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If you need some fantasy baseball sleeper targets in your upcoming drafts, then look no further! Today we take a look at three promising young outfielders.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jacob Young, and Matt Wallner are all interesting fantasy targets this year, but which of these can be considered values at their current ADP?
Should you draft Crow-Armstrong, Young, or Wallner in fantasy baseball? Read the draft recommendations and 2025 fantasy outlooks for each player below.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 132
Current ADP: ~142
Analysis: The former top prospect was given his first extended look at the majors last season. Across 123 total games, "PCA" posted a .237/.268/.384 line with 13 doubles, 10 long balls, and an impressive 27 swiped bags.
However, Crow-Armstrong was quite streaky at times, making him difficult to trust. During his first 25 games, the former top prospect held a serviceable .246/.299/.361 line with one round-tripper and five stolen bases.
During his final 52 games, the 22-year-old posted a strong .284/.337/.446 line with seven doubles, seven long balls, and seven stolen bases. He posted a .803 OPS during this stretch.
Cubs rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong rounded the bases in 14 SECONDS on this inside-the-park home run 🤯
Fastest home-to-home time in MLB this season 💨
(via @MLB)
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 24, 2024
Even while he struggled at times, Crow-Armstrong remained in the lineup due to his elite defensive metrics. Baseball Savant placed him in the 97th percentile in range and 96th percentile in arm strength. He was also placed in the 99th percentile sprint speed.
While his long slump could be worrisome for some fantasy managers, his strong finish and proven track record over 60 Triple-A games (.264/.329/.492 line) suggest he could be poised for a sophomore breakout, slotting in as the everyday center fielder in Chicago.
Jacob Young Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 295
Current ADP: ~343
Analysis: Not many people might be familiar with Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young. He is only 25 years old and hasn't put up the greatest numbers at the plate so far in his career. In 2023, Young hit .256 with three home runs and 36 RBI across 150 games. However, people should get familiar with his speed.
Young stole 33 bases last season, and his 29.7 ft/sec sprint speed ranked in the 97th percentile. Even though he finished tied for 11th in stolen bases last year, he finished with 34 fewer stolen bases than De La Cruz (67). So, he will need to steal at least 55 bases in 2025 to even have a shot at leading the league in stolen bases.
Now, the biggest thing for Young to lead the league in stolen bases will be his growth as a hitter. He had just a 5.8% walk rate last season with an expected batting average of .253. If he can up both of those numbers in 2025, there's a chance that the Nationals outfielder can lead the league in stolen bases. That's how legitimate his speed is.
Matt Wallner Fantasy Baseball Value
Baller Move: Target in drafts ~pick 250
Current ADP: ~277
Wallner is being drafted after 80 other outfielders have already been taken, but there's a lot of upside to consider in his game. The 27-year-old lefty has enormous power potential but also strikes out at an extremely high rate. The upside is intriguing if you can afford the strikeouts in your league format.
In each of the last two years, Wallner has had just over 250 MLB plate appearances. He hit 14 homers and a .377 wOBA in 2023 and followed that up with 13 homers and a slight improvement to a .385 wOBA. He struggles to make contact with strikeout rates of 31.5 percent and 36.4 percent the last two years, but when he does make contact, it's usually very, very loud.
His average exit velocity, max exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage were all near the top of the league, and he ranked sixth in Statcast's bat speed metric among players with at least 200 swings last season.
Matt Wallner has homered twice in a 4-0 game.
September 13, 2023 vs TB
Tonight vs LAA pic.twitter.com/FdQXi096kn— Twins Dingers (@TwinsDingers) September 11, 2024
After struggling early in the year, he hit a solid .282 AVG after being called back up in early July with 12 dingers and a .405 wOBA. With Max Kepler playing in Philadelphia this season, he will get a long look at plenty of playing time in right field. He has been hitting leadoff in spring training, which would be another boost to his value.
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