Fantasy Baseball Targets: 2024 League Winners

One of the major themes I repeatedly express to new fantasy baseball participants is that the season is a long one. With such a large player universe not only in the majors but also all across the minor leagues, it’s hard to keep track of everybody.

I’m here to tell you all about current injuries, prospect promotions, and hot streaks you may have missed. 

Whether you haven’t been paying attention lately or simply forgot about players who underperformed earlier in the year, here are some guys who could end up making the difference for your team down the stretch.

Stats updated prior to games on July 31.

Lawrence Butler – OF

At this point in the season, it’s hard to find a leadoff hitter who hits for power and can steal bases. Fortunately, Butler owns all three of those characteristics.

Yes, he is currently in the middle of a torrid streak at the plate, but those attributes would have me interested even if he was playing just alright. The advantage of adding a leadoff hitter to your lineup is that it only gives you more chances to strike. 

I understand the Oakland Athletics lineup is not the greatest 1-9, but if you look at their 1-5 hitters, it’s really not bad at all. After Butler, it’s Andujar, Bleday, Rooker, and Langeliers. Andujar is hitting .286 while Rooker and Langeliers have popped 26 and 20 home runs, respectively.

In fact, the A’s led the AL in almost all offensive categories in July. No AL team had more home runs or runs scored, and no AL team had a higher OPS.

Last season in 89 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Butler hit 15 homers while thieving 21 bags with an .825 OPS. If he can come close to replicating those numbers in the majors (and he’s off to a good start), he could be a big help to your outfield.

Nobody on the current waiver wire has more upside than this guy. 

Robbie Ray – SP

Remember that guy who won the Cy Young Award back in 2021? And then followed it up with a solid 3.71 ERA and 212 strikeouts the following year? Well, he’s back. And funnily enough, it seems as if many people didn’t realize he made his 2024 debut on July 24 in Los Angeles.

We have not seen Robbie Ray throw a full season since his fantastic 2021 and 2022 performances. Can he produce similar numbers post-Tommy John surgery?

Ray wrapped up his final rehab assignment on July 19 and boy, the results did not disappoint. In 29.1 minor league innings (10 games), he struck out 45 while walking only six batters. The only thing that’s a bit worrisome is his habit of giving up the long ball. Luckily, he will pitch his home games in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in San Francisco.

Over his first two MLB starts, he has thrown 9.1 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and striking out 12.

Ray has a much higher ceiling than most of your rotation, so he’s worth an add even if you bench him for his first few starts. There is ace potential here, and a lefty fireballer is always welcomed, especially in today’s environment full of arm injuries and depth questions. Invest before it’s too late!

Mark Vientos – 3B

Let’s just state the obvious: This guy has one of the best power bats in the league this year. I don’t care that he’s a rookie. His 15 home runs in just 62 games is a 39-homer pace over the course of a full season.

Ever since taking over the Mets’ third base job, Mark Vientos has done nothing but mash. Back in early July, people were shocked to realize he had the second-highest OPS amongst MLB third basemen (min. 150 PA).

Don’t be so surprised anymore, the cat is out of the bag.

In a year in which offense has been down in almost every category, a big bat like Vientos to fill in your hot corner position will be very useful down the stretch.

And there’s even better news when it comes to his profile. Vientos takes care of four out of five offensive categories when it comes to fantasy. That’s right, he’s the rare power hitter who has also been hitting for average.

It’s hard to believe, but that is one of the rarest traits to have in today’s offensive environment. How do we know the average will hold and it’s not just a power burst? Well, Vientos hit 24 home runs (101 games) while batting .280 at Triple-A in 2022, and he hit 16 home runs (62 games) while batting .306 at Triple-A in 2023.

The average is here to stay and we know his contact skills are almost as good as his power ability – something mightily valuable. 

Jeffrey Springs – SP

This one is a more disguised, sneakier selection than any of the others on this list. Reason being, Jeffrey Springs has only played one full season in the bigs, even though he made his debut back in 2018.

Yet, in that 2022 season, Springs danced to the tune of a 2.46 ERA while striking out 144 batters in 135.1 innings. Just last year, we were all riding the Springs preseason hype train. It looked like we were correct, too, until tragedy struck his arm in the form of a UCL injury. He has been in recovery from Tommy John surgery ever since. 

However, before his early-season exit in 2023, Springs was arguably the most dialed-in pitcher across the league. He only allowed four walks and four hits in 16 innings of work while striking out 24. I call those numbers nearly perfect.

A 0.56 ERA and 0.50 WHIP were the result, and that small sample size excellence was backed up by his strong spring training totals, too.

The only concern I’d have is how carefully the Rays use him for the rest of the 2024 season. He made his season debut on Tuesday, pitching just 3.2 innings and giving up two earned runs. For now, we can only hold out hope that he produces similarly to past performances and add accordingly. 

Jake Burger – 1B/3B

This one might be a little bit of a surprise since Burger has not had the greatest 2024. But fear not, the power-hitting first and third baseman is finding his groove at the plate. And when #36 gains confidence, it’s typically a momentum thing the rest of the way.

Since the start of July, he is slashing .289/.359/.590 with seven home runs. His bat speed continues to lie in the 89th percentile, something that will always help, even if his counting stats like runs and RBI are lacking due to poor offensive support from his Miami teammates. Plus his average exit velocity, barrel percentage and hard-hit rate all point toward a strong second half. 

Let’s not forget that just last season, almost every Chicago White Sox fan was furious when Burger got traded. Now let me be clear: That belief still holds true, and Miami got the better end of the deal even with Burger having a down year in 2024.

Before the 2023 deadline, this guy managed to smack 25 home runs in 88 games. Think about it, that means there was a 28% chance he was going deep every game he played in. And he didn’t stop once shipped to Miami, slapping nine homers in 53 games.

His extra lineup support and power production boosted the Marlins into a playoff spot last season – something Burger could do for your fantasy team this year!