the talent in the world, but if they’re on your Injured List or bench, they lose a ton of value.
We are moving toward draft season, and all eyes will be on the top players at each position. Knowing of any inherent risk to drafting someone can help teams in the long run. That’s why going through the examinations of injury risk is important for roster construction. The following will be the Injury History of the top players at every position with special notes on their healthy or troubled pasts. Seeing trends in their health could help determine any future problems.
The players listed below will be separated into one of three categories: red light, yellow light, green light. The timeframe that will be examined will primarily be from 2021 to 2023, though looking into the distant past might also take place.
Red Light: any players listed here have an extensive and/or concerning injury history that seems likely to come into play in the future. The potential for injury outweighs their production on the field and their selection could lead to roster problems down the line. The reoccurrence of a particular injury or multiple injuries also creates the need for a red light. Fantasy owners should be wary of drafting these players because the risk of injury is high.
Yellow Light: any players listed here have had their injury problems before, but they’re not necessarily prone to injury. These players here have situations to monitor, especially during the off-season and Spring Training, but it’s not necessarily as bleak as it could be. The types of injuries could also be freakish or due to bad luck with events leading to it being out of the ordinary. Fantasy owners should be aware of the injury history, but know the possibility for health is there too.
Green Light: any players listed here have had minimal problems and their future doesn’t appear to be in any jeopardy. There is nothing from their past that would indicate an injury-prone future. While injuries could happen at any time, there are no red flags in this player’s history to suggest it will lead to another one. Fantasy owners can feel safe in drafting these players.
Things to remember:
- The players listed are in the general order from which they are being drafted.
- The level of confidence has to do with their health and nothing to do with their abilities on the field.
- A player’s injured past is not a direct indication that they will get injured in the future.
- Pitchers tend to be more prone to getting injured as opposed to hitters, especially with long-term injuries.
- The minimum time away on the Injured List is ten days for hitters and fifteen days for pitchers.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Risk at Second Base
1. Ketel Marte – Arizona Diamondbacks
2024: 136 games played, 504 at-bats, 583 plate appearances
Until the end of the 2021 season, Ketel Marte could have been considered a player prone to getting injured. Since then, he has done well in disproving his doubters and remaining on the field. He has three seasons with at least 136 games played and has only two trips to the Injured List. His MVP-like 2024 campaign was marred by an ankle injury that took longer to recover from and was fueled by unforeseen setbacks. He is healthy this offseason and is looking to return with everyday at-bats for the Diamondbacks at the heart of their batting order. Draft with confidence.
2. Jose Altuve – Houston Astros
2024: 153 games played, 628 at-bats, 682 plate appearances
After a disastrous 2023 season that saw him finish with a very low 90 games played, Jose Altuve returned to his reliable self with one of his healthiest seasons to date. He is firmly entrenched within the Astros lineup and has been for years. He has no real risk of missing time nor has he shown a pattern of this in his past. He is likely seeing time in the outfield this year as well, so look for another season of everyday at-bats. Draft with confidence.
3. Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves
2024: 99 games played, 399 at-bats, 435 games played
Ozzie Albies has had some bad luck over the last little while. Since the start of the 2022 season, he has suffered FOUR different fractures, resulting in just over 300 games played in that time. The hope is that he can come back and finally live up to the hype surrounding him for quite some time. When he does play, he’s a 30+ HR and a 20+ SB player who is quite capable of being the best second baseman for fantasy. The only question is if he will play. Draft with attention.
4. Marcus Semien – Texas Rangers
2024: 159 games played, 650 at-bats, 718 plate appearances
Marcus Semien has not missed a game due to an injury since 2020. He is as steady as they come. Draft with confidence.
5. Matt McLain – Cincinnati Reds
2024: did not play
Matt McLain missed the entire 2024 season with a torn labrum and torn cartilage in his left shoulder. His recovery from the issue took longer than expected, as there were hopes that he would return to the Reds and play in 2024. Instead, things didn’t heal as well as he had hoped and he did have some minor setbacks. What could have made this an easy decision to sit was the fact that the Reds were not going to make the playoffs, so extra rest was seen as the better option. He did, however, play in the Arizona Fall League and looked healthy, fast, and sharp. The Reds themselves were happy with the results, so it’s looking like it’s full-steam ahead for him in 2025. It’s always tricky to project a player returning from a shoulder injury, but this one, with the extra time off, looks to be safer than most. Still, it’s something to monitor. Draft with caution.
6. Jordan Westburg – Baltimore Orioles
2024: 107 games played, 416 at-bats, 447 plate appearances
Jordan Westburg suffered a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch midway through the season. It deflated not only his breakout season but also the Orioles who struggled down the stretch. He returned to the lineup late in September and participated in the playoffs. Other than this major injury, he has no other ailments of which to speak in his history. A reminder that these types of injuries are not ones to worry about concerning future reliability, as accidents do happen. Draft with confidence.
7. Luis Garcia Jr. – Washington Nationals
2024: 140 games played, 500 at-bats, 528 plate appearances
Luis Garcia’s only real blemish in his Injury History is a groin strain in 2022, but otherwise, he has remained a steady presence in the Nationals’ lineup. The only issue concerning playing time comes with his platoon splits, as he logged only 108 at-bats in 76 games versus left-handed pitchers. He has been healthy and can be trusted to develop in 2025. Draft with confidence.
8. Brice Turang – Milwaukee Brewers
2024: 155 games played, 559 at-bats, 619 plate appearances
Brice Turang has had a pretty healthy start to his career with no concerns moving forward. He should receive close to everyday at-bats for the Brewers in 2025. Draft with confidence.
9. Xander Bogaerts – San Diego Padres
2024: 111 games played, 428 at-bats, 463 plate appearances
Xander Bogaerts received extended time with a fractured shoulder last season. Upon his return, he hit the ball with similar results to previous seasons, indicating that, health-wise, he was fine. Moving forward, he should continue to be a productive player on the field while also maintaining the health that he has had in years prior. Before 2024, he last went on the Injured List for a physical ailment in 2018. He is an everyday player who plays. Draft with confidence.
10. Luis Rengifo – Los Angeles Angels
2024: 78 games played, 283 at-bats, 304 plate appearances
Luis Rengifo has been placed on the Injured List eight different times throughout his six seasons in baseball. He has been productive and exciting when on the field, but his presence has been inconsistent at best. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training after undergoing season-ending wrist surgery back in August. Draft with caution.
11. Bryson Stott – Philadelphia Phillies
2024: 148 games played, 506 at-bats, 571 plate appearances
Bryson Stott has missed just 25 games over the past two seasons, as he has been a fixture in the Phillies lineup. It was revealed after the season that he was playing through an elbow injury for most of the season, and that could explain why his offensive numbers were such a letdown. If this were the case and he was back to 100% health for 2025, he could be a sneaky play with some upside. Regardless, even with the injury, he still played through it, so he remains draftable and usable in all formats. Draft with confidence.
12. Andres Gimenez – Toronto Blue Jays
2024 – 152 games played, 583 at-bats, 633 plate appearances
Andres Gimenez has had a fairly clean injury history over the years, with just minor blemishes in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Since then, he has remained healthy and has put in starter’s numbers for the past three seasons. He was traded in the offseason, and his new team in Toronto should utilize him in the same way. There are no concerns here. Draft with confidence.
13. Luis Arraez – San Diego Padres
14. Nico Hoerner – Chicago Cubs
2024: 151 games played, 582 at-bats, 641 plate appearances
Nico Hoerner played in a career-high number of games last season and was able to avoid the Injured List altogether for the first time in years. He has missed just 23 games over the past two seasons, and yet he comes with a high amount of risk from his past. He has been placed on the Injured List seven different times since 2021, with most of them the result of lower-body ailments. Additionally, he had off-season surgery to repair his right flexor tendon, though he is expected to miss minimal time (if any) in 2025. His status will be one to monitor once teams report to camp, but this injury shouldn’t hamper his abilities at the plate and could provide a nice buying opportunity. Despite all that, he does come with some risk. Draft with attention.
15. Gleyber Torres – Detroit Tigers
2024 – 154 games played, 587 at-bats, 665 plate appearances
Gleyber Torres had more injury concerns during the earlier parts of his career. Up until 2021, he had been placed on the Injured List four times, with three of them being for physical ailments. Since then, he has needed time off for minor inconveniences, but nothing major. As for 2024, he did have a minor groin injury that resulted in time missed, but it was more of a day-to-day sort of thing that was managed internally by the team. Now with the Tigers, he is expected to see everyday at-bats in 2025. Draft with confidence.
16. Maikel Garcia – Kansas City Royals
2024: 157 games played, 575 at-bats, 626 plate appearances
Maikel Garcia was a fixture in the Royals lineup and provided a spark for them early in the season. This offseason, he had surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow. It is unclear if that hindered his offensive output, as he struggled to make an impact as the season wore on. It has yet to be announced if he will miss time to begin 2025. For now, he will remain a yellow light, but if it is announced that he will be ready for Spring Training, the color immediately changes to green. Draft with attention.
17. Jackson Holliday – Baltimore Orioles
2024: 60 games played, 190 at-bats, 208 plate appearances
Jackson Holliday has had a very healthy career both in the Minor and Major Leagues. He should receive close to everyday at-bats for the Orioles in 2025, and he is a fixture for their future. Draft with confidence.
18. Zack Gelof – The Athletics
2024: 138 games played, 497 at-bats, 547 plate appearances
Zack Gelof has had just one injury while in the Major Leagues with the Athletics. His oblique injury didn’t last as long as other injuries of that nature last, and it could be a reason why his numbers were significantly lower this year than they were in 2023. Of note, his Minor League history does feature a shoulder strain back in 2023, but the fallout was a minor absence. Draft with confidence.
19. Brendan Donovan – St. Louis Cardinals
2024: 153 games played, 587 at-bats, 652 plate appearances
Brendan Donovan missed an extended amount of time in 2023 due to a partial UCL tear in his right elbow. He returned after having surgery and was able to play a career-high 153 games in 2024. Having a solid bounce-back season where he was able to play every day adds reassurance to those who were worried about his endurance. Draft with confidence.
20. Colt Keith – Detroit Tigers
2024: 148 games played, 516 at-bats, 556 plate appearances
There was some concern over Colt Keit’s shoulder when he was promoted to the Tigers. Back in 2022, he missed extended time after tearing his labrum while diving for a ball in a game. He avoided surgery, but the damage was done. It was a great sign that he played almost every day for Detroit last season, though the memory of that major injury still lingers. Draft with attention.
21. Brandon Lowe – Tampa Bay Rays
2024: 107 games played, 385 at-bats, 425 plate appearances
Brandon Lowe’s talent and power have never been in question, but the same cannot be said about his health. Since 2019, he has been on the Injured List seven times. Of those trips, three of them turned into 60-day Injured List designations, and two of them were because of a severe enough injury. The thing is, when he’s healthy enough to play, he is one of the baseball’s best offensive second basemen. That said, he has eclipsed 500 plate appearances just once in his career. Draft with caution.
22. Willi Castro – Minnesota Twins
2024: 158 games played, 558 at-bats, 635 plate appearances
Willi Castro has a relatively healthy injury history with only a handful of short stints on the Injured List. His lack of playing time before 2024 is not health-based, but rather because he was seen as more of a platoon player. He could see everyday at-bats for the Twins in 2025 based on how the team constructs their lineup, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try to improve themselves and find an alternative. That said, he is a safe bet to stay healthy if history repeats itself. Draft with confidence.
23. Jonathan India – Kansas City Royals
2024: 151 games played, 533 at-bats, 637 games played
Jonathan India had himself a career-best season in 2024, playing in what was by far his most games. His injury history is plagued by a bout of plantar fasciitis, which is something that can linger and return over time. He also had hamstring issues in 2022 as well, but those seemed to have dissipated over time. Now with a new team, he looks to be a fixture in the lineup and could see time both in the outfield and infield. He feels safe, but there’s something about his past that just can’t allow him to be labeled as safe. Draft with attention.
24. Christopher Morel – Tampa Bay Rays
2024: 152 games played, 535 at-bats, 611 plate appearances
Since making his debut in 2022, Christopher Morel has had a relatively healthy career. He has missed minor episodes of time with bumps and bruises, but nothing that required any sort of extensive time off. He should receive everyday at-bats this season for Tampa Bay unless the Rays continue to Ray and mix and match for reasons only they know. Draft with confidence.
25. Hyeseong Kim – Los Angeles Dodgers
2024: 127 games played, 509 at-bats, 567 plate appearances
Not much is known about Jyeseong Kim’s injury history. For full context, after researching the issue, nothing came up as alarming or concerning. Looking at his yearly stats, he has played in at least 122 games per season since 2018, indicating that too much time, if any, was lost due to injury. He is a 25-year-old speedster who has plenty of experience on his resume. Draft with confidence.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.
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