Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Positional Rankings: Top-100 Outfielders

Dynasty leagues are the best, aren’t they? It’s the closest us fanatics can get to being a real baseball general manager. While you might not look at your team every single day of the offseason, dynasty leagues are a year-round commitment and there’s never a bad time to improve your team. Never I say! Whether you’re starting a new dynasty league or entering year 20, rankings play a vital part of any draft prep, trades, etc. I’ve released my overall top-500 as recently as March (and will update that soon), but I figured I’d dive a little deeper and rank the top players at each position which will go further than my top-500 did. We’ve gone over all pitchers so far and now it’s time to head to the outfield with my top-100 fantasy baseball dynasty outfield rankings.

If you aren’t playing your dynasty leagues on Fantrax, you’re missing out on the deepest player pool and most customization around. Just starting out in a dynasty league? Then check out Eric Cross’ Top-250 Overall Fantasy Prospects and Top-500 Dynasty League Rankings.

Also, make sure to check out the Fantrax Dynasty Baseball Podcast and Five Tool Fantasy Baseball Podcast Weekly for more dynasty talk.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Outfield Rankings

To me, the outfield position is rather top-heavy and bottom-heavy with the middle of the rankings being mostly uninspiring. Sure, there are definitely some intriguing names in the middle, but when it comes to building my dynasty outfield, I’m living at the top and at the bottom. In any dynasty startup draft, I want to grab a few studs to anchor my outfield. Ideally, that means three of the top-25 or so below.

Once I have that foundation established, I then tend to wait a bit unless there’s a ridiculously good value that falls into my lap. If not, I’ll usually wait until later in the draft and fill my outfield with some of the names you’ll see in the 50-100 range. Some will be “boring” veterans that always seem to fall in dynasty drafts while others will be younger and unproven names with some breakout potential. But as long as I have established my strong core early, it allows a higher level of creativity in the later rounds.

Ronald Acuña or Mike Trout?

There’s really no wrong answer here, but someone has to be the top dog in these rankings. While my two podcast co-hosts have Trout #1, I personally went with Acuña. There were two main reasons that factored into me finally moving Trout out of the #1 spot. First, his speed dropped off significantly last season. After two straight seasons above 20, Trout swiped only 11 last season in 134 games. It’s not that his raw speed dropped, as Trout still had a 95th percentile sprint speed, but if he’s not going to run as much, his value takes a minor hit. He’s still only 28, but at the same time, with his frame, I have some doubts he starts running more again as he approaches 30. To add to that, 2019 was his third straight season playing 140 games or less.

The second reason here, although more minor than the first, is the difference in age. There are more than six years separating Trout and Acuña and with Acuna still only 22, it’s fair to wonder if there’s even more upside in the tank than he’s already shown. Could Acuña go 50/50? I wouldn’t put it past him. Can Trout at this point? Doubt it.

League type also plays a factor here. In OBP leagues, I’d still lean ever so slightly to Trout.

Is There a Case for Soto at #1?

I’m going to surprise a ton of people here and say no. Listen, I’ll challenge anyone that says they’re a bigger Juan Soto supporter than me, but I’m also a realist. And the reality is that Soto doesn’t have the speed to challenge for the #1 spot right now. Yes, he does have some speed and could annually settle into the 8-12 SB range, but that’s a far cry from the 40-plus that Ronald Acuña brings to the table. As we mentioned on the Five-Tool Fantasy Baseball Podcast in episode 10, Soto is closer to Mike Trout than he is Acuña. Soto has massive upside in the AVG, OBP, and HR departments and will likely be among the league leaders annually in runs and RBI.

Now, if we take steals out of the equation, he’d likely be my #1 outfielder here, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a league that doesn’t have steals or some sort of speed category. In OBP leagues it’s closer, but in AVG leagues, Soto is a small step down from Trout and Acuña currently, especially if Trout starts running more again.

Respect Your Elders!

This ties into my strategy that I mentioned above. Many people seem to shy away from the older players in drafts and in trade talks. Listen, I get it. It’s sexier to go after the younger players on the rise, and I do that myself very often. However, one of my keys to prolonged dynasty success is to sprinkle these aging players into your roster to offset the youth. Players like Andrew McCutchen, Ryan Braun, and Brett Gardner are well past their primes, but are still putting up solid seasons in their mid-30’s. And of course, you still have Nelson Cruz’s beastly production at a criminally low dynasty league cost.

Don’t shy away from these guys due to their age. They won’t be productive longterm members of your team but they certainly can help in the short-term until some of your prospects come up and establish themselves as Major Leaguers.

Top Outfield Prospects

My dynasty rankings take proximity to the Majors into consideration as well. The rankings below will not 100% correlate to my prospect rankings.

1. Jo Adell, LAA (11) : With massive raw power, an improving hit tool, and plus speed, there’s almost no limit on how dominant Jo Adell can be offensively. But at the moment, he’s coming off a lackluster showing in Triple-A to end 2019 and hasn’t been running as much as anticipated. Offensively, he has the tools to hit .280+/40+ and could add 20-30 steals to that if he decides to run more.

2. Luis Robert, CHW (12): When you combine power and speed, there might not be a better combination than what Luis Robert currently possesses. Peak production could yield some 30/40 seasons, but the plate approach still needs plenty of refinement if he wants to hit for a respectable batting average in the Majors and fully utilize that tasty power and speed.

3. Jarred Kelenic, SEA (20): Everyone that knows me knows how ridiculously high I am on Jarred Kelenic. Can you blame me? From what I’ve seen studying video, Kelenic has the potential for plus offensive tools across the board, including raw power.

4. Julio Rodriguez, SEA (23): Unless you reach for him in your draft or overpay via trade, you’re not going to have Julio Rodriguez on your dynasty team. It’s as simple as that. JRod-mania is out of control right now, but it’s not as if the hype isn’t justified. Rodriguez nearly has the same upside as Adell, but with a touch less speed. Some could even argue that J-Rod has a slightly better hit tool as well.

5. Dylan Carlson, STL (24): A breakout 2019 season where Carlson went .292/26/20 has vaulted him into the elite territory of outfield prospects. His .290/30/15 upside and proximity to the Majors makes Carlson a very attractive dynasty asset right now.

6. Kristian Robinson, ARI (31): Without question, this is one of the best pure athletes in the minors and has already climbed up into my top-10 overall prospects due to the potential for 55-hit, 60-power, 60-speed once his development is done. Robinson looks like a fantasy stud in the making.

7. Jasson Dominguez, NYY (44): On upside alone, he’d be higher in these rankings. But I just can’t rank someone who is just 17 with zero professional at-bats under his belt higher than this. Yes, the AVG/HR/SB upside here with Dominguez is massive, but he’s at least four years away from contributing to the Yankees and your fantasy team.

8. Drew Waters, ATL (53): I’m still slightly concerned by his platoon issues and plate approach, but the offensive potential with Waters is worth investing in, especially when the end product could be a .270-.280 hitter that approaches 20/20.

9. Alek Thomas, ARI (55): Admittedly, I’m one of the highest around on Alek Thomas, but there’s a reason for that. I see a player that can hit for a high average north of .280 with a solid OBP along with it while hitting 15-20 home runs and stealing 25-plus bases. It’s not a flashy profile, but one that could land him in the #1 or #2 spot in the order down the road.

10. Alek Kirilloff, MIN (56): The 2019 season can be considered a down season for someone of Kirilloff’s stature, but don’t forget he was dealing with a wrist injury that affected him most of the season. Once he was back to 100% in August, he morphed back into the same hitting machine he’s always been. There’s legit .300+/25+ potential here.

11. Trevor Larnach, MIN (57): Wait, what? Larnach is this close to Kirilloff? Yes, yes he is. You won’t see this often, but I’m firmly on board the Larnach hype train. The potential is here for a 60-hit, 60-power outfielder that can also post a lofty OBP as well thanks to an advanced plate approach. If Kirilloff is too pricey in your league, I’d highly recommend trying to acquire Larnach who’s price tag is a bit more affordable.

12. Sam Hilliard, COL (66): Sam Hilliard deserves more love in dynasty leagues. Much more love. With plus power and average or better speed, Hilliard has the upside for some 25/15 seasons playing at Coors with an average that won’t necessarily be a detriment to your team. In fact, with the Coors Field boost, it wouldn’t shock me to see Hilliard settle into the .250-.270 range annually.

13. J.J. Bleday, MIA (69): He’s far from being a flashy or tooled up prospect that we love targeting, but J.J. Bleday was one of the most advanced bats from the 2019 draft class with the tools to hit for power and a high batting average as well.

14. Cristian Pache, ATL (72): While he’s a better real-life player than fantasy asset, there’s still a lot to like about Cristian Pache’s profile. He’s shown average to above-average contact skills with plus raw speed and close to the same power upside. However, he’s still very raw despite reaching Triple-A in 2019 and has a ton to work on, especially on the bases. His defense will get him into the lineup sooner rather than later, but he’s one I expect to take longer to develop into a dynasty asset.

15. Corbin Carroll, ARI (74): Carroll is an interesting prospect to own in dynasty. The potential is here for plus hit and 70-grade speed, but how much power is he going to hit for? Personally, I can see him approaching double-digit homers to add to his .290/40 hit/speed profile.

16. Taylor Trammell, SD (76): BUY LOW ALERT! Most people seem to be down on Trammell right now due to his subpar 2019 but this is still a very talented player, a plus athlete, and a high IQ player in general from what you hear. These are the guys you bet on.

17. Riley Greene, DET (77): He’s not as buzzy as others around him from the 2019 draft, but Greene is one of the higher-floor options for prospects his age. This is an advanced bat with a plus hit tool and close to plus raw power. Don’t expect much speed, but the .300/25 upside and high floor make him a great dynasty target.

18. Brennen Davis, CHC (79): If we’re going on upside alone, Brennen Davis would be much higher on this list. He’s still very raw, but the power/speed profile is sexy and he’s made strides as a hitter as well. If those gains at the plate continue, watch out.

19. George Valera, CLE (82): Valera is basically Riley Greene with a slightly lower floor in my eyes. He’s yet to really show us anything in terms of production in the minors, but anyone that has dug into his profile knows that the offensive potential is very high here. And due to the inconsistencies he’s experienced so far as a professional, there might even be a nice buy-low window in your dynasty league.

20. Brandon Marsh, LAA (84): Go buy Brandon Marsh. Since he doesn’t have any standout tools and is playing Robin to Jo Adell’s Batman, Marsh’s price has stayed very reasonable. This is a prospect that impressed me a ton out in the Arizona Fall League across the board and is one I’ve been steadily moving up my prospect rankings. There’s .280/20/25 upside here at peak if the power continues to improve.

21. Seth Beer, ARI (85): Beer is likely a DH in the making, but one that has the tools to hit for both average and power in the .280+/25+ range. The lack of speed limits his upside, but this is definitely a potent bat that is fairly underrated.

22. Erick Pena, KC (89): This is all about projection. Pena is a physical specimen with tantalizing tools, but he’s at least 4-5 years away from helping your squad. However, if you’re looking longterm or rebuilding, Pena’s massive upside should make him a target for you.

23. Jesus Sanchez, MIA (91): The production has yet to catch up to the raw tools, but you gotta think at some point Jesus Sanchez is going to put it all together. This a physically gifted outfielder with the tools to contribute across the board, especially in AVG and HR.

24. Heliot Ramos, SF (93): A lot of what I said above for Sanchez applies here as well. The tools Ramos possesses are intriguing, but he’s missed time due to injuries and hasn’t really found his footing for an extended period. The 2019 season was a positive step for Ramos, and it will be interesting to see if he can build off of that moving forward. If he can, he’ll shoot up a lot of lists.

25. Hunter Bishop, SF (97): Honestly, from a long-term perspective, I might take Bishop over Ramos as he brings more speed to the table. But at the same time, his hit tool isn’t quite as developed. In OBP leagues, Bishop is the SF outfield prospect to own.

26. Jake Fraley, SEA (99): Fraley is super underrated. Since adding more power over the last couple of years, his all-around profile is much more intriguing. There’s a chance we see some .280/15/25 seasons out of him at some point.

27. Austin Hays, BAL (100): The upside with Hays isn’t terribly high compared to the rest of the prospect above, but he’s likely going to play a ton right away with Baltimore and has flashed .280/25 upside in the minors.

Alright, here are the rankings!

Media Credit: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

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