Fantasy Baseball 2011: Ten Sleeper Picks to Draft

Since putting together a Fantasy Baseball team is as much art as it is science, owners scour through team reports and statistics trying to uncover what players will be the next to have a breakout season. It doesn't matter if these players are rookies being called up to the majors, seasoned veterans bouncing back from injury, a player coming back from an off year. To help Fantasy Baseball owners streamline that process, here's a list of ten sleeper picks to consider for the 2011 Fantasy Baseball season.

Dayan Viciedo (White Sox) 3B

A highly touted defector from Cuba, the 21 year old Viciedo is a pwer hitting third baseman with tremendous upside. Dayan breezed through two minor league seasons in which he hit 32 homers in 216 games before being called to the parent club late last year. In Chicago, Viciedo proceeded to hit an impressive .308 with 5 homers in just 106 at bats. Though his best years are probably still a few seasons away, it's time to add Viciedo to your team.

Brandon Allen (Diamondbacks) 1B

After brief stints in the majors the past two seasons, Allen is ready to take over the everyday first base duties for Arizona in 2011. Brandon, who turns 25 this season, has 121 minor league homers and 60 steals under his belt. Can Allen duplicate that success at the major league level? It's hard to say, but he will definitely get a chance to earn a full time spot on the Diamondbacks lineup this season. Watch how he does this spring and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Carlos Santana (Indians) C

Santana was enjoying a good rookie season last year after being called up from the minors. The Indians catcher was hitting .260 (.401 OBP) with 6 homers and 3 steals in just 150 at bats before a knee injury ended his season. An impressive minor league hitter with +20 homerun potential, look for Santana to bounce back from knee surgery in 2011, and take a chance on him if you're weak at the catcher spot.

Nate McLouth (Braves) CF

McLouth's bat all but disappeared last season, prompting the Braves to demote the Centerfielder to the minors. In the end, Nate hit a platy .190 with 6 homers and 7 steals, which means he will all but disappear from radar in 2011. Still, for those willing to take a late round gamble on a hitter capable of a 20-20 season, McLouth may be an attractive pick, after all the Atlanta outfielder is only 2 years removed from a 26 homer, 23 steal season. Now 28, McLouth is the right age to have a career year, and it may be worthwhile to note that he has swiped 83 bases in 96 attempts in the majors.

Matt Wieters (Orioles) C

By now Wieters must be off everyone's radar and keeper league owners might be looking to deal away this one time can't miss prospect. Wieter is coming off an unimpressive 2010 season in which he hit only .249 with 11 homers in 130 games, while striking out 94 times. Yet, Wieters is still a catcher who will get around 500 plate appearances this year, and the former first round draft pick may still find the hitting touch that made him a .343 lifetime minor league hitter.

J.A. Happ (Phillies) LHP

Happ is a promising left hander who came to Houston as part of the Roy Oswalt trade. A starter with a 12-4 record for the Phillies in 2011, Happ was injured for a good portion of the 2010 season before the trade. After the trade, he was off to a 6-3 start with a 2.77 ERA, before surrendering 7 unearned runs in his last start of the season. Though the Astros lineup does not have the bats that the Phillies did, Happ is still capable of fashioning a 15 win season with an ERA around the 3.00 mark. As a fourth or fifth starter, he is worth a shot.

Zach Grienke (Royals) RHP

Grienke has the stuff of a Cy Young pitcher, winning the award with a 16 win, 2.16 ERA, 242 strikeout performance in 2009. However, his 2010 season was far from stellar as his record dropped to 11-14 with a 4.17 ERA. It's a good bet that his poor 2010 will keep him somewhat under the radar in some leagues, if it does, take a chance on him, as he will most likely return to the form he had before. Though he plays in Kansas City, he will still be good for 15-17 wins and an ERA under 3.00, he will also get you a fair amount of strikeouts.

Jonathon Niese (Mets) LHP

Niese faded badly down the stretch logging 6 losses in his last 7 decisions as he watched his ERA balloon from 3.33 to 4.20 after August 24. Still, the left handed 23 year old pitcher had a few impressive numbers, collecting 148 strikeouts in just 173 innings worth of work. Look for Niese to put it all together in 2011 and win 14-15 games while striking out +175 batters this year, and add him as a fourth or fifth starter.

Josh Beckett (Red Sox) RHP

Let's face it, Beckett is far from the 6-6 pitcher with a 5.78 ERA he was last year. The former 20 game winner struggled through control problems and injuries in a season that he would soon like to forget. If he is able to regain his control, Beckett is certainly capable of a 15 win, +175 strikeout season in 2010. If he doesn't, he will still help out your strikeout totals.

Freddie Freeman (Braves) 1B

Given the hype surrounding Jason Heyward last season, Freeman probably flew under everyone's radar. Still, the 6-5, 225 lbs, 21 year old, is a left handed hitting prospect coming off a great season of AAA ball. Last year in the minors Freeman hit .318 with 18 homers, which makes him an ideal late round pick in most keeper leagues, especially if he is able to win the Braves first base job this spring.