Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets: Jake Burger, Spencer Torkelson, Christopher Morel, Nelson Velazquez (2024)

Drafting a fantasy baseball team is like putting a giant puzzle together. We have to fill certain roster spots with hitters and pitchers and maximize statistics in five hitting and five pitching categories.

One major hitting category is home runs. Home runs are a stat we need more of, as it tends to diminish as the draft progresses.

When the draft begins, there are apparent power sources like Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, Aaron Judge, Yordan Alvarez, and many others who everyone already knows about. The key is locating power sources later in the draft.

Regarding home runs, there are some solid choices to target for power. Let’s look at a few home run targets who could produce 30+ home runs for your fantasy team this season.

Players to Target for Home Runs (2024 Fantasy Baseball)

Jake Burger (3B – MIA)

Burger was finally unleashed in 2023, playing 141 games and 34 home runs. Power was never a concern with Burger; it was just the White Sox playing him regularly, which ended when he was traded to the Marlins, who made him the primary third baseman. Between the White Sox and the Marlins, Burger put up career highs in maxEV and barrel rate last season to go with another tremendous hard-hit rate. Burger will be entering his 28-year-old season, and he should be in store for another monster power season.

Spencer Torkelson (1B – DET)

After a slow rookie season in 2022, Tork was unleashed in 2023. He played in 159 games and hit 31 home runs with a .233 batting average. The batting average may be a problem, but a 14.1% barrel rate and 50.5% hard-hit rate should result in plenty of power. Torkelson had a fly ball rate of 46.8%, which should yield plenty of home runs, even in Detroit, which was proven with a 15% HR/FB. The former No. 1 pick will be 24 this season, so we may see another step forward in the power department.

Christopher Morel (2B, OF – CHC)

Morel has showcased power throughout the minors, and last year, he showcased that power in the bigs once he got the call. Morel hit 26 home runs over 107 games while hitting .247. His 15.5% barrel rate and 50% hard-hit rate are elite when it comes to power, and the Cubs want to play him as much as they can, which bodes well in a massive power season from Morel. If he can play 150+ games, Morel could be in store for 40 home runs, which is hard to find at his ADP.

Nelson Velazquez (OF – KC)

We knew Velazquez had some power in the minors; it was just a matter of finding playing time with the Cubs. Playing time was challenging last season, but the power was unleashed once he was traded to the Royals. Velazquez hit 17 home runs last season; 14 of those home runs came once he was traded to the Royals in August. He hit those 14 home runs over 40 games, aided by a 22% barrel rate and 47.3% hard-hit rate. If Velazquez can again find regular playing time this season, 40 home runs can be in play.