Talking about the best left fielders 2022 isn’t exactly an easy task.
There’s no shortage of talent at the position and plenty of players could make a strong case for being first off the board in your fantasy league. So, if you’re new to this or need a cheat sheet to beat your friends, then keep scrolling, as we’ve done all the dirty work for you.
Best left fielders 2022
Often one of the most overlooked positions in baseball, the left fielder isn’t often known for his strong arm or ability to pile up assists. Then again, some of the best players in the game still make a living out of making spectacular diving catches and stealing extra-base hits on a regular basis.
Here, we’ll honor them by letting you know about the top LF in MLB for the 2022 season.
10. Marcell Ozuna
While some may argue that Marcell Ozuna shouldn’t be allowed on a baseball field again, he’s still expected to be a huge contributor to the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
He’s not getting any younger and did miss most of last season but he can still hit the ball quite hard and quite often. He’s one of the best sluggers in his position and looked as fast as ever in limited playing time in 2021.
9. A.J. Pollock
Even though he wasn’t out there as often as expected, A.J. Pollock still managed to have quite the productive season in 2021.
He hit 21 dingers with a batting average of .297 and stole nine bases across 117 games. Ironically, that’s the most games he’s played since 2015, which says a lot about his injury woes. He can contribute in nearly every aspect but banking on him to stay healthy could be frustrating.
8. Austin Meadows
Outside of the COVID-19-shortened season, Austin Meadows has been a steady offensive contributor for the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s not the best defender in the league by any means but he’s fast, strong, and can hit for both power and average.
He’s coming off a couple of terrible seasons against lefties and his playing time might be in question, so expect him to be fully motivated to prove his worth in 2022.
7. Kyle Schwarber
Kyle Schwarber once again ranks among the top LF in MLB, and his ability to suit up at first base as well is also a nice fantasy commodity.
He’s one of the strongest hitters in all of baseball, sitting at the 90th percentile in terms of average, exit velocity, hard-hit rate, and barrel rate. He’s also coming off the best hitting season of his career and those numbers could only go up in a hitter-friendly stadium like Citizens Bank Park.
6. Randy Arozarena
Outside of some minor slumps, Randy Arozarena picked up things in 2021 where he left them in the 2020 postseason.
The reigning AL Rookie of the Year is coming off a 20-home run season after raking 10 baseballs in the 2020 playoffs, so he may not be able to live up to those expectations in the future. He’s an elite source of stolen bases but he’ll strike out way too often.
5. Michael Brantley
Believe it or not, Michael Brantley is one of the best left fielders 2022. He’s been as reliable, durable, and consistent as you’d expect and you already know he can top the .300 BA mark with ease.
He’ll provide plenty of RBIs and runs throughout the season as a part of the Houston Astros’ explosive offense, although don’t expect the same home run numbers he posted a couple of years ago.
4. Joey Gallo
Joey Gallo is the ultimate boom-or-bust player. You know he’ll swing for the fences every single time he’s at the plate and his discipline as a hitter is something to admire.
Then again, his swing is tailor-made for the Bronx as he can hit balls out of the park like the best of them. He’s coming off a down year in which he hit 38 homers and scored 90 runs, which speaks volumes of the expectations about him. Gallo will never be a high-average guy but is a never-ending source of homers and extra-base hits.
3. Jesse Winker
Following a breakout campaign with the Cincinnati Reds, Jesse Winker is considered one of the best left fielders right now, even though he’ll now play at pitcher’s park in Seattle.
He’s a great contact-hitter and showed impressive ability to drive in runs when it mattered the most. Talent and skill-wise, he’s got the whole package, yet he’ll need to prove that he can post the same numbers now that he’s playing for the Mariners.
2. Christian Yelich
There aren’t many things we could say about Christian Yelich that haven’t been said before. Obviously, he’s got the upside of an MVP, but the constant nagging pains and missed games are quite frustrating for fantasy managers and Milwaukee Brewers fans alike.
If he can stay healthy, then you know you’re getting a top-tier hitter who can do it all. But he’s entering his age-30 season and was quite limited with back injuries in 2021, so taking him comes with great risk.
1. Tyler O’Neill
Tyler O’Neill enters the year as the top LF in MLB and it shouldn’t be close this season. He’s a five-tool player who’s coming off a season slashing 286/.352/.560 with 34 home runs.
O’Neill is only 26 years old, so he’s just getting started. One of the best power-hitters and one of the biggest speedsters in his position, O’Neil figures to lead a St. Louis Cardinals offense expected to be quite a bit better this season.
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