The 2024 fantasy baseball season is almost upon us, and with that comes a group of first-year players looking to make waves in the majors.
These prospect rankings are based on fantasy value, not on real-life value. Considering such, hitters generally weigh a bit heavier due to the injury risk and higher volatility of prospect pitchers. Proximity to the majors is also prominent in the equation, though these rankings are taking a longer-term/dynasty look on these guys (think of it more as a five-year plan).
If you are curious about the fScore ratings you can check out my fScore rankings and information on the fScores here.
Here is my overall Top 30 First-Year Player Draft Rankings. Below we dive into a few notable names from those rankings.
NOTE: I have updated some of these rankings post-Top 150 Prospect Rankings (see here) articles posted earlier in the month on FantasyPros, considering international signees and other factors.
First-Year Player Draft Rankings (2024 Fantasy Baseball)
Dylan Crews (OF – WAS)
2023 College: .426/.567/.713, 18 HR, 6 SB
2023 Rk/A/AA: .292/.377/.467, 5 HR, 4 SB
Age: 22
ETA: September 2024
fScores: 97 fContact, 79 fDiscipline, 105 fPower, 72 fSpeed, 62 fDurability
Comp: Righty Bryce Harper
Prime Skills: He has great all-fields power, he’s a good defender and he has a great eye at the plate. The speed is average, so he won’t be a major SB guy for fantasy, but we should see a nice uptick in production in 2024 vs. 2023 as a pro.
Ranking Explanation: Crews didn’t have the AA debut he would have wished for, which you can see in the small sample size fScores. I think he’s better than those fScores long term (keep in mind they are geared only to what he would do in 2024, not over his career). I could see someone going Skenes over Crews, but Crews is the safest bet for career production with an insane pedigree and winning record backing him up.
Tommy Troy (2B/SS – ARI)
2023 College: .394/.478/.699, 17 HR, 17 SB
2023 Rk/A: .371/.374/.469, 4 HR, 9 SB
Age: 22
ETA: Early 2025
fScores: N/A
Comp: Ozzie Albies
Prime Skills: Big-time speed and great hit tool paired with above average all fields power could make for a big time fantasy contributor sooner, rather than later. I think we are looking at a guy who should hit .270-.280 with 20 homers and 30+ steals.
Ranking Explanation: He’s a switch-hitter who looks like a top of the lineup weapon and could reach the majors quickly to form a long term middle IF duo with Jordan Lawlar that will be a lot of fun to watch as they front a lineup with Corbin Carroll for years. The profile may have some volatility involved similar to Albies, but I think in general he has a better eye than Albies and while he may not hit 30 homers, he could put up some peak Tommy Pham type seasons from second base.
Hurston Waldrep (SP – ATL)
2023 College: 101 2/3 IP, 156 Ks, 57 BBs, 4.16 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
2023 A/A+/AA/AAA: 29 1/3 IP, 41 Ks, 16 BBs, 1.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP
Age: 22
ETA: Mid 2024
fScores: 52 fDurability, 110 fStuff, 86 fControl, 111 fERA
Comp: Kevin Gausman-lite
Prime Skills: Waldrep has an above average rising fastball to go with a slider, splitter and curve. The splitter is an excellent pitch, but he doesn’t have the same heat to pair with it as Gausman, at least not yet.
Ranking Explanation: The control volatility and the fact his primary K pitch is his nasty splitter will lead to some inconsistencies and while everyone is drooling over the upside of the next Gausman, people forget Gausman had plenty of bad years before he became the Kevin Gausman we know today.
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