2024 Fantasy Baseball: Draft values we love this season
Drafting stars is important in fantasy baseball, but oftentimes, it's those late-round gems who could take you over the top. The Yahoo Fantasy crew reveals their top value picks of 2024.
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An underrated hitter at the top of an underrated lineup
Maikel Garcia is looking like a top-of-the-order hitter in a potentially frisky Kansas City lineup, plus he's coming off a ridiculously productive spring. He's also one of only six guys in the player pool with third-base eligibility who stole 20 or more bases in the majors last year, so he has an unusual skill set for his position. In Garcia's last full minor league season, he hit 11 home runs, swiped 39 bags and slashed .285/.359/.427 while drawing 58 walks. There's plenty to like in his profile.
At 24, there's every reason to think Garcia can make another leap in value. He's a good bet to reach double-digits in homers and swipe 25-30 bags while maintaining a useful average. He can be slotted at either third or short, which gives him additional utility. If a player like this can't help you, then you're probably playing in a shallow format (which of course is fine. We respect all leagues around here.) Garcia has a realistic path to a top-10 or 12 positional finish, yet he's fallen well outside the top 200 in terms of ADP. — Andy Behrens
A fantasy catcher who barely plays catcher
I love fantasy catchers who don’t play catcher, as the physical demands of the position impact playing time and offensive production. While many of his position-mates will be capped around 120 games, Mitch Garver can start as often as he wants as the Mariners' designated hitter. The 33-year-old hit .270 with 19 homers and 50 RBI in 296 at-bats last year and could log 500 at-bats this season.
The icing on the cake is that Garver has hit fourth in nearly all his spring training appearances and is expected to serve as the team’s cleanup hitter against both righties and southpaws. By Yahoo ADP, Garver is the 22nd catcher to come off the board and 15th in roster rate, which is a far cry from his sixth-place spot in my catcher rankings. I’m expecting more than 25 homers and 150 R+RBI in 2024. — Fred Zinkie
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth with this outfielder
It's reasonable to call for regression with Lane Thomas. I get it. But he was the OF9 last year and his global ADP is somewhere between 25 and 28 at the position. He can give an awful lot back and still justify when you're picking him. I love this type of value. Count me in.
I also want to point out his defense won't be a problem for fantasy managers. The Nationals don't have the depth or the objective to bench him. Just enjoy the category juice. — Scott Pianowski
An overlooked star at a thin fantasy position
Matt Chapman has been completely overlooked at draft tables this year with a Yahoo ADP of 239.7. He’s coming off a down year in which he was unlucky while hitting four fewer homers than expected and finishing in the top 2% of the league in average exit velocity.
While San Francisco kills lefty power, Chapman would’ve hit 17 more home runs had he played all his games at Oracle Park over the last three seasons. He’s slated to hit cleanup in the Giants’ revamped lineup, and third base is one of the thinnest fantasy positions in 2024. THE BAT X projects Chapman to hit 28 homers with 81 RBI and 78 runs scored, yet he’s basically free in fantasy drafts. — Dalton Del Don
Will we see the best version of this new Dodger in 2024?
Teoscar Hernández is one of the best values this offseason. Despite being 31 years old and having a 30% career K rate, he's in for a big season. His ADP of 107.9 suggests that fantasy managers have yet to warm up to him after a down year with the Mariners, but I'd argue we're about to see the best version of Teoscar yet.
Hernández, renowned for his power, made a significant move from one of baseball's most challenging parks to one of the best for right-handed hitters over the past three seasons.
This transition could be a game-changer for him, as he's shown more success as a hitter on the road throughout his nine-year career. Just imagine the damage he could do in a hitter-friendly park, free from cold or unpredictable weather constraints. And lest we forget, he'll be joining one of the most potent offensive lineups in all of baseball. Hernández has legitimate bounce-back potential and could flirt with 30+ home runs, 70+ runs, 100 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 2024. — Dan Titus
