Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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29.
Elly De La Cruz
3B,SS
Elly De La Cruz might be the most exciting and riskiest player on the board. He has a ton of potential that he occasionally flashed in his rookie season. For instance, he stole 35 bases in only 98 games and is in the 100th percentile in sprint speed at 30.5. He also hit the ball hard... when he hit it. His K%, Whiff%, and Chase% are all in the "highly undesirable" range, which drove his OBP down to .300. The primary question for fantasy managers is: When do you believe he will figure out major league pitching? De La Cruz's minor league stats suggest that day will come, and as part of Cincinnati's wave of the future, the 21-year-old will have a very long leash to figure things out in 2024. If you want his potential on your fantasy team, you will have to grab him earlier than you probably want. I'd stay away from him until the fifth round in 2024.
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72.
Spencer Steer
1B,2B,3B,LF
Spencer Steer is expected to be eligible for 1B/3B/OF, and possibly even 2B in some formats. With a solid 2023 season of 156 games, 23 homers, and 15 steals for the Reds, Steer is a promising fantasy pick. Batting in the middle of an exciting lineup with huge potential, he's on track to surpass his 86 RBI from last year. While not standing out in advanced metrics, Steer's consistent performance offers value in Round 9 and beyond, and the fact he plays half his games at Great American Ballpark is a plus for fantasy managers.
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82.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
1B,DH
Christian Encarnacion-Strand got 241 plate appearances for Cincinnati in 2023, hitting 13 home runs and slashing .270/.328/.477. The acquisition of Jeimer Candelario leaves the 24-year-old without a regular position other than DH, but that's all fantasy managers will need him for. CES has the profile to become a very helpful fantasy bat and can slot in as a corner infielder in lineups nicely.
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117.
Jeimer Candelario
1B,3B
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120.
Jonathan India
2B,DH
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152.
TJ Friedl
LF,CF
In 2023, TJ Friedl surpassed projections, but a decline is likely ahead. His actual stats were .255/.335/.429, higher than his predicted .240/.290/.321. With 18 home runs and over 20 steals, his potential remains if he keeps leading the batting order, possibly yielding 80 runs. His strong Whiff% and K% don't guarantee an improved OBP. Caution against valuing him based on his 2023 performance; expect lesser results in 2024.
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158.
Jake Fraley
LF,RF,DH
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173.
Matt McLain
2B,SS
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174.
Tyler Stephenson
C,DH
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182.
Will Benson
LF,CF,RF
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201.
Noelvi Marte
3B
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391.
Santiago Espinal
2B,3B,SS
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415.
Luke Maile
C
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419.
Stuart Fairchild
LF,CF,RF
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433.
Blake Dunn
CF,OF
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436.
Mike Ford
1B,DH
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439.
Jacob Hurtubise
CF,LF,OF,RF
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522.
Austin Wynns
C
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572.
Nick Martini
LF,DH
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618.
Rece Hinds
OF,RF
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675.
Bubba Thompson
CF,LF
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721.
Livan Soto
2B,3B,SS
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729.
Mark Mathias
2B
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730.
Conner Capel
LF,RF
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735.
P.J. Higgins
1B,C
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776.
Erik Gonzalez
SS
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