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Top 150 Hitters For Fantasy Baseball 2024: Week 11 – 6/12

Top 150 Hitter Rankings for 2024 fantasy baseball.

These rankings aren’t intended to be solely rest-of-season rankings. They are a blend of short-term and long-term rankings. This is most evident towards the bottom of the list, where guys with favorable schedules or in short-term situations that are favorable (like an expanded role or change in lineup spot due to an injured player) will move up more than they would have if this was purely a rest-of-season projection.

This opening was brought to you by the Colorado Rockies, who are looking down the barrel of a 10-game homestand.

 

  • As a reminder, these rankings are geared toward a standard, daily, 12-team H2H redraft league, as that is typically the most popular fantasy baseball format. They will only factor in the five standard categories: Runs, RBI, Home Runs, Batting Average, and Stolen Bases.
  • I would recommend not paying super close attention to the specific ranks of each player, and honing in more on the respective tiers that they’re in. Each tier represents a grouping of players that I think could arguably perform at a similar level, and/or carry similar levels of risk in terms of injury concerns or playing time obstacles. If Player X is ranked at #55 and Player Y is ranked at #65, but they’re in the same tier, it means that I personally like Player X a lot better, but think there’s a valid argument to be made for Player Y performing just as well.
  • I take rankings like this as more of an art than a science. Every person’s rankings are influenced by their own biases, strategic philosophies, determinations of risk, and projections. It’s why no two rankings are ever exactly alike. My way of evaluating and ranking players has worked out well for me over the years, but it might not be a great fit for you. I can’t possibly predict your team’s specific needs, your league mates’ player evaluations, or your current waiver wire, and if I could it’d be weird. In a bad way.
  • This is a safe space for me where I answer to no one but myself…and you if you leave a comment.
  • I’m doing my best to use five starts or 10 appearances as the threshold for positional eligibility. I have not included presumed eligibilities based on likely new positions, but once those eligibilities are earned I’ll add them in. This is just a maintenance thing and we will update eligibility throughout the season. Feel free to let me know if I’m missing any!

 

Ranking Philosophy

 

To keep things in the same ilk, here are a couple of notes on how I generally evaluate hitters before we dive in:

 

  • In 12-team formats, I just don’t see much value in guys who only provide stolen bases. It’s an important category, especially in Roto, but in shallower formats, there are too many other (and better) ways to get the steals you need without sacrificing production in the other categories.

 

  • If I want to get some insight on whether what I’m seeing is new or if it’s just normal fluctuation, I’d use my favorite tool—the rolling chart, which I’ll also reference as appropriate. You can also get rolling charts from sources like FanGraphs or Baseball Savant. If you have any questions about how to do that or how to read these charts, reach out to me!

 

  • No stat is an island and they should all be taken in proper context. For ranking purposes, the primary starting points I use are plate discipline, wRC+, quality of contact metrics (also known as Statcast batted ball data), lineup context, and the skills we can measure using tools such as our PLV Hitter Attributes (available for PL Pro members). I also use various projections (some free, some I buy) and dollar value generators.

 

  • Positional eligibility, and specifically multi-eligibility, is neat but also isn’t a huge factor in many 10- and 12-team leagues anymore due to the prevalence of multi-eligible players. It’s of more value in deeper contests like the NFBC, or in leagues with limited roster moves (draft and hold leagues, transaction limits/costs, extremely short benches, etc.), but even then the value is fairly situational and context-dependent.

 

  • On a similar note, I don’t penalize players for only qualifying in the utility slot. At most, it is a mild inconvenience if a DH-only player is available at a great value and you already have filled your utility spots.

 

  • Anyone talented enough to make it to the big leagues can be brilliant or putrid for 50 to 100 at-bats—regardless of true talent. Heck, it could even last a month with no change in potential or skill. It also could be wildly meaningful. We can’t and don’t know which of these will be true until it’s over, though track record, scouting, and trends give us hints.

 

  • If you’d like input on a player or have any feedback, your best bet is to reach out to me on the website formerly known as Twitter (@ifthechufits) or in the comments!

 

Read The Notes

 

  • These rankings talk about what I generally project for a player, but these rankings are not projections. They include projections but also take into account performance risk, injury risk, team context, ceiling, and floor.

 

Check out the Hacks & Jacks podcast featuring Scott Chu and Joe Gallina, which also happened to be a finalist for Best Baseball Podcast of 2021 by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA)!

I also host an AMA in the r/fantasybaseball subreddit every Friday (starting sometime in late March) starting around noon ET that lasts through the rest of the day and into the weekend, so feel free to join the fun and ask questions or make comments.

 

Tier 1

 

  • The changes in this tier mostly come from Kyle Tucker hitting the IL. It sounds like he’ll be back Friday.
  • Aaron Judge would be at the top if this was a list for OBP and if you have him over Shohei Ohtani in standard leagues, I get it. I’m potentially one week away from putting these two and Bobby Witt Jr. in their own tier.

 

Tier 2

 

  • It’s good to see Yordan Alvarez looking like himself.
  • Matt Olson has been hitting a bit better of late, slashing .309/.361/.527 in his last 15 games, though the counting stats haven’t been there lately because Atlanta’s offense has been strangely awful since losing Acuña.
  • Gunnar Henderson looks more and more like a new player every week. He’s walking 20.2% of the time over his last 20 games with a boatload of counting stats and five home runs. If I was going to nit-pick, I’d complain that the stolen bases have slowed to a crawl with just two stolen bases in his last 39 games after starting the season with six steal in 26 games, but I ain’t that petty. He remains on a 40 home run pace, and while I still think Henderson settles closer to 35, it’s quite impressive.
  • Julio Rodríguez has seven steals and three home runs over the last 17 games with 25 combined runs and RBI, which is cool, though I’m still a little concerned that he’ll fall short of 25 home runs this season. On the bright side, he’s well on his way to 40 stolen bases and the batting average remains strong despite the less-than-stellar discipline. Hopefully J-Rod goes on a heater soon to make up for lost time in the home run category, but even if he doesn’t I wouldn’t be labelling him a “bust”.

 

Tier 3

 

  • That’s what I get for doubting Fernando Tatis Jr., right? He already has four home runs and four doubles in June with an average exit velocity of a blistering 97.1. Perhaps 30 home runs is more plausible than I thought.
  • Marcus Semien appears to be turning it back on, so hooray for that.

 

Tier 4

There is an average net change of +3 to all players in this tier.

  • I finally broke up the three catchers at the top of the catching pool, but only just barely. Adley Rutschman has been on an absolute tear of late and he has shown there’s more power in his bat than the 20 home runs he hit in 2023. I think he can definitely get to 25, and there’s a non-zero chance he threatens 30 dingers if he stays healthy.
  • Adolis García is slumping, but that’s normal. That said, he falls in these ranks as this slump is a bit deeper and lasting longer than others we’ve seen in the last few years. I’m not panicking at the moment, but I am certainly annoyed. All that being said, a hot streak is probably right around the corner.

Tier 5

There is an average net change of +3 to all players in this tier.

  • Austin Riley isn’t doing anything worse and I still don’t see anything glaring apart from the results. Sorry I don’t have more for you.
  • Teoscar Hernández has been really hot lately but that’s par for the course with an aggressive hitter like him. Just remember these moments when he’s inevitably cold for a few weeks. These good times are why you hold.
  • Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II have disappointed for most of the season. For Harris, the issue appears to be a combination of too many grounders and too many pop-ups, while for Albies it’s just the pop-ups. I think both will turn it around, and when this offense wakes up a bit the counting stats should come.
  • I hold my breath and pray nothing bad happens every time Royce Lewis does something remotely athletic, and if I didn’t feel the need to do that then he’d be at least one tier higher. Probably two.

 

Tier 6

There is an average net change of +3 to all players in this tier.

  • Christopher Morel continues to heat up and I am still a big believer that he’s made a significant change in how he approaches adjustments and it has raised his floor in a very meaningful way.
  • I’m trying to stay positive but I’m a week or two away of potentially dropping Bo Bichette several tiers as the ceiling looks more and more like a 15-17 home run guy who steals 10-12 bases with slightly above-average ratios. Yikes.
  • Manny Machado is getting the ball in the air more the last few series, but the path to 30 home runs or 90 RBI seems incredibly cloudy.  He’s still a very solid third baseman to have on your roster, but the long-term upside may be getting lower across the board in terms of counting stats and ratios.

 

Tier 7

There is an average net change of +5 to all players in this tier.

  • Cody Bellinger isn’t running nearly as much as last season and is currently on pace to fall short of double digits after stealing 20 last year. That’s a big hit to his overall value, though he has kept the improved plate discipline from last season and the power is mostly (but not completely) still there so there’s still plenty to look forward to. Also, it is worth noting that all three of his stolen bases have come in the last 12 games, so maybe Bellinger can get back on track in steals?
  • Randy Arozarena has a .415 OBP in his last 15 appearances and more walks than strikeouts, which might suggest that he’s getting right at the plate and that a hot streak is coming. Don’t drop him yet.
  • Steven Kwan is thriving since his return from the IL, with 13 hits, 10 runs scored, and three RBI in six games. He also has four extra base hits in that stretch, which stands out for a guy who slugged .370 last year. Hopefully 2024 proves that 2023 is more of a floor than a baseline for Kwan.
  • Corbin Carroll isn’t hitting home runs yet but at least he’s hitting.
  • Paul Goldschmidt continues to show improved plate discipline, but the power remains out over the two weeks or so.

 

Tier 8

 

  • Lane Thomas is a weird player to analyze because both 2023 and 2024 have been full of surprises, but they have been very different surprises in that 2023 had a lot more power than expected and 2024 has a lot more speed. I think Thomas can get to 10 home runs this season, but 20 feels like a stretch considering the time lost. The stolen base projection is harder because the Nats have been so insanely aggressive across the board (except with Abrams, apparently) and I can’t say for sure if that will continue. Let’s go with 25-30 steals? The ratios are also going to be weird but he’s a career .248 hitter so that’s a reasonable starting point, I guess. As you can tell, I am very confident in my projections here.
  • Ezequiel Tovar has been a pleasant surprise thanks to impressive home run power on the road and Coors batted ball luck at home. I’m not sure he’ll finish inside the top-75 hitters, but he definitely deserves a spot in it now with a hot bat and a 10-game homestand on the horizon.

 

Tier 9

There is an average net change of +5 to all players in this tier.

  • I want to be more excited about the improved performance from Oneil Cruz of late but it’s likely just part of the roller coaster. It will need to last longer than a week or two to get my attention this time.
  • Jordan Westburg has struggled a bit lately (84 wRC+ in June) but the plate discipline looks fine so I’m not really concerned about it. His aggressive approach will continue to lead to low walk rates as he almost never goes deep into counts because due to putting balls in play within the first few pitches (which explains how he has a whiff rate that’s higher than his strikeout rate).
  • Nick Castellanos seems to have found that power stroke with four doubles and three dingers in his last 10 games. If he’s somehow still on your wire, I’d scoop him up.

 

Tier 10

There is an average net change of +8 to all players in this tier.

  • Another fall for Jeremy Peña, unfortunately. The walks aren’t there anymore and the strikeouts have gone back to career norms over the last few weeks. If he can get back to the discipline he showed through mid-May, he can move back up.
  • It’s hard to say what Josh Smith’s role will be when Jung is back, but I can’t imagine they’re actually going to bench him. Between random starts in the infield, outfield, and DH there should be plenty of room to have him in the lineup 80-90% of the time. I mean, does Heim really deserve to keep getting time at DH if it’s between him and Smith getting into the lineup?
  • Ha-Seong Kim should be consistently hitting at least sixth in this lineup.

 

Tier 11

There is an average net change of +6 to all players in this tier.

  • Love seeing Starling Marte be on fire over the last few weeks. Sure, he dropped in the ranks as he continues to sit about once per series, but there’s still plenty of value to be had.
  • David Fry falls a bit, but I still love the skills and also that he’s now started six games in a row thanks to his ability to play in the outfield.
  • Brandon Nimmo is striking out a bunch and not really walking much, which is something he did in stretches last year as well. Try to just grin and bear it if you can.
  • TJ Friedl is locked in as the everyday centerfield while he’s healthy and is hitting the ball well. If Elly and Candelario can keep hitting, there should be plenty of runs scored and steals, though I’m skeptical that he’ll stay healthy enough to get past 10-12 home runs this season.

 

Tier 12

This tier is chaos.

  • Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson appear to have cemented themselves at the top of the lineup every day, which is a really nice place to be if Goldschmidt and Arenado can keep improving.
  • Yainer Diaz’s finger injury came at a terrible time as he was red hot for the Astros with a home run in four straight to start the month and tons of RBI to go with them. This ranking assumes he comes back this weekend without missing a beat.
  • Are those signs of life from Dansby Swanson? He has a 182 wRC+ so far in June with six extra-base hits, so maybe this is the start of a hot girl summer where he works his way back to being a top-60 hitter.
  • Nick Gonzales has surprised me with the improved strikeout rate, especially because he didn’t sacrifice any power to do it. He almost never walks and is unlikely to start any time soon, but if he can keep making contact then it shouldn’t be a huge issue. I worry a little about what the slumps will look like considering this aggressive approach, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

Tier 13

This tier is chaos.

  • Brent Rooker is a streaky power bat, but one of the better streaky power bats. He’ll likely repeat the 30 home runs and surprisingly low counting stats he posted in 2023, but expect the value to come in waves. In shallow formats where you only roster three outfielders, there will be times when Rooker might not have a place on your roster.
  • So far so good for Mark Vientos as the everyday third baseman.
  • Heliot Ramos is going to be extremely volatile due to his approach, but when he’s hot it’s hard to deny his upside. There’s 22-25 home run in this bat if he had a full season in the majors, though the jury remains out on whether Ramos can provide ratios that won’t hurt you over an extended period.

 

Tier 14

This tier is chaos.

  • David Hamilton has worked his way to the second spot in the lineup and that’s the perfect place to get the most out of his slap-hitting speedster profile.
  • Jonathan India is hitting the ball well lately and deserves to move up in this batting order.
  • Cal Raleigh is a streaky power-hitting catcher and that’s just fine.
  • Brendan Donovan has been solid at the plate, but Winn and Burleson have pushed him down the batting order and that’s rough for a guy who is mostly empty ratios.
  • Ke’Bryan Hayes has dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness throughout his career, but it’s fun when he’s doing well. The power may never really shine through like we once hoped but Hayes has already stolen four bases in 10 games since coming off the IL and is worth a scoop if you need some speed and/or a third baseman.
  • Davis Schneider has apparently moved into a part-time role and the longer that continues the more he’ll fall.
  • Francisco Alvarez has tons of power and also has been quite streaky in his major league career so far. He’s worth a pickup if you’ve been streaming catchers as he has the upside to stick, but the depth at catcher means he’s not a must-add if you’ve already got someone working for you.

 

Tier 15

This tier is chaos.

  •  Gavin Sheets is just a streaky power hitter, probably.
  • Jo Adell has completely collapsed. He’s likely off this list next week but the upside is just so tantalizing that I am putting it off until then.
  • Elias Díaz will be in Colorado for 10 days.
  • Nolan Gorman is turning back into a pumpkin, it seems, but I’m willing to wait a week to see if he bounces back.
  • Jackson Chourio and Wyatt Langford have shown positive signs lately (especially Chourio) and that’s enough to stick around this list for a little while longer. If I had the chance to add either of them off waivers and wanted a lottery ticket for the future, Chourio looks closer to a breakout than Langford over the last few weeks.
  • Andy Pages strikes out a lot and might just be a streaky power hitter, which is apparently this week’s theme.
  • Charlie Blackmon is hitting well and will be in Coors for 10 games.
  • Gio Urshela is the opposite of a streaky power hitter in that he’s a fairly consistent slap-hitting corner infielder in a world where corner infielders are hard to come by. He’s at his best in points leagues but he’s a suitable streamer in most formats if you need to plug a hole and want some ratios.
  • Adael Amador is unlikely to be fantasy relevant for very long, but as with all other Colorado hitters, he’s about to be on a long homestand. Amador’s best asset is his hit tool, though he stole a surprising number of bases in double-A prior to his promotion. Amador could definitely be a 15 home run, 15 stolen base type of player with a nice Coors-boosted batting average around .270 or .280 in a full season, but it will likely take some time to get there as he only played 56 games at double-A before the jump to the majors and that’s a big adjustment to make. Still, a prospect with some upside heading into a long homestand in Coors is well worth your attention if you need help in the middle infield.

 

Rank Hitter Position Change
1Shohei OhtaniT1DH-
2Aaron JudgeOF+2
3Bobby Witt Jr.SS-1
4Juan SotoOF+1
5Freddie Freeman1B+1
6José Ramírez3B+2
7Mookie Betts2B, SS, OF-
8Yordan Alvarez
T2
OF
+4
9Matt Olson1B+1
10Rafael Devers3B+1
11Elly De La Cruz3B, SS-2
12Gunnar Henderson3B, SS+2
13Julio RodríguezOF-
14Fernando Tatis Jr.
T3
OF
+5
15Pete Alonso1B+2
16Bryce Harper1B-1
17Corey SeagerSS-1
18Marcell OzunaDH-
19Marcus Semien2B+1
20Vladimir Guerrero Jr.1B+1
21Jazz Chisholm Jr.
T4
OF
+2
22Kyle SchwarberOF+2
23Jose Altuve2B+2
24Alex Bregman3B+3
25Francisco LindorSS+3
26Adley RutschmanC+5
27Adolis GarcíaOF-5
28William ContrerasC+4
29Will SmithC+4
30Austin Riley
T5
3B
-4
31Anthony VolpeSS+3
32Josh Naylor1B+3
33Teoscar HernándezOF+5
34Ozzie Albies2B-4
35Michael Harris IIOF-6
36Ketel Marte2B+6
37Christian Walker1B-
38Luis Robert Jr.OF+3
39Royce Lewis3B, SS+18
40Christian Yelich
T6
OF
+3
41Anthony SantanderOF+3
42Bryan ReynoldsOF+3
43Jarren DuranOF+3
44Christopher Morel2B, 3B, OF+6
45Riley GreeneOF+3
46Bo BichetteSS-6
47Manny Machado3B-11
48CJ AbramsSS-1
49Andrés Giménez
T7
2B
+3
50Isaac Paredes1B, 3B+3
51Cody Bellinger1B, OF-12
52Randy ArozarenaOF+2
53Ryan Mountcastle1B+5
54Luis Arraez2B+6
55Taylor WardOF-
56Steven KwanOF+24
57Corbin CarrollOF+5
58Salvador PerezC, 1B-9
59Paul Goldschmidt1B+2
60George Springer
T8
OF
+3
61Gleyber Torres2B-5
62Willy AdamesSS-3
63Lane ThomasOF+6
64Ezequiel TovarSS+3
65Nolan Arenado3B-1
66Oneil Cruz
T9
SS
+4
67Vinnie Pasquantino1B+5
68Jordan Westburg2B, 3B-
69Lourdes Gurriel Jr.OF+5
70Rhys Hoskins1B+7
71Alex VerdugoOF-
72Nick CastellanosOF+3
73Ian Happ
T10
OF
+5
74Bryson StottSS+2
75Jeremy PeñaSS-24
76Brice Turang2B, SS+5
77Spencer Steer1B, 3B, OF+9
78Josh Smith3B, SS, OF+14
79Ha-Seong Kim2B, 3B, SS+11
80Ryan McMahon2B, 3B+7
81Maikel Garcia3B-15
82Jurickson Profar1B, OF+11
83Matt Chapman3B-4
84Seiya SuzukiOF+4
85Alec Bohm
T11
1B, 3B
-2
86Tyler StephensonC+5
87Logan O’HoppeC+21
88Starling MarteOF-4
89David FryC, 1B-7
90Brandon NimmoOF-17
91J.D. MartinezDH+5
92Brenton DoyleOF-3
93Yandy Díaz1B+6
94Daulton VarshoOF+6
95Giancarlo StantonOF+6
96TJ FriedlOF+36
97Luis Rengifo
T12
2B, 3B, SS, OF
+1
98Bryan De La CruzOF-1
99Alec Burleson1B, OF+6
100Jesse WinkerOF+7
101Masyn WinnSS+10
102Yainer DiazC+24
103Dansby SwansonSS+15
104Jake Cronenworth1B, 2B-2
105Nathaniel Lowe1B+9
106Jeimer Candelario1B, 3B+9
107Nick Gonzales2B+14
108Danny Jansen
T13
C
-2
109Thairo Estrada2B, SS+1
110Brent RookerOF-25
111Jackson MerrillSS, OF+12
112Jake Burger3B+1
113Ceddanne RafaelaSS, OF-10
114Mark Vientos3B+16
115Josh Bell1B+10
116Carlos CorreaSS+17
117Nico Hoerner2B, SS+3
118Heliot RamosOF+21
119David Hamilton
T14
SS
+27
120Jonathan India2B+14
121Connor Joe1B, OF+3
122Cal RaleighC+23
123Edmundo Sosa3B, SS+8
124Brendan Donovan2B, OF-2
125Jose Miranda1B, 3B+10
126Ke’Bryan Hayes3B+UR
127Jorge SolerOF-11
128Luis García Jr.2B-9
129Joey Ortiz2B, 3B+7
130J.P. CrawfordSS+7
131Patrick BaileyC-36
132Davis Schneider2B, OF-38
133Adam DuvallOF+5
134Zack Gelof2B+6
135Francisco AlvarezC+UR
136Miguel Andujar
T15
OF
+7
137Andrew Vaughn1B+UR
138Tyler O’NeillOF-26
139Andrew McCutchenDH+UR
140Gavin Sheets1B, OF+UR
141Jo AdellOF-14
142Elias DíazC+UR
143Nolan Gorman2B-39
144Jackson ChourioOF+UR
145Wyatt LangfordOF+5
146Andy PagesOF+UR
147Charlie BlackmonOF+UR
148Gio Urshela1B, 3B+UR
149Matt Vierling3B, OF-40
150Adael AmadorSS+UR

 

Taxi Squad

This year, the Taxi Squad will be a handful of players at each position who either are on the cusp of the list or who have been hot topics of late.

Players are listed in no particular order.

Another update: Hitters who hit the IL will end up in the Taxi Squad until they return to the roster.

Catcher

  • Connor Wong (C/2B, BOS) — Makes a ton of contact and is getting batted ball luck, but can fill in for you when the matchups are right.
  • Ryan Jeffers (C, MIN) — A fine fantasy catcher, but with so many producing there’s not a need to hold onto a slumping one unless there’s a lot of upside.
  • Mitch Garver (C, SEA) — Overdue for a hot streak but too much talent out there to keep waiting.
  • Jonah Heim (C, TEX) — He’s been putrid at the plate recently and his history of being mediocre is a lot longer than his history of being good.
  • Keibert Ruiz (C, WAS) — Points league streamer.
  • Henry Davis (C, PIT) — There’s definitely a quad-A player vibe going on right now, but if he gets hot he’s probably streamable.

First Base

  • Luke Raley (1B/OF, SEA) — Power and speed that comes with streakiness and contact issues.
  • Ryan O’Hearn (1B/OF, BAL) — It’s a strict platoon. Stream against righties and nothing else.
  • Alex Kirilloff (1B/OF, MIN) — Hard to see how he gets out of a platoon.
  • Mark Canha (1B/OF, DET) — Mostly valuable in points leagues.
  • Carlos Santana (1B, MIN) — Hot again, I guess.
  • Spencer Torkelson (1B, DET) — I still believe long term but he’s not rosterable unless oyu are in a deep keeper or have an NA slot.
  • Justin Turner (1B/2B/3B, TOR) — Hitting better, but sitting a lot.
  • Anthony Rizzo (1B, NYY) — Hope is lost.
  • Michael Toglia (1B/OF, COL) — Has played every day since getting back for some reason. Low upside streamer at home.

Second Base

  • Edouard Julien (2B, MIN) — Nothing that happens in the minors is likely to change my opinion of what he can do. He’s an elite decision-maker with big contact issues against major leaguers.
  • Connor Norby (2B, BAL) — Aaaand he’s back down.
  • Otto Lopez (2B, MIA) — It’s stolen bases and ratios, which just might be what you need.
  • Colt Keith (2B, DET) — The hot streak is over but hopefully he can bounce back.
  • Brandon Lowe (2B, TBR) — He’s streaky, gets platooned, and has a long injury history. There is pop, though.

Third Base

  • Junior Caminero (3B, TBR) — Struggling lately and I worry a call-up won’t lead to immediate playing time.
  • Tyler Freeman (2B/3B/OF) — Decent prospect with a good hit tool and some speed but very limited pop.
  • Coby Mayo (3B, BAL) — There’s no room for him but the power and plate discipline (prior to 2024) is exciting.
  • Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B/3B/OF, TOR) — Low upside, but eligible all over and playing a lot.
  • Abraham Toro (3B, OAK) — No single stand-out tool but does enough of everything to be relevant when he’s hot.
  • Noelvi Marte (3B, CIN) — He’ll be eligible soon, but I don’t recommend stashing quite yet unless you have a deep bench. He’ll be ranked around 100 when he’s back.
  • Elehuris Montero (1B/3B, COL) — He’s have made the list if not for sitting twice randomly.

Shortstop

  • J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA) — Not yet showing the improved power from last year.
  • Jackson Holliday (SS, BAL) — Long-term outlook hasn’t changed, but the O’s are in a tough spot.
  • Dylan Moore (2B/SS/OF) — Streakiness is part of the package but the upside is very real.
  • Paul DeJong (SS, CHW) — Hot again, as he is from time to time.
  • Ezequiel Duran (INF/OF, TEX) — Versatile and flashes talent from time to time but the role will dry up once Jung is back.

Outfield/DH

There are probably 5-10 more guys at any given time who you could argue belong on this part of the list.

  • Jackson Chourio (OF, MIL) — The strikeouts are back and outfield is too deep in redraft leagues to keep holding, even for the faithful.
  • Joc Pederson (OF, ARI) — Interesting in spurts as a power streamer against righties.
  • James Wood (OF, WAS) — Top-10 prospect with plenty of pop but may not be up until mid-summer (or later).
  • Heston Kjerstad (OF, BAL) —Not the worst use of an N/A slot, assuming you have one.
  • Cedric Mullins (OF, BAL) — Droppable. This outfield is a mess.
  • Jordan Walker (OF, STL) — If you want a silver lining, he rebounded nicely after his last trip to the minors.
  • Will Benson (OF, CIN) The strikeouts are tough to watch outside of OBP, and I think the Reds want someone more reliable leading off.
  • Byron Buxton (OF, MIN) — You can chase the talent, but the injury risk, strikeouts, and prolonged slumps have worn me out.
  • Jarred Kelenic (OF, ATL) — Should get a bit more playing time, but not convinced he can do enough with it to be scooped in a 12-team league.
  • Jack Suwinski (OF, PIT) — He’s still the same left-handed streaky power bat he’s always been, which means there will be times he should be rostered.
  • Justyn-Henry Malloy (OF, DET) — Love the character and the on-base skills, but not sure he’ll get the playing time or do enough damage with the bat to be worth a scoop in standard leagues.
  • JJ Bleday (OF, OAK) — He’s more valuable in OBP because of the walks but the rest of the package isn’t that exciting.
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF, CHC) — Stuck in a platoon, and there’s still some development to be done in the bigs.
  • Josh Lowe (OF, TBR) — Between the durability issues, playing time issues, and streaky performance, I am struggling to put him on the List.
  • Austin Hays (OF, BAL) — He’s hot, which happens when you’re aggressive. Without a full time role he’s a daily streamer at best.
  • Jake Meyers (OF, HOU) — Just not enough juice to justify holding through a cold streak.
  • Nelson Velázquez (OF, KCR) — Aggressive and has pop, and like most guys with this profile, prone to streaks.
  • Blake Perkins (OF, MIL) — Overall upside is low and the strikeouts are starting to pile up.
  • Jose Siri (OF, TBR) — Has speed and power to spare, but injury issues, strikeouts, and streakiness hold him back.
  • Jake McCarthy (OF, ARI) — Pure speed streamer.
  • Jesus Sanchez (OF, MIA) — Hits the ball hard but doesn’t pull it much which kills his home run upside.
  • Jacob Young (OF, WAS) — Pure speed streamer who isn’t running at the moment for some reason.
  • Masataka Yoshida (OF, BOS) — Need to be certain he’s an everyday player before he’s back on the list. Sat a lot before getting hurt.

IL Stashes

  • J.T. Realmuto (C, PHI) — Hopefully we see him before August.
  • Willson Contreras (C, STL) — Droppable if your IL is full. Still five or six weeks away at best.
  • Triston Casas (1B, BOS)Almost ready to swing a bat. Will likely be a Top 50-75 player when he’s ready.
  • Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B/3B, CIN) — Taking fielding drills. Curious about his role when he’s ready. Droppable if your IL is full. Outside of top 100 on return.
  • Ty France (1B, SEA) — Heel injury. Droppable if your IL is full.
  • Matt McLain (2B, CIN) — Not back until the last month or two of the season. Droppable if your IL is full.
  • Brendan Rodgers (2B, COL) — Should be back by the end of June.
  • Josh Jung (3B, TEX) — Getting very close. Will be a top 50-75 player when he’s ready.
  • Max Muncy (3B, LAD) — Will likely be a top 75-100 player when he’s ready.
  • Trea Turner (SS, PHI) — Had a setback while working out.
  • Jordan Lawlar (SS, ARI) — He’s on a rehab now and will be with the big league club when ready. Outside of top 100 on return but worth watching.
  • Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU) Should be back by the end of the week. Top five player.
  • Mike Trout (OF, LAA) — He should be back this season and should definitely be stashed on ILs. Should be in the top 25-35 on his return.
  • Nolan Jones (OF, COL)Rehab is back on. Outside of top 100 on return. I just have no faith.
  • Eloy Jiménez (DH, CHW) — Death, taxes, yada yada yada. Outside of top 100 on return.
  • Kerry Carpenter (OF, DET) — Hard to stash if your IL is already full. Borderline top 100 on return.
  • Evan Carter (OF, TEX) — Makes you wonder if back issues have been an issue all season. Droppable if your IL is full. Outside of top 100 on return.
  • LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF, SFG) I’d expect him to be back around the All-Star Break. Droppable if your IL is full.
  • Jordan Beck (OF, COL) Droppable if your IL is full.
  • Michael Massey (2B, KCR) Droppable if your IL is full. Outside of top 100 on return.
  • Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF, ATL) Obviously, he’s a drop in redraft leagues.
  • Xander Bogaerts (2B/SS, SDP) — Tough stash if you’ve already got a loaded IL.
  • Tommy Pham (OF, CWS) Droppable if your IL is full. Outside of top 100 on return.
  • Wilyer Abreu (OF, BOS) Droppable if your IL is full. Outside of top 100 on return.

Photos by Icon Sportswire | Design by J.R. Caines (@JRCainesDesign on Twitter and @caines_design on Instagram)

Scott Chu

Scott Chu is a Senior Fantasy Analyst here at Pitcher List and has written about fantasy baseball since 2013. He's also the inventor of Fantasy Curling (as seen the Wall Street Journal) and co-host of the Hacks & Jacks Podcast on the PL Podcast Network, and 4x FSWA Award nominee for Best Fantasy Baseball Podcast. In addition to being a fantasy analyst, he's a dad of three, animal lover, Simpsons fanatic, amateur curler, a CODA, and an attorney.

2 responses to “Top 150 Hitters For Fantasy Baseball 2024: Week 11 – 6/12”

  1. Joseph Mulvey says:

    Scott, do you think Colton Cowser will eventually win a starting spot in the Orioles lineup?

    • Scott Chu says:

      Between the contact issues and the fact he sends almost every fly ball the other way, it’s going to be tough to produce enough to stay there indefinitely if his competition heats up. He’ll need to change that batted ball profile (or do something different, at least) to stick.

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