In the high-stakes world of fantasy baseball, every draft pick counts, and choosing between players with similar average draft positions (ADP) can make or break your season. Welcome to our expert series, where we delve deep into the stats, performance trends, and potential of closely ranked players to guide you through these tough decisions. Leveraging insights and the Who Should I Draft tool from FantasyPros, we compare two or three players at a time, dissecting their strengths, weaknesses, and overall fantasy value to determine who deserves a spot on your roster.
Whether you’re torn between promising rookies, seasoned veterans, or players coming off a breakout year, our detailed analysis will empower you with the knowledge to draft with confidence. Stay ahead of the slurve and dominate your league by making informed choices when it matters most.
- Emmanuel Clase vs. Edwin Diaz
- Raisel Iglesias vs. David Bednar
- Zach Eflin vs. Joe Ryan
- Dylan Cease vs. Eury Perez
- Framber Valdez vs. Tyler Glasnow vs. Logan Webb
- Aaron Nola vs. George Kirby
- Bryan Reynolds vs. Josh Lowe
- Randy Arozarena vs. Adolis Garcia
- Salvador Perez vs. Sean Murphy
- Bo Bichette vs. Gunnar Henderson
- Corey Seager vs. Francisco Lindor
- Elly De La Cruz vs. Royce Lewis
- Alex Bregman vs. Nolan Arenado
Who Should I Draft? Cole Ragans vs. Tanner Bibee?
Cole Ragans (SP – KC): ECR 102.2
Cole Ragans arrived on the scene in 2023 and has quickly risen to the top of the Darlings of Fantasy Baseball. It’s not hard to see why. In 96 innings, the 26-year-old struck out 113 batters while maintaining a stellar 3.47 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. His fastball touches 96, but his changeup that induced a 35.6 Whiff% is the pitch that made him rise up draft boards this season. Projections have his ERA landing closer to 4.00 and his K% dropping a few points to the 25 range. (This is still solid.) As with every hot name in draft season, balancing value with excitement is essential. His current ADP of 102.2 feels right, considering we’re not sure what we’ll get from an entire season.
Tanner Bibee (SP – CLE) ECR 104
Tanner Bibee arrived in the majors in 2023 and produced an impressive 2.98 ERA with a promising 3.13 K/BB rate. There is a lot to like about Bibee, though it would be prudent to expect an uptick in ERA (FIP of 3.52, xFIP of 4.22) in 2024. One of the best things about him is that his ADP is in the SP “dead zone” around 107. He can serve as an SP3, though he’s probably better considered an SP4 heading into drafts.
And the winner is…
According to the FantasyPros Who Should I Draft? tool, 52% of experts would draft Cole Ragans.
Check out all of our 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit articles, tools, and more
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