Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Adley Rutschman took a step back in 2024 compared to his stellar 2023 season. The 26-year-old appeared in 148 games, serving as the designated hitter in 45 of them, and slashed a disappointing .250/.318/.391. He hit 19 home runs, driving in 79 and scoring 68. His numbers in the second half of the year were abysmal, as he batted only .207 with only three home runs. Of most concern was his 100-point drop in OPS. Rutschman is being taken as the second catcher off the board, as there is hope that he can return closer to his 2023 numbers; however, his Statcast page suggests 2024 wasn't a terrible outlier of a season. There may be similar talent later in the draft.