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Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Adley Rutschman Note
Adley Rutschman photo 1. Adley Rutschman BAL
Adley Rutschman arrived in 2023 in a big way. He slashed .277/.374/.435 and hit 20 home runs, drove in 80, and scored 84 times. The upstart Orioles offense is loaded with weapons, and the 26-year-old should continue to bat at the top of it. He will never steal bases, but he will protect your ratios better than any other catcher on the board. Don't be surprised when he is the first backstop drafted in 2024.
5 weeks ago
J.T. Realmuto Note
J.T. Realmuto photo 2. J.T. Realmuto PHI
J.T. Realmuto's run as the clear No. 1 catcher in fantasy may be over. Realmuto's batting average and OBP have fallen to below-average, and he may fall in the Phillies batting order as a result. Make no mistake, though, that he still offers double-digit upside in homers and steals, which makes him a valuable backstop, even if he now has competition at the top.
5 weeks ago
Will Smith Note
Will Smith photo 3. Will Smith LAD
Will Smith has become an Ol' Reliable of the catching position in fantasy baseball. He only played in 126 games, which suppressed his home run total (19) to below 20 for the first time since 2020. Smith hits in the middle of the powerful Dodgers lineup, and his counting stats should continue being boosted because of it. His Statcast hitting profile shows that he excels at patience, though his batting average will hover in the .260 range. Smith should be the third catcher off the board somewhere in the early middle rounds.
5 weeks ago
William Contreras Note
William Contreras photo 4. William Contreras MIL
William Contreras arrived in 2023 and produced at a Top 10 catcher rate for the entire season. He provides a nice balance of power and average from the backstop position, hitting 17 home runs and slashing .289/.367/.457. Nothing stands out as something fantasy managers will have to "account for" when drafting him, ideally past the eighth round.
5 weeks ago
Yainer Diaz Note
Yainer Diaz photo 5. Yainer Diaz HOU
Yainer Diaz will probably be on every Sleepers list for 2024 drafts because he offers a ton of offense at a position that lacks it. The 25-year-old hit 23 home runs in 104 games while slashing an impressive .278/.306/.532. Yes, the OBP is low, which is attributable to his 2.9 percent walk rate. (If you're looking for the player in the first percentile in this category and Chase% (44), you've found him.) The good news is that his xBA is .288, and his xSLG is .543. He will get plenty of at-bats in Houston, and since defensive metrics don't matter in fantasy, he is definitely someone to target.
5 weeks ago
Sean Murphy Note
Sean Murphy photo 6. Sean Murphy ATL
Sean Murphy's first year in Atlant went swimmingly. He popped 21 home runs while driving in 68 and scoring 65 runs. Murphy's strengths are his stellar OBP (.365) and walk rate (11.2%). His superb fielding skills will keep him in the lineup, even with Travis d'Arnaud on the roster, and he should get around 470 plate appearances. Fantasy managers can expect 20 homers and 60/60 in runs and RBIs while not being a liability to the team's batting average. His current ADP is 137, a decent value for a catcher with his skillset and outstanding surrounding cast.
5 weeks ago
Cal Raleigh Note
Cal Raleigh photo 7. Cal Raleigh SEA
Cal Raleigh is the catcher you wait for if you don't care about batting average or on-base percentage. The 27-year-old led all catchers with 30 home runs while slashing .232/.306/.456. He strikes out a lot (27.8 K%), but he should drive in 80+ in 2024. Raleigh is the catcher that your league mates are most likely to forget. Grab him anytime after the 11th round as your C1.
5 weeks ago
Willson Contreras Note
Willson Contreras photo 8. Willson Contreras STL
Willson Contreras began his Cardinals career by improving his batting average and not slipping anywhere else. The elder Contreras brother hit 20 home runs, drove in 67, and slashed .264/.358/.467 across 125 games. He increased his BB% to 10.3 and is in the 93rd percentile in xwOBA at .373. While he will go through stretches where he chases more than fantasy managers would like, he should continue his Top 10 catcher production in his ninth season. Willson and William had eerily similar stats in 2023, but you can get Willson about 55 picks later. He is a great mid-round target to fill your catcher position.
5 weeks ago
Salvador Perez Note
Salvador Perez photo 9. Salvador Perez KC
Salvador Perez remained a staple of the Kansas City Royals lineup in 2023, playing in 140 games and racking up 580 plate appearances. He hit .254 with a miserable .292 OBP and .422 SLG. He hit 23 home runs for the second year in a row and drove in 80. His projections for 2024 suggest more of the same for the 33-year-old. Perez is a catcher who isn't going to drag down your batting average and give you 20+ homers. That is a rare bird; at his ADP of 133, he isn't a bad value in 2024.
5 weeks ago
Francisco Alvarez Note
Francisco Alvarez photo 10. Francisco Alvarez NYM
Francisco Alvarez saw 423 plate appearances in 2023 and responded with 25 home runs, showing off the power that fantasy managers had been promised. He also struck out at a 26% clip, walked at a meager 8%, and slashed an ugly .209/.284/.437. Alvarez is only 22, and the power is very real. He had never had a BB% lower than 11.3% in his career, so chances are high there should be a strong bounceback in OBP. He has a lot to offer at the catcher position and is going at pick 154.
5 weeks ago
Gabriel Moreno Note
Gabriel Moreno photo 11. Gabriel Moreno ARI
Gabriel Moreno played in 111 games for the Diamondbacks in 2023 and offered steady ratios with very little else. He is projected to slash in the .285/.340/.420 range, meaning he won't do any damage to lineups, but there isn't much power upside. Moreno is, essentially, the exact opposite of Cal Raleigh, and it's up to fantasy managers which type of backstop they want in their lineups.
5 weeks ago
Jonah Heim Note
Jonah Heim photo 12. Jonah Heim TEX
Logan O'Hoppe Note
Logan O'Hoppe photo 13. Logan O'Hoppe LAA
Mitch Garver Note
Mitch Garver photo 14. Mitch Garver SEA
Keibert Ruiz Note
Keibert Ruiz photo 15. Keibert Ruiz WSH
Bo Naylor Note
Bo Naylor photo 16. Bo Naylor CLE
Luis Campusano Note
Luis Campusano photo 17. Luis Campusano SD
Tyler Stephenson Note
Tyler Stephenson photo 18. Tyler Stephenson CIN
Alejandro Kirk Note
Alejandro Kirk photo 19. Alejandro Kirk TOR
Shea Langeliers Note
Shea Langeliers photo 20. Shea Langeliers OAK
MJ Melendez Note
MJ Melendez photo 21. MJ Melendez KC
Henry Davis Note
Henry Davis photo 22. Henry Davis PIT
Elias Diaz Note
Elias Diaz photo 23. Elias Diaz COL
Ryan Jeffers Note
Ryan Jeffers photo 24. Ryan Jeffers MIN
Danny Jansen Note
Danny Jansen photo 25. Danny Jansen TOR
Austin Wells Note
Austin Wells photo 26. Austin Wells NYY
Yan Gomes Note
Yan Gomes photo 27. Yan Gomes CHC
Connor Wong Note
Connor Wong photo 28. Connor Wong BOS
Travis d'Arnaud Note
Travis d'Arnaud photo 29. Travis d'Arnaud ATL
Jake Rogers Note
Jake Rogers photo 30. Jake Rogers DET
Gary Sanchez Note
Gary Sanchez photo 31. Gary Sanchez MIL
Patrick Bailey Note
Patrick Bailey photo 32. Patrick Bailey SF
Freddy Fermin Note
Freddy Fermin photo 33. Freddy Fermin KC
Rene Pinto Note
Rene Pinto photo 34. Rene Pinto TB
Christian Bethancourt Note
Christian Bethancourt photo 35. Christian Bethancourt MIA
Tyler Soderstrom Note
Tyler Soderstrom photo 36. Tyler Soderstrom OAK
Christian Vazquez Note
Christian Vazquez photo 37. Christian Vazquez MIN
Ivan Herrera Note
Ivan Herrera photo 38. Ivan Herrera STL
Miguel Amaya Note
Miguel Amaya photo 39. Miguel Amaya CHC
Nick Fortes Note
Nick Fortes photo 40. Nick Fortes MIA
Tom Murphy Note
Tom Murphy photo 41. Tom Murphy SF
Blake Sabol Note
Blake Sabol photo 42. Blake Sabol SF
Yasmani Grandal Note
Yasmani Grandal photo 43. Yasmani Grandal PIT
Kyle Higashioka Note
Kyle Higashioka photo 44. Kyle Higashioka SD
James McCann Note
James McCann photo 45. James McCann BAL
Andrew Knizner Note
Andrew Knizner photo 46. Andrew Knizner TEX
Martin Maldonado Note
Martin Maldonado photo 47. Martin Maldonado CWS
Carson Kelly Note
Carson Kelly photo 48. Carson Kelly DET
Korey Lee Note
Korey Lee photo 49. Korey Lee CWS
Jose Trevino Note
Jose Trevino photo 50. Jose Trevino NYY
Joey Bart Note
Joey Bart photo 51. Joey Bart PIT
Victor Caratini Note
Victor Caratini photo 52. Victor Caratini HOU
Max Stassi Note
Max Stassi photo 53. Max Stassi CWS
Jacob Stallings Note
Jacob Stallings photo 54. Jacob Stallings COL
Matt Thaiss Note
Matt Thaiss photo 55. Matt Thaiss LAA
Luke Maile Note
Luke Maile photo 56. Luke Maile CIN
Kyle Teel Note
Kyle Teel photo 57. Kyle Teel BOS
Eric Haase Note
Eric Haase photo 58. Eric Haase MIL
Omar Narvaez Note
Omar Narvaez photo 59. Omar Narvaez NYM
Reese McGuire Note
Reese McGuire photo 60. Reese McGuire BOS
Edgar Quero Note
Edgar Quero photo 61. Edgar Quero CWS
Jeferson Quero Note
Jeferson Quero photo 62. Jeferson Quero MIL
Riley Adams Note
Riley Adams photo 63. Riley Adams WSH
Carlos Perez Note
Carlos Perez photo 64. Carlos Perez OAK
Sam Huff Note
Sam Huff photo 65. Sam Huff TEX
Austin Barnes Note
Austin Barnes photo 66. Austin Barnes LAD
Jose Hernandez Note
Jose Hernandez photo 67. Jose Hernandez NYM
Ethan Salas Note
Ethan Salas photo 68. Ethan Salas SD
Wes Clarke Note
Wes Clarke photo 69. Wes Clarke MIL
Ben Rice Note
Ben Rice photo 70. Ben Rice NYY
David Fry Note
David Fry photo 71. David Fry CLE
Austin Hedges Note
Austin Hedges photo 72. Austin Hedges CLE
Dillon Dingler Note
Dillon Dingler photo 73. Dillon Dingler DET
Francisco Mejia Note
Francisco Mejia photo 74. Francisco Mejia MIL
Austin Nola Note
Austin Nola photo 75. Austin Nola KC
Jorge Alfaro Note
Jorge Alfaro photo 76. Jorge Alfaro FA
Alex Jackson Note
Alex Jackson photo 77. Alex Jackson TB
Garrett Stubbs Note
Garrett Stubbs photo 78. Garrett Stubbs PHI
Mike Zunino Note
Mike Zunino photo 79. Mike Zunino FA
Seby Zavala Note
Seby Zavala photo 80. Seby Zavala SEA
Tucker Barnhart Note
Tucker Barnhart photo 81. Tucker Barnhart ARI
Drew Romo Note
Drew Romo photo 82. Drew Romo COL
Ben Rortvedt Note
Ben Rortvedt photo 83. Ben Rortvedt TB
Samuel Basallo Note
Samuel Basallo photo 84. Samuel Basallo BAL
Brian Serven Note
Brian Serven photo 85. Brian Serven TOR
Jason Delay Note
Jason Delay photo 86. Jason Delay PIT
Austin Wynns Note
Austin Wynns photo 87. Austin Wynns CIN
Chadwick Tromp Note
Chadwick Tromp photo 88. Chadwick Tromp ATL
Brett Sullivan Note
Brett Sullivan photo 89. Brett Sullivan SD
Lucas May Note
Lucas May photo 90. Lucas May MIL
Curt Casali Note
Curt Casali photo 91. Curt Casali CHC
Jose Herrera Note
Jose Herrera photo 92. Jose Herrera ARI
Chad Wallach Note
Chad Wallach photo 93. Chad Wallach LAA
Manny Pina Note
Manny Pina photo 94. Manny Pina FA
Roberto Perez Note
Roberto Perez photo 95. Roberto Perez BOS
Rafael Marchan Note
Rafael Marchan photo 96. Rafael Marchan PHI
Tomas Nido Note
Tomas Nido photo 97. Tomas Nido NYM
Ali Sanchez Note
Ali Sanchez photo 98. Ali Sanchez CHC
Drew Millas Note
Drew Millas photo 99. Drew Millas WSH
Pedro Pages Note
Pedro Pages photo 100. Pedro Pages STL
Tyler Heineman Note
Tyler Heineman photo 101. Tyler Heineman BOS
Cam Gallagher Note
Cam Gallagher photo 102. Cam Gallagher PHI
Michael Perez Note
Michael Perez photo 103. Michael Perez BAL
Sandy Leon Note
Sandy Leon photo 104. Sandy Leon ATL
Jair Camargo Note
Jair Camargo photo 105. Jair Camargo MIN
Rob Brantly Note
Rob Brantly photo 106. Rob Brantly TB
Cesar Salazar Note
Cesar Salazar photo 107. Cesar Salazar HOU
Kyle McCann Note
Kyle McCann photo 108. Kyle McCann OAK
Logan Porter Note
Logan Porter photo 109. Logan Porter KC
Donny Sands Note
Donny Sands photo 110. Donny Sands DET
Paul McIntosh Note
Paul McIntosh photo 111. Paul McIntosh MIA
Hunter Feduccia Note
Hunter Feduccia photo 112. Hunter Feduccia LAD
Israel Pineda Note
Israel Pineda photo 113. Israel Pineda WSH
Andrew Knapp Note
Andrew Knapp photo 114. Andrew Knapp TEX
Payton Henry Note
Payton Henry photo 115. Payton Henry TOR
Anthony Bemboom Note
Anthony Bemboom photo 116. Anthony Bemboom DET
Blake Hunt Note
Blake Hunt photo 117. Blake Hunt SEA
Luis Torrens Note
Luis Torrens photo 118. Luis Torrens NYY
P.J. Higgins Note
P.J. Higgins photo 119. P.J. Higgins CIN