theScore's Week 12 Fantasy Hitter Power Rankings

Here is the Week 12 edition of theScore's Fantasy Hitter Power Rankings, in which we list the top 40 hitters in fantasy baseball using standard 5x5 scoring (Value Based Ranks provided by FantasyPros; stats through Tuesday):

1. OF Mookie Betts, Red Sox (LW: 1)

Betts remains the top fantasy option among hitters, leading the league in runs scored and threatening a 30-30 pace as we near the halfway point of the season. He's in position to challenge for fantasy MVP honors.

2. 2B Jose Altuve, Astros (LW: 2)

Altuve remains the No. 2 hitting option, but only by the slimmest of margins; he certainly did his part to keep pace in the power department, socking a pair of home runs last week while batting 10-for-25 and adding five RBIs.

3. SS/OF Ian Desmond, Rangers (LW: 4)

If you were one of the lucky owners to buy low here, congratulations! Conversely, if you sold low ... you may want to skip ahead. Desmond remained hot last week, bating .450 with three home runs.

4. OF Mike Trout, Angels (LW: 7)

Trout was amazing last week, hitting an out-of-this-world 15-for-30 with three home runs, six RBIs, eight runs scored and a stolen base. What's more, he's one of the few players in the league who can sustain this pace for a while.

5. SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (LW: 3)

It was a relatively quiet week for Bogaerts, who batted .300 with four runs scored and four RBIs but didn't have a homer or a steal. Still, that's a small quibble for a guy on pace for a 20-20, 100-100 season at shortstop.

6. 3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies (LW: 10)

You won't find many players who can produce runs like Arenado, who added eight RBIs to his National League-leading tally last week. It was part of a well-rounded effort that saw him bat .357 with a homer and six runs scored.

7. 3B/OF Kris Bryant, Cubs (LW: 12)

Bryant has been a tour-de-force in his second major-league season, and moves into the top-10 after batting .320 with four homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored last week. He has officially reached superstar status.

8. 3B Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays (LW: 11)

It wasn't long ago that Donaldson's average was languishing in the .250 range. But he's on the fast track to .300 after batting 10-for-22 last week, chipping in a pair of RBIs and scoring three times in the process.

9. 1B/OF Wil Myers, Padres (LW: 8)

The batting average took a hit after he went just 4-for-23 last week, but Myers limited the overall damage by hitting a home run, driving in six, scoring three times and adding his 10th steal of the season.

10. 2B Ian Kinsler, Tigers (LW: 5)

Kinsler dropped five spots after a dreadful week in which he hit just .231, didn't score a single run and drove in two. He added his eighth steal, but that's a small consolation to fantasy owners who may be worrying a bit.

11. 1B/DH David Ortiz, Red Sox (LW: 6)

Ortiz found himself on the receiving end of the Bryce Harper treatment last week, earning just 15 official at-bats while drawing 10 walks. The result: Zero homers, three RBIs, three runs scored and a five-spot dip in the rankings.

12. 1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks (LW: 15)

Goldschmidt's average is finally on the right side of .300 after the slow starter hit 12-for-27 last week. He didn't go deep, but still provided plenty of value in the counting categories with six RBIs, two runs scored and a steal.

13. SS/3B Manny Machado, Orioles (LW: 14)

Machado's 8-for-18 performance restored some of his lost batting average points, and he added a homer, two RBIs and five runs scored in a well-rounded showing last week. The downside: He may not steal a base all year.

14. 2B Robinson Cano, Mariners (LW: 9)

Cano batted a robust .304 last week, but it was just about the emptiest .304 imaginable: He scored just twice while failing to record a home run or an RBI. His early-season hot streak is well over, but he's still an elite fantasy 2B.

15. OF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies (LW: 24)

Gonzalez has been unbelievable over the past 30 days, ranked third overall among fantasy hitters in that span (.369, 20 R, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 2 SB). He's wildly streaky and might still be traded, so fantasy owners should be wary.

16. 1B/2B/3B Daniel Murphy, Nationals (LW: 13)

Murphy looked rather ordinary last week, batting .280 with three runs scored and four RBIs but zero home runs or stolen bases. He'll be productive as long as he's hitting high in the Washington order, but the best may be over.

17. SS Francisco Lindor, Indians (LW: 18)

Lindor had a solid week, batting .304 with a pair of homers, three RBIs and seven runs scored. He has a decent shot at a 20-20 season, and if you add in 90-100 runs, you're looking at a top-20 fantasy option overall.

18. 1B Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays (LW: 19)

So much for the slow start. Encarnacion continues to pile up the RBIs, adding another eight to his major league-leading total last week on the strength of three more home runs. He also scored six times. He's a fantasy stud.

19. SS Trevor Story, Rockies (LW: 26)

Story continues to provide incredible value for those savvy enough to snag him late in drafts or on the waiver wire. The rookie shortstop hit .368 last week with a homer, a steal, four RBIs and seven runs scored.

20. OF Gregory Polanco, Pirates (LW: 25)

Injuries limited Polanco to 14 at-bats over the past seven days, but he made the most of them, banging out five hits while adding a home run, five RBIs and three runs scored. That said, owners should monitor his status.

21. OF Jay Bruce, Reds (LW: 27)

Bruce is proving to be a tantalizing real-life and fantasy trade target after another productive week in which he hit .310 with two homers, eight RBIs and four runs scored. If you're an owner, you should consider selling high.

22. 1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs (LW: 21)

It took a while, but it appears that Rizzo's batting average has finally stabilized. The talented first basemen helped his cause by batting 8-for-16 last week, and is hitting a sizzling .405 over the last 30 days.

23. 1B/OF Mark Trumbo, Orioles (LW: 20)

Trumbo ended his mini-homer drought with a pair of longballs last week, adding four RBIs and five runs scored. The batting average took a minor hit, and that could be a theme as regression sets in.

24. OF Marcell Ozuna, Marlins (LW: 22)

Ozuna saw just 11 at-bats last week thanks to a wrist injury, hitting a solo home run and scoring three times but dropping two spots in the rankings. The injury comes at a bad time, with Ozuna having a red-hot June to date.

25. OF Carlos Beltran, Yankees (LW: 33)

Beltran continues to defy Father Time, coming off a seven-day stretch in which he batted .409 with a homer, five RBIs and four runs scored. Who knows how long he can keep it up, but enjoy it while it lasts.

26. OF Bryce Harper, Nationals (LW: 35)

With steals such a valuable commodity in fantasy, it's interesting to see Harper move up nine spots despite hitting .250 with a homer, two runs scored and two RBIs. The key stat: three steals, giving him double digits overall.

27. OF Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox (LW: 29)

Bradley saw his average dip below .300 last week, hitting just 5-for-24 over the seven-day stretch. So how did he move up two spots? A home run, four RBIs, five runs scored and a stolen base had something to do with that.

28. OF Nelson Cruz, Mariners (LW: 34)

It was another banner week for Cruz, who only hit .263 but supplemented that with three home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored. Any preseason concerns about HR/FB regression have proven to be unfounded.

29. 1B Eric Hosmer, Royals (LW: 23)

Hosmer didn't record a home run or a steal last week, but everything else was solid from a fantasy perspective (.304, 3 R, 4 RBI). We've probably seen his season peak, but he could still remain a top-40 fantasy hitting option.

30. OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (LW: --)

Blackmon surges into the top-30 after posting the third-best week by a fantasy hitter (.355, 10 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI). The lack of steals may have some fantasy owners concerned, but his power surge is a wonderful bonus.

31. OF George Springer, Astros (LW: 38)

Springer keeps rolling along, racking up a home run, six RBIs, five runs scored and a stolen base. He's a better source of runs than RBIs as long as he hits near the top of the lineup, but he's a legitimate four-category threat regardless.

32. SS Corey Seager, Dodgers (LW: --)

Seager is tantalizingly close to reaching the .300 plateau after posting a 10-for-20 line over the previous seven days. He added a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored, and is primed to challenge for a top-five spot among SSs.

33. 2B Rougned Odor, Rangers (LW: 39)

Odor's solid week featured a .273 batting average, a home run, three RBIs, five runs scored and a stolen base. He's one of the best all-around fantasy 2Bs available, and he's only going to get better.

34. SS/3B Jonathan Villar, Brewers (LW: 16)

Villar is the best of a group of players who steal bases but don't do much else. With the gap growing between their output and that of four-category stars, it's no surprise they're tumbling down the rankings.

35. OF Starling Marte, Pirates (LW: 17)

Marte takes a major tumble thanks to stunted growth in the non-steals category; he batted just .238 with three runs scored, two RBIs and zero homers and stolen bases. He may not be on this list much longer.

36. 2B/SS/3B Eduardo Nunez, Twins (LW: 28)

Nunez had a bit of a rough week thanks to a 5-for-23 hitting performance. He did reach double digits in home runs, while adding a steal, four RBIs and two runs scored. Expect further regression to set in shortly.

37. 2B/SS Jean Segura, Diamondbacks (LW: --)

Segura is back on the list after a tremendous seven-day stretch in which he batted .346 with 10 runs scored, three RBIs and five stolen bases. He's as streaky as they come, so don't expect this to continue much longer.

38. OF Adam Duvall, Reds (LW: 31)

Duvall's rookie campaign continues to surprise from a fantasy standpoint, as he belted his 21st home run last week while driving in five. The .240 batting average was a bit disappointing, but owners can't really complain.

39. 1B/2B/3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals (LW: --)

Carpenter swatted three home runs last week, and is quietly on pace for a 100-25-100 season with a shot at a .300 average. Those numbers, combined with his positional versatility, make him an ideal keeper candidate.

40. OF Melvin Upton Jr., Padres (LW: --)

Who could have seen this coming? Upton nears the halfway point of the season looking at a 75-20-75-30 pace thanks to last week's terrific showing (.333, 5 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB). Enjoy it while it lasts.