The beauty of fantasy baseball is in the different formats that can be played. Many talk about 5×5 ROTO or head-to-head (H2H) leagues, which seem to be the standard. There are plenty of other options, though, including on-base percentage (OBP) and points leagues. They end up being similar, as a player will accrue more points if they have better OBP skills, so grouping them together makes sense.
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When considering OBP/points formats, many more players come into play. Players like Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. get an even bigger boost in OBP. At the same time, some players, like Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez take a bit of a hit in OBP/points leagues.
Some improvements in value or decreases in value vary in magnitude, so discussing early-round picks like the ones listed above or even Kyle Schwarber is not necessary. In this article, I will highlight six hitters who go a little later in “standard” drafts and who have increased value in OBP/points leagues.
Hitters to Target in OBP/Points Leagues
Yandy Diaz (1B, 3B – TB)
Before last season’s 22 home run season, Yandy Diaz was primarily a batting average asset that scored a decent amount of runs as he hit towards the top of the Rays’ batting order. In OBP, Diaz’s value climbs a lot more as the elite batting average meets elite OBP skills. Over his last three seasons in Tampa, where he played over 130 games, Diaz walked over 10% of the time and had an OBP of over .400 in the last two seasons. He is projected to have an OBP of .375 or higher this season, which is excellent for a late-round target.
Alex Bregman (3B – HOU)
Alex Bregman is strong in “standard” formats as he continually hits 23 or so home runs while hitting around .255, combining 190+ runs and RBIs. Bregman has great plate discipline, as he has struck out 15.5% of the time in the last seven seasons while walking at least 11% of the time in the last six seasons. Over the previous seven seasons, Bregman has had an OBP of .350 or better — he is projected to have an OBP of .365 this season. He is a consistent four-category stud and seems to be an afterthought in drafts.
Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM)
Brandon Nimmo has been an OBP monster over the last seven seasons with a walk rate of over 10% each season. That has led Nimmo to an OBP of .363 or higher each season, with an OBP of .375 or better in five seasons. Nimmo has added power over the last two seasons, which makes his fantasy value even more prevalent. Nimmo will lead off for the Mets, potentially scoring 90+ runs while belting 15+ home runs with an elite OBP. Points are plenty for Nimmo.
Seiya Suzuki (OF – CHC)
Seiya Suzuki battled injuries early last season but finished with a solid sophomore season for the Cubs, hitting .285 with 20 home runs and six stolen bases. He improved his walk rate to 10.1% after a 9.4% walk rate in 2022. The improvement in his walk rate while also playing in more games upped his OBP to .357. Suzuki’s second half, once healthy, was even better as he racked up a .372 OBP. Suzuki’s second half may be more of a player than we previously saw. An OBP of .360 or better could lead to a monster season in OBP/points formats.
Edouard Julien (2B – MIN)
Edouard Julien struck out a wapping 31.4% of the time in his rookie season, leading to a .263 batting average and 16 home runs. That is not a bad line but his OBP skills are awe-inspiring for someone who strikes out so much and walks 15.7% of the time. The outstanding walk rate led to a .381 OBP. In Julien’s four previous minor league stops, he walked over 18% at each stop with an OBP of .397 or higher. With Jorge Polanco now in Seattle, Julien should see regular playing time and could be one of the biggest OBP standouts later in drafts.
Nolan Schanuel (1B – LAA)
If you are looking for a late-round OBP monster, Nolan Schanuel should be your guy. His power was disappointing in 29 games with the Angels as he only hit one home run but his plate discipline was beyond impressive. Schanuel struck out 14.4% of the time while walking 15.2%. This resulted in a .402 OBP to go with his .375 batting average. Sure, it’s a small sample, but his plate discipline has also been a trait he had in college. Schanuel’s bat is still developing as we have seen more power this spring, which correlated with all the walks and could make him an OBP/points breakout this season.
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