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Entering the 2024 MLB season, second base can be a tricky position to navigate in fantasy baseball. Some elite options are going in the first couple of rounds like Mookie Betts, Ozzie Albies, Marcus Semien, and Jose Altuve. But after that, the field thins out.
Betts is the only second baseman going in the first round, while Albies, Semien, and Altuve are all going somewhere in the third round. All four players are valued appropriately in fantasy drafts this year.
But which second basemen aren't? Which second basemen are overvalued or undervalued in fantasy baseball drafts in 2024?
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Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is a truly talented player. He's excellent in the field, and he can hit for a really good average at the plate. But the problem is he doesn't provide many home runs or RBI numbers, which are extremely valuable in points leagues. Last season, Hoerner hit .283 with nine HRs, 68 RBI, 27 doubles, and 43 stolen bases.
The home runs have never been a part of Hoerner's game, as he has just 22 career home runs in 397 Major League Baseball games. The Cubs second baseman also likely won't hit more than 10 in 2024 due to his career-low hard-hit rate (33.3%), average exit velocity (86.9 mph), and barrel rate (2%).
Gold Glove Nico. pic.twitter.com/4zdEAbjIhV
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 13, 2024
The high stolen bases are a great boost for Hoerner's fantasy value. But his low home run and RBI numbers also limit his upside. That's why his ADP of 59.8 is too high this year. To put his ADP into context, Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez is going almost 50 picks later than Hoerner, yet Arraez is coming off a season where he had more HRs (10), more RBI (69), more doubles (30), and a better average (.354).
Verdict: Overvalued
Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is coming off a solid 2023 campaign where he hit .276 with 25 HRs, 82 RBI, 26 doubles, and nine triples. More importantly, Marte stayed healthy and played over 150 games for just the second time in his career.
It was a nice sign to see Marte's power at the plate again like he had earlier in his career. The Arizona second baseman once had a 32-home run, 92-RBI season back in 2019. Although he hit just 28 combined HRs from 2020-2022, the veteran almost matched that total last year. That power could be here to stay in 2024, which is why his ADP of 100.8 seems too low.
There's a lot that Marte did well last year, outside of the home run numbers. His 82 RBI, 94 runs scored, and 71 walks all ranked top-four among all second basemen, while his nine triples ranked first. He also struck out on just 16.8% of his plate appearances -- which ranked in the top 18% of the league. If the 30-year-old can hit at least 20 HRs in 2024, he will easily outproduce his 100.8 ADP.
Verdict: Undervalued
Andres Gimenez, Cleveland Guardians
The next second baseman on this list is Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Guardians. A lot of the same reasons that applied to Hoerner above also apply here to Gimenez. He won't hit many home runs, and he won't drive in a lot of runs, but he will steal a decent amount of bases (30 in 2023).
However, unlike the Cubs second baseman, Gimenez won't walk a lot, and he is coming off a year where he hit just .251 at the plate. That makes him extremely risky to draft -- even at his 124.4 ADP. Last season, the veteran hit 15 HRs, 62 RBI, and 27 doubles with just 32 walks.
Walks add up in points leagues, and his 5.2% walk rate was in the bottom 9% of the entire MLB. There's not a lot to be excited about if you draft Gimenez in fantasy because he doesn't post elite numbers in really any category. His extra-base hit numbers likely won't improve either in 2024, so I'd prefer to take a chance on a player with some upside.
Verdict: Overvalued
Zack Gelof, Oakland Athletics
Despite playing in only 69 games during the 2023 season, Oakland A's second baseman Zack Gelof was fantastic in a small sample size. He hit .267 at the plate with 14 HRs, 32 RBI, 20 doubles, and 14 stolen bases. The rookie also broke the A's franchise record for the fastest to 10 HRs in just 35 games.
Those incredible rookie numbers should get everyone excited about Year 2 for Gelof. However, the A's second baseman is going outside the top 130 in most drafts this season with an ADP of 142.2. That seems too low for a player who has so much upside and potential.
Playing for the A's could be a reason for his low ADP. But Gelof showed last year that he can contribute just fine in that offense. Even if fantasy managers don't believe in the 24-year-old after 69 MLB games, this is a second baseman who can hit for power and has some speed on the base paths. In his 165 minor league games combined in 2022 and 2023, he hit 30 HRs, 110 RBI, and 38 doubles.
Is a 20-20 season on the horizon for Zack Gelof? pic.twitter.com/Ky8tjEcpnH
— MLB (@MLB) February 15, 2024
Gelof has plenty of upside in the later rounds of fantasy baseball drafts and can be a steal at his current ADP. I'd certainly prefer him over Gimenez, who is going two rounds earlier.
Verdict: Undervalued
Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India is another player who is extremely talented on the baseball field. He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2021, and he is the former fifth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
The question mark that remains with India heading into the season is his playing time. With Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Jeimer Candelario, and Noelvi Marte all possibly in the infield to start the season, playing time could be a huge question mark for the second baseman. But there have been reports that he will spend time at all four infield positions (1B, 2B, SS, 3B) as well as the outfield this season, which should be enough clarity that the Reds plan to play him a lot in 2024.
This is really good stuff from Jonathan India.
“I’m open to this,” India said. “I’ll train for it and do the best I can at those positions. Some of those are new. I’ve always been an infielder. We’ll see how the outfield goes, but I’m up for the challenge. I just want to be on… https://t.co/P9F9lNl9eM
— Reds Daily (@RedsDaily4) February 14, 2024
That makes his ADP of 215.6 way too low. India might not hit for a solid average (career .255 average), but he will contribute 15-20 HRs and 20-30 doubles while driving in over 60 runs. He also has stolen at least 12 bases in two of his three Major League Baseball seasons. There are a lot of different ways the Reds second baseman can contribute fantasy points, which should help keep him reliable in fantasy leagues this season.
He's someone to target toward the end of your draft because of his consistency in a solid offense.
Verdict: Undervalued
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