Major League Baseball action will be underway a few weeks! This means that it’s time to start reading some scouting reports, buying some magazines, and following those beat reporters because Fantasy Baseball Season is upon us!

I’ve been playing season-long leagues for over 15 years and have had my fair share of success in the DFS world. Snake drafts, auction drafts, dynasty leagues you name it I’ve done it.

I even participate in a 12-hour long, 21-team draft in Atlantic City every year called the i95 league, which was founded in the early 90’s and features some of the best minds from up-and-down the east coast. They must know I stay out too late in AC on Friday nights, and that I’m dead money at 8 a.m. the following morning when the auction starts.

When looking for sleepers, remember, we’re looking for value here. These aren’t top-10 fantasy producers, but can help you win your championship based on the price you will pay. If you nail some of these picks, you likely won’t have to get that tattoo on your leg for being the biggest loser this season.

Nonetheless, I present to you some of my favorite sleepers and prospects that could make an impact in 2019. You better be right Gus the Groundhog, we have baseball to play!

SLEEPERS

Yusei Kikuchi (SEA, SP):

Who? Get used to his name, because he’s a lock to be apart of the Mariners’ rotation this season. The last handful of starting pitchers that came over from Japan have turned into solid MLB contributors. Kikuchi has been pitching professionally since has was 20 and has a career 3.22 ERA. But over the last four years he has been near-elite, registering a 2.61 ERA with a solid strikeout-rate of 8.7 per-nine. His innings might be capped in the second-half, but if you’re drafting with some casual fans, you can straight-up steal him.

Joey Wendle (TB, 2B/3B):

West Chester University’s finest, Joseph Patrick Wendle! Joe finally got a real crack with the Rays last year and took full advantage of his opportunity. There seems to be a lack of middle infielders to choose from this season. If you’re in an auction league and have chosen to pay-up elsewhere, you can get a nice bargain on Wendle, who is multi-position-eligible in most formats he might be toward the top of the lineup of a surprisingly formidable Tampa Bay offense. He will produce a solid average, give you double-digit HR-type power, and steal you a sneaky 15 bases or so. Stolen bases come at a premium in 2019, and if you find sneaky speed, you have to show interest.

Mallex Smith (SEA, OF):

What a journey Mallex Smith has had over his first couple of seasons. It looked as if he would surely get a chance with Atlanta, but he was then shipped to Seattle two years ago. Smith was legitimately a member of the Mariners for less than a full day and didn’t even take the field with them prior to being flipped to Tampa Bay. His dazzling speed opened eyes around the league, as he hit nearly .300 and stole 40 bags in 2018. It’s almost like he became what Billy Hamilton should have been. Well, surprise! Mallex got traded back to Seattle in the offseason, but this time around, he will definitely play at least one game for the M’s. Look for him to get the green light a ton this season. For the record, FantasyPros.com only projects eight players in baseball to steal more than 30 bases this season and he’s one of them.

Adlberto Mondesi (KC, SS):

Who even plays for the Royals anymore? The once exciting core of Hosmer, Moose, and Cain are gone, and Kansas City is in a super-rebuild mode. Ned Yost has one potential star to build around in Mondesi, who is the son of Raul, the former MLB outfielder. However, junior matched his dad’s career-high in stolen bases in only 275 at-bats last year. We’re gong to get a full season of junior and he has 40-SB upside and will most likely give you between 15-20 homers. Take a few power hitters ahead of him, and look to grab your speed guy in the third or fourth round. I’m still considering him a sleeper, as his ADP is still far too low for that type of production at a tough position to draft.

Tyler Glasnow (TB, SP):

Glasnow just couldn’t put it together in Pittsburgh. But sometimes, thing just click, and these guys find what works for them. Look how erratic Blake Snell was prior to his breakout 2018 campaign that helped many owners win their leagues; or even Mike Clevinger, who had an ERA over five during his first cup of coffee in 2016 with the Indians. If you toss aside a horrendous start against Toronto last September, he threw 24.1 innings with a 2.91 ERA during the final month of the regular season. Control has always been his Achilles’’ heal and will be the hurdle Glasnow has to jump over in 2019.

Danny Jansen (TOR, C):

Catcher is an extremely thin position to draft this season, especially with the recent news that Salvador Perez will likely miss the entire 2019 season. Jansen is guy that you can probably snag in the last two rounds of your draft, and has a chance to be a top-12 catcher this year. Considering guys like Francisco Cervelli are knocking on the door of that status, Jansen is your guy if you want to punt catcher this year.

PROSPECTS

Depending on your level of baseball IQ, these might be some obvious names. Regardless, look for the following to make a fantasy impact before 2019 is over:

Vlad Guerrero Jr. (TOR, 3B):

I’m sure this name sounds familiar. Vlad Jr. is a spitting image of his dad in the box. The Jays’ might keep him down for a few weeks, but he his absolutely worth a roster spot until then. He will be worth the wait. The 19-year-old hit .381 across four leagues last season with 20 home runs. Do I need to continue?

Victor Robles (WAS, OF):

Last year was supposed to be Victor’s breakout party, but he was injured making a sliding catch in the outfield. Instead, it was Juan Soto’s time to shine, even though it was well ahead of schedule. Don’t sleep on Robles this year, as he could steal well over 30 bases, and potentially eclipse 75 runs scored depending on playing time. While he might platoon initially, the speed is well worth his ADP, and who knows, maybe his power will blossom too.

Eloy Jimenez (CWS, OF):

I saw a video of Jimenez shattering a light pole in left center field last year and I was sold. What a win for the White Sox stealing this kid from the Cubs’ farm system. He’s going to be good. Really, really good. He’s a career .311 hitter with a .519 SLG percentage in the minors. Things are looking up on the South Side. Draft him!

Pete Alonso (NYM, 1B):

The second-biggest news out of Mets’ camp this spring was that he no longer goes by “Peter”. The biggest news is that Pete reportedly drastically improved his defense, which is certainly his biggest question mark. The kid can mash and didn’t have many issues in the minors after he figured out AAA. You might remember Pete from last year’s futures game, he was the kid with the sick launch angle that left everyone in awe. He’s another one that might be sent down for a few weeks to gain another year of control, but he’s off to a smoldering start this spring and it might be impossible to keep him down at all. Pete smacked 36 bombs across AA and AAA in 2018. Be excited Ed Hedes!

Jesus Luzardo (OAK, SP):

I’m trying to think of the last A’s pitching prospect with a ton of hype. Sonny Gray, Jarrod Parker, and Tommy Milone all come to mind. However, Luzardo has a chance to be much better than all of them. Across three leagues last year, he struck out 129 batters in 103 innings. In fact, he had a stretch of 38 innings last year (six games) in which he did not allow a single run. This kid has a chance to be a household name for years to come, as long as he’s maintained properly over the next season or two.

Padres and Braves:

Both organizations have loaded farm systems and it’s too soon to guess who is going to win camp battles or contribute before 2019 is over. San Diego features Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack, who have the best chance to make some noise and become worth of a roster spot during the latter rounds of your draft. Atlanta has a ton of pitching prospects, including Touki Toussaint, who had a cup of coffee with the Braves last year, and might be the favorite to win the last slot of that opening day rotation. Third-baseman Austi Riley clubbed 19 homers and hit .294 in the minors in 2018; he will be ready soon.

Draft questions? Follow Justin Carlucci on Twitter @ThejCarlucci