Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets: CJ Abrams, Royce Lewis, Nolan Jones (2024)

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
44	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS	15	108	48.2	13.6	59	15
52	Royce Lewis	MIN	3B	40	92	56	11	64	12
53	Nolan Jones	COL	LF,RF	35	226	56.1	11.5	62	9
59	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	MIA	CF	38	103	60.6	10.5	78	19
62	Christian Yelich	MIL	LF,DH	37	94	63.6	6.4	72	10
67	Oneil Cruz	PIT	SS	39	138	69.4	14.9	87	20
71	Eury Perez	MIA	SP	21	135	75.9	11.7	85	14
74	Josh Lowe	TB	RF,DH	36	155	76.9	20.3	89	15
85	Triston Casas	BOS	1B	52	118	87	12.9	95	10
93	Spencer Torkelson	DET	1B	76	134	99.5	11.7	109	16
99	Seiya Suzuki	CHC	RF	76	134	103.2	11.9	110	11

CJ Abrams (WAS)

CJ Abrams showed remarkable progress in the 2023 season. At just 23, Abrams became a significant asset for fantasy baseball managers, especially for his speed on the bases. In the 2023 regular season, Abrams showcased his potential by hitting .245 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs over 563 at-bats. His OPS stood at .712. Abrams’ real value, however, lies in his base-stealing abilities. He swiped 47 bases, ranking 3rd in the NL, and this aspect of his game will be particularly valuable in fantasy leagues where stolen bases are a premium. Heading into the 2024 season, fantasy managers should consider Abrams a high-upside player, particularly for stolen bases and runs scored, with potential for batting average and power growth. His youth and displayed talent suggests that he could continue to develop into an even more impactful player in the coming years.

Royce Lewis (MIN)

Royce Lewis is the latest Minnesota Twin to offer superstar-level stats with an unfortunate injury-prone profile. In 58 games last season, Lewis smacked 15 home runs, drove in 52 runs, and slashed .309/.372/.548. His average was inflated (xBA .265), but the power is very real. The 24-year-old’s xwOBACON is .410; even though his xSLG was lower, it was still .476. An entire season of Lewis has first-round upside, but fantasy managers should draft him expecting fewer games. With a bit of luck, Lewis avoids becoming Byron Buxton 2.0, and those who draft him will be rewarded handsomely.

Nolan Jones (COL)

Nolan Jones made a significant impact in the 2023 season, showcasing his power and speed as a 20/20 player in Colorado. With an impressive .297/.389/.542 slash line and a strong Barrel% of 15.7, Jones is a reliable source of power and on-base ability (xwOBACON .475). However, his high .401 BABIP suggests his batting average might decline. Despite a high strikeout rate around 30%, Jones’s combination of power, walks, and 15-20 stolen bases, especially in Coors Field, makes him a valuable fantasy asset, albeit with a potential downside in batting average.