RADIO
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 2024 Player Outlook: Low Cost OF With Safe Floor But Limited Upside
10 months agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. set personal bests in multiple areas in 2023, including doubles, home runs, runs scored, Contact%, SwStr%, and O-Swing%. While his high contact skills caused him to strike out much less than league average (17.4% K%), he didn't walk much either (5.6% BB%) so his OBP (.309) and wOBA (.329) were a little less than desirable. Hitting for a higher average in 2022 (.291) he hit just five HR, but in 2021 and 2023 he traded off the high average for higher HR totals of 21 and 24 respectively. His value is based on his power output, so hopefully in 2024 he'll be more '21/'23 Gurriel than '22 Gurriel. The 30-year-old will hit in a decent run-producing lineup but near the bottom of the order. ATC projections forecast a .277-16-70-64-4 line for 2024 with a .331 wOBA and 107 wRC+ in 130 games (498 AB). If managers can get those numbers out of the 2023 All-Star at his current price tag, which is an NFBC ADP of 225, they'll be content. If he can manage to get closer to last year's totals then he'll outproduce that ADP, and RotoBaller likes him at 210 overall, well ahead of his ADP.
