20 Players the 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
42	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS	15	93	43.1	9.7	56	14
47	Paul Goldschmidt	STL	1B,DH	30	81	52.4	10.2	65	18
49	Nolan Jones	COL	LF,RF	41	68	52.9	7.8	66	17
59	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	MIA	CF	27	103	57.4	11.3	81	22
64	Oneil Cruz	PIT	SS	38	94	67.4	9.6	88	24
70	Josh Lowe	TB	RF,DH	40	108	72.1	13	92	22
79	Eury Perez	MIA	SP	57	150	82.6	15.4	99	20
85	Triston Casas	BOS	1B	71	112	87.1	10.4	98	13
88	Josh Jung	TEX	3B	73	152	90.8	13.3	113	25
97	Spencer Torkelson	DET	1B	77	125	100.8	11.1	114	17
132	Riley Greene	DET	CF	55	189	139.2	21.4	170	38
139	Jorge Soler		RF,DH	105	202	145	20.4	168	29
151	Rhys Hoskins	MIL	1B	104	204	158.5	25.1	187	36
155	James Outman	LAD	CF	73	216	162.2	26.9	179	24
167	Nolan Gorman	STL	2B,DH	126	221	173.8	22.4	188	21
168	Noelvi Marte	CIN	3B	128	243	174.3	22	189	21
176	Trevor Story	BOS	SS	126	270	179.2	32.4	220	44
180	Jarren Duran	BOS	LF,CF	129	287	183.4	29.7	217	37
181	Edouard Julien	MIN	2B,DH	136	273	185.9	26.1	218	37
191	J.D. Martinez		DH	143	252	195.5	24.7	214	23

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.