Fantasy Baseball 2017: Top 20 Second Base Rankings

Before I take a look at my second base base rankings, here are my early catcher and first base rankings:

2017 Top 20 Catcher Rankings

2017 Top 20 First Base Rankings

Second base might be the deepest it has been in many years with no fewer than twelve second baseman with 20+ home runs in 2016. For comparison purposes, there were only two second baseman to hit 20+ home runs in 2015.

Leading my rankings is Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. If he wasn't already a first round pick in 2016, he will be in 2017, coming off a year where he hit .338 with 24 home runs, scored over 100 runs, drove in 96 and stole 30 bases. The 30 stolen bases were the lowest of his career, but he substituted the speed for more power, hitting a career high 24 hole runs, coming on the heels of a career high 34% hard hit rate. He was one of nine hitters to hit 20+ home runs and steal 20+ bases, and one of just three hitters to put up a 20-30 season in 2016. He is still only 26 years of age, but there is a chance the stolen bases continue to drop so he can continue to stay on the field.

Twins second baseman Brian Dozier comes in as my #2 fantasy second baseman, after he hit 42 home runs, scored 104 runs, drove in 99 and stole 18 bases. Dozier had an absolutely amazing second half of the season where he hit 28 of his 42 home runs. He started the season off on a bad note and he was probably dropped in many leagues after hitting around .200 with just 5 home runs after the first two months of the season. Some hitters take awhile to get on track and that was the case with Dozier in 2016. Sometimes it pays to be patient with experienced hitters and not jump on the latest hot hitter who flames out after a few weeks.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2016 season has to be the performance of Diamondbacks second baseman Jean Segura. Segura put up the best season of his career, hitting .319 with 20 home runs, 102 runs scored, 64 RBI and 33 stolen bases. After two sub-par seasons, Segura showed us that he still owns the skills he showed us in 2013. The big question for fantasy owners is whether he can repeat, or come close, to his 2016 performance at the plate. I am not sure he can repeat the .319 average, but he could put up another 15-20 home run season with 30+ steals hitting atop the Diamondbacks lineup.

What to do with Nationals second baseman Trea Turner? i rank him as my 8th ranked second baseman, but that could prove to be too low after he hit double digit home runs and stole 33 bases in 324 plate appearances. Is he a 20 home run, 60 stolen base hitter? I doubt it, but 12-15 home runs with 45-55 stolen bases appear to be a solid projection for the speedy second baseman. He has the speed to repeat as a .300 hitter once again in 2017 as well.

Another guy who I could have ranked too low is Cubs second baseman Javier Baez. He played all over the infield in 2016, and played 20+ games at second base, shortstop and third base this season, so he has position flexibility in 2017. He hit 14 home runs and stole 12 bases in 2016, but has the power and speed to put up a 20-20 season in 2017. He may be one guy that I move up my rankings quite a bit as the offseason progresses.

Early 2017 Second Base Rankings

Note: you can scroll the table below from side to side to see the columns not shown.

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