Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Cody Bellinger experienced the expected regression in 2024 following his stellar 2023 campaign. The 29-year-old outfielder finished with 18 home runs, 78 RBIs, 72 runs scored, and nine stolen bases while slashing .266/.325/.426. Injuries limited him to 130 games, impacting his overall production. Despite the dip in numbers, he opted into his player option to stay with the Cubs and was promptly traded to the Yankees, which could offer a boost to his home run total. The biggest concern is whether he reverts to his 2021-2022 form, when he struggled significantly. Viewing him as an OF3/OF4 in fantasy drafts is reasonable, but there's still the risk that he falls below replacement level.

Paul Goldschmidt experienced a challenging 2024 season, posting a .245/.302/.414 slash line with 22 home runs, 65 RBIs, 70 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 154 games. These numbers marked a decline from his career averages of a .289 batting average and a .384 on-base percentage.​ A significant factor in Goldschmidt's downturn was his increased strikeout rate, which rose to a career-high 26.5% in 2024, up from 23.4% in 2023. Concurrently, his walk rate dropped to a career-low 7.2%, contributing to a diminished on-base percentage. Despite these struggles, Goldschmidt maintained a hard-hit rate of 40%, ranking 15th among qualified hitters, and an average exit velocity of 91.2 mph. At 37 years old, Goldschmidt's ability to rebound in 2025 is questionable, though the change to Yankee Stadium is definitely a positive.