30 Players Experts Draft (2024 Fantasy Baseball)

When preparing for your fantasy baseball drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy baseball rankings compared to average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable players below.

2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Advice

Rank	Player	Team	Positions	Best	Worst	Avg	Std Dev	ADP	vs. ADP
4	Corbin Carroll	ARI	LF,CF,RF	2	6	4.4	0.8	10	6
20	Bryce Harper	PHI	1B,DH	16	28	20.4	1.6	26	6
38	Pablo Lopez	MIN	SP	30	67	40.2	6	46	8
39	Elly De La Cruz	CIN	3B,SS	32	83	41.1	6.8	58	19
41	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS	15	68	42.3	7.9	50	9
44	Cody Bellinger		1B,CF	25	65	45.1	8.7	59	15
45	Nolan Jones	COL	1B,LF,RF	36	62	48.2	5.3	62	17
52	Matt McLain	CIN	2B,SS	43	106	56	7.2	78	26
55	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP	49	100	58.9	10.8	68	13
64	Josh Lowe	TB	CF,RF,DH	40	94	63.4	4.6	76	12
65	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	SP	30	124	64	11.6	135	70
67	Kodai Senga	NYM	SP	51	96	67.9	7	77	10
76	Ha-Seong Kim	SD	2B,3B,SS	48	153	83.1	14.9	100	24
79	Triston Casas	BOS	1B	63	101	84.6	7.9	106	27
84	Josh Jung	TEX	3B	75	153	88.2	11.9	113	29
87	Zach Eflin	TB	SP	63	107	89.7	10.2	101	14
90	Spencer Steer	CIN	1B,2B,3B,LF	43	158	93.3	20.1	111	21
92	Spencer Torkelson	DET	1B	50	121	94.7	13.8	141	49
95	Ketel Marte	ARI	2B	81	115	96.7	9	114	19
101	Lane Thomas	WSH	CF,RF	65	194	100.8	14.5	126	25
105	Yandy Diaz	TB	1B,3B	69	132	104.7	14.4	123	18
107	Bryson Stott	PHI	2B	44	198	110.3	19.6	127	20
114	Josh Naylor	CLE	1B,DH	89	138	116	10.1	142	28
117	Zack Gelof	OAK	2B	75	145	118.2	9.9	137	20
123	Ian Happ	CHC	LF	88	192	125.4	17.3	150	27
132	Jorge Soler		RF,DH	108	157	131.3	13.6	164	32
136	Marcell Ozuna	ATL	LF,DH	103	157	133.9	12.7	172	36
137	TJ Friedl	CIN	LF,CF	95	179	134.6	22.7	162	25
139	Masataka Yoshida	BOS	LF,DH	78	195	138.1	26.9	167	28
150	James Outman	LAD	LF,CF	120	202	155.4	15.4	179	29

Corbin Carroll (OF – ARI)

Corbin Carroll arrived on the scene in 2023 and immediately showcased his power and speed, launching 25 homers and swiping 54 bases. He crossed the plate 116 times and notched 76 RBIs. With a solid .362 on-base percentage, Carroll stands out, especially given his top-tier speed, ranked in the 99th percentile. There is concern that his OBP was slightly inflated, which could slightly dampen his numbers, but he is still a solid first-round pick. Carroll’s contact skills hint at sustained high-level performance into 2024 and beyond.

Triston Casas (1B – BOS)

Triston Casas is the next star at the first base position. He took a leap in 2023 at the age of 23, hitting 24 home runs in 132 games with an impressive slash line of .263/.367/.490. He is in the 93rd percentile of BB% at 13.9 and the 92nd percentile in xwOBA at .370. His counting stats weren’t great, only tallying 65 RBIs and 66 runs, but this should improve with the return of some key Boston players. He might come at a wild discount, going in the early 100s, but this will be the last time you will be able to get him there. He is worth reaching for because chances are good he will outproduce his ADP.

Josh Naylor (1B – CLE)

Josh Naylor suffers from BatsInTheGuardiansLineupitis, but he offers enough upside to nab as a second or third corner infielder in the middle rounds. Naylor dealt with injuries in 2023, limiting him to 121 games. However, he hit 17 home runs and drove in 97 while slashing .308/.354/.489. He also kicked in 10 stolen bases for good measure. As long as he continues to bat behind Jose Ramirez, he should be a boon to the RBI category, but it’s his 95th percentile xBA (.293) and K% (13.7) that makes him a valuable pick.

What is Fantasy Baseball?

Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.

Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success

1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring

Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.

2. Drafting Your Team Wisely

A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:

Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.

3. In-Season Management

Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.