Every day that passes by is one day closer to baseball. As we march toward Opening Day, fantasy baseball drafts continue to unfold. These are the players who I don’t want to leave my draft without for the 2024 season.

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Joe Pisapia’s Top Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets

Catcher

Francisco Alvarez (NYM) | NFBC ADP: 143

Francisco Alvarez already displayed his 30-homer upside in his 2023 rookie season. Sure, the batting average (BA) (.209) was a disappointment, but he’s turning 23 this season and has minor league slash of .273/384/.529 over 257 games. Young catchers often take offensive hits, spending time learning and perfecting their duties behind the plate. He’s shown up in great shape, and if he even makes incremental progress in ’24 toward his minor league performance, he could easily finish as a top-five catcher this year.

First Base

Paul Goldschmidt (STL) | NFBC ADP: 76

After a down year by his standards, Paul Goldschmidt is being undervalued in early drafts. Goldie has a 30/100/100 track record, and I’m looking at last season as a collective failure of the Cardinals as opposed to the beginning of a decline for him personally. He’s still far more reliable than the players being drafted after him and more comparable to the upper tier than he’s getting credit. Basically, he’s the perfect value.

Second Base

Ozzie Albies (ATL) | NFBC ADP: 21

Second Base is yet again a position that I’m not waiting for if I can avoid it. Ozzie Albies was my favorite discounted player last season, but those days have come and gone. He’s a five-category contributor in a fantastic lineup entering his prime at a weak position. What more can you want in a top-25 pick?

Shortstop

Xander Bogaerts (SD)| NFBC ADP: 105

So, let me get this straight. I can get a 20/20 shortstop with a .280 BA outside the top 100 picks? Yes, please! I know his deeper stats were troubling, but that is something we often see of players in year one of mega contracts, and Bogaerts was fresh off a massive 11-year deal last year. He should settle in nicely in Year 2. What gives me this confidence? How about his .321/.364/.493 slash, which is much more in line with what we expect from Xander.

Third Base

Royce Lewis (MIN) | NFBC ADP: 46

I know the injury risk is real, but so is the talent. I’m willing to take a risk with Lewis around 50 overall because if he plays 150 games, he’s going to be drafted as a late first-round player in 2025. With the third base ranks being more up for debate, Lewis feels like the right player at the right price at his position to outperform his average draft position (ADP). That’s something some players being drafted in that same range may fall short of in 2024.

Outfielder

Julio Rodriguez (SEA) | NFBC ADP: 3

Here’s my first-round guy if I can get him. In the second half of 2023, Rodriguez brushed off a sluggish start and posted a .308/.363/.578 slash and a .941 OPS. We have yet to see the true brilliance of this shining star, and he’s my pick for AL MVP now that Shohei Ohtani is off to the National League. A 30/30/100/100 season seems like the base for Julio in ’24.

Starting Pitcher

Freddy Peralta (MIL – SP) | NFBC ADP: 56

Last year, Freddy Peralta became an ace. Over 165 innings, he struck out 210 batters and walked just 54. I actually think Jackson Chourio and Rhys Hoskins can really help the Brewers’ offense and boost Peralta’s win total. His 3.35 xERA is very encouraging, and I think people are sleeping on Peralta too much in early drafts. He’s a great No. 2 fantasy starter, but I’m willing to make him my ace if I need to this season.

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