We’re only a couple of weeks inside the fresh fantasy baseball season, but I’m human like anyone else. I’m starting to wonder what I might have been wrong about. Here are eight players who are giving me pause and reflection at the moment.
Kyle Tucker, OF, Cubs
Let’s understand this for what it is. I’ve always loved Tucker’s skill set and my fade of him last month was more of a soft fade — I even drafted him on one co-managed team when my partner was persuasive. My main Tucker concern was how his new ballpark would play, after a long run in a Houston park that was tailored for his swing. But I think I might have underestimated the depth of the Chicago offense, and perhaps worried too much about last season being lost to injury. One thing we did know about Tucker all along — he has dreamy control of the strike zone. He’s already walked 16 times, compared to a modest 11 strikeouts.
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, Giants
Here’s another player who lost most of 2024 to injury, which kept Lee almost free during draft season. When Lee landed in the No. 3 slot to begin the year, I wondered if he had enough pop to stay there — we’re talking about a guy who slugged just .331 last year. Fast forward two weeks — Lee has a MLB-leading eight doubles and three homers, good for a .644 slugging percentage. He’s even running liberally (three steals) for a team that usually eschews the stolen base. He’s one of fantasy’s strongest risers through the first wave of play.
Ben Rice, 1B, Yankees
He’s one of the most improved players in baseball — walking more, striking out less, pulling the ball more, bumping his hard-hit rate. New York is also letting Rice play against most lefties, and the Yankees lineup probably has the most buoyancy of any in the American League.
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Tigers
Torkelson’s strikeout rate is still an issue — it’s actually risen slightly — but he’s also walking a little more. What’s most exciting is what happens when he does make contact — his hard-hit rate has risen significantly and his pull rate has jumped by 15%. It’s still merely an age-25 season for Torkelson and he was the first overall pick in his draft class; this is a classic post-hype sleeper come to life.
Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Diamondbacks
I’m not sure if wrong is the proper word with my preseason Perdomo take — he wasn’t on my radar at all. But not only is he off to a terrific .333/.448/.490 start (two homers, two steals), he already has 13 walks against just two strikeouts. That ratio is too good to be true, but it’s a strong signal even through a modest 16 games. Perdomo is also enjoying a temporary rise in the batting order while Ketel Marte is hurt.
Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox
I always liked his offensive profile but I wanted to avoid potential platoon hitters for my mixed-league rosters. Alas, Abreu has absolutely crushed righties so far (.354/.466/.625), and he’s even picked up one start against a southpaw. The Boston schedule continues to face a diet of righties, with 10 of the next 12 opponents working from that side of the rubber. And there’s always incentive to keep Abreu on the field, as he offers Gold Glove defense.
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Roki Sasaki, SP, Dodgers
I only landed one share during draft season, but that might have been too many. Sasaki has more walks than strikeouts through four starts, and he’s only made it to five innings on one occasion. The 3.29 ERA is a near-miracle — the Baseball Savant data suggests his true ERA should be 4.91. The Dodgers have every reason to be patient with Sasaki, but perhaps I should have expected less polish from a 23-year-old in his first MLB season.
Aroldis Chapman, RP, Red Sox
The Boston closing situation had that committee smell before the year, so I was a touch reluctant to trust a 37-year-old veteran in that chair, especially given that he’s left-handed. Perhaps a mistake — Chapman is getting plenty of high-leverage work, already collecting two wins and three saves. He’s been a little wild (four walks), but with 11 strikeouts in seven innings, you can see his stuff remains electric. His fastball still clocks in the high 90s, too.
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