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Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Trea Turner Note
Trea Turner photo 12. Trea Turner SS
Trea Turner struggled in his first season in Philadelphia, leading to the infamous game where his own mother booed him. He eventually turned it around and ended the season, slashing .266/.320/.459 with 102 runs, 76 RBIs, 26 home runs, and 30 stolen bases. Turner's baserunning value remains in the 99th percentile, according to Statcast, and many of his underlying metrics suggest improvement in the 2024 season. At this point, however, Turner's ADP is in the first round in NFBC leagues, and there may be better value elsewhere at shortstop this year.
32 weeks ago
Bryce Harper Note
Bryce Harper photo 16. Bryce Harper 1B
Bryce Harper returned triumphantly from elbow surgery in May instead of the predicted July and rewarded every fantasy manager who took a flier on him late in 2023 drafts. He played 126 games and remained an elite hitter in the majors, slashing .293/.401/.499 in the middle of a Phillies lineup that finished sixth in team OPS. Harper is now primarily a DH/1B, which should work just fine in fantasy leagues, and fantasy managers can anticipate a 30/90/90 season with double-digit steals (he stole 11 in '23). After Freddie Freeman is off the board, whether Matt Olson or Harper goes next is a coin flip. A full season of Bryce Harper is never a bad thing to have on your fantasy roster.
32 weeks ago
Zack Wheeler Note
Zack Wheeler photo 22. Zack Wheeler SP
Zack Wheeler continued his SP1 ways in 2023, racking up 212 strikeouts in 192 innings. His ERA was a little high (for him) at 3.61, and his xFIP supported that at 3.54. Wheeler is in the 95th percentile in BB% (5.0), so you can draft him knowing he will protect your WHIP better than many other aces. He also started 32 games, making his durability an asset as well. Wheeler remains at the top of Tier 2 after the Strider/Cole/Burnes triad, and you can probably get him in the third round.
32 weeks ago
Aaron Nola Note
Aaron Nola photo 47. Aaron Nola SP
Aaron Nola had a mixed bag of results for fantasy teams in 2023. He threw 193 2/3 innings across 32 starts, so durability was not an issue. He struck out 202 batters and maintained his excellent BB% (5.7) for a WHIP of 1.15. His ERA, however, was an unseemly 4.46, and he gave up a career-high 1.49 HR/9. Nola's xERA and xFIP suggest improvement in ERA for 2024, and he has started precisely 32 games each of the last three seasons. In the offseason, he signed a seven-year, $172 million contract with the Phillies, a significant deal for a guy who will turn 31 in June. The perception of Nola is that he is an SP1, but his stats suggest grabbing someone to anchor your staff in 2024 and slot him in as an SP2.
32 weeks ago
Kyle Schwarber Note
Kyle Schwarber photo 70. Kyle Schwarber LF
Kyle Schwarber is one of the most predictable players in fantasy baseball. He will hit bombs (40+). He will score runs (100+). He is going to drive in teammates (100+). And he will absolutely crater your batting average (.197 in 2023). These stats seem like a "The sun rises in the East" type of guarantee. Schwarber does get on base, thanks to a 17.5% walk rate, and he continued to hit atop a powerful Phillies batting order. You just need to decide if you're punting the average category before you take him because you don't get to be surprised by it later.
32 weeks ago
J.T. Realmuto Note
J.T. Realmuto photo 75. J.T. Realmuto C
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.
32 weeks ago
Nick Castellanos Note
Nick Castellanos photo 94. Nick Castellanos RF
Nick Castellanos, with his consistent power, is a solid pick for an OF2/3 in 2024. Last year, he belted 29 homers, notched 106 RBIs, scored 79 runs, and swiped 11 bases, all while maintaining a .272 average. At 31, his low walk rate (5.4%) and high chase rate (41%) persist, but his spot in a potent lineup featuring Bryce Harper and a revitalized Trea Turner should help him maintain near 100 RBIs. Castellanos is a wise middle-round selection, especially for RBI contributions.
32 weeks ago
Bryson Stott Note
Bryson Stott photo 102. Bryson Stott 2B,SS
Bryson Stott took quite the leap in 2023, richly rewarding fantasy managers who probably grabbed him on waivers. He played in 151 games, smacking 15 home runs and stealing 31 bases. He scored 78 runs, knocked in 62, and slashed .280/.329/.419. How much can this production be trusted going forward? The 15 HR and 25+ SB are sustainable, but fantasy managers should expect a drop in batting average, though not to an extreme degree. Second base looks a little shallow this season, leaving Stott as an acceptable 2B1 who you can get in the ninth round or later.
32 weeks ago
Alec Bohm Note
Alec Bohm photo 156. Alec Bohm 1B,3B
Alec Bohm offers fantasy managers an intriguing later-round third-base option. He will help your team's batting average (.274 last year), provide a little pop (16-20 homers), and collect some RBIs along the way. With an ADP in the 150s, he shouldn't be your 3B1, but he can certainly fill a CI role at a difficult position.
32 weeks ago
Jose Alvarado Note
Jose Alvarado photo 180. Jose Alvarado RP
Cristopher Sanchez Note
Cristopher Sanchez photo 243. Cristopher Sanchez SP
Austin Hays Note
Austin Hays photo 267. Austin Hays LF,CF
Austin Hays, at 28, is a versatile yet unspectacular outfielder. He delivered 16 home runs, 67 RBIs, 76 runs, and five steals with a .275/.325/.444 batting line last season. Ideal as an OF5, Hays offers a reliable base for your roster without being a priority pick during the draft.
32 weeks ago
Brandon Marsh Note
Brandon Marsh photo 327. Brandon Marsh LF,CF
Ranger Suarez Note
Ranger Suarez photo 337. Ranger Suarez SP
Taijuan Walker Note
Taijuan Walker photo 395. Taijuan Walker SP
Johan Rojas Note
Johan Rojas photo 399. Johan Rojas CF
Orion Kerkering Note
Orion Kerkering photo 469. Orion Kerkering RP
Matt Strahm Note
Matt Strahm photo 476. Matt Strahm SP,RP
Mick Abel Note
Mick Abel photo 596. Mick Abel SP
Andrew Painter Note
Andrew Painter photo 609. Andrew Painter SP
Tanner Banks Note
Tanner Banks photo 785. Tanner Banks RP
Rodolfo Castro Note
Rodolfo Castro photo 994. Rodolfo Castro 2B,3B,SS
Freddy Tarnok Note
Freddy Tarnok photo 1111. Freddy Tarnok RP
Tyler Phillips Note
Tyler Phillips photo 1118. Tyler Phillips SP,RP
Edmundo Sosa Note
Edmundo Sosa photo 1123. Edmundo Sosa 2B,3B,SS
Jose Cuas Note
Jose Cuas photo 1152. Jose Cuas RP
Michael Mercado Note
Michael Mercado photo 1165. Michael Mercado SP,RP
David Parkinson Note
David Parkinson photo 1170. David Parkinson SP
Jose Rodriguez Note
Jose Rodriguez photo 1173. Jose Rodriguez 2B
Nick Snyder Note
Nick Snyder photo 1198. Nick Snyder RP
Noah Skirrow Note
Noah Skirrow photo 1283. Noah Skirrow
Yunior Marte Note
Yunior Marte photo 1316. Yunior Marte RP
Kolby Allard Note
Kolby Allard photo 1324. Kolby Allard SP
Max Castillo Note
Max Castillo photo 1331. Max Castillo RP
Jose Ruiz Note
Jose Ruiz photo 1355. Jose Ruiz RP
Taylor Lehman Note
Taylor Lehman photo 1356. Taylor Lehman
Tyler Gilbert Note
Tyler Gilbert photo 1367. Tyler Gilbert RP
Griff McGarry Note
Griff McGarry photo 1399. Griff McGarry SP
Garrett Stubbs Note
Garrett Stubbs photo 1502. Garrett Stubbs C
Rafael Marchan Note
Rafael Marchan photo 1531. Rafael Marchan
Cam Gallagher Note
Cam Gallagher photo 1539. Cam Gallagher C
Ryan McKenna Note
Ryan McKenna photo 1583. Ryan McKenna LF,CF,RF
Jordan Luplow Note
Jordan Luplow photo 1596. Jordan Luplow LF,RF
Kody Clemens Note
Kody Clemens photo 1618. Kody Clemens 1B,3B
Darick Hall Note
Darick Hall photo 1639. Darick Hall 1B
Weston Wilson Note
Weston Wilson photo 1689. Weston Wilson LF
David Dahl Note
David Dahl photo 1715. David Dahl LF,RF
Cal Stevenson Note
Cal Stevenson photo 1726. Cal Stevenson CF
Carlos De La Cruz Note
Carlos De La Cruz photo 1736. Carlos De La Cruz OF