The Dynasty Performance Report is a regular series, highlighting each position and providing insight into the risers and fallers of both the major leagues and prospects.
The Inaugural Major League Report for the 2024 season will set the foundation for this monthly series. Each month, I will provide a brief recap of the players outlined in the previous edition of the article, followed by players who I’ve identified as current risers and fallers. If you’re prospect-focused, a minor league edition of this report will also run monthly.
Any mention of rankings in this article is directly from my personal Top 350 Dynasty Rankings.
We’ve reached September, the final month of the 2024 season, and when teams can expand their rosters. As another new crop of prospects enters the fray, two former top prospects have established themselves as legitimate fantasy stars, while another is falling off the radar. Our final look at the Major League outfield performance report is here!
RISERS
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC
PCA (as the kids call him) is on a tear of late, seemingly rounding into form after many years as an elite prospect. His first ‘go-round’ began in late April and stretched into the middle part of May. He hit .238 with one homer and five steals in limited action before ultimately being optioned down in favor of the returning Dansby Swanson. His AAA return was short-lived, as he returned to the Cubs on May 30th and hasn’t looked back. Despite not seeing regular action until late June, Crow-Armstrong is batting .280 with 15 extra-base hits, seven homers, and 21 steals since returning,
As a prospect, PCA was often considered glove-first. Already an elite defender, PCA’s bat has finally come around to the level the Cubs expected, which mirrors his minor-league production. Over two full seasons across four levels, PCA averaged .297 with 18 homers and 34 steals. He had an aggressive approach, posting a swing rate of over 50% and a chase rate of over 35% last year. His quality of contact numbers in the Minors showed mixed results as his average EV was marginal (86.5 mph), but his 90th-percentile EV was a respectable 107.2 mph. Not much has changed in the metrics, but PCA continues to produce.
His speed is the lone piece of his profile that will surely be impactful. He ranks in the 99th percentile for Sprint Speed and is a menace on the bases. His speed was evidenced when he legged out an inside-the-park homer earlier this season, going from home to home in just over 14 seconds. The Cubs have been running less under manager Craig Counsell, but PCA seems to have a green light to run as he sees fit. PCA will turn 23 just before Opening Day next season and should be a fixture in the Cubs’ lineup for the foreseeable future.
PETE. CROW. ARMSTRONG. pic.twitter.com/9c7u3pHcyg
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 11, 2024
Parker Meadows, DET
Meadows was a preseason favorite of mine after posting three homers and eight steals to close out 2023. The 24-year-old seemed poised to be the everyday centerfielder in an up-and-coming Tigers lineup. While Meadows was on the Opening Day roster, the excitement of what he could be was met with resistance. Meadows opened the season batting .095 with two homers, three steals, and a 46% strikeout rate before being optioned to Triple-A Toledo on May 6th. In AAA, Meadows was excellent. He hit .292 with eight homers and 19 steals in 51 games, cutting his strikeout rate to 22% and improving his quality of contact. Meadows joined the Tigers again on July 5th, playing in just three games before injuring his hamstring.
Following a month-long IL stint, Meadows returned to action and has been stellar since. Dating back to August 3rd, he’s got three home runs and five steals, with a 19% strikeout rate and a .300 average. The underlying data looks the same as in his debut last season. However, it’s a far cry from the first month and a half of 2024. As the Tigers’ rebuild continues, Meadows should see regular at-bats, and playing at a high level defensively will give him a longer leash. I’m back in on Meadows and think he can reach my 2024 preseason prediction….next year.
Parker Meadows hits his 7th home run of the season. Dan Dickerson on the call #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/rwP24CKDCb
— Dan Dickerson Calls📞 (@dannydHRs) September 11, 2024
Honorable Mention:
Jackson Chourio, MIL
The in-season adjustments made by Brewers’ outfielder Jackson Chourio are a prime example of why the former top prospect is living up to his billing. Chourio, who turned 20 in March, was given a long-term extension by the Brewers before this season, confirming his place on the Opening Day roster, despite just 24 plate appearances at Triple-A. Chourio’s inexperience was on display in the first two months, as he hit .210 with a 29% strikeout rate and was losing playing time to Blake Perkins and Sal Frelick. Since June 1st, Chourio has been the team’s best hitter. Over the past 76 games, he’s slashing .319/.375/.553 with 14 home runs and 13 steals. His strikeout rate is 16.5% in that span. Chourio is coming of age before our eyes and is just outside the Top 10 overall in my Dynasty rankings.
Lawrence Butler, OAK
Butler had an elongated journey to the Majors following his selection in the 6th round of the 2018 Draft. Although Butler was a consistent performer in the Minors, his profile had some major red flags that kept his production in check. Things changed for Butler last season, as his contact skills improved, cutting his strikeout rate from 36% in 2022 down to 21.3% last season. With his improved contact skills, Butler has been able to capitalize on his plus raw power and parlay that into extra-base hits and home runs. Butler is batting .265 with 21 homers and 13 steals for the A’s. His quality of contact metrics on Statcast are dark red, highlighted by a 91.9 mph average exit velocity and a 50% Hard Hit rate. On a 600-at-bat projection, Butler would have a 34-homer/20-steal pace. Need more encouragement? The A’s are moving to Sacramento in 2025, a pro-hitter environment where Butler’s skills can shine. It may be too late to acquire Butler in your dynasty league, but if you can, he’s got the upside of a Top 20 outfielder.
FALLERS
Alex Verdugo, NYY
If a list existed that outlined high-end prospects that had prolonged Major League careers but never lived up to the hype, Alex Verdugo would be one of the poster children. The former top prospect in the Dodgers’ system was one of those “untouchables” in trade talks. That is until the Red Sox made Mookie Betts available following the 2019 season and made one of the most regrettable trades in league history. Verdugo is a solid real-life player, offering a high floor of on-base skills and solid defense in the outfield. He plays the game with a passion and a chip on his shoulder, although it is detrimental to his performance.
When the Red Sox moved on from Verdugo in December of 2023, his stock seemed headed for an all-time high, as he was traded to the division-rival Yankees. The idea of a high OBP guy hitting in front of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto was a dream come true. While Dugie does not excel in any one category, his 12-15 homers and run/RBI potential in a loaded Yankees’ lineup seemed exciting for a fourth outfielder. Unfortunately, Verdugo has fallen off and is now detrimental to your fantasy teams. During the season, he is batting .235 with his typical 11 home runs, but an OBP south of .300 has Verdugo teetering on the edge of extinction in the Bronx. Fans are clamoring for the team to promote top-prospect Jasson Domínguez to replace Verdugo, and as the team moves toward the playoffs, the voices are getting louder. As for your rosters, if you haven’t already, it’s perfectly fine to move on from Verdugo, as his value in the fantasy realm is non-existent.
Bryan De La Cruz, PIT
It wasn’t long ago that De La Cruz was a riser in this exact article. But things changed, and the 27-year-old has fallen on hard times. The rebuilding Marlins shipped De La Cruz to the Pirates in late July, and in 31 games, De La Cruz is batting .204 with just one home run and 36 strikeouts in 117 at-bats. With Oneil Cruz moving to centerfield, the playing time for De La Cruz has suffered further, and he’s sharing at-bats with Michael Taylor in a crowded Pirates’ outfield. At the end of the 2024 season, De La Cruz’s numbers will look similar to how his 2023 ended, but barring a shift in personnel, it seems like De La Cruz is headed to a full-time platoon or could be back on the trade market. In any event, he’s a clear faller among outfielders and a definite drop in shallow leagues.
Honorable Mention:
Wyatt Langford, TEX
I’m not here to say that Wyatt Langford is a bust. That is not the case. I am here to say that I (we) got a little too excited about the rookie outfielder. Langford has enticing skills, namely his 98th-percentile sprint speed and raw power, which is still developing. It was nearly impossible for Langford to live up to his preseason hype, so much so that a double-digit home run and steals rookie season has been disappointing. His value got bumped higher than it should have, and his fall is simply a regression to the mean, not a sign of regret.