RADIO
A sleeper in fantasy can mean a lot of different things. It can mean a player who is undervalued in drafts, or it can mean a player who is going super late in drafts that you take a flier on. Either way, though, it's a player you take a chance on later in your draft.
This article will discuss one hitter sleeper at each position you should target in 2024 fantasy baseball drafts. All of these players on this list are going somewhere in the back half of the draft, so it won't cost much to select them.
Some of these names will be more out there, while others will be young players that could be in store for a big season. So, let's dive in and look at who the best hitter sleepers are at catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, outfield, and designated hitter.
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First Base Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers
It came down to Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe for this sleeper spot. But, I decided to go with the latter, given his later ADP and his possible opportunities in a much better offense. Lowe's current average ADP is 182, which means he is likely going somewhere between the 16th to 18th rounds, depending on your league size.
That seems extremely low for a hitter who not only bats behind Marcus Semien and Corey Seager but has also been a consistent fantasy option over the past three years. Last season, Lowe hit .262 at the plate with 17 HRs, 82 RBI, 38 doubles, 89 runs scored, and 93 walks. His RBI, doubles, runs scored, and walks were all career-highs. On top of that, the first baseman played in 161 contests, marking the third straight season he has played over 156 games.
Lowe remains a key contributor to this Rangers offense and hit third in the order in 144 of 161 games last season. With Semien and Seager hitting one and two, the first baseman should continue to see more RBI chances in 2024. He also hit 27 HRs just two years ago, so the power could even out for him this year. We could see him hit somewhere between 22-25 HRs.
Second Base Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Zack Gelof, Oakland Athletics
Oakland A's second baseman Zack Gelof is the next player to make this list after a strong 2023 rookie season. It's a small size for Gelof, who appeared in just 69 games with the A's last year. But in those games, he showed his potential and broke records that stood for over three decades.
One of the franchise records that he broke was the fastest to 10 HRs in A's history. That previous record was held by Mark McGwire after he launched 10 HRs in just 41 games between the 1986 and 1987 seasons. But Gelof winded up hitting his 10th home run in just the 35th game of his young career. The young second baseman finished the year with a .267 batting average, 14 HRs, 32 RBI, 20 doubles, and 14 stolen bases.
It might be a small sample size; however, the rookie did a little bit of everything in his first year. That production will be big for fantasy managers who take a chance on the 23-year-old. With his ADP well into the 13th round, the A's second baseman is worth the risk because of his upside at the position.
Late-Round 20-20 Threats
- Andres Gimenez (ADP 114)
- Evan Carter (128)
- Anthony Volpe (134)
- Zack Gelof (134)
- Cedric Mullins (148)
- TJ Friedl (155)
- Trevor Story (180)
- Daulton Varsho (211)
- Jose Siri (294)— Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) February 7, 2024
Shortstop Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday is a player you might have to stash, assuming he doesn't make the team's Opening Day roster. If he does, though, his ADP will likely skyrocket. But for now, MLB Pipeline's number one prospect currently has an ADP in the 17th to 19th round.
It remains to be seen if Holliday winds up starting the season with the Orioles' MLB roster. However, the expectation is that he will eventually be a part of the club this season. Stashing the top prospect in baseball and the former 2022 first-round pick could be extremely important in becoming a fantasy baseball champion. The 20-year-old shortstop hit .323 with 12 HRs, 75 RBI, 30 doubles, and 24 stolen bases across four levels in the minors last season.
Holliday can do it all, and he'll be extremely valuable in all formats -- when he does make his MLB debut. Rookies tend to have their struggles at the plate, but they also have huge upside in fantasy. Just look at Elly De La Cruz with the Reds last year.
Third Base Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies third basemen Alec Bohm is coming off his best fantasy and MLB season last year. Bohm hit 20 HRs with 97 RBI and 31 doubles behind a solid .274 average. His expected batting average (.290) also landed him in the top 7% of the league last year, according to Baseball Savant.
It was nice to see Bohm showcase his power at the plate last year after only hitting 13 in 2022. His 20 home runs, 31 doubles, and 97 RBI were all career-highs, and the 27-year-old has now driven in 169 runs over the past two seasons. Those kinds of numbers will be helpful in both roto and points leagues.
A lot went right for Bohm in his first year. If he can replicate that success in 2024, fantasy managers should be happy enough with that production, considering his ADP. The Phillies third baseman's current ADP is at 149. You can draft a player who is coming off a solid season in the 13th to 15th round on an offense that should be able to score a lot of runs in 2024.
Outfield Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Jarred Kelenic, Atlanta Braves
If you were looking for an extreme sleeper in fantasy drafts this year, outfielder Jarred Kelenic might just be that player. Kelenic was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Atlanta Braves early in the offseason, and it could be a fit that revives the 24-year-old's career. It might be a long shot to have him on this list, but I'm going to bet on the talent and situation here with the outfielder.
Kelenic showed glimpses of his potential early in the 2023 season when he hit .283 with 10 HRs and 26 RBI through the first 52 games of last year. However, over the final 53 games, the left-handed slugger hit just .221 with one HR and 23 RBI. With the outfielder now joining a dominant Braves squad, playing time won't be easy. But the talent is there, which is likely why Atlanta traded for him in the first place.
Kelenic was drafted sixth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft out of high school. He immediately made an impact in the minors and hit .286 with six home runs, six triples, and 42 RBI in rookie ball as an 18-year-old. Now, he goes to an organization that has a history of developing young talent.
Longest 2023 home run
@ each team's home park:LAA - Ohtani, 493 feet
NYY - Stanton, 485 feet
ATL - Schwarber, 483 feet
COL - Jones, 483 feet
CHC - Kelenic, 482 feet
STL - Riley, 473 feet
BAL - Mountcastle, 472 feet
OAK - Donaldson, 472 feet
ARI - Soler, 468 feet
CLE - De La… pic.twitter.com/muOMzXMfH4— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) February 7, 2024
The new Braves outfielder is going undrafted in most fantasy drafts this season, so it won't cost a lot to select him in the final round. He'll likely compete with Marcell Ozuna for playing time in left field or at DH this season. But if he can perform, Atlanta will make sure to find a spot for him in the lineup every day.
Designated Hitter Sleeper
Christopher Morel, Chicago Cubs
The final sleeper of this list is Chicago Cubs utility player Christopher Morel. Morel will have a ton of position eligibility in fantasy this year at 2B, 3B, OF, and DH, so that's always a plus. He is also a player who is still young, has a ton of upside, and has the best chance on this list to launch over 35 HRs in 2024.
Last season, Morel started the season in Triple-A, where he was unstoppable. In 29 games with Triple-A Iowa, he blasted 11 HRs, 31 RBI, and nine doubles behind an absurd slash line of .330/.425/.730. That power then translated to the majors when he was called up. In 107 games with the Cubs, he hit another 26 HRs and 70 RBI. That gave the right-handed slugger a total of 37 HRs between both leagues.
Morel might not hit for a solid average -- just .247 last year -- and will strike out a lot. However, he'll give fantasy managers much-needed HRs, doubles, and even triples. The 24-year-old utility specialist will also always hit the ball. Hitting the ball hard doesn't always translate to hits, but his 92.1 mph average exit velocity and 50% hard-hit rate both landed in the top 9% in the majors. That should surely lead to some extra HRs for him in 2024.
Catcher Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers
The second Texas Ranger who makes this list is catcher Jonah Heim. Like Bohm, Heim is coming off his best season in the majors and even made his first All-Star appearance in 2023. The 28-year-old hit a career-best .258 with 18 HRs, 95 RBI, and 28 doubles. The switch-hitting catcher almost doubled his RBI total (48) from the 2022 season, which shows just how dominant he was at the plate last year.
The Rangers have SIX All-MLB selections.
Corey Seager (First-Team)
Marcus Semien (First-Team)Adolis García (Second-Team)
Nathan Eovaldi (Second-Team)
Jonah Heim (Second-Team)
Jordan Montgomery (Second-Team) pic.twitter.com/xvLZ0IvvzN— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) December 17, 2023
As a result, his ADP seems a bit too low at a thin position after such a strong season. Heim might not have the upside of some of the catchers who are going earlier than him in drafts like Gabriel Moreno or Francisco Alvarez. But, he has such a high floor because of his potential extra-base hit numbers.
Now, a lot of talking points that were mentioned earlier for Lowe also apply here with Heim. He hit fifth or sixth in the order for most of the year and was a part of a Rangers lineup that averaged the third-most runs per game last season (5.46). In 2024, the catcher will still be hitting behind players like Semien, Seager, Lowe, and Adolis Garcia, so there should be a ton of chances to drive them in.
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