2022 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 50 outfielders

With the 2022 Major League Baseball season starting this week, we’re going to rank the top 50 outfielders in Fantasy Baseball. These rankings are for head-to-head (H2H) leagues. Determinations were made by aggregating projection stats from three major locations: Steamer, ZiPS, and THE BAT.

Before we begin, a brief explanation – or rather an impassioned adulation – of the no. 1 ranked player Juan Soto. Now entering his fifth season in MLB, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native is ready to claim the top spot in Fantasy Baseball. Soto is ready to put together an Albert-Pujols-circa-2008 type of season that should set baseball ablaze.

The 23-year-old walks more than he strikes out; he hits for average and for power; and pitchers intentionally walk him more than any other player in baseball… by a mile. In the last two seasons, Soto (35 IBB) has 13 more intentional walks than the next guy, Freddie Freeman (22 IBB). That’s free points.

Don’t overthink this. Take Soto before anybody else in your 2022 Fantasy Baseball draft.

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Top 50 Outfielders

Rank	Player	Team
1	Juan Soto	WSN
2	Mookie Betts	LAD
3	Bryce Harper	PHI
4	Kyle Tucker	HOU
5	Mike Trout	LAA
6	Ronald Acuña Jr.	ATL
7	Aaron Judge	NYY
8	Nick Castellanos	PHI
9	Bryan Reynolds	PIT
10	Ketel Marte	ARI
11	Kris Bryant	COL
12	Whit Merrifield	KCR
13	Cedric Mullins	BAL
14	George Springer	TOR
15	J.D. Martinez	BOS
16	Rhys Hoskins	PHI
17	Austin Meadows	TBR
18	Kyle Schwarber	PHI
19	Teoscar Hernandez	TOR
20	Christian Yelich	MIL
21	Luis Robert	CWS
22	Mitch Haniger	SEA
23	Charlie Blackmon	COL
24	Jesse Winker	CIN
25	Enrique Hernandez	BOS
26	Trey Mancini	BAL
27	Alex Verdugo	BOS
28	Giancarlo Stanton	NYY
29	Starling Marte	NYM
30	Eloy Jimenez	CWS
31	Franmil Reyes	CLE
32	Jorge Soler	MIA
33	Tyler O’Neill	STL
34	Joey Gallo	NYY
35	Max Kepler	MNT
36	Nelson Cruz	WSN
37	Ryan Mountcastle	BAL
38	Dylan Carlson	STL
39	Trent Grisham	SDP
40	Cody Bellinger	LAD
41	Michael Brantley	HOU
42	Eddie Rosario	ATL
43	Randy Arozarena	TBR
44	Michael Conforto	–
45	Andrew Benintendi	KCR
46	Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	TOR
47	Hunter Renfroe	MIL
48	Austin Hays	BAL
49	Randal Grichuk	COL
50	Robbie Grossman	DET

Fantasy Baseball Notes

This offseason, Kris Bryant signed a 7-year, $182 million contract with the Colorado Rockies. It is the second-largest contract handed out this offseason.

We highlighted Bryant because he is one of the most defensively versatile players on this list. He can play multiple positions and is set to see his offensive numbers improve this season because of Coors Field.

Though he is ranked 11th on this list, do not be surprised to see him go before the likes of Nick Castellanos and Ketel Marte.

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Though Whit Merrifield is listed primarily as a second baseman, he can also play multiple outfield positions. In fact, in the COVID shortened 2020 season, Merrifield played more in the outfield than he did in second base.

Though Merrifield does not hit for power – he has 68 home runs in six MLB seasons – he has led the league in hits twice, stolen bases thrice, and is routinely at the top of the list in doubles and triples.

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Trey Mancini has become a fan favorite in Baltimore. As such, ahead of Opening Day, the Orioles granted him a guaranteed $7.75 for 2022 with an option for 2023.

Like Merrifield and Bryant, Mancini is a versatile option in Fantasy Baseball because he likely qualifies as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter. In fact, for his career, he splits quite evenly between the three positions.

More Notes

This season, Rhys Hoskins (1B) and Kyle Schwarber (OF) will don the same uniform. They will also likely share DH duties when they’re not playing their regular positions.

Hoskins and Schwarber have had incredibly similar careers. Both players are 28 years old and coming into their own at the same exact time. Both players had, arguably, their best statistical positions in 2021. But only one player will likely realistically qualify as an outfielder in fanstasy baseball leagues: Schwarber.

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J.D. Martinez and Nelson Cruz are projected to see playing time in the outfield even though they are primarily designated hitters, according to Steamer, ZiPS, and THE BAT.

• J.D. Martinez played just 32% of games in the outfield
• Nelson Cruz played just one game at first base in 2021

Draft these players with caution, especially if your intention is to take an outfielder. Chances are, in most leagues, they won’t qualify for the position.