A sleeper is a term used to refer to a player that a fantasy manager believes is set to have a breakout season. The word comes from the idea that most managers will overlook their potential.

While it is entirely possible for a player on the sleepers list to be a well-established player that exceeds expectations, that is typically defined as a breakout player and will be discussed in a separate article a little later on down the road.

For the purposes of this article a sleeper is someone that is off the radar. They are unlikely to be a household name, at least yet.

2020 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Sleepers

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Jorge Alfaro, C, Miami Marlins

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Let me tell you, these Marlins are going to be good in a few years. They stole Villar from the Orioles when they dumped his salary and they are building a solid farm system.

At Catcher they have one of the sneaky good sleepers in Alfaro. This guy flat out makes hard contact and when that happens good things ensue. He easily has 20 HR potential and provides a decent average for the position at about .260.

He slots in at the No. 11 Cather on my Dynasty Rankings which is three spots higher than the consensus. While he won’t win you any league he certainly won’t lose you any. From the Catcher position that is more than acceptable.

Carlos Rodon, LHP, Chicago White Sox

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Rodon had TJ surgery in May of 2019 which will keep him out for most, possibly all of 2020 depending on how the White Sox season goes. He has been unfortunate enough to be injury-plagued during his short MLB career which now makes him a good sleeper candidate.

When healthy he absolutely has ace potential. But this is how it goes with Pitching.

Anderson Espinoza, RHP, San Diego Padres

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A former Top 25 prospect, Espinoza is coming off his second TJ surgery in April 2019. I think it is safe to say most people have given up on Espinoza but his pedigree still is there.

Will he be the rare pitcher to be successful after a 2nd TJ surgery or will he just be another pitcher that succumbs injury? The good news is, depending on the size of your league, he might be available on the waivers. Worst case he should come pretty cheap via trade.

The days of his ace potential at probably past him at this point but his upside still outweighs what it should cost to acquire him.

Kris Bubic, LHP, Kansas City Royals

Kris Bubic goes the distance. 🏁🏃‍♂️ The #Royals' No. 6 prospect needed 111 pitches to throw a complete game with just one run allowed and 11 strikeouts for @WilmBlueRocks. Check him out on the @Royals Top 30: https://t.co/CmiMeiiVSQ pic.twitter.com/EuSJIqhRSK — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 9, 2019

As leader of the Bubic fan club, Rhys White would be tickled pink to tell you that he led the minor leagues in Strikeouts with 185 in just 149.1 innings in 2019 in two different levels.

Because his stuff doesn’t WOW you, White often gets forgotten in prospects circles. If he threw 98 I think that would change but you can’t argue with the results so far. Get in on Bubic before it is too late and he loses his sleepers status.

Micker Adolfo, OF, Chicago White Sox

#WhiteSox Micker Adolfo with his 4th home run of the fall. Easy power to LCF pic.twitter.com/c97PsIFBKd — Kim (@FireLeagueKim) October 22, 2019

Adolfo’s 2019 campaign was cut short after just 23 games because of elbow surgery. This was especially difficult be he already underwent Tommy John surgery in the past. If he can stay healthy, he has the potential to be an impact player quickly.

Bryant Packard, OF, Detroit Tigers

This guy certainly made his presence felt at the plate! @ECUBaseball's Bryant Packard left his mark in #AmericanBSB history, setting the all-time conference record with a .3⃣5⃣9⃣ career batting average! pic.twitter.com/PD301kcow8 — American Baseball (@American_BSB) July 8, 2019

This guy certainly made his presence felt at the plate! @ECUBaseball‘s Bryant Packard left his mark in

The Tigers selected the East Carolina outfielder in the 5th round of the 2019 draft. He brings a polished bat into their farm system after having a terrific college career.

He started off in Class A Short Season but quickly proved he was ready for a bigger challenge and got moved up to Class A. Packard has continued to hit well and could make his way up to AA in 2020.

I think Packard has the upside of a .280 hitter with 20 bombs. He isn’t going to steal any bases but he should provide average defense. While he isn’t an All-Star caliber player, for his current value he could be an absolute steal as a sleeper candidate right now.

Alejandro Pie, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

As Nate Lowe graduates from the #Rays' Top 30 prospects list, 17-year-old shortstop Alejandro Pie enters: https://t.co/UyMXCfZd19 pic.twitter.com/3kRHh7bbyD — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 19, 2019

Pie is raw yet enticing athlete that has shown some above-average tools at only 18. He has the potential for a plus power/speed combo which is a highly coveted asset in fantasy. He certainly has 20/20 upside while hitting a respectable .250-.260.

Yasel Antuna, SS, Washington Nationals

Nationals IF Yasel Antuna taking some hacks a little over a year removed from Tommy John. In 2016, Antuna set a franchise record by signing for $3.9 million out of the DR. After two seasons of injuries, Antuna will need a Soto like recovery to reach his five-tool potential. pic.twitter.com/hUpCdV2RBY — tyler j. spicer (@tylerjspicer) December 10, 2019

Here is another guy that has had injuries derail a potential rise and put him square on the sleepers list. Antuna spent all but three games recovering from Tommy John surgery that was performed in August of 2018.

He is a switch-hitting prospect with plus raw power potential. Because he is still so young and so raw after missing so much development time, one area that he will have to impress is with his plate discipline. He has maintained a high strikeout percentage but to be fair someone that profiles as a power hitter at his age typically has that attribute.

If he can stay healthy and you can get him on your roster right now the payoff could be massive.

Luisangel Acuna, SS, Texas Rangers

I post a lot of prospect thoughts and videos on my IG page, like this one of Ronald Acuña’s little bro, Luisangel Acuña. You can follow at ben.badlerhttps://t.co/Anh2NIVea0 pic.twitter.com/WyM7mLuA5Z — Ben Badler (@BenBadler) September 27, 2019

Yes, he is related to that other Acuna guy which alone makes it hard to be on a sleepers list. While Luisangel doesn’t have his Brother’s same tools and upside he isn’t someone to shake a stick at (my Grandpa would be proud of that line).

I think Acuna has 20/20 upside with a solid .280 average to back it up. Not too shabby for someone that is likely going to overshadow his entire career.

Erick Pena, OF, Kansas City Royals

.@Royals 2019 international signing OF Erick Pena with a rocket to center after battling for almost 3 min. Amazing catch in center. Body projection 💪

Approach 💯

Helicopter swing ❤

Status/thoughts 🚀#ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/5wZR4n4FwA — The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) October 12, 2019

I have saved my favorite sleeper list player for last. Some people are already in deep on Pena but certainly not everyone. If you are lucky enough to be in a league where Pena’s value isn’t realized yet now is the time to get him before his value absolutely explodes in 2020.

His smooth left-handed stroke is going to be a star in the big leagues in the next 3-4 years. This will be your last chance to get him at a reasonable cost.

Check out the rest of our 2020 Fantasy Baseball content from our great team of writers.