5 Mid-To-Late Round Sleepers: NL West - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

Welcome to the final draft sleeper series, where I go through every MLB team to find one sleeper you should be drafting in fantasy baseball this year. The NL West is the last one on our list.

The NL West features plenty of superstars who are going early in drafts. Mookie Betts, Corbin Carroll, Freddie Freeman, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Shohei Ohtani are all going in the first 15 picks. Of those five players, Betts and Carroll are likely the most valuable fantasy players in the division.

However, those five players will not be featured on this list because of their high average draft position (ADP). So, let's dive in and see which sleepers you should draft from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Colorado Rockies in the middle to late rounds.

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Los Angeles Dodgers: Teoscar Hernandez

Newly signed Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez might be the forgotten name in this offense. However, he's a player to target in the middle rounds due to his home run and RBI potential. Hernandez is currently going in the 11th or 12th round of drafts, which seems like a great price.

Hernandez has always displayed power over his career -- dating back to his Toronto Blue Jays days. In 2021, he hit 32 HRs, 116 RBI, and 29 doubles en route to an All-Star campaign. Then, last year with the Seattle Mariners, the 31-year-old hit .258 at the plate with 26 HRs, 94 RBI, and 29 doubles. Now, he'll be hitting in the thick of one of the best lineups in baseball this season.

Today's Dodgers lineup 🌵

Mookie Betts, 2B
Shohei Ohtani, DH
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Will Smith, C
Max Muncy, 3B
Teoscar Hernandez, LF
Jason Heyward, RF
Miguel Rojas, SS
Jose Ramos, CF

Bobby Miller, P

— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) February 27, 2024

Hernandez will likely hit in the fifth or sixth spot in Los Angeles' lineup in 2024, which will lead to more RBI opportunities. The veteran has totaled at least 25 HRs and 29 doubles in three straight seasons while driving in over 90 runs in two of the past three years. The outfielder has always hit the ball hard, and he should produce solid fantasy numbers in a top offense in 2024.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez

Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason. After spending the past two years with the Detroit Tigers, Rodriguez gives Arizona another rotation arm in 2024 and beyond. He's also a pitcher who could be a great value pick later in fantasy drafts.

The left-hander currently has an ADP of 183, which might be too low for a starter coming off a 3.30 ERA season. Rodriguez is surely not the same pitcher he was a couple of years ago when he finished sixth in the American League Cy Young voting in 2019. Nevertheless, he could still provide solid fantasy numbers with his low ERA and hits per nine innings.

Last season, Rodriguez only gave up 128 hits across 152.2 innings pitched. That equals out to roughly 7.5 hits per nine innings. The southpaw won't give fantasy managers solid strikeout numbers, but his career 4.03 ERA is surely good enough in the later rounds. He also delivered a career-best 1.153 WHIP in 2023, showing signs that he can still pitch at a high level.

San Francisco Giants: Jorge Soler

Whether you're in a points or roto league, San Francisco Giants outfielder Jorge Soler could be a valuable option later in fantasy drafts. Soler's power is a large reason for that following his 36-homer campaign last year. The 32-year-old slugger is currently going in the 14th or 15th round in 2024. 

Jorge Soler's first at-bat in a #SFGiants uniform is a line drive single to left field.

— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) February 26, 2024

Soler has always been known as a power hitter, so if you need some long balls, he could be a late-round go-to option. The new Giants outfielder has hit at least 27 HRs in three of the past four full seasons. In 2023, he hit .250 with 36 HRs, 75 RBI, and 24 doubles with the Miami Marlins. However, that wasn't even a career year for the Cuban native.

Back in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals, Soler hit 48 HRs with 117 RBI. While those totals might not be attainable this year, it speaks to the power the veteran has. He can easily hit another 30 HRs in 2024. If that's the case, he's a player to target in the middle to late rounds.

San Diego Padres: Michael King

New San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King might be the best sleeper on this list because of his potential upside. King came over from the New York Yankees in the Juan Soto deal, and now will have the chance to be a full-time starting pitcher with the Padres.

Last season, King started nine games for the Yankees. In those outings, he had a 2.23 ERA and 51 strikeouts across 40.1 IP. The right-hander showed a lot of promise as a starter in a nine-game sample size, which included a 10-strikeout, one-earned run start across seven innings against the Blue Jays in September.

"I realized the opportunity I had in San Diego and I couldn't be more appreciative... I'm really looking forward to it."

Michael King talks about being traded to the @Padres and his mindset as a full-time starter. pic.twitter.com/crhwH4OaA9

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 2, 2024

King will have every opportunity to start for San Diego this year, and there's a lot to be excited about. He has a career 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings, and his hard-hit rate (33.3%) and expected batting average against (.227) both ranked in the top half of the league in 2023. The right-hander will also have relief pitcher eligibility, so that could come in handy in all formats. He is currently going in the 14th or 15th round of fantasy drafts.

Colorado Rockies: Kris Bryant

It was not the easiest to pick out a Colorado Rockies sleeper. It ultimately came down to catcher Elias Diaz and outfielder Kris Bryant, but the latter felt like the better choice. 

Bryant has been plagued by injuries over the past couple of seasons, which has limited his fantasy value. In 2022, he played in just 42 games due to a back and foot issue. Then, last year, the former 2016 National League MVP played in 80 games after dealing with a heel and finger injury. All that has led to the veteran playing in just 124 games since signing his massive seven-year deal with the Rockies.

However, if Bryant can play over 110 games this year, he could be a solid value pick in the 19th or 20th round. In his last full season in 2021, he hit 25 HRs, 73 RBI, and 32 doubles behind a .265 average across 144 games. The 32-year-old might be past his prime, but there's no reason he can't hit at least 25 HRs and drive in over 75 runs at Coors Fields in 2024 -- if he stays healthy.

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