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Andy Smith gives out his awards for the 2024 Fantasy Baseball Season. What players led you to fantasy championships and should they be on our draft board next season?
After a long, exciting, and at times, frustrating 187 days, the 2024 fantasy baseball season is behind us.
Throughout the summer, we saw top prospects begin to establish themselves as the league’s next generation of stars and saw several veterans continue their dominance.
Let’s stroll down memory lane and hand out several awards to the players who won (and lost) our fantasy baseball leagues. Players who surprised us, frustrated us, and those who helped to affirm our skill as fantasy baseball players or proved to us that we maybe had no idea what were were doing at times this year.
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Late-Round League Winner Award - Hitter
Brent Rooker, OF, Oakland Athletics
Sitting with an ADP of 289 on NFBC, any drafters who took a late flier on Brent Rooker got one of the best hitters of the summer in the final rounds of their draft. This season, Rooker held a stellar .293/.365/.562 line with 39 home runs, 112 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. The 29-year-old finished as the No.11 overall hitter in standard roto leagues.
Brent Rooker ties a career high with home run No. 30! pic.twitter.com/wOMJnnGAeu
— MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2024
Under the hood, Rooker boasted an incredible .570 xSLG, placing him in the top 97th percentile among qualified hitters. In addition, he posted a 49.6% hard-hit rate and 16.6% barrel rate, which were among the 90% of all hitters. If there were any skeptics about his 30-home run campaign the year before, they were quickly put to rest this summer.
The more important discussion surrounding Rooker is how drafters will value him next season. He logged only 14 starts in the outfield, which makes him a utility-only player. While this could clog up your lineup, his production was elite and should not be viewed as an afterthought due to eligibility like one of my honorable mentions, Marcell Ozuna, was.
(Honorable Mentions: Jarren Duran: 145.5 ADP, Marcell Ozuna: 147.4: ADP, Anthony Santander: 135.5 ADP)
Late-Round League Winner Award - Pitcher
Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals
Who saw this one coming? I sure didn’t. With an ADP of 267.1 on the NFBC, most drafters looking for a late-round starting pitcher invested in younger options who had more perceived upside, such as MacKenzie Gore or Nick Lodolo.
Unfortunately, 34-year-old Seth Lugo did not fit that criteria but surprised us all by finishing as the No.5 pitcher in standard roto scoring. He logged an impressive 206 ⅔ innings (60 more than his 2023 total) with a strong 3.00 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. His hefty innings count placed him second among pitchers and only two behind Seattle’s Logan Gilbert.
The veteran remained very consistent all season, holding an identical 1.09 WHIP before and after the All-Star break. While he posted a monthly-high 4.91 ERA in August, he finished strong with a 2.28 ERA in September.
He did not have the most impressive metrics and greatly overperformed his statistics. He had a modest 3.72 xERA, which places him just slightly above the average mark of qualified pitchers. In addition, he held a below-average hard-hit rate and barrel rate but was still able to produce all summer.
It will be fascinating to see where Lugo sits on draft boards this winter, and it may be wise to fade him simply off the metrics. It is unlikely that a nine-year veteran will continue to progress this late in his career.
(Honorable Mentions: Bryce Miller: 174.4 ADP, Shota Imanaga: 172.2 ADP)
You Let Me Down Award - Hitter
Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves
After coming off an incredible 52-home run campaign in 2023, Olson was taken confidently at the start of the second round with a 14.9 ADP. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old took a significant step back as he finished the 2024 season with just 29 home runs.
He saw his slash line drop from a strong .283/.389/.604 to a disappointing .247/.333/.457 line. Under the hood, his barrel rate dropped 4%, and his hard-hit rate fell just under ten points. While his counting stats took a step back due to the numerous injuries to the Atlanta lineup, the metrics are quite concerning.
This disappointing campaign placed him as the No.10 first baseman in standard scoring and will likely be taken just inside of the top 5 first baseman next spring after being a consensus early second-round pick this season.
You Let Me Down Award - Pitcher
Bobby Miller, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Coming off a promising rookie campaign, Miller looked poised for a sophomore breakout and was a popular pick with a 73.5 ADP. His sophomore season started great as he struck out 11 across six two-hit frames on March 29. Then his season got out of control as he carried a 9.54 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP the rest of the way.
He battled shoulder inflammation early in the season. Then, he spent most of the second half in Triple-A, which hindered his development and prevented him from finding any momentum. His metrics were nothing short of disappointing this season, as he was placed in the second lowest percentile in hard-hit and barrel rates.
The 25-year-old will be a name to monitor during spring training as he could be in danger of starting the season outside of the rotation.
Hot Start Award - Hitter
Josh Naylor, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
After the first half, Josh Naylor looked like a bona fide top-3 first baseman. He had a .246/.325/.491 line and an impressive 22 home runs and 70 RBI. While he was not awful in the second half, with a similar .240 AVG, his power production sharply declined. He hit just nine long balls, tallied 38 RBI, and held a .406 SLG.
His RBI production was a significant selling point for Naylor heading into this season, as he tallied 97 the year before. After his strong start, he slightly surpassed that mark with 108 this season.
Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned with Naylor's future in 2025, as he should return to a similar situation. He will still have great scoring opportunities batting behind Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez.
However, his mediocre 8.4% barrel rate leaves much to be desired and could suggest that 30-home run campaigns may be the outlier in Naylor’s career rather than the 22 he hit in 2023. Nonetheless, he has a great eye at the plate, which is a nice boost in points leagues, but just be aware that the power production could continue to drop in 2025.
Hot Start Award - Pitcher
Garrett Crochet, SP, Chicago White Sox
If you grabbed Crochet late in your drafts or on waivers after his stellar Opening Day performance, you had one of the top pitchers of the first half.
Before the All-Star break, the reliever-turned-starter held the highest WAR among all pitchers with a stellar 3.02 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 23:150 BB:K ratio in just 107 ⅓ innings of work. During this stretch, he held an excellent 2.44 xFIP, the best among pitchers with the innings he pitched.
Unfortunately, in the second half, the hard-throwing southpaw was hit by a strict innings limit as he logged only 38 ⅔ innings of work. During the stretch, he held a 5.12 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Despite the drop in production, the 25-year-old held a stellar 35.1% K rate and 33.0% whiff rate, which were among the top marks at the position.
Garrett Crochet's final 2024 start: filthy pic.twitter.com/OQNFNCEqVA
— MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2024
Even with some second-half regression, Crochet will be a popular pick in drafts next summer as he flashed brilliance in his first season as a starter.
Better Late Than Never Award - Hitter
Corbin Carroll, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Corbin Carroll would have ended up in the bust column if it was not for his excellent second half, especially given his 5.9 ADP. Coming into the season, there were concerns about Carroll’s shoulder, as he had suffered two shoulder injuries throughout his young career.
In the first half of the summer, those concerns looked legitimate, as the 24-year-old carried a rough .212/.301/.334 line with just five home runs and 18 stolen bases.
Following the mid-summer classic, the former first-round pick was able to right the ship as he posted a much-improved .258/.351/.568 line with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases and was a potential league-winner for many as he finally fulfilled his ADP.
Better Late Than Never Award - Pitcher
Blake Snell, SP, San Francisco Giants
Snell remained a free agent until late in the off-season when he signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants. The reigning Cy Young winner did not make his season debut until the second week of April and had a tough start as he held an 11.57 ERA through the first month.
He then suffered an adductor injury and a groin injury, which derailed him for most of the first half. Before the All-Star break, Snell posted a 6.31 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP and was likely dropped in many shallow leagues.
Blake Snell since returning from the injured list on July 9th:
45 1/3 IP
14 BB
60 K
0.99 ERA
0.62 WHIPAbsurd.
ABSURD! pic.twitter.com/gcfuOAtUWw
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) August 13, 2024
However, in the second half, Snell turned things around quite quickly and was one of the most valuable starters down the stretch. During the stretch run, the southpaw held a stellar 1.45 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with a 27:103 BB:K ratio in 68 innings of work.
Despite the slow start, his season metrics remained quite impressive. The 31-year-old boasted a 2.54 xERA and 28.9% hard-hit rate, which placed him in the top 98th percentile among qualified pitchers. In addition, he improved his K rate by three points this season to an incredible 34.7%, compared to the 31.5% he held last season.
Seeing that he did not have much of a spring training, and a shortened season due to contract negotiations and the number of injuries he endured, Snell is already circled on my draft boards heading into 2025, as the metrics suggest he could return to Cy Young form next season.
Best Prospect Award
Paul Skenes, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Since making his major league debut on May 11, the 2023 first-overall pick held an incredible 4.3 WAR, which tied him for second among pitchers with Tarik Skubal and was only behind Chris Sale, who held a 5.2 WAR.
In addition, his 2.54 xFIP was the best among qualified pitchers since his major league debut. Skenes had a remarkable 33.1% K rate, 52.3% ground-ball rate, and 5.2% barrel rate, which were among the top marks of pitchers.
Paul Skenes, 100mph Fastball, 95mph Splinker, 85mph Sweeper and 88mph Changeup, 4 Pitch Overlay pic.twitter.com/zHareg3Owz
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 23, 2024
The hard-throwing right-hander is already an ace and should be one of, if not the first starting pitcher taken in drafts next spring.
I also wanted to give a shoutout to my other honorable mentions, Jackson Chourio and Jackson Merrill, who finished as the No.15 and No.10 batters in standard scoring, respectively. Both made their respective rosters right out of Spring Training, remained in the majors the entire summer, and contributed to all five categories.
Bust Prospect Award
Jackson Holliday, 2B/SS, Baltimore Orioles
The most disappointing prospect this season was Jackson Holliday. The 20-year-old was taken in all standard drafts with an ADP of 188.6 ahead of proven bats such as Steven Kwan and Tyler O’Neill, even after he was not named to the Opening Day roster.
However, fantasy managers did not have to wait long to welcome the 2022 overall pick, as he got the call on April 9. Unfortunately, his first taste of the bigs was just as bad as it could be, as he went 2-for-34.
He returned to Baltimore later in July and remained in the big leagues through the end of the summer. He flashed at times during this stretch but sat with an overall .208/.262/.377 line. He hit just five home runs.
In Triple-A, Holliday performed very well with a .274/.431/.477 line, which shows just how hard transitioning to the majors can be, even for one of the most highly touted prospects of the past decade.
The infielder is a name to monitor during the offseason, as he should be competing for a starting job in Baltimore, and hopefully can produce the expected numbers that managers looked for this past season.
Best Relief Pitcher Award
Emmanuel Clase, RP, Cleveland Guardians
Emmanuel Clase finished with a new career-high 47 saves, which was just two behind the leader Ryan Helsley. Despite not tallying the most saves, Clase finished as the ninth-overall pitcher in standard roto leagues, an impressive feat for a relief pitcher.
Much of this was credited to his hefty 74 ⅓ innings with a near-perfect 0.61 ERA and 0.66 WHIP. Under the hood, the right-hander placed in at least the top 95th percentile in ground-ball rate, hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and walk rate. He also held a 2.66 xERA, which was the best in the sport.
If there was any concern about Clase coming into this season as he posted a career-worst 3.22 ERA in 2023, those doubts were quickly put to rest. Clase should be the no-doubt top closer on all draft boards next spring and should be the favorite to lead the sport in saves pitching behind a strong Cleveland team.
Fantasy Baseball Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal, SP, Detroit Tigers
The southpaw was a popular breakout pick this season after finishing the 2023 campaign on a high note. With an ADP of 50.4, Skubal not only met expectations but exceeded them. The 27-year-old held a sparkling 2.39 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 35:228 BB:K ratio across 192 innings of work.
12 up, 12 down, 7 punchies.
OCTOBER TARIK SKUBAL IS A MENACE pic.twitter.com/dMePdaOP9s
— MLB (@MLB) October 7, 2024
His 228 strikeouts led the major leagues, and 18 wins tied him for the most with Chris Sale.
Skubal remained rock solid all summer, with his worst monthly ERA coming in August with a 3.05 and his worst WHIP in June at a 1.20 mark. His metrics were incredible, as he placed in the top 90% of all pitchers in several major statistics, such as walk, K, and whiff rates.
Skubal will likely sit as the top pitcher on draft boards next season but will have stiff competition with Skenes and Wheeler likely to be slotted behind him.
(Honorable Mentions: Chris Sale, Zack Wheeler)
Fantasy Baseball MVP
Shohei Ohtani, DH, Los Angeles Dodgers
Lastly, the 2024 Fantasy Baseball MVP is Shohei Ohtani. Drafters hesitated to reach for the Japanese sensation until late in the first round as he would only have utility eligibility this season and would not take the mound.
However, Ohtani proved that logic to be glaringly inaccurate as he established the 50-50 club en route to being the top player in Roto scoring this summer.
Shohei Ohtani just had one of the greatest performances in MLB history:
6-for-6
3 Home runs
2 Doubles
1 Single
10 Runs Batted In
4 Runs Scored
2 Stolen BasesHe became the first player in MLB history to reach the 50/50 (and now 51/51) club.
Greatest. Of. All. Time. pic.twitter.com/bSiWLnjkWM
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) September 19, 2024
Through 159 games, the 30-year-old posted a .310/.390/.646 slash line with 54 home runs, 59 stolen bases, and 130 RBI. His 130 RBI and 54 long balls were second to only Aaron Judge. His 58 stolen bases also placed him second among hitters, behind only Elly De La Cruz’s 67.
Having an entire season to focus on hitting allowed Ohtani to post incredible numbers, including a 60.1% hard-hit rate, 21.5% barrel rate, and a 95.8 mph average exit velocity, which are all the best in the sport.
His 2024 season will not just go down in the fantasy history books but also the real ones. Fantasy managers should draft Ohtani with the first overall pick next year without hesitation.
Did I mention he will also pitch next year? Who knows how he can alter the fantasy record books with a season similar to this year and with pitching stats? Hope for that first pick, managers.
Stay tuned for plenty of deep dives during the offseason as we begin to prepare for our 2025 drafts. Feel free to chat with me on X @A_Smith_FS for more fantasy sports content.
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