This MLB off-season has seen a ton of player movement. There are still high-profile free agents available, and when they sign, it will change the fantasy baseball landscape. But for now, let’s take a look at some hitters who have changed teams this off-season and how it impacts their fantasy baseball value.
Justin Turner Blue Jays Fantasy Outlook
Turner is 39 years old and entering his 16th season in MLB. Usually, players who have been around that long aren’t as productive as they once were and begin to fall out of favor in the fantasy baseball community. That simply hasn’t been the case for Turner, though, who is coming off another terrific season, a season he spent as the primary DH for the Red Sox while also playing some 1B and filling in around the infield from time to time. The veteran batted .276 with a .345 OBP, 86 runs, 23 home runs, and 96 RBI. The move to Toronto seems to be a lateral one, considering he is leaving a great hitter’s park in Fenway but is joining a much better Blue Jays team, which should boost his counting stats. Turner has a career .288/.363/.464 slash line and has three straight seasons of 81 or more RBIs. Since becoming mostly a full-time DH, he has remained healthy, which has allowed him to consistently rack up counting stats. His production is excellent and it makes him a great value in drafts right now. He has an ADP of 255 since the start of 2024, with a min pick of 140 and a maximum pick of 338. You should ignore the max pick though, it was made before Turner signed, and although his min pick may not be beaten, his ADP will move from 255. Look for him to be going around pick 190-210 over the next month or so.
Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers Fantasy Outlook
Hernandez signing with the Dodgers flew under the radar a little because of all the other major signings the Dodgers have made. He isn’t a superstar like Ohtani, nor is he a young international phenom like Yamamoto. Teoscar is, however, a very good hitter who now joins an insanely good lineup with the Dodgers. His defensive ability does leave a lot to be desired, so you can expect him to see time at DH. However, that might be a good thing for fantasy baseball, considering it could keep him healthier throughout the season. If you look at what Hernandez has done in his career, averaging out over a 162-game season, he bats .261 with 84 runs, 32 home runs, 94 RBIs, and eight steals. Of course, almost no player plays in 162 games anymore, but even in 145-150 games, this is an impact bat for you in fantasy, and he could be in for a career year while hitting around guys like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, and Max Muncy. He has an ADP of 130 right now, with a max pick of 191 (which happened before he signed) and a minimum pick of 84, which, of course, happened after he became a Dodger. You should expect his ADP to rise from 130; however, I would advise you against taking him inside the top 100 overall. He is good, but there are better players and values to be had inside the top 100.
Joc Pederson Diamondbacks Fantasy Outlook
Pederson is a player to watch very closely over the next few weeks. He is going to see a massive increase in ADP following his signing. Before the news of his deal with Arizona, his ADP was in the 500s and his minimum pick was 332. Now that he has signed and should the DBacks’ DH on the strong side of the platoon, his ADP is going to skyrocket into the top 300, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see someone take him inside the top 250. Pederson has always mashed RHP: Over the past couple of seasons in San Francisco, he hit 35 of his 38 HRs against RHP while hitting for a significantly higher AVG and OBP. The one thing that has held him back from having a potential 30-HR, 90-RBI season is his health and his struggles against lefties. As a primary DH, his health may not be a factor so much in 2024, so if he can get 450 or more at-bats, you could be looking at a monster season. He hasn’t had 450 or more AB since 2019, a season in which he hit 36 HR as a member of the Dodgers. There is upside with this pick and, frankly, no downside to taking him based on where he is going in your drafts right now.
