It’s no secret that more and more leagues each year take the plunge from AVG to OBP to encompass a major facet of a batter’s game. I’d go as far to say that it should be the standard batting ratio category but that’s a debate for another day. Outside of industry leagues, I try to make every league I’m in an OBP league and as such I have my biases toward players that have good plate discipline.

This goes beyond selfishly wanting a reward for a walk in my fantasy leagues; a prospect who knows how to take a walk is one who can better discern between a ball and a strike. One who can discern between a ball and a strike is more equipped to hit better pitches and reap better results. On-base percentage has also been found to correlate stronger to run production than average does.

Much like in the bigs, there are certain fluctuations in value when evaluating prospects through the OBP lens. Estevan Florial becomes a little less risky. Jazz Chisholm loses a lot of appeal.

We’re currently working on expanding our top 100 fantasy list. I removed the pitchers from our ongoing list and reranked just the hitters how we have them in a 5x5 settings. You’ll see that ranking under each player so you can compare whether they got a bump or they fell. If someone has an NR, we have yet to rank them after 200 or so prospects.

Unlike the AVG Hitter Rank number you’ll see, these OBP ranks weren’t composite. They’re mine to defend. As such, there are inherent biases like me disliking catching prospects and not being completely sold on certain players. For example, while Matt and Ralph might be higher on someone like Cristian Pache and as such his fantasy rank is higher, I’m the low man on him, and become even more bearish in an OBP context.

1) Vladimir Guerrero Jr, 3B (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: 1

2) Eloy Jimenez, OF (CHW)
AVG Hitter Rank: 2

3) Victor Robles, OF (WAS)
AVG Hitter Rank: 3

4) Fernando Tatis Jr., SS (SD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 4

5) Nick Senzel, 3B/OF (CIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 7

6) Pete Alonso, 1B (NYM)
AVG Hitter Rank: 15

7) Wander Franco, SS (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 5

8) Royce Lewis, SS (MIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 8

9) Kyle Tucker, OF (HOU)
AVG Hitter Rank: 10

10) Bo Bichette, SS (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: 12

11) Keston Hiura, 2B (MIL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 9

12) Jo Adell, OF (LAA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 6

13) Alex Kirilloff, OF (MIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 11

14) Taylor Trammell, OF (CIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 13

15) Trevor Larnach, OF (MIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 19

16) Carter Kieboom, SS (WAS)
AVG Hitter Rank: 14

17) Luis Urias, SS (SD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 16

18) Yordan Alvarez, 1B/OF (HOU)
AVG Hitter Rank: 18

19) Garrett Hampson, 2B (COL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 22

20) Gavin Lux, 2B/SS (LAD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 27

21) Nate Lowe, 1B (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 28

22) Vidal Brujan, 2B (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 17

23) Jonathan India, 3B (CIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 20

24) Xavier Edwards, SS (SD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 35

25) Nolan Jones, 3B (CLE)
AVG Hitter Rank: 29

26) Estevan Florial, OF (NYY)
AVG Hitter Rank: 44

27) Nico Hoerner, SS (CHC)
AVG Hitter Rank: 32

28) Nolan Gorman, 3B (STL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 31

29) George Valera, OF (CLE)
AVG Hitter Rank: 40

30) Brandon Marsh, OF (LAA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 66

31) Kristian Robinson, OF (ARI)
AVG Hitter Rank: 24

32) Alex Verdugo, OF (LAD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 52

33) Brendan Rodgers, 2B (COL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 21

34) Luis Robert, OF (CHW)
AVG Hitter Rank: 39

35) Khalil Lee, OF (KC)
AVG Hitter Rank: 59

36) Austin Riley, 3B (ATL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 23

37) Mark Vientos, 3B (NYM)
AVG Hitter Rank: 51

38) Danny Jansen, C (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: 46

39) Yusniel Diaz, OF (BAL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 33

40) Jordyn Adams, OF (LAA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 41

41) Hudson Potts, 3B (SD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 60

42) Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B (PIT)
AVG Hitter Rank: 37

43) Andres Gimenez, SS (NYM)
AVG Hitter Rank: 25

44) Christin Stewart, OF (DET)
AVG Hitter Rank: 69

45) Brandon Lowe, OF (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 76

46) Jesus Sanchez, OF (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 30

47) Jeter Downs, 2B (LAD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 78

48) Jarred Kelenic, OF (SEA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 34

49) Nick Madrigal, 2B (CHW)
AVG Hitter Rank: 56

50) Sherten Apostel, 3B (TEX)
AVG Hitter Rank: 64

51) Ronny Mauricio, 3B (NYM)
AVG Hitter Rank: 50

52) Bubba Thompson, OF (TEX)
AVG Hitter Rank: 43

53) Ryan McKenna, OF (BAL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 80

54) Dan Vogelbach, 1B/DH (SEA)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

55) Antonio Cabello, OF (NYY)
AVG Hitter Rank: 84

56) Zack Collins, C (CHW)
AVG Hitter Rank: 141

57) Jhon Torres, OF (STL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 65

58) Luis Garcia, SS (WAS)
AVG Hitter Rank: 36

59) Drew Waters, OF (ATL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 38

60) Tyler Nevin, 1B (COL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 67

61) Marco Luciano, SS (SF)
AVG Hitter Rank: 45

62) Jordan Groshans, 3B (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: 55

63) Kevin Smith, SS (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: 70

64) Monte Harrison, OF (MIA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 83

65) Julio Rodriguez, OF (SEA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 62

66) Myles Straw, OF (HOU)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

67) Elehuris Montero, 3B (STL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 75

68) Alec Bohm, 3B (PHI)
AVG Hitter Rank: 54

69) Brayan Rocchio, 2B (CLE)
AVG Hitter Rank: 57

70) Isaac Paredes, 2B (DET)
AVG Hitter Rank: 61

71) Jorge Mateo, OF (OAK)
AVG Hitter Rank: 68

72) Malcom Nuñez, 3B (STL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 97

73) Isan Diaz, 2B (MIA)
AVG Hitter Rank: 110

74) Austin Beck, OF (OAK)
AVG Hitter Rank: 90

75) Jazz Chisholm, SS (ARI)
AVG Hitter Rank: 26

76) Oneil Cruz, SS (PIT)
AVG Hitter Rank: 47

77) Alexander Canario, OF (SF)
AVG Hitter Rank: 125

78) Seuly Matias, OF (KC)
AVG Hitter Rank: 95

79) Keibert Ruiz, C (LAD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 107

80) Wander Javier, SS (MIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: 98

81) Grant Lavigne, 1B (COL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 87

82) Daulton Varsho, C (ARI)
AVG Hitter Rank: 63

83) Heliot Ramos, OF (SF)
AVG Hitter Rank: 77

84) Nick Pratto, 1B (KC)
AVG Hitter Rank: 101

85) Colton Welker, 3B (COL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 85

86) Cristian Pache, OF (ATL)
AVG Hitter Rank: 49

87) Daz Cameron, OF (DET)
AVG Hitter Rank: 93

88) Will Benson, OF (CLE)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

89) Francisco Mejia, C (SD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 58

90) Joey Bart, C (SF)
AVG Hitter Rank: 86

91) Ryan Noda, 1B (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

92) DJ Peters, OF (LAD)
AVG Hitter Rank: 140

93) Cole Roederer, OF (CHC)
AVG Hitter Rank: 99

94) Nick Solak, 2B (TB)
AVG Hitter Rank: 109

95) Brice Turang, SS (MIL)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

96) Cal Stevenson, OF (TOR)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

97) Cole Tucker, SS (PIT)
AVG Hitter Rank: 130

98) Geraldo Perdomo, SS (ARI)
AVG Hitter Rank: 92

99) Akil Baddoo, OF (MIN)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

100) Jack Herman, OF (PIT)
AVG Hitter Rank: NR

You can swap out the last five (outside of maybe Perdomo) for a bevy of others. I just wanted to highlight these names, especially Cal Stevenson, a 10th-round 2018 draft pick that tore up rookie ball (as he should have because he was 22) with a 64/24 BB/K in just 59 games.
Pete Alonso becomes an elite prospect in an OBP format. He compiled a 13 BB% between Double-A and Triple-A last year and could conceivably become the new Edwin Encarnacion, puting up a .350 OBP, 35 home run season with ease in his early years.
Florial owners, I know it’s been hard to hang on in recent months and the temptation to sell is there. If you have him in an OBP format, just be patient to see how he comes out of the gate.
Where are my Zack Collins fans at? I’m still not sure if I should have him so high, but he’s a catcher who’s routinely going to put up about a .360 OBP and has considerable power.
Condolences to Jazz Chisholm. I’m not convinced he’s going to ever put up a league average walk rate in the high levels, especially not with his ultra aggressive approach at the plate. His numbers last year were gorgeous, especially in High-A, but don’t overlook the BABIP.
I love Mark Vientos and you should too.
Christin Stewart is being slept on, at least in terms of value that he should provide. The left field job is his to lose and with 600 plate appearances I don’t see why he can’t put up an ultra cheap 25 HR, .330 OBP line.
It’s tough to rank Dan Vogelbach. On one hand, he still doesn’t have a job. On the other, he already posted a 12 BB% in 102 major league PA last season and routinely sits in the double-digits. It’s hard to remove a prospect’s team from his value, but consider Seattle’s GM for a moment. A starting role should be coming soon…right?
If I included pitchers in this list, I’d say the overall top 100 cutoff would be somewhere in the 65-75 range.