Top 150 Hitters For Fantasy Baseball 2024: Week 13 – 6/26

• 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

 

• Welcome to the top tier, Gunnar Henderson. His maturity at the plate, specifically with respect to swing decisions, has really solidified in 2024 and I get more convinced of the sustainability of his success by the day. I am not sure how often he can flirt with 40 home runs, but 30 feels like the new full-season floor.

 

Tier 2

 

• Bryce Harper’s injury history over the last few seasons is the only reason he isn’t several spots higher.
• I hope Matt Olson gets to 35 home runs as he’s quite a bit short of that pace right now. Olson is capable of going on the type of run where he hits 10-12 home runs in a month and gets on track to push towards 35-40 home runs, but as of now, I can’t keep him standing alone at the top of the first base ranks.
• Julio Rodríguez had a rough week but I think he can get back on track quickly. I’m mildly concerned with the power, but I’m hoping we see more of that part of his game by the All-Star Break.

 

Tier 3

There is an average net change of +1 for all players in this tier.

• I’m not that concerned about Corey Seager despite this being his second slump of the season.
• Adley Rutschman once again stands alone at the top of the catcher rankings. The worst wRC+ Adley has posted over any 20-game sample in 2024 is 110. That means even his worst 20-game stretch this season was 10% better than what an average hitter can provide. It’s unbelievable consistency from a guy in just his third season in the majors (and only his second full season).
• Marcus Semien should get to 700 plate appearances for the sixth time and 100 runs scored for the fifth time, but 25 home runs and 10 steals almost feel out of reach right now. I think the batting average will rebound a bit and get closer to .260, but overall my expectations have lowered. Pure volume is extremely valuable, but it can only take you so far.

 

Tier 4

 

• Josh Naylor had even more power locked behind a high groundball rate than I imagined. He’s on pace for 40 home runs, and even if he falls short (which is quite likely), it’ll be an incredible breakout. This is the dream scenario that we have for guys who have a lot of power but hit too many grounders (Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Oneil Cruz, and Yandy Díaz are quick examples of players who suffer from this problem).
• Ketel Marte hasn’t shown this kind of home run pop since the rabbit ball era (aka 2021) and the peripheral stats suggest this is more real than it is mirage. Marte is pulling the ball more and his average exit velocity is up two full points from 2023 and three points from 2022 (and 2019). With 16 homers already in the bag, he should have little trouble clearing the 25 he hit last season and should come close to the 32 he hit in 2019 assuming he continues pulling the ball with this kind of force.
• Luis Robert Jr. is as streaky as he is prone to injury, but the hot streaks are so hot that it’s more than worth persevering through these slow periods.
• Steven Kwan has played just 51 games but has set a new career high in home runs (seven). Sure, the speed numbers are down and the number of times he’s been caught is discouraging, but

 

Tier 5

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

• Randy Arozarena is on a 10-game on-base streak that has come with two home runs, three steals, and a .333/.465/.606 line. Arozarena remains very talented, so here’s to hoping he can keep this up for a while before the next slump kicks in. Even with the poor ratios so far this season, Arozarena remains on track for 20 home runs and 20 steals, and the counting stats should come up as the Rays offense builds momentum.
• It has been a miserable June for Adolis García, but he has strung together a few hits lately and taken some walks, so the upswing might be coming. The reason we wait it out is that he could very well bust out of the slump in a hurry and has rare power.
• Manny Machado is having a strong June after a lackluster start, with a .319/.375/.472 line and a crucial uptick in line drives and flies. He has enough power to go from the eight home runs he has now to something like 25 by the end of the season, and the counting stats will be there for as long as this Padres offense can keep exceeding expectations with guys like Profar and Cronenworth. The loss of Tatis hurts, but not enough for us to do anything about it.

 

Tier 6

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

• Lane Thomas isn’t running as successfully as he had been to start the year (two steals on six attempts in his last 24 games), but he’s become an extra-base machine of late, with five home runs, three triples, and four doubles over his last 18 games with 18 runs scored and 17 RBI to go with them. Sure, three of those came in the roadtrip to Coors, but Thomas could very well finish the season batting .250 with 20 home runs and 25 steals (or even 30 if he stops getting caught). Much of the offseason discourse was about how the 28 home runs from 2023 were a mirage, and it almost certainly was, but the new regime in Washington is incredibly aggressive on the basepaths that he could be almost as valuable as he was last season despite the significant dip in power.
• Welcome back, Bo Bichette. The path to 20 home runs on the season (or even 15, frankly) is an arduous one as he has just four through his first 67 games, but hope springs eternal. I feel way more confident that the ratios can return, though most projections suggest he can hit .280 the rest of the way and that feels just a bit high unless he can get the barrel of the bat on the ball with some kind of frequency. His current 4.6% barrel rate on the season is half the rate we’ve seen so far in his career.
• Cody Bellinger hasn’t tapped into much power for over a month now, slugging just .374 over his last 41 games with only two home runs. He does have a passable number of counting stats and four steals in that stretch, but he’s long overdue for a power surge like we saw early in the season when he hit seven home runs in his first 25 games.

 

Tier 7

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

• For as ugly as Oneil Cruz has looked at times, he’s still mostly on track to hit 25 home runs and steal 15 bases. June has been a fairly good month for Cruz as the strikeout rate is a much more reasonable 25.7% and he’s tallied four home runs and two steals. More importantly, he’s been a hard-hit machine, with an average exit velocity this month of 94.9 miles per hour and his groundball rate has been a sparkling 31.4% after hitting grounders 49.6% of the time through the end of May. I’ll keep reiterating that there is truly elite talent in Cruz and it’s worth waiting on if you can at all afford it.
• The improved strikeout rate for Andrés Giménez is cool, but it doesn’t really change what he brings to the table and ultimately I expect him to repeat what he did in 2023, not that 15 home runs and 30 steals are anything to sneeze at. The home run pace is quite a bit short at the moment, but even if he finishes with just 10-12 home runs, the uptick in runs and RBI from last season should make the overall value pretty close to last season.

 

Tier 8

 

• Taylor Ward is tearing the cover off the ball the last few days and if he got dropped in your league it’s time to scoop him up. This is a guy with 27-30 home run power who, based on questions and conversations I’ve been exposed to, is on at least a few waiver wires in 10-12 team leagues.
• Willson Contreras is back and has been plugged right into the heart of the order. If he looks anything like he did prior to hitting the IL, then he’ll be a significant boost to your offense now that he’s active.
• My patience with Nolan Arenado is running very low. I’m on the verge of a fairly steep drop, but a guy with a track record as long as his gets half a season as a grace period and he’s just about a week away from hitting that mark. That is the arbitrary deadline I’ve set and I’m standing by it.
• Five home runs and 29 combined runs and RBI in just 10 games is an awfully good way for Brandon Nimmo to make up for 20-game slump he endured where he struck out 40.5% of the time with just 10 combined runs and RBI and zero home runs. It’s a weirdly mercurial stretch for Nimmo, but things appear to be getting back on track.
• It was painful to see Ezequiel Tovar not take more advantage of that glorious 10-game homestand, but he’ll be back in Coors on Monday and will get another chance to spike some stats for your team.

 

Tier 9

 

• Josh Smith’s role will be a bit up in the air when Jung returns, but until then he remains a scrappy do-it-all utility man who deserves a shot to remain a full-time player. I don’t think he’ll get the same treatment Edmundo Sosa got in Philly (they teased that he could play full time, and was almost instantly put on the short side of a platoon) as Texas has several more holes in their lineup that Smith could fill outside of third base (DH, in particular, is wide open).
• The strikeouts are still an issue for Rhys Hoskins but he seems to be pulling himself out of his recent slump over the last seven games. I’m watching closely to see if he continues his trends from prior seasons of being a guy who has low lows and high highs. If this hot streak doesn’t materialize and he goes on a prolonged slump again, there could be a large ranking drops. Based on prior season cycles, though, he should be primed for a three week hot streak before he starts cooling off.
• Tyler O’Neill seems like he’s either going to be terrible, amazing, or injured at any given moment. If you can endure that wild roller coaster, you’ll get plenty of production.

 

Tier 10

There is an average net change of +4 for all players in this tier.

• Jackson Merrill’s power outburst comes as a big surprise. It’s not unheard of for a hit tool guy to tap into more power out of nowhere (like Albies did), but I’m still taking the under on 20 total home runs this season as it’s hard to shake the 240 plate appearances where he slugged .360 from the start of the season to June 11. I expect Merrill to finish the season with 16-18 home runs, a .275 batting average, and 13-16 stolen bases. That’s pretty darn good, though the current pace of 70 runs scored and 75 RBI ever-so-slightly dampen the mood (though it was MUCH worse than that before this recent hot streak). In points leagues, he should be one or two tiers higher due to the fact he puts a ton of balls in play and has a low strikeout rate. If he ever gets to hit first or second, he’d get a substantial lift in the rankings for the additional plate appearances and counting stats as he’s spent most of the season hitting in the bottom four spots in the order.
• Jeimer Candelario is going to keep hitting third for a decent offense with a stellar home ballpark and is well on his way to career highs in home runs and RBI. You don’t have to be an exciting talent (Candelario has talent and is a fine major leaguer, but he won’t be the first guy a scout notices on this team) to be a solid fantasy contributor. Just like in fantasy football, opportunity goes a long, long way.

 

Tier 11

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

• Speaking of opportunity, Jarred Kelenic has seized on the one he’s been given by locking himself in as the everyday leadoff man for Atlanta. It’s a truly stunning turn of events (mostly brought about due to injuries to the first two choices), but he just today hit his fourth home run since taking the spot over on June 15 and should get a long runway to keep the role despite a strikeout rate that can get pretty scary at times. Simply put, this team doesn’t have many other options who are healthy right now, and this could be the glimmer of hope that finally unlocks the talent we saw in this former top-five prospect. I’m also curious to see if Atlanta has him run more, as he didn’t have a single steal until June 12th this season but definitely has enough speed to swipe 15 or more bags in a full season if given the chance.
• Speaking of top-five prospects, how about that Wyatt Langford, huh? In his last 15 games prior to today’s action, Langford was hitting .309/.357/.527 with seven extra-base hits and six steals with 16 RBI. He hasn’t taken walks like he did in the minors, but Langford finally seems to be unlocking the mysteries of major league pitching and showing us the talent we were so excited about in the offseason. Langford could rise up as high as the top-50 if this breakout continues without too many major setbacks as he has that rare combination of power, speed, and contact. For now, though, I’m remaining a bit conservative. It’s the closest thing to discipline I can muster.
• Nick Gonzales is striking out in bunches lately and I’m watching it closely as it is a flaw that has taken over his game and set him back in the past.
• I don’t know where this power came from in Brendan Donovan, and it’s very unlikely to last long, but the excellent ratios will stick around and there is also a chance he starts stealing leadoff appearances again from Winn against right-handed pitching.

 

Tier 12

This tier is chaos.

• Jonathan India is on fire and is finally getting some leadoff at-bats which he has deserved for quite some time due to his consistency and on-base ability. I’m scooping him up everywhere that he might be available.
• The homestand was supposed to boost Brenton Doyle’s ratios for a while but outside of a four-hit game, he really didn’t produce. His batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage are all under .300 this month and it’s hard to see a lot of consistent value here outside of stolen bases.
• Gleyber Torres remains ranked because he’s had several good seasons in the past, but if you want to cut him I get it. It’s been hard to watch this season.
• You can drop George Springer too if you need to make some moves to stay in it, especially in three outfield formats. I expect him to fall further in the order before moving up.

 

Tier 13

This tier is chaos.

• Danny Jansen, Patrick Bailey, Tyler Stephenson, and Sean Murphy are all guys with the potential to jump up a few tiers and be set-and-forget catchers. For a variety of reasons (mostly inconsistency), they aren’t there yet for me. I like them a little more than the guys in the next tier, obviously, but that’s mostly about long-term upside and if you need to ride a hot hand to stay in the race, then you can consider the guys in the lower tier if they have great matchups or something.
• On one hand, Andy Pages isn’t hitting as many home runs lately. On the other hand, he’s moved up to fourth on the lineup card for the Dodgers. Let’s see how this plays out, as there’s a huge opportunity for counting stats here even if he hits doubles instead of dingers.

 

Tier 14

This tier is chaos.

• Yet another drop in the ranks for Jeremy Peña, who is far from a must-roster at this point. He just doesn’t look like that guy I got so excited about at the start of the season with the fantastic plate discipline.
• Josh Lowe is a roller coaster with both injury and platoon risk, but if you need speed and some pop, it is in there.
• Cedric Mullins has more upside than most platoon bats as he could feasibly become an everyday player if he hits well and also has a nice combination of pop and speed.
• If Spencer Horwitz played every day, he’d be inside the top 120. Maybe higher. I like what he brings to the table as a tablesetter for an offense.
• Ryan O’Hearn is not going to break out of a platoon unless injuries strike, but he hits righties so well that he’s always worth a look, especially when the schedule is right.
• You definitely want Brendan Rodgers for that homestand next week if you’ve been trying to fill a hole in your middle infield. The schedule this weekend stinks, though, so if you can scoop him on like Saturday or Sunday, that’s ideal.
• Dylan Moore is a classic low-floor high-ceiling sort with some power and tons of speed, though his versatility makes him stand out from the usual guys with this profile who are only eligible at outfield.
• Don’t look now, but Colt Keith is on a bit of a hot streak as he continues to find better quality of contact against big league pitchers. He qualifies at both second and third in many formats, so that versatility makes him especially intriguing at this point in the season. The ceiling isn’t super high for fantasy, but he has top-120 potential for sure.
• Thairo Estrada has fallen from the top of the order again and that’s when I lose interest. The fact he’s a middle infielder with some upside is all that keeps him here.
• Nolan Jones is showing awesome discipline but nothing else and it’s just enough to stay on the list one more week.

 

Rank	Hitter	Position	Change
1	Shohei OhtaniT1	DH	-
2	Aaron Judge	OF	-
3	Bobby Witt Jr.	SS	-
4	Juan Soto	OF	-
5	Freddie Freeman	1B	-
6	José Ramírez	3B	-
7	Gunnar Henderson	3B, SS	+3
8	Yordan Alvarez T2	OF	-1
9	Rafael Devers	3B	-
10	Elly De La Cruz	3B, SS	+1
11	Bryce Harper	1B	+5
12	Matt Olson	1B	-4
13	Pete Alonso	1B	-
14	Julio Rodríguez	OF	-2
15	Marcell Ozuna	DH	-
16	Austin Riley	3B	+4
17	Trea Turner	SS	+2
18	Corey Seager T3	SS	-1
19	Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	1B	+2
20	Kyle Schwarber	OF	+3
21	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	OF	+1
22	Jose Altuve	2B	+2
23	Alex Bregman	3B	+2
24	Francisco Lindor	SS	+2
25	Royce Lewis	3B, SS	+4
26	Adley Rutschman	C	+1
27	Marcus Semien	2B	-9
28	Josh Naylor T4	1B	+5
29	William Contreras	C	-1
30	Will Smith	C	-
31	Ketel Marte	2B	+4
32	Ozzie Albies	2B	-
33	Anthony Volpe	SS	-2
34	Christian Yelich	OF	+3
35	Riley Greene	OF	+3
36	Jarren Duran	OF	+3
37	CJ Abrams	SS	+8
38	Luis Robert Jr.	OF	-2
39	Steven Kwan	OF	+7
40	Teoscar Hernández T5	OF	-6
41	Corbin Carroll	OF	-
42	Christian Walker	1B	-
43	Anthony Santander	OF	-
44	Bryan Reynolds	OF	-
45	Randy Arozarena	OF	+2
46	Adolis García	OF	-6
47	Manny Machado	3B	+7
48	Ryan Mountcastle	1B	+1
49	Lane Thomas T6	OF	+7
50	Bo Bichette	SS	+UR
51	Cody Bellinger	1B, OF	-3
52	Isaac Paredes	1B, 3B	-1
53	Paul Goldschmidt	1B	-
54	Willy Adames	SS	+1
55	Luis Arraez	2B	-5
56	Oneil Cruz T7	SS	+2
57	Andrés Giménez	2B	-5
58	Jordan Westburg	2B, 3B	+3
59	Ian Happ	OF	+3
60	Brice Turang	2B, SS	+5
61	Vinnie Pasquantino	1B	-1
62	Christopher Morel	2B, 3B, OF	-5
63	Salvador Perez T8	C, 1B	+4
64	Taylor Ward	OF	+11
65	Willson Contreras	C	+UR
66	Nolan Arenado	3B	-7
67	Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	OF	-4
68	Brandon Nimmo	OF	+8
69	Ezequiel Tovar	SS	-3
70	Alex Verdugo	OF	-6
71	Josh Smith T9	3B, SS, OF	+1
72	Alec Bohm	1B, 3B	+2
73	J.D. Martinez	DH	+6
74	Spencer Steer	1B, 3B, OF	-3
75	Rhys Hoskins	1B	-5
76	Nick Castellanos	OF	-8
77	Logan O’Hoppe	C	-
78	Ha-Seong Kim	2B, 3B, SS	-5
79	Tyler O’Neill	OF	+14
80	Ryan McMahon	2B, 3B	-
81	Jurickson Profar	1B, OF	-
82	Seiya Suzuki	OF	-
83	Bryson Stott T10	SS	-5
84	Jackson Merrill	SS, OF	+11
85	Matt Chapman	3B	-
86	Yandy Díaz	1B	-
87	Jeimer Candelario	1B, 3B	+17
88	Bryan De La Cruz	OF	+2
89	Alec Burleson	1B, OF	+3
90	Jesse Winker	OF	+4
91	Yainer Diaz	C	+5
92	Dansby Swanson	SS	+5
93	Carlos Correa T11	SS	+5
94	Ceddanne Rafaela	SS, OF	+7
95	Heliot Ramos	OF	+7
96	Jorge Soler	OF	+13
97	Jarred Kelenic	OF	+35
98	Jake Cronenworth	1B, 2B	+8
99	Wyatt Langford	OF	+13
100	Maikel Garcia	3B	+8
101	Luis Rengifo	2B, 3B, SS, OF	-2
102	Nick Gonzales	2B	+3
103	Brendan Donovan	2B, OF	+17
104	Jackson Chourio T12	OF	+9
105	Jonathan India	2B	+13
106	Cal Raleigh	C	+4
107	Brenton Doyle	OF	-24
108	David Hamilton	SS	+3
109	Gleyber Torres	2B	-40
110	Mark Vientos	3B	+5
111	George Springer	OF	-20
112	Andrew Vaughn	1B	+7
113	Francisco Alvarez	C	+15
114	Nathaniel Lowe	1B	+8
115	Daulton Varsho	OF	-28
116	Miguel Andujar	OF	+8
117	Masyn Winn	SS	-17
118	Joey Ortiz	2B, 3B	+5
119	J.P. Crawford T13	SS	+7
120	Danny Jansen	C	-4
121	Patrick Bailey	C	+8
122	Tyler Stephenson	C	-8
123	Sean Murphy	C	+7
124	Joc Pederson	OF	+15
125	Andy Pages	OF	+6
126	Brent Rooker	OF	-1
127	Willi Castro	2B, 3B, SS, OF	+17
128	Nico Hoerner	2B, SS	-11
129	Jeremy Peña T14	SS	-26
130	Josh Bell	1B	+4
131	Andrew McCutchen	DH	+5
132	Brandon Lowe	2B	+5
133	Tommy Pham	OF	+5
134	Zack Gelof	2B	-1
135	Ty France	1B	+7
136	Byron Buxton	OF	+9
137	Josh Lowe	OF	+UR
138	Cedric Mullins	OF	+UR
139	Mitch Garver	C	+8
140	Spencer Horwitz	2B	+9
141	Eloy Jiménez	OF	+UR
142	Ryan O’Hearn	1B, OF	+UR
143	Brendan Rodgers	2B	+UR
144	Dylan Moore	2B, SS, OF	+UR
145	Luis García Jr.	2B	-10
146	Connor Wong	C	+UR
147	Tyler Soderstrom	C, 1B	+UR
148	Colt Keith	2B, 3B	+UR
149	Thairo Estrada	2B, SS	-42
150	Nolan Jones	1B, OF	-9

 

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

• Ryan Jeffers (C, MIN) — Possibly showing signs of life?
• 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.
• Ben Rortvedt (C, TBR) — If you need a second catcher to stream, go for it.
• Bo Naylor (C, CLE) — Has struggled for most of the season but has enough talent to be on your watch list.
• David Fry (C/1B, CLE) — Finding playing time, but the decision value and power metrics have taken a steep drop of late.

First Base

• Michael Toglia (1B/OF, COL) — Seizing the first base job, and they’re at home all next week.
• Luke Raley (1B/OF, SEA) — Power and speed that comes with streakiness and contact issues.
• 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 you are in a deep keeper or have an NA slot.
• Justin Turner (1B/2B/3B, TOR) — Hitting better, but sitting a lot.
• Tyler Black (1B, MIL) — Likely in a platoon, but had some hype as a prospect and the first base job is very available.

Second Base

• Jorge Polanco (2B, SEA) — There’s upside here, but he’s looked so awful in a Mariners’ uniform.
• Brandon Drury (1B/2B, LAA) — Looked awful before hitting the IL, but could always go on a power surge and be relevant again.
• 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) — Can’t stash him unless you have an open NA slot.
• Davis Schneider (2B/OF, TOR) — No longer a full-time player.
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B/3B/OF, TOR) — Low upside, but eligible all over and playing a lot.
• Michael Massey (2B, KCR) — Let’s see if he recaptures any of that pre-injury magic.
• Enmanuel Valdez (2B, BOS) — Streamable middle infielder.

Third Base

• Matt Vierling (3B/OF, DET)— Still hits near the top of the order but that won’t last much longer.
• Junior Caminero (3B, TBR) — Struggling lately and I worry a call-up won’t lead to immediate playing time.
• Daniel Schneemann (2B/3B/SS/OF, CLE) — Super-utility guy who is hot right now. His name has too many letters.
• Coby Mayo (3B, BAL) — There’s no room for him but the power and plate discipline (before 2024) is exciting.
• 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. 20/20 upside in a full season.
• Elehuris Montero (1B/3B, COL) — Sitting even more with Toglia swinging a hot bat.
• Jake Burger (3B, MIA) — Just has not been the same since hitting the IL (and maybe a little before then).
• Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B, PIT) — Has speed and upside, but simply not getting it done.
• Jose Miranda (1B/3B, MIN) — Sitting two or three times a week with Lewis back, though he’s hitting pretty well when he plays.

Shortstop

• Edmundo Sosa (3B/SS, PHI) — I know they said he would play when Turner came back, but then he quickly sat twice in a row.
• Jackson Holliday (SS, BAL) — Long-term outlook hasn’t changed, but the O’s are in a tough spot
• 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.
• Zach Neto (SS, LAA) — Batting ninth for a bad team is hard on your fantasy production.

Outfield/DH

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

• Hunter Goodman (OF, COL) — Keep an eye on the catcher eligibility. He has two starts (three appearances) so far and with Diaz out more may be coming.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Max Kepler (OF, MIN) — A fine replacement-level guy when you need some pop.
• 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.
• 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.
• Nelson Velázquez (OF, KCR) — Aggressive and has pop, and like most guys with this profile, prone to streaks.
• 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.
• 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.
• Wilyer Abreu (OF, BOS) — Streaky hitter who is more of a streamer than locked-in fantasy regular.
• Jo Adell (OF, LAA) — If you’re looking to chase upside, this is a good place to start.

IL Stashes

• J.T. Realmuto (C, PHI) — Hopefully we see him before August.
• Elias Díaz (C, COL) — If you only have one or two IL spots he might be a drop.
• Henry Davis (C, PIT) — He should go back on the wire in single-catcher leagues.
• 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) — Likely out for the year.
• Alex Kirilloff (1B/OF, MIN) — Droppable in 10-12 teamers.
• Mookie Betts (2B/SS/OF, LAD) — He’ll be back in the top tier on return.
• Matt McLain (2B, CIN) — Not back until the last month or two of the season. Droppable if your IL is full.
• Xander Bogaerts (2B/SS, SDP) — Tough stash if you’ve already got a loaded IL.
• 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.
• Bo Bichette (SS, TOR) — Top-50 hitter on return.
• 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.
• Fernando Tatis Jr. (OF, SDP) — Top-20 on his return, probably sometime in mid-July.
• Mike Trout (OF, LAA) — He should be back this season and should be stashed on ILs. Should be in the top 25-35 on his return.
• Jasson Domínguez (OF, NYY) — Dealing with an oblique issue, and the roster is currently fairly crowded.
• TJ Friedl (OF, CIN) — Constantly battling injuries, should be back by mid-July. Top 80-100 on return.
• Giancarlo Stanton (OF, NYY) — Should be back by the end of July. Top 80-100 on return.
• Michael Harris II (OF, ATL) — No timetable for a return. Top-75 hitter when he comes back, assuming he can reclaim a spot near the top of the lineup.
• Starling Marte (OF, NYM) — I wouldn’t expect him back until early August. Top 100-120 on return as he may sit even more until fully healthy.
• 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.
• Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF, ATL) — Obviously, he’s a drop in redraft leagues. Still top-5 in dynasty.
• Mike Tauchman (OF, CHC) — Droppable in most formats. Grade 2 sprains can take a minute.

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