Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets: Brandon Nimmo, Yandy Diaz, Alex Bregman (2024)

The beauty of fantasy baseball is in the different formats that can be played. Many talk about 5×5 ROTO or head-to-head (H2H) leagues, which seem to be the standard. There are plenty of other options, though, including on-base percentage (OBP) and points leagues. They end up being similar, as a player will accrue more points if they have better OBP skills, so grouping them together makes sense.

When considering OBP/points formats, many more players come into play. Players like Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. get an even bigger boost in OBP. At the same time, some players, like Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez take a bit of a hit in OBP/points leagues.

Some improvements in value or decreases in value vary in magnitude, so discussing early-round picks like the ones listed above or even Kyle Schwarber is not necessary. In this article, I will highlight six hitters who go a little later in “standard” drafts and who have increased value in OBP/points leagues.

Hitters to Target in OBP/Points Leagues

Yandy Diaz (1B, 3B – TB)

Before last season’s 22 home run season, Yandy Diaz was primarily a batting average asset that scored a decent amount of runs as he hit towards the top of the Rays’ batting order. In OBP, Diaz’s value climbs a lot more as the elite batting average meets elite OBP skills. Over his last three seasons in Tampa, where he played over 130 games, Diaz walked over 10% of the time and had an OBP of over .400 in the last two seasons. He is projected to have an OBP of .375 or higher this season, which is excellent for a late-round target.

Alex Bregman (3B – HOU)

Alex Bregman is strong in “standard” formats as he continually hits 23 or so home runs while hitting around .255, combining 190+ runs and RBIs. Bregman has great plate discipline, as he has struck out 15.5% of the time in the last seven seasons while walking at least 11% of the time in the last six seasons. Over the previous seven seasons, Bregman has had an OBP of .350 or better — he is projected to have an OBP of .365 this season. He is a consistent four-category stud and seems to be an afterthought in drafts.

Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM)

Brandon Nimmo has been an OBP monster over the last seven seasons with a walk rate of over 10% each season. That has led Nimmo to an OBP of .363 or higher each season, with an OBP of .375 or better in five seasons. Nimmo has added power over the last two seasons, which makes his fantasy value even more prevalent. Nimmo will lead off for the Mets, potentially scoring 90+ runs while belting 15+ home runs with an elite OBP. Points are plenty for Nimmo.