2024 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Spotlight: Outfielders On New Teams
There have been a number of big-name MLB players who have switched teams this offseason, whether via trade or in free agency. When it comes to outfielders, Juan Soto is the most relevant for fantasy baseball lineups after the San Diego Padres traded him to the New York Yankees over the winter. Is Soto worth drafting in the first round of fantasy baseball drafts with his team change? What can we expect from new San Francisco Giants outfielder Jorge Soler? Plus, there may be a fantasy baseball sleeper or two worth drafting in later rounds based on their offseason moves. We’ll break it all down in this primer for fantasy baseball outfielders on new teams for the 2024 MLB season.
2024 Fantasy Baseball Outfielders on New Teams
Juan Soto, New York Yankees (ADP 9)
Juan Soto was one of the biggest names to change teams this offseason. Back in December, the New York Yankees acquired Soto in a seven-player trade with the San Diego Padres. The star outfielder has already been a top-tier, MVP-caliber player but his fantasy value should increase even more in the loaded Yankees lineup. Soto will likely bat second for New York with some combination of Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, and Alex Verdugo coming up behind him. Then there’s the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, which is especially beneficial for left-handed power hitters like Soto, and a notable upgrade from his previous home, Petco Park, of last year.
Soto is coming off a strong 2023 season in which he hit 35 home runs with 109 RBI, 97 runs scored, and a .410 OBP. We can safely project 25-40 homers again this season with plenty of walks and a high OBP. Assuming he gets on base at a high rate, like we’re used to seeing, Soto has a good chance of leading the league in runs scored with all of those boppers hitting after him. He’s going off the board among the top 10 overall in most fantasy baseball drafts and is well worth a first-round pick.
Jorge Soler, San Francisco Giants (ADP 150)
After smacking 36 homers for the Miami Marlins last year, Jorge Soler signed a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants just last month. The 32-year-old will likely be hitting cleanup in a Giants lineup that’s now added a few notable names this offseason. Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman should make this San Fran offense much more potent than last year. Soler “only” had 75 RBI and 77 runs scored in 2023 despite those 36 home runs. That’s not an ideal ratio, but those other numbers could actually increase now with more around him than was the case in Miami.
Of course, the San Francisco ballpark isn’t a great one for power hitters and will likely lower Soler’s homer output this season. Still, the power is proven for a guy that also hit 48 bombs in 2019 and 27 in 2021. Soler is going off the board as the 38th outfielder in fantasy baseball drafts with an ADP in the 12th round of 12-team leagues. He’s a very viable OF2 or OF3 if you need later-round power with the upside for more runs and RBI production in an improved Giants lineup.
Jarred Kelenic, Atlanta Braves (ADP 224)
Back in December, the Seattle Mariners traded Jarred Kelenic to the Atlanta Braves in a five-player deal. Kelenic in the loaded Braves lineup is a very interesting option and it makes him intriguing as a late-round fantasy baseball flier. The 24-year-old was once considered a top MLB prospect but has yet to live up to the hype. He bounced between Triple-A and the bigs over the past three seasons while with Seattle, but his Major League numbers never matched his production in the minors.
Kelenic seemed to be figuring things out last year with a strong April but then a mid-season slump and then months lost to a broken foot essentially tanked his fantasy value. There’s an argument to be made that Kelenic can benefit from the change of scenery, especially now with less pressure and a new role for the Braves. He’s still young and possesses raw hitting tools that have always been there. An interesting wrinkle, though, is that Atlanta just signed Adam Duvall this week to presumably platoon with Kelenic in left field. This obviously puts a damper on Kelenic’s overall fantasy value, but he’s worth a dart throw at his 224 ADP if you already drafted proven outfielders.
Tyler O’Neill, Boston Red Sox (ADP 229)
Tyler O’Neill is one of the more interesting names to switch teams this offseason. O’Neill isn’t far removed from his 2021 breakout season with the St. Louis Cardinals, in which he had 34 home runs, 89 runs scored, 80 RBI, .286 BA, and .353 OBP. He even finished eighth in that year’s MVP voting, believe it or not. O’Neill has since played less than 100 games in both of the past two seasons while dealing with multiple injuries.
This offseason, the Cardinals dealt O’Neill to the Boston Red Sox and it could be one of those under-the-radar trades. If O’Neill can stay healthy this year, we’ve already seen what he can do at his ceiling. He’s projected to hit in the middle of the Red Sox lineup with likely plenty of opportunities for RBI and runs scored in Fenway’s hitter-friendly ballpark. O’Neill is being drafted very late right now but is worth a flier for the possibility he gets back to that 2021 level.