2024 MLB Award Winner Predictions from a Fantasy Baseball Perspective | MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and More
Revealing my 2024 MLB award winners and then discussing some of the best fantasy players in the game.
The MLB season is just a couple days away now, so it’s time to continue offering up some predictions for the 2024 season.
A couple days back, I revealed my MLB division predictions, and today, I’ll announce my winners for all types of MLB awards and honors, but looking at them from a fantasy perspective. Let’s dive in!
Get ready for draft season! Check out our Mock Draft Simulator, Average Draft Position list and Draft Genius!
MVP
We won’t have a repeat with both real MVPs from 2023, because now Ronald Acuna Jr. and Shohei Ohtani play in the National League.
The battle for the NL fantasy MVP should include those two players, along with several other hitters who appear early on the FantasySP Average Draft Position list. Acuna was head and shoulders above any other fantasy hitter in 2023, so even with a regression, I still think he finishes as the top hitter in 2024.
As for a fantasy MVP from the AL, guys like Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker, Jose Ramirez and Yordan Alvarez are the top-drafted hitters. I like Soto to star in his first season with the Yankees and finish as the top fantasy hitter in the AL.
Cy Young
A repeat of last year’s real Cy Youngs also seems unlikely, as Gerrit Cole will miss a good portion of the season. Blake Snell won the NL Cy Young, and should be in contention for it again despite joining a new team.
For NL fantasy Cy Young options, Spencer Strider, Zack Wheeler, Zac Gallen, Logan Webb and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are the top five starting pitchers off draft boards. Strider was the top-scoring fantasy SP in the NL a season ago, and I like him to repeat this season, so he’s my choice for NL fantasy Cy Young.
In the AL, Corbin Burnes, Kevin Gausman, Luis Castillo, Pablo Lopez and Framber Valdez are the first five SP off draft boards. Cole was the top AL fantasy SP in 2023, and in 2024, I’m going with the guy who finished second in 2023, Castillo.
Rookie of the Year
Gunnar Henderson (AL) and Corbin Carroll (NL) were the real Rookies of the Year in 2023, and will be great fantasy options in 2024.
Some of the favorites for AL Rookie of the Year in 2024 are Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, Jackson Holliday and Colt Keith. Carter has the leg up on the other three after getting some MLB experience in 2023, and I think he’ll use that to his advantage and be the best fantasy option of the bunch.
In the NL, some of the favorites are Yamamoto, Jung Hoo Lee, Jackson Chourio and Jackson Merrill. Yamamoto and Lee have the advantage after playing competitive ball overseas for several seasons, but I think the two young hitters (Chourio and Merrill) end up battling for the honor by the end of the season. Chourio has a better chance of moving into a great spot in the lineup, and I think he’ll eventually get there and take home the honor as the highest-scoring NL rookie in 2024.
Reliever of the Year
It’s highly unlikely that either real 2023 Reliever of the Year repeats in 2024. Devin Williams won the honor in the NL, but will miss a couple months of the season. Felix Bautista won the AL honor, but will miss the entire season.
Josh Hader, Emmanuel Clase, Jordan Romano and Jhoan Duran are the top-four AL relievers off draft boards according to our data, but Romano and Duren are already expected to miss time. Clase was second in the AL behind Bautista in fantasy points scored in 2023, and I think he produces an even lower earned run average, allowing him to take this fantasy honor in 2024.
In the NL, Camilo Doval, Edwin Diaz, Raisel Iglesias and Alexis Diaz are some of the top relievers taken. Doval finished third in the NL and fourth overall in fantasy points a season ago, and after the injury to Williams, I like Doval to be the top-scoring NL fantasy reliever in 2024.
All-MLB Team
The MLB also releases an ALL-MLB team after every season now, naming first and second team players. So, I’m going to reveal my top two fantasy scorers at each position.
Catcher
Adley Rutschman and William Contreras: These two were the top scorers in 2023, and I see it happening again in 2024. They both play a ton of games, which helps their causes big time. Both have some pop in their bats and deliver good averages. There will be others that push these two, but in the end, the games played and production at the plate will help Rutschman and Contreras finish first and second.
First Base
Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson: These two were also the top scorers at their position in 2023 (just with Olson finishing above Freeman). I just don’t see many other guys who can match their season-long production. I like the Dodgers’ lineup more right now, so that’s why Freeman gets the edge this season.
Second Base
Marcus Semien and Ozzie Albies: Semien and Albies were top performers at second base a season ago (with only Mookie Betts ahead of them, but I’m categorizing him as a shortstop). Both guys have been inconsistent over the past couple seasons but should be among the better fantasy hitters in the game, and in stacked lineups. I gave Semien the edge because he plays more games on average.
Shortstop
Mookie Betts and Bobby Witt Jr.: If you’ve followed some of my fantasy baseball draft coverage, you know I love Betts going into the season. His position versatility is what I really like, but he’s going to be one of the better fantasy hitters too. Witt led the position a season ago, and I like him to improve and battle Betts for total points by the end of the season.
Third Base
Jose Ramirez and Austin Riley: Ramirez led the position in fantasy points in 2023, and had a bit of a down season by his standards, so I think he comfortably leads the position in 2024. Riley finished third at the position a season ago. I think he’s in for an even bigger season, which will help him finish second at the position in 2024.
Outfield 1
Ronald Acuna Jr. and Juan Soto: These are my two MVP picks, so it makes sense that they’ll score the most fantasy points too. This just confirms that I think these will be the two best fantasy outfielders in 2024, regardless of which league a player is in.
Outfield 2
Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodriguez: I like the two youngsters to keep improving on the field and finish as the third and fourth highest-scoring fantasy outfielders in 2024. Their lineups aren’t quite as good overall, so it hurts their fantasy values just enough to keep them off the top line.
Outfield 3
Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez: Give me the two Astros for the final outfield slots. Tucker was one of the top scoring fantasy OF last year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him up there again this season. Alvarez wasn’t in the top-10 finishers because he missed a bunch of games. I think he plays enough games to finish as OF6 this season.
Starting Pitcher 1
Spencer Strider and Zack Wheeler: Strider we’ve already discussed, but I see him as the top-scoring SP in 2024. Wheeler is a guy I like to bounce back a bit this season, so I think he finishes second at the position.
Starting Pitcher 2
Luis Castillo and Kevin Gausman: My AL fantasy Cy Young I like as SP3, while Gausman takes fourth overall. If Gausman wasn’t dinged up to start the season, he would have been my fantasy AL Cy Young pick.
Starting Pitcher 3
Zac Gallen and Logan Webb: Gallen and Webb will finish fifth and sixth at the position. Both of these could power a fantasy team during the 2024 season.
Starting Pitcher 4
Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes: Give me Snell and Burnes next. I don’t think the change of scenery will hurt Snell too much, while I don’t think Burnes finishes quite as well with his new team (or as high as many expect).
Starting Pitcher 5
Pablo Lopez and Framber Valdez: Lopez and Valdez round out the top 10 for me. These are the last couple SP that I believe could power a fantasy rotation this season.
Relief Pitcher 1
Emmanuel Clase and Camilo Doval: We already covered these two guys in the Reliever of the Year section, but they go here again because I think they will be the top two fantasy relievers, regardless of which league they play in.
Relief Pitcher 2
Josh Hader and Alexis Diaz: The change of scenery for Hader will give him plenty of save opportunities, and he’ll push for the top fantasy point total. I was surprised to see Diaz as a top-five fantasy RP option in 2023, and with two of the top guys out from last year's list, I like Diaz to bump up a single spot in 2024.
#2024-fantasy-baseball
