Mid-Round Outfield (OF) Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Targets in 2024

1 month ago by RotoBaller

Welcome officially to the 2024 fantasy baseball season! Spring training is in full force, and fantasy managers are gearing up for another exciting season in MLB. Once you reach the middle rounds of drafts, everyone is looking to draft players who can provide a great return on value. You can start taking calculated risks on emerging prospects, overlooked veterans, players returning from injury, or even players with some playing time concerns out of the gate. The early rounds are critical, and the late rounds are where you can take your chances on dart-throw sleepers, but the middle rounds can make or break your roster.

Today, we're looking at some middle-round outfielders for you to consider drafting in your season-long leagues this season. Are their ADPs undervalued? Will they make significant fantasy contributions and become a priority mid-round draft target? Read on to see our take.

Our editors have hand-picked these specific MLB players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the five outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2024 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today to start reading all of our in-depth 2024 player outlooks and many other premium articles and tools, including Team Sync, the Live Draft Sync assistant, Custom Rankings Service, and so much more -- available exclusively in our 2024 Draft Kit.

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Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene has been as advertised in the big leagues. The 2019 first-round pick was in the upper-echelon of prospect lists before debuting in the 2022 season and made good on his hype in the 2023 campaign when he hit .288 with 11 home runs, seven stolen bases, and a .796 OPS across 416 trips to the plate. His 119 wRC+ was a significant step from a 96 mark in his 2022 rookie campaign.

However, health has been a critical issue as Greene missed 69 games in his rookie season after a preseason broken foot. At the same time, he was limited to just 99 contests as a sophomore due to a stress reaction in his leg, followed by Tommy John surgery in September.

He could reportedly be ready to go out of spring training, but his health concerns make his 225 ADP reasonable and a value pick with RotoBaller's 143 ranking. If he's healthy, he could be a later-round steal, but prospective fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on his progress in spring training before pulling the trigger on draft day.

-- Brenton Kemp - RotoBaller

James Outman, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman enjoyed a big rookie season in 2023. In his age-26 season, the lefty-swinging Outman hit .248 with 23 home runs, 16 stolen bases, 86 runs, 70 RBI, and a .790 OPS across a hefty 567 trips to the plate. He played nearly daily and held his own with a .254 average against left-handed pitching (versus a .246 mark against righties). However, his power almost exclusively came against opposite-handed pitching.

ATC is projecting a dip in production across the board, namely in usage, home runs, stolen bases, batting average, runs, and RBI. It's important to note that his .326 xwOBA in his rookie season was well below his .344 wOBA while he ranked in the 44th percentile in hard-hit rate, 21st in average exit velocity, 32nd in xSLG, and 16th in xBA. His 185 ADP puts him ahead of outfielders such as Brandon Nimmo, Daulton Varsho, Kerry Carpenter, and Lars Nootbaar, all of whom may hold more value at their prevailing ADPs.

However, Outman is coming off a hot spring, hitting .370 with two home runs, six RBI, and three stolen bases over 27 at-bats. The 26-year-old will be in a loaded Dodgers lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman, making Outman a solid pick in the middle rounds of upcoming fantasy drafts.

-- Brenton Kemp - RotoBaller

Tyler O'Neill, Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill had himself a forgettable season in 2023. He wasn't horrible at the plate, but he appeared in just 72 games due to injury and butted heads with his old manager in St. Louis, Oliver Marmol. As a result, he was a likely trade candidate in a young and crowded outfield in St. Louis and landed with the Red Sox in an offseason swap. Assuming a return to health, O'Neill offers plenty of value at his prevailing 276 ADP.

After all, the 28-year-old has a 34-homer, 15-steal season under his belt from the 2021 season, and the righty-swinging outfielder can now aim at the Green Monster that sits just 310 feet away from home plate down the left field line at Fenway Park. For those interested in a power/speed combination without using a high selection, O'Neill could be your man, given his 22-homer, 13-steal projection from ATC for the 2024 campaign.

-- Brenton Kemp- RotoBaller

Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker came into 2023 with a lot of hype. He wound up having a solid, yet unspectacular season. The rookie's power wasn't entirely there, and while he should grow into more power, it may not come in 2024, either. The 21-year-old was in the 59th percentile for hard-hit percentage and 52nd for average exit velocity. His .276 average wasn't far from his expected average of .267.

If he can replicate his .490 slugging percentage from September and October, he can make a good jump in the home run department. He has an ADP of 109.5, which aligns with RotoBaller's 104 ranking. The .310/.359/.478 slash line at home shows the right-hander has the potential for a big 2024.

Even with the high expectations, it's hard to be disappointed with Walker's rookie season. After accumulating 420 at-bats, it should be expected that he receives even more of a full-time role this year. Grab him around his 144 ADP, knowing his power breakout may still be a year away.

-- Justin Raffone - RotoBaller

Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford was the fourth pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. That, however, may not stop him from starting the 2024 season off in the majors. After being drafted last season, Langford ran through the minor leagues, ending up in Triple-A.

Now, the 22-year-old is invited to spring training for the defending World Series champions. ATC has a projection of a .267/.347/.471 slash line over 415 plate appearances in 2024 for the former Florida Gator. RotoBaller's Benjamin Chase has Langford ranked as the second prospect in his latest dynasty rankings.

In redraft leagues, he ranks as the third-best prospect on RotoBaller. If he can break camp on the major league roster, Langford could be battling teammate Evan Carter, among others, for Rookie of the Year honors.

Langford has been on fire this spring, hitting .348 with six home runs, 19 RBI, and 13 runs across 49 at-bats. His ADP is hovering around 91 in March, which puts him at value at his current RotoBaller ranking of 80. Langford's draft stock is rising, and his price will only continue to increase as he mashes this spring.

-- Justin Raffone - RotoBaller

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