You say my Sleepers 2.0 weren't good enough for you? You say they're too well-known, too high-end, too good for anyone to sleep on them?
Fair enough ... so how about these?
I save my deepest sleepers for later in Draft Prep season, after we've had a chance to observe some spring training developments and after draft boards have had a chance to settle. And you know what? There's plenty to like here.
Even limiting my selection those drafted outside of the top 300 players on average (that's over the past week, by the way, not the entire offseason), I've come up with 40 names that I could see having a real impact this year. It doesn't mean they're all draftable in your league. It doesn't mean they're equally likely to have that sort of impact. But it does mean ... I'm intrigued. And you should be, too.
Why's that? Well, last year's list included notables like Garrett Crochet, Reynaldo Lopez, Alec Burleson, Colton Cowser, Masyn Winn, Ceddanne Rafaela, Reese Olson, Michael Busch, Erick Fedde and Matt Wallner, and I'd say it was far from my most successful deep sleeper crop.
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How many from this group of 40 will I be victory-lapping a year from now?
Catcher
Murphy's overall ADP is of course inside the top 300, but he's basically been radioactive even in two-catcher leagues since fracturing his rib. And that's silly. It's possible the injury has a deleterious effect on his swing, but the actual timetable has him missing only two weeks of games.
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If, however, Murphy suffers a setback or indeed struggles to regain his All-Star stroke, Baldwin would be the one to benefit. The rookie is expected to fill in to begin the year after slashing .298/.407/.891 with a 92.8 mph average exit velocity during his time at Triple-A.
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The Dodgers have hinted at sitting Will Smith more often this year and have begun introducing Rushing to left field at Triple-A, opening the door to a hybrid backup catcher/part-time outfielder role sooner than later. He's more or less a finished product offensively, combining premium plate discipline with all-fields power.
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First base
A fractured finger prevented Aranda from seizing the Rays' DH job last season, but the 26-year-old is again considered the front-runner for it this spring. He's truly been a special hitter in the minors (last year excluded), with his exit velocities, plate discipline and top-line production all standing out.
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Manzardo's rookie season was mostly a flop, but when he came back for good in September, he hit .270 with five homers and an .873 OPS, setting him up to be the Guardians' primary DH (the only position where he's actually eligible for Fantasy) this year.
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Though he was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2020 and a pretty productive hitter in 2023, the Tigers took the unusual step of ruling out Torkelson as their starting first baseman this offseason, but maybe it was just to light a fire under him. So far, he's been throttling the ball unlike in previous spring trainings.
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Sheets is standing taller at the plate and says he's seeing the ball better as a result, and it's led to a big power display this spring. When you consider the Padres' alternatives for left field and DH, it's not hard to imagine him playing a prominent role this year.
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Second base
The Red Sox have openings at second base and right field to begin the year, two positions that Campbell just so happens to play, and they've made no secret that they'd like him to win a job. He has yet to meet his end of the bargain this spring, which is probably why his draft stock remains stagnant, but it's coming.
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The Cardinals addressed some issues with Gorman's swing in the offseason and have expressed their desire to give him 600 at-bats this year, even if it's at the expense of Alec Burleson. His 30-homer upside is rare at second base.
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Coming over with Nestor Cortes in the Devin Williams trade, the diminutive Durbin has delivered some impressive walk and stolen bases numbers in both the minors and especially the Arizona Fall League, where he had 17 of the former and 29(!) of the latter in just 24 games last year. His role is still unclear, though.
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Third base
Smith was thought to be a future piece coming back with Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker deal, but his confident showing at the plate this spring has the Astros floating the idea of making him their opening day right fielder, as aggressive of an assignment as that would be.
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The Tigers' failure to woo Alex Bregman this offseason is Jung's gain, and the former first-round pick should fare better in the majors this time around after playing through a wrist injury (one that ultimately led to surgery) last year.
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Mark Vientos' emergence last year has taken Baty out of the running at third base, but the Mets have been experimenting with him at second base with Jeff McNeil (oblique) sidelined to begin the year. So far this spring, Baty has come closer to resembling the masher he's been in the minors.
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Shortstop
The Diamondbacks have seemingly blocked Jordan Lawlar by bringing back Eugenio Suarez for another year and signing Geraldo Perdomo to a long-term deal, but life, uh, finds a way. The top prospect has looked comfortable at the plate this spring and doesn't have much left to accomplish in the minors, making him a prime stash.
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Outfield
The game's top hitting prospect hit .353 with a 1.022 OPS after the All-Star break, suggesting that there really isn't anything for him to accomplish in the minors. An illness this spring may have taken Anthony out of the running for a job, but he's well worth stashing.
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Scott has positioned himself to win the Cardinals' center field job with a disciplined approach at the plate and a confident approach on the bases. He could be another Victor Robles type if he secures the job.
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Hays never stood a chance after the left field fence was moved back at Camden Yards, and a kidney infection wrecked his time in Philadelphia. He looks to have a prominent spot in the Reds lineup now, though, and will be playing in the most homer-friendly park of all.
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The Orioles made it clear from the beginning that they planned to carry Heston Kjerstad on the opening day roster, revealing uncharacteristic confidence in one of their young bats and suggesting that he's going to play more than their current roster construction would suggest.
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After an injury-plagued final season with the Twins, Kepler has worked with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long to clean up his swing, creating a more direct path to the ball and making better use of his lower body. It's shown with a flashy performance this spring.
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As well as Melendez works the count and as hard as he impacted the ball, it sure seems like he should be more productive than he is, and there's hope he will be after simplifying his swing to improve his timing.
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Smith began impacting the ball harder to his pull side last year in a way that didn't undermine his excellent plate discipline, which yielded a .270 batting average and .896 OPS during his time in the majors. He's poised to be the strong side of a DH platoon, with a chance to grow into a full-time role.
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With Hye Seong in the minors and Tommy Edman expected to shift to second base, center field is wide open for Pages, whose power potential could play big in the Dodgers lineup, particularly if he takes the typical step forward in his sophomore season.
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A one-time top prospect whose past few minor-league seasons have been wrecked by injury, Veen is doing everything right this spring, making quality contact, piling up extra-base hits and looking aggressive on the base paths. He may just force his way onto the opening day roster.
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Starting pitcher
A little elbow soreness (but notably, a clean MRI) will put Bradford on the IL to begin the year, ensuring that he'll remain confined to the dark corners of the draft even after he put together a 1.01 WHIP last year. His batted-ball and command profile resembles that of Bryce Miller and Bailey Ober.
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The pitch model fanatics have been salivating over Weathers' fastball this spring, which appears to have gained 2 mph and three inches of induced vertical break. He was also pretty good over his final 10 starts last year with a 3.16 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 8.5 K/9.
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Soriano was usable enough with a 3.42 ERA last year, and he may have even more upside given that he's one of the hardest-throwing and most ground ball-inducing starting pitchers in the majors. He's talked about using his splitter more this season.
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Sugano arrives in America as a 35-year-old with diminished velocity, but he regularly ran ERAs below 2.00 in Japan, including 1.67 just last year. That league is especially pitcher-friendly, making it not an apples-to-apples comparison, but so far this spring, major-league hitters are baffled.
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After spending last season recovering from elbow flexor surgery, the oft-injured right-hander with the power sinker has officially secured the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation and all the privileges that go with it. May's outings figure to be on the shorter side, but his upside, particularly for ERA, is considerable.
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Despite a rough start to spring training, Rocker is still firmly in the rotation mix with some of the Rangers' other options now ailing. His difficult-to-classify slider/curveball is a true one-of-a-kind offering that gives him massive strikeout upside.
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The former No. 1 overall pick has the inside track on a rotation spot and has been flashing the strikeout potential he's always lacked, with his splitter coming in 3 mph harder this spring.
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Leiter's fastball already earns high marks for its shape and velocity, and the kick changeup he's introduced this spring looks to be another swing-and-miss offering. Like Rocker, he's pushing for a rotation spot.
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Matthews is already a strikeout-thrower of the highest order, having issued just seven walks across 97 minor-league innings, and the strikeouts have really picked up this spring with an additional 1-2 mph of velocity. He's given the Twins a decision to make.
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Illness and weather events have kept Kyle Hart out of sight, out of mind this spring, but reports from those who've seen him are encouraging. He won the Korean league's version of the Cy Young award last year, riding a lower arm angle and new sweeper to a 2.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 10.4 K/9.
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Fitts broke through with a 70 percent strike rate and 15 percent swinging-strike rate in his final six minor-league starts last year and clearly put in some work in the pitching lab last offseason, throwing about 3 mph harder this spring. Multiple injuries to Red Sox starters have him firmly in the rotation mix.
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Relief pitcher
The Braves seem committed to giving Holmes an honest look as a starter this year after the minor-league journeyman put together a 16.4 percent swinging-strike rate (which would have ranked up there with Garrett Crochet and Blake Snell) in a hybrid role last year.
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Martinez became an elite strike-thrower out of nowhere last season, putting together a 1.03 WHIP overall and a 2.42 ERA and 0.90 after re-joining the rotation for 11 starts in August and September. The Reds were so persuaded that they brought him back on a one-year, $21.05 qualifying offer this offseason.
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Tommy John surgery in 2023 wrecked what was shaping up to be a breakout season for Bubic as a starter, but he returned in relief last year with those same arsenal tweaks still intact (new slider, firmer changeup, lower release height) and delivered outstanding results. He'll try his hand at starting again this year.
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The numbers Jax delivered in 72 appearances last year -- a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 12.0 K/9 and 18.4 percent swinging-strike rate -- have never been matched by Jhoan Duran, and manager Rocco Baldelli has never been particularly committed to having a true closer. Is there a chance Jax and Duran trade off save chances even more this year?
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Pete Fairbanks is never healthy for long, and his first IL stint this year may be enough to turn the role over to Uceta, who had a 1.51 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12.3 K/9 in major-league 30 appearances last year.
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Soroka saw a massive strikeout increase after shifting to the bullpen a quarter of the way through 2024, upping the velocity on his fastball and spamming his slider like crazy. Those gains have carried over to his rotation audition with the Nationals this spring, offering hope that he's abandoned his pitch-to-contact ways of the past.
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