Psst! This post is gonna list 2nd basemen that you should target in your 2024 fantasy baseball drafts. I’m whispering because you don’t want everyone to see this post. No, I can’t whisper louder, then it WOULDN’T BE WHISPERING! Okay, gig’s up (or maybe that’s jig’s up), the love I’m about to reiterately (Made Up Word of the Day!) confirm is on these guys I love later in drafts. I’m not going to mention Bryson Stott other than this one mention of him where I say I’m not going to mention him. At least that’s my apophasis and I’m sticking to it! These are players that you’re looking at later and all of them have ADPs after 200 (unlike Stott; okay, two non-mentions). Some could be the 2nd baseman on your team, they are more than likely MIs. This is a (legal-in-all-countries-except-Canada) supplement to the top 20 2nd basemen for 2024 fantasy baseball. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2024 projections. Anyway, here’s some 2nd basemen to target for 2024 fantasy baseball:
Nolan Gorman (Yahoo 189) Ya know what I like to do for this post? Forget everything I’ve said before and just look at guys fresh. Gorman went 27/7 last year in only 406 ABs. In Triple-A, he had a 19.2% K% and a .274 average. Will he get there in the majors after having a 31.9% K% last year? No idea, but he was only 23, why can’t his Ks get better? This is always so dumb with projections. People just assume a guy is exactly what he was and will be again. Everyone is giving him a 30% or worse K%. If he hits .240-45, then so be it, but he could be a 35/12/.260 hitter at 2nd base with two aging bats in the middle of the order that have to make room for new blood at some point. Give me all the Nolan Gorman shares. (Note: I wrote this prior to a Yahoo update, when Gorman was ranked outside of 200 and eligible for this post, so here ya are.)
Edouard Julien (NFBC 212, ESPN 217) I love Julien — gave you an Edouard Julien sleeper — so don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s being drafted before Gorman in some leagues. That’s wild. Gorman just went 27/7 and Julien went 16/3. I like Julien a lot, so I won’t belabor this, but what is going on in people’s noodles? Your shizz is undercooked, al dente at best. With that out of the way, Julien would be a top 120 overall bat if he wasn’t a lefty. Julien’s walk rate alone (don’t usually care, but it’s gorge) should have him out there every day. Oh, he won’t be. He’s a lefty, and Baldelli doesn’t play guys every day, even if he should. Julien has one of the prettiest batted ball profiles and I want him everywhere (though slightly less so than Gorman, but that shouldn’t stop anyone).
Jonathan India (NFBC 280, ESPN unranked) If there was one team that could absorb an 80-day suspension from its 3rd baseman, it was the Reds. I wrote an India sleeper this year, but didn’t post it when Jeimer was signed and India’s PT was clogged. Here’s a part of that sleeper post presented to you:
Last year, Jonathan India went 78/17/61/.244/14 in 454 ABs. Not to shake out of his slumber, Mr. Prorater, but that’s not bad if you just chuck 150 games onto his line. It was only three years ago, he won Rookie of the Year with a 21/12/.269 season. The Launch Angle last year (15.3) was a bit too pronounced, as he might’ve started trying to hit homers. His fly balls were up to 39.5%. He’s in a great park — Great American Smallpark, officially — so I don’t want him to lose all of those fly balls. If he gets to his rookie year HR/FB% (15.9), then he could easily become a 27-homer hitter with his newfound fly balls. He also might hit .250. If I’m being real with you, I’d take 27 homers and .250 or 22 homers and .270. Both seem on the table. He had the 8th lowest chase rate in the majors (19.1%), which isn’t in itself a great thing. He’s selective; actually, he’s 6th lowest for Swing% (38.6%). When he does swing, he was in the 81st percentile for Sweet Spot% (37.2%) and his exit velocity didn’t just bounce back to his Rookie of the Year, uh, year numbers, but he exceeded them.
That he missed time and/or suffered from plantar fasciitis worries me about mistakenly plantar’ing my flag on India like Columbus. Here’s to an offseason of rest fixing his feet. He had 12 steals in the first half, then nothing in July and August. (For what it’s Cronenworth, he didn’t even play in August.) Then stole two bags in September, which was his worst steals month. I did a deep dive (of about 75 seconds) of guys who had plantar fasciitis and how they did the following year. Harrison Bader did in 2022, was fine in 2023 (in regards to that at least). Kris Bryant had it in 2022, and I think that was fine this past year (everything else was an issue). Bud Black said his foot injury in 2023 had nothing to do with plantar of 2022, so take that as far as you’d like. Carlos Correa was the one I found with a reoccurrence, but, ya know, shizz happens. India might not have 25-steal speed as his steals tally from pre-injury shows, but there’s some speed there if healthy.
At the end of the day, there’s some risk here, due to the foot and the new penchant for hitting fly balls, but the foot should be fine and the fly balls add to his power threat (and subtract his batting average). Only one of those is a real negative. If his steals after returning are any indication, he’s at worst a 12-steal guy. At best, 20 steals. Coming with 20 homers and a .270 average or 25 homers and a .250 average? Either way, give me all the Reds hitters I can get around pick 200, and that’s where India’s been lurking. This feels like one of those sleepers that’s super easy money. Low ceiling, but high floor if he plays for 140+ games.
Luis Rengifo (NFBC 231, ESPN 257, Yahoo 223) I will say this for the 2nd basemen, they are shallow, but there’s interesting names late. Is Rengifo the same as drafting Altuve? Well, that is a mustard seed of faith that is beyond my experience, but one love. Hope it works out that way. Better to consider Rengifo is more than a RenGTFO that he will be by mid-April on your fantasy team.
Jordan Westburg (NFBC 301, ESPN 274, Yahoo 306) First off, gave you my Jordan Westburg sleeper. Second off, he went 21/10 in Triple-A and the majors combined last year. Third off, there’s no third off. Fourth off, he hit .260 in the majors with a 24.6% K% and hit .295 in Triple-A. Fifth off, you have the right to remain silent. Sixth off, he was highly touted prospect. How did he suddenly get forgotten? Does this make any sense to anyone? Seventh off, anyone at all? Okay, seventh off was kinda sixth off still.
Michael Massey (NFBC 430, ESPN unranked, Yahoo unranked) I feel like this post is now picking on Julien — a guy who I like a lot! — but Massey’s stats last year were 15/6 vs. Julien’s 16/3. Massey’s were in 90 more ABs, but still. Massey is also a lefty, but he hit better vs. lefties and Royals have no other options than Massey. They might try to make Garrett Hampson a thing, but I tried that myself five years ago and it never works.
Joey Ortiz (NFBC 452, ESPN 242, Yahoo unranked) Keep in mind his NFBC ADP has a lot to do with his pre-trade value, which was zero. Now his value is .001. I kid, but maybe not entirely. Don’t be a JO. Jerk off? No, Joey Ortiz who is a 12/12/.270 player. Call him Jeff McCeiling. Hold my yawn, I’m going back to bed. Is that a sleeper or someone who puts you to sleep? It’s not clear, but the upside is there, and the price is basically free.
Also, there’s some RCLs with spots available to draft this week. They’re filling up fast if you want to play against me and others:
