While the definition of a fantasy baseball sleeper may vary from person to person, the following list includes players who are undervalued when compared to ADP.
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Holiday is the No. 1 draft pick in 2022 and is coming off a strong season in the minors overall. He hit .396 with impressive plate discipline as a 19-year-old in Triple-A, and the projection system calls for the rookie to quickly become an above-average hitter. Holiday has 15/15 potential, but he could be a 200+ pick in the Yahoo Draft.
Crawford settled into Boston's rotation last year, posting a 3.96 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts in his final 88.1 innings. He was locked into that role entering 2024, and his K-BB% (19.6) after the All-Star break should have ranked in the top 15 among all starters for the season. Crawford is a key sleeper.
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Sedan Rafaela is a deep fantasy sleeper from Boston who will quickly take over the center spot thanks to his speed and great defense. ZiPS projects the rookie to hit 15 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and at least 75 RBIs and RBIs in 130 games.
Williams is a 2021 first-round pick with an underwhelming record in the minor leagues (2.10 ERA, 11.8/9 win percentage). Although he still needs to work on his control, Williams' 25.1 K% after the All-Star break as a rookie would rank in the top 20 among starters for the season. He showed his potential. He struck out 22 batters in two starts. There shouldn't be an innings limit because he exceeded 140 innings last August. Williams could easily emerge as Cleveland's ace in 2024.
Velor still needs to improve his control, but he is a top candidate to emerge as Chicago's closer. The 23-year-old posted a 36.6 K% in the minors last season, which ranked sixth among MLB relievers. Velor has a 2.88 FIP despite a 5.37 BB/9 rating, and the White Sox bullpen doesn't have anyone who can match his arm talent.
Keith is one of Detroit's top prospects and should have a chance to start on Opening Day. sign a contract during the offseason. He hit .306 with 27 home runs and 101 RBIs in 126 games across the minors last season, posting a 163 wRC+ in Double-A and then holding a personal record in Triple-A (.890 OPS). “Cool” Keith looks like a top-25 fantasy second baseman who could be drafted with picks above 225, as he could move up quickly in Detroit’s lineup.
Brown had a 5.09 ERA and a 3.74 SIERA last season, so he should bounce back in 2024. His 26.8 K% would have ranked 12th among starting pitchers if he had been eligible (he needed 6.1 more innings) behind Gerrit Cole and Zach Wheeler. Brown should improve in his second year and benefit from pitching on an Astros team expected to have the third-most wins this season. Brown isn't drafted as a top 50 starter in the Yahoo League, but he's a top 35 SP on my board.
Velasquez had 2nd best barrel rate Last season, he was sandwiched between Aaron Judge and Ronald Acuña Jr. and also had a record. 3rd best xwOBA against fastballs Out of 476 batters. Velasquez averaged 1 home run per 9.5 at-bats, and Shohei Ohtani led all players with 11.3 at-bats. Of course, he's going to regress, but this is an incredible power profile for an outfielder who can be picked 250 times in the draft. Velasquez's expected batting average (.255) is 20 points higher than his actual BA, and Kaufman's Stadium is one of the best hitter's parks in baseball for his RHB.
Canning won't be winning as a pitcher for the Angels, but he returned to the fantasy scene last season after returning from multiple injuries thanks to increased velocity. Canning posted an 11.55 K/9 (30.1 K%) and 3.26 FIP after the All-Star break, but at that point his 23.9 K-BB% would have finished the season second only to Spencer Strider. Canning has 4 valid pitches Despite putting up strong numbers in the minor leagues, he's looking to get 70 SPs off the board.
julian sports Swing decisions like Juan Sotoends with One of the lowest tracking rates last season. There remains concern that the Twins still use him against some left-handed pitchers, but Minnesota's second base job became available after the Jorge Polanco trade. Julien is a bargain with his ADP outside the top 200, as he recorded a 136 wRC+ as a rookie and will bat leadoff against right-handed pitchers.
Chris Paddack is also a fantasy sleeper for Minnesota.
LeMahieu posted a wRC+ of 129 after last season's All-Star break and was drafted as an outside pick at Yahoo's draft with the 225th pick, even though he was slated to play leadoff (and also play third base) for the Yankees. He is eligible at three positions and could easily approach 100 RBIs if he bats in front of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
Mason Miller definitely Oakland's Bullpen's Most Fantastic Upside, but he is a major injury risk, has a much higher ADP, and will “gradually work his way up the ladder” rather than open the season as a closer. Meanwhile, when asked about the team's exit status, Oakland's GM immediately mentioned Jimenez's name. Jimenez is likely to be a source of early saves for the undrafted, as he posted a 1.72 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in his final 17 games after returning from a shoulder injury last season.
Haniger ranked in the top 50 in wRC+ from 2017 to 2022, but was sidelined last year with an injury in San Francisco. He returned to Seattle this season and had 39 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 110 RBIs in 2021. There are concerns about durability, but a healthy Haniger should be able to hit the ball. He could slot right into the middle of the Mariners' batting order, and Haniger has nearly 250 picks in the draft.
Caminero is unlikely to crack Tampa Bay's Opening Day roster, but his bat is worth stashing in your fantasy league. Caminero has “80” power, hitting 20 home runs in 81 games in Double-A (31 games overall in the minors) as a 19-year-old last season.Fantasy managers may need patience, but he's a promising player. Can hit major league pitchers right away. For now, he's only eligible for the UTIL slot, but SS/3B may not be far off if he reaches the big leagues (5 starts/10 games played in MLB to qualify) Is required).
Langford is Immediately lose “sleeper” status Despite his strong start at the plate, he remains underrated. he said something stupid, Amazing statistics from last year, including his debut in the entire minors. Langford, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, is a top fantasy prospect with a rating of 70 in both speed and power.
[2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP | RP]
There's no guarantee he'll start the season at Texas (although recently This news certainly sounds encouraging), and projecting rookies is usually shitty (Steamer notes that Langford is posting a 122 wRC+ right off the bat). But Langford looks like a special talent with a lot of upside potential. Texas has increased home runs by right-handed pitchers by 12% over the past three seasons, the fourth-highest rate in baseball. I expect Langford to have a better fantasy campaign than teammate Evan Carter, who won Rookie of the Year and went multiple rounds ahead of him.
If Langford is the obvious sleeper, Josh Sbortz is the more likely option at Texas. He could easily emerge as the Rangers' closer this season.
Tiedemann was plagued by injuries throughout last season, but remains one of the most promising pitchers in baseball. his bulging physique and Dirty things are attracting attention throughout toronto camping. Tiedemann will be one of the hottest waiver wire additions in fantasy if he gets his chance this season.
