If you have been reading or listening to my content, you have likely heard me reference fScores (named fScores for “fantasy scores”) or use them to compare players. This is a custom fantasy stat I created that aggregates other stats into core skills, weighted against the average player where 100 is average, similar to wRC+ or OPS+. Drafting based on core skills, rather than attempting a “one size fits all” ranking allows for more customization in team build and team design to target the weak points of your team and allow for more balance.
Most sets of player rankings are built toward a traditional roto 5×5 setting and most people play in H2H categories or points leagues with custom settings. Additionally, drafting based on projections is a faulty strategy, rather it makes more sense to draft based on underlying skills and factors that may enhance or hold back those skills. Projections are often too high, too low or too safe. Drafting based on proven skills for what you need is the way to go.
HITTING
There are six main skills that go into an effective fantasy baseball hitter.
- fContact
- fPlate Discipline
- fPower
- fSpeed
- fDurability
- fEF (external factors)
Please read the article “What the f*** is an fScore” for a betting understanding before going through the below rankings.
Other Positions: Catcher fScores, 1B fScores, 2B fScores, SS fScores, 3B fScores, OF fScores, SP fScores, RP fScores
Ranking Notes:
TIER 1 (Rustschman, Realmuto, William Contreras, Smith)
Rutschman has the highest potential of the group and is the better bet for points leagues or OBP leagues, but in standard roto (non Keeper) leagues, I’m likely picking Realmuto first.
Realmuto has the best power / speed combo of the bunch, as has been the norm for about five years running and has yet to decline even though he is getting a little older.
Contreras had a very nice debut with the Brewers and hits high in the lineup in a ballpark that plays positively for hitters. He has earned his way into this top tier and I’ll give him the nod to Smith due to the better second half and better chance at greater counting stats.
Smith is going to be hitting in a dangerous lineup in 2024, but with Cartaya and Rushing not far off, we might be looking at less playing time moving forward than we are used to.
TIER 2 (Willson Contreras, Raleigh, Naylor, Murphy, Diaz, O’Hoppe, Melendez, Garver)
Willson had a crazy good second half, while the rest of the Cardinals lineup was melting down. Even when he’s not catching, he should get a significant number of DH reps.
Raleigh is basically Willson Contreras with a worse hit tool and plate skills, but we did see a nice power uptick in the second half.
Bo Naylor might be my favorite catcher to draft in 2024, power, speed and great for on base leagues. He killed it the last couple months of the season.
Murphy had a phenomenal first half, but really dropped off in the second half, which is a bit concerning.
Diaz is looking at increased playing time in 2024 with Maldonado and Dusty Baker gone, the dude can hit.
O’Hoppe has some massive power upside, one can hope we see increased plate skills moving forward as he looked a little better at the end of the season.
Melendez had a solid year and gets plenty of ABs, great for weekly leagues because he’s going to play a lot.
Garver is going to get primarily DH duties in Seattle this year, but as long as he stays healthy he belongs in a tier with these other guys and can put up some nice numbers.
TIER 3 (Alvarez, Moreno, Ruiz, Jeffers)
Alvarez has some big time potential power, but he has to do a better job of making good contact, the hit tool is no bueno.
Too bad we can’t combine Moreno and Alvarez into one player, Moreno is all hit, but started showing some power at the end of the season and in the playoffs.
Ruiz is basically just a worse version of Moreno on a much worse team.
Jeffers has never had full run as a starter, but started to get some run in the second half and has quite a bit of power in his bat. He could put up Raleigh numbers with full plate appearances.
TIER 4 (Stephenson, Jansen, Heim, Campusano, Langeliers, Perez, Davis, Kirk, Rogers, Sanchez)
This is the last tier of guys you want starting on any of your fantasy teams in two catcher leagues. The lower tiers are more or less going to be back up catcher types.
Some of these are so close in the rankings that one isn’t much better than another, though some have stronger power vs. hit and some will have better lineups or more playing time to work with (ie: Heim and Campusano).
TIER 5 (Wong – D’Arnaud)
These are all backups in super deep leagues, like DCs.
The younger guys have some breakout opportunity in 2024 like Wells, Herrera, Amaya and Fermin.
TIER 6 (Soderstrom – Bart)
Most of these guys should not be owned in any leagues, except as like a fourth or fifth catcher in a DC at the start of the season.
In dynasty leagues the Queros and Teel are interesting.
Please follow me on X @fantasyaceball and subscribe to the Fantasy Aceball podcast for more great content throughout the season. More of my written work, including in-season daily articles can be found on FWFB and Fantasy Pros.
Name | fContact | fDiscipline | fPower | fSpeed | fDurability | TOTAL | FUTURE |
Adley Rutschman | 108 | 150 | 100 | 68 | 111 | 106 | 109 |
J.T. Realmuto | 103 | 86 | 122 | 114 | 100 | 106 | 102 |
William Contreras | 105 | 108 | 118 | 77 | 104 | 103 | 110 |
Will Smith | 112 | 121 | 109 | 74 | 100 | 103 | 99 |
Willson Contreras | 98 | 107 | 137 | 66 | 84 | 101 | 105 |
Cal Raleigh | 93 | 91 | 141 | 63 | 101 | 99 | 114 |
Bo Naylor | 94 | 134 | 117 | 106 | 82 | 99 | 106 |
Sean Murphy | 108 | 114 | 133 | 61 | 82 | 101 | 100 |
Yainer Diaz | 103 | 94 | 134 | 68 | 84 | 96 | 111 |
Logan O’Hoppe | 91 | 91 | 150 | 59 | 59 | 87 | 95 |
M.J. Melendez | 100 | 113 | 113 | 67 | 108 | 99 | 101 |
Mitch Garver | 99 | 131 | 140 | 59 | 66 | 98 | 102 |
Francisco Alvarez | 88 | 103 | 129 | 77 | 87 | 95 | 96 |
Gabriel Moreno | 107 | 108 | 78 | 86 | 64 | 87 | 96 |
Keibert Ruiz | 103 | 108 | 77 | 66 | 98 | 94 | 97 |
Ryan Jeffers | 97 | 101 | 136 | 67 | 63 | 91 | 98 |
Tyler Stephenson | 113 | 107 | 100 | 62 | 82 | 90 | 97 |
Danny Jansen | 94 | 111 | 137 | 63 | 52 | 93 | 96 |
Jonah Heim | 97 | 102 | 98 | 67 | 85 | 92 | 95 |
Luis Campusano | 104 | 84 | 95 | 64 | 59 | 78 | 87 |
Shea Langliers | 86 | 79 | 129 | 75 | 92 | 92 | 96 |
Salvador Perez | 104 | 59 | 108 | 58 | 105 | 91 | 84 |
Henry Davis | 93 | 118 | 87 | 58 | 77 | 82 | 90 |
Alejandro Kirk | 106 | 152 | 84 | 57 | 82 | 90 | 91 |
Jake Rogers | 94 | 86 | 123 | 69 | 60 | 84 | 101 |
Gary Sanchez | 90 | 97 | 155 | 64 | 59 | 90 | 89 |
Connor Wong | 89 | 73 | 96 | 109 | 79 | 84 | 84 |
Austin Wells | 102 | 89 | 110 | 68 | 84 | 85 | 89 |
Patrick Bailey | 90 | 88 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 78 | 83 |
Ivan Herrera | 85 | 140 | 76 | 79 | 62 | 83 | 92 |
Miguel Amaya | 89 | 120 | 88 | 71 | 74 | 86 | 90 |
Blake Sabol | 87 | 87 | 106 | 84 | 69 | 82 | 85 |
Elias Diaz | 94 | 82 | 83 | 62 | 93 | 82 | 76 |
Sam Huff | 96 | 74 | 150 | 70 | 50 | 79 | 80 |
Freddy Fermin | 98 | 85 | 100 | 67 | 60 | 77 | 80 |
Yasmani Grandal | 96 | 129 | 75 | 59 | 72 | 79 | 75 |
Travis D’Arnaud | 93 | 82 | 105 | 60 | 61 | 77 | 72 |
Tyler Soderstrom | 86 | 82 | 104 | 66 | 74 | 78 | 80 |
Yan Gomes | 102 | 78 | 85 | 69 | 83 | 80 | 79 |
Martin Maldanado | 89 | 81 | 109 | 60 | 81 | 79 | 74 |
Max Stassi | 85 | 102 | 106 | 58 | 50 | 74 | 68 |
Andrew Knizner | 90 | 84 | 84 | 70 | 52 | 73 | 79 |
Drew Romo | 91 | 79 | 68 | 93 | 57 | 74 | 79 |
Christian Vazquez | 95 | 84 | 69 | 66 | 78 | 73 | 71 |
Nick Fortes | 87 | 90 | 66 | 81 | 69 | 73 | 70 |
Rene Pinto | 94 | 50 | 119 | 68 | 60 | 72 | 76 |
James McCann | 104 | 70 | 84 | 81 | 54 | 73 | 71 |
Dillon Dingler | 80 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 58 | 72 | 81 |
Austin Nola | 93 | 140 | 55 | 59 | 66 | 72 | 68 |
Carson Kelly | 90 | 108 | 68 | 72 | 54 | 70 | 66 |
Christian Bethancourt | 90 | 60 | 92 | 77 | 66 | 71 | 69 |
Jeferson Quero | 87 | 84 | 82 | 86 | 47 | 74 | 78 |
Kyle Teel | 96 | 116 | 83 | 95 | 6 | 79 | 87 |
Edgar Quero | 86 | 152 | 81 | 67 | 55 | 82 | 94 |
Diego Cartaya | 78 | 99 | 112 | 66 | 49 | 77 | 77 |
Omar Narvaez | 105 | 116 | 80 | 61 | 49 | 73 | 71 |
Eric Haase | 88 | 71 | 79 | 93 | 56 | 70 | 63 |
Jose Trevino | 93 | 85 | 68 | 60 | 63 | 68 | 68 |
Austin Barnes | 93 | 122 | 68 | 70 | 42 | 71 | 77 |
Reese McGuire | 101 | 76 | 57 | 85 | 47 | 67 | 66 |
Francisco Mejia | 97 | 58 | 86 | 49 | 35 | 62 | 64 |
Joey Bart | 80 | 75 | 74 | 69 | 64 | 64 | 62 |
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