Fantasy Baseball 2016: Consensus Second Base Rankings - Top 16-30

On Monday, we published our Consensus Top 15 Fantasy Second Baseman for 2016, and today we bring you second baseman ranked 16-30. We used a points system for each of the 30 second baseman ranked by each of the Fake Teams writers who participated in the consensus rankings series.

The writers who participated in this series are the following:

Ray Guilfoyle
Jason Hunt
Rob Parker
Daniel Kelley
Jack Cecil
Timothy Finnegan
Heath Capps

We feel that by providing you our consensus position rankings, you get an average ranking from the Fake Teams writers, rather than one writers' opinion, which inherently may include some bias. You will see some players ranked higher by one Fake Teams writer than the others, so this helps the reader see both sides of the argument for/against a certain player who might be getting too much love this offseason.

Each of the position rankings will be split into two parts, rankings and player profiles for second basemen ranked 1 - 15 in part 1, and rankings and player profiles for second basemen ranked 16 - 30 in part 2 to be published on Tuesday morning. Consensus rankings should bring about discussion amongst you, our readers, and the Fake Teams writers who participated in this series.

In addition, our rankings are based on the standard 5 x 5 fantasy/roto baseball league scoring, including: batting average, runs scored, home runs, RBI and stolen bases for the hitters, and wins, saves, ERA, WHIP and strikeouts for the pitchers, relievers and closers.

Finally, we are using 5 games as our eligibility requirements to be ranked at a particular position. Your leagues may have more games played requirements to be eligible at a position, so keep that in mind when viewing our rankings.

16. D.J. LeMahieu, Rockies

LeMahieu has the advantage of hitting at Coors Field 81 times per season, where he is a career .317 hitter. He is coming off his best season as a big leaguer, hitting .301-.358-.388 with 6 home runs, 85 runs scored, 61 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts. He is a line drive hitter who should hit for a high average, score 70-80 runs and steal 20 bases once again in 2016.

17. Logan Forsythe, Rays

Forsythe is coming off a breakout season after moving from the Padres to the Rays.  Among fantasy second baseman, he ranked in the top 10 in home runs, runs scored and RBI last season, and in the top 12 in batting average. His improvements across the board can be attributed to Forsythe making harder contact, walking more and striking out less than in the past. What fantasy owners need to ask themselves is whether 2015 was a career year for him or if we can expect more of the same next season.

18. Starlin Castro, Yankees

A move out of Chicago may be just what the fantasy doctor ordered, as Castro is now the Yankees starting second baseman for the foreseeable future. Castro won't help in OBP leagues, but he has consistently put up double digit power, scored 50+ runs, driven in 60+ runs with a .260+ average, so that has value. I think there is a chance Castro could improve upon those numbers across the board in 2016.

19. Howie Kendrick, Dodgers

Kendrick has yet to sign with a team as I write this (Jan. 12th). Kendrick is coming off a season where he hit .295-.336-.409 with 9 home runs, 64 runs scored, 54 RBI and 6 stolen bases. He enters his age 32 season in 2016, so I wouldn't expect much more production from him unless he signs with a team that plays in a hitters park. He hits a lot of ground balls for a guy who isn't particularly fast, as his fly ball rate and hard hit rate both dropped last season.

20. Josh Harrison, Pirates

Hitting in the lower third of the Pirates order, Harrison won't score or drive in many runs, but will hit for a high average and steal double digit bags for his owners. He did hit 13 home runs in 2014, so we could see a return of the double digit power as well. Harrison provides value for his owners that isn't found on his stat sheet, he plays multiple positions, so he can help when an injury arises at second base, third base and in the outfield.

T-21. Joe Panik, Giants

Panik was one of the best real life second baseman in 2015, as his 4.2 fWAR in just over 400 plate appearances reflects. His season was cut short due to a back injury, and how he returns from that in 2016 will be important for those who draft him. If healthy, he offers little power, but a solid batting average and will score some runs in the Giants deep lineup.

T-21. Devon Travis, Blue Jays

Travis was having a breakout season before missing half the season due to a shoulder strain that eventually resulted in surgery in September. The surgery involved draining a cyst in his left shoulder, so he should be fine for spring training. What we don't know is whether he will be the starter at second base for the Blue Jays, as their current depth chart indicates that Ryan Goins will be the starter, but that could be dated information. Should Travis be the starter, he will more than likely move up second base rankings as we approach Opening Day.

23. Brett Lawrie, White Sox

Lawrie moves out of o.Co stadium to U.S. Cellular Field and a better lineup after his offseason trade to the White Sox. He is coming off a season where he hit .260 with 16 home runs, 64 runs scored, 60 RBI and 5 stolen bases in 149 games, a career high. If he can stay healthy in 2016, and adds a little more loft to his swing, he could exceed 20 home runs and drive in 70-75 runs. He is a solid sleeper choice at second base in the later rounds of drafts this season.

24. Brandon Phillips, Reds

Phillips hit better than I expected in 2015, hitting .294-.328-.395 with 12 home runs, 69 runs scored, 70 RBI and 23 stolen bases. While his stolen bases were way up, his other counting stats were down across the board. While his line drive rate was up a bit, his fly ball and hard hit rates were down, and I wouldn't be surprised to see his performance at the plate continue to nose-dive in 2016. The Reds are rebuilding and Phillips turns 35 at the end of June, so we have seen the best from him.

25. Jonathan Schoop, Orioles

In about a half season of plate appearances, Schoop hit .279 with 15 home runs, 34 runs scored and 39 RBI. His hard hit rate jumped from 26% to 35% last season, and his power improved as a result. Among second baseman with 300 or more plate appearances, Schoops' .482 slugging percentage and .203 isolated power ranked fifth in all of baseball last season. He is slated to be the Orioles every day second baseman in 2016, and I can see him hitting 20-25 bombs in Camden Yards.

26. Javier Baez, Cubs

Oh, the potential of Baez's bat and legs could move him up these rankings considerably in 2016. The problem was, and still is, his ability to make consistent contact. In 70 AAA games last season, Baez cut down his strikeout rate from 30% to 24% while maintaining a 7% walk rate. He hit .324 with 13 home runs, 49 runs scored., 61 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts, so his stolen base success rate improved as well. If he can limit the strikeouts in 2016, I could see him hitting 20+ home runs and stealing 20+ bases in a full season of at bats, but he may need a change of scenery for that to happen, as he is blocked at second base by Ben Zobrist, and shortstop by Addison Russell, but is playing some center field in winter ball, so he could crack the lineup as the Cubs regular center fielder out of Spring Training.

27. Martin Prado, Marlins

Prado is a better real life player than fantasy asset, and is nothing more than an injury replacement in 12 team mixed leagues, but a starter in NL-only leagues. He offers some power, but is more of a batting average anchor than anything else.

T-28. Cesar Hernandez, Phillies

Hernandez is a speed only second baseman, who can help in the batting average category as well. He is rosterable in NL only and deeper mixed leagues. In a full season of plate appearances, Hernandez is capable of 25+ stolen bases and a .260-275 batting average.

T-28.. Jed Lowrie, Athletics

Lowrie is better than he showed us last season, as he squared the ball up more than in prior seasons, but it was not reflected in his batting average or counting stats. That should change in 2016, and he has the skills to hit in the .250-.260 range with 10-15 home runs.

T-30. Trea Turner, Nationals

Turner will begin spring training fighting for the Nationals starting shortstop job, but should start the season in AAA, with a good chance for a mid-season call up. He hit just .225 with home run and two stolen bases in his September cup of coffee last season, but has the speed to be a regular 30+ stolen base shortstop/second baseman for his owners.

T-30. Cory Spangenberg, Padres

Spangenberg is slated to start the season as the Padres every day second baseman, but that could change if they decide to spend some money on free agent infielder Ian Desmond. That is in doubt at the moment, so he should offer owners a solid batting average and double digit steals in an every day capacity in 2016. He should be owned in NL-only and the deepest of mixed leagues in 2016.

T-30. Chris Coghlan, Cubs

Cubs manager Joe Maddon used Coghlan as the Cubs version of Ben Zobrist, playing him all of the field, but now that they signed Zobrist, he will probably be a back up outfielder and third baseman in 2016, and I doubt he repeats his 2015 production as a result.

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