X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

5 Mid-To-Late Round Sleepers: AL Central - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

carlos correa fantasy baseball rankings draft sleepers MLB injury news

Joey Pollizze shares five 2024 fantasy baseball draft sleepers in the AL Central that are currently going in the middle to late rounds of your drafts as values.

Welcome to this ongoing series where we go division by division to analyze the best fantasy baseball sleepers on every team this year. We started with the AL East last week, so if you haven't seen that one yet, be sure to check it out. Next up will be the AL Central.

Despite the AL Central not being a very competitive division in baseball, that doesn't mean there aren't some elite players on these teams. Bobby Witt Jr., Dylan Cease, Luis Robert Jr., and Jose Ramirez all reside in this division. But all four players won't be featured on this list because they are going early in fantasy baseball drafts.

Instead, in this article, we will identify the biggest sleepers going in the middle-to-late rounds on the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers. So, let's dive in and find out which players are the biggest sleepers in drafts. 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Minnesota Twins: Carlos Correa

Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is one of my favorite sleepers in the later rounds, especially since his average ADP is outside 200 on various platforms. Correa is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, where he hit a career-low .230 at the plate. He also only hit 18 home runs (his fewest in a full season since 2018) with 65 RBI and 29 doubles. 

But it was evident that Correa was not himself during the 2023 season, and that's because the Twins shortstop was dealing with a plantar fasciitis issue for most of the year. He first suffered the injury in May and then eventually tore something in his foot in September. Despite the 29-year-old not attributing that to his poor season, it definitely played a part. 

With Correa now fully healthy, he is in for a much better season in 2024. If you take a look back at his 2022 season, the three-time All-Star did a lot of things well. He hit .291 with 22 HRs and 64 RBI. Now, even when healthy, his numbers won't be overly impressive. But he has a ton of value later in drafts. He can hit for a solid average while contributing 20-25 HRs, 25-30 doubles, and walking at a decent rate (10.6% career walk rate). 

 

Cleveland Guardians: Triston McKenzie 

It's best to just forget Triston McKenzie's 2023 season. The Cleveland Guardians pitcher injured his shoulder during spring training and didn't make his season debut until June. Then, after just two starts, McKenzie experienced some elbow discomfort and missed the next two months before making just two more starts in September to end the season. 

But the right hander is someone that should be on your radar because of his upside in the later rounds. Just look at what McKenzie did in his first start of the 2023 season in June. He allowed just one hit and one walk to go with 10 strikeouts across five shutout innings. That's the type of pitcher fantasy managers would be taking a chance on -- a player going in the 15th round. 

In McKenzie's last full season in 2022, he was a solid fantasy option. He finished the year with a 2.96 ERA, 0.951 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts across 191.1 innings pitched. Other fantasy managers might have forgotten just how good the right hander can be in the majors because of his injury-riddled 2023 season. However, this is a pick that can really pay off. 

 

Chicago White Sox: Eloy Jimenez 

If you are in a roto league and are in need of some power in the back half of your draft, Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez is a player to target. Injuries have always played a part in Jimenez's career, which has included playing 55 games in 2021, 84 games in 2022, and 120 games in 2023. 

But, when healthy, he is one of the most dangerous hitters for the White Sox. The right-handed slugger has also always hit for a solid average in his career, and that's a plus for anyone in roto leagues. Jimenez has a career .275 average and just hit .272 with 18 HRs, 64 RBI, and 23 doubles last year. He won't provide you with many numbers outside of those categories, but going outside the top 16 rounds makes him a solid sleeper option. 

Jimenez's career 162-game average is 33 HRs and 102 RBI. While he will likely not reach those marks in 2024, he can give fantasy managers somewhere between 20-25 HRs and 70-75 RBI with a solid .275 average. Those numbers are certainly possible for the 27-year-old this year, making him a high-risk, high-reward option later in the draft. 

 

Kansas City Royals: Salvador Perez

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez isn't the biggest sleeper on this list. But he is going late enough that he deserves to be here. The 33-year-old catcher might be past his prime, though he can absolutely still contribute at a high level at the plate. Perez's average ADP is 131, which makes him a fantastic sleeper at a thin position. 

If you want to wait on a catcher in fantasy drafts this year, Perez could be a solid option you can pivot to. Last year, he hit .255 with 23 HRs, 80 RBI, and 21 doubles. That is about on par with what the catcher put up the season before in 2022 (.254 average, 23 HRs, 76 RBI, 23 doubles). 

Perez won't contribute in many other categories, including walks -- where he has a career 3.4% walk rate. However, he'll almost always be at the top in every other category among catchers. In 2023, his .255 average ranked sixth, his 23 HRs were tied for third, his 80 RBI ranked second, and his 137 hits ranked third. The veteran still has plenty left in the tank to contribute at the plate. 

 

Detroit Tigers: Riley Greene

Entering his third year in the majors, there's a strong chance the 2024 season could be a breakout year for Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene. Greene, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, is coming off a year where the stats might have been underwhelming. 

He hit for an impressive .288 at the plate but only managed to total 11 HRs, 37 RBI, 19 doubles, and seven stolen bases. The average is a nice sign to see, and that could help him maintain value in fantasy drafts. However, he needs to provide more in other categories to be somewhat of a solid pick later in drafts. The Tigers outfielder is currently going around the 15th round in Yahoo leagues. 

The power hasn't necessarily been there for Greene so far in his short career. However, that power could finally show up for him in his third season. The 23-year-old has always hit the ball with a career 46.3% hard-hit rate. On top of that, the home run balls did show up for the outfielder in his minor league days. In 2021, he hit 24 total HRs in Double-A and Triple-A combined. This could be the season where he finally showcases his 18-22 HRs while hitting for a solid average. 

youtube_mlb]

More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
Micah Parsons

Not Worried About Extension Talks
Jahdae Barron

Broncos Agree to Terms With Jahdae Barron on Rookie Deal
Tyrone Broden

Seahawks Place Tyrone Broden, Montorie Foster on NFI List
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Landon Jackson

Lands on PUP List
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Ja'Kobe Walter

Produces Big Numbers at Both Ends Against Nuggets
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Ajay Mitchell

Outstanding Against Magic Tuesday
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
VJ Edgecombe

Busy in Las Vegas Summer League Debut
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Dominick Barlow

to Sit Out Rest of Summer League
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
NBA

Oshae Brissett Links Up with Maccabi Tel Aviv
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Charlotte Hornets

Josh Okogie Waived by Hornets
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Junior Colson

Competing for Starting Job
Isaiah Likely

Ravens Looking to Extend Isaiah Likely
Kyle Pitts

Not in Falcons' Long-Term Plans?
Quinshon Judkins

Browns in "No Rush" to Sign Quinshon Judkins to Rookie Deal
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
JC Latham

Could be Looking at Big Improvement in Second Season
Tykee Smith

Could be Every-Down Player for Bucs
Derick Hall

has High Ceiling Going into Third Season
Kaleb Johnson

an Ideal Scheme Fit in Pittsburgh
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Kelee Ringo

Will Get his Chance in 2025
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Kool-Aid McKinstry

in Line to Start
Chop Robinson

Double-Digit Sack Season Well Within Reach for Chop Robinson
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
Brian Thomas Jr.

Could be Even Better in 2025
Laiatu Latu

Primed to Take a Step Forward
Terrion Arnold

Lions Expecting Year 2 Jump From Terrion Arnold
Omarion Hampton

Could Become Lead Back Sooner Than Later
Zion Johnson

Moving to Center
Terrance Ferguson

Could Benefit from Rams Scheme Changes
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF