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The second base position has notoriously been the thinnest spot in fantasy baseball lineups for close to a decade. There are never enough reliable options and it makes the value of the top options go through the roof.
One player that has become a fixture among top-10 2B rankings has been Ian Kinsler.
Now with the Detroit Tigers, Kinsler was apart of a huge off-season trade that sent power-hitting 1B Prince Fielder over to the Texas Rangers in exchange for the second baseman. Kinsler ended up being expendable with young infielder Jurickson Profar flying through the team’s farm system. Profar quickly made his way to the show and showed the Texas their future at second base.
Kinsler will now walk into a lineup that features the best hitter of our generation in Miguel Cabrera. Some are predicting that Kinsler will bat leadoff for Detroit, but I think he will end up settling into the two-hole behind CF Austin Jackson. Either way, Kinsler is about to be at the top of one of the most protected lineups in all of baseball.
Kinsler hit .277 last year, but it was ironically higher than his .273 average. The veteran hit just 13 homers last year, but he only played in 136 games due to injury. He still managed to match his RBI total form the previous year, despite playing in 21 fewer games. Kinsler will get every opportunity to match his power numbers in Detroit, and if he can stay healthy, a 20 HR-80 RBI season isn’t too far fetched.
The second baseman also stole 15 bases in 2013 and the 31-year can still be a double-digit SB option. Not enough second basemen feel comfortable enough to run on a consistent basis, but Kinsler will always bring that added dimension to the box score.
Kinsler will once again be a mid-level option at the 2B spot this fantasy season. He will be able to be found well after the first five rounds and the veteran could have some hidden upside following the move to Mo-Town. So if you miss out on Robinson Cano or Dustin Pedroia this spring, don’t be afraid to settle for Kinsler.
Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.
