Hello, RotoBallers, and welcome to the first rankings check-in of the season. Specifically, this column will be focused on finding the biggest risers and fallers in Nick Mariano’s updated fantasy baseball rankings and tiers for roto (5x5 mixed) leagues. With all of the action from the last three weeks, it’s time to see where players stack up against their preseason valuations.
Nick Mariano and Kev Mahserejian's rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings and tiers were last updated on April 21 and are available for your perusal below. You may notice some big names missing and that is because injuries have taken a substantial bite out of the fantasy baseball talent pool already. In addition to finding the biggest risers and fallers in the top 300, this column will also take a special look at some notable injured players.
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Rest-Of-Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings (April Update)
RotoBaller's ranks are as of April 21, 2024. They are for 5x5 category mixed roto leagues and will be updated regularly on our main fantasy baseball rankings dashboard all season long. Be sure to read our daily fantasy baseball analysis articles as well.
Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Biggest Risers
Plenty of players initially left out of the top 300 have made a splash early in the season. Among the newcomers are Jared Jones, Garrett Crochet, Michael Kopech, Abner Uribe, and Reynaldo Lopez. The biggest risers on the list compared to their preseason ranks are MJ Melendez, Brendan Donovan, and Kutter Crawford. Let’s take a closer look at the hot starts that propelled them up the charts.
MJ Melendez, C/OF, Kansas City Royals
Preseason rank: 293 Updated rank: 171
In 2023, MJ Melendez's 96th percentile average exit velocity (93.2 mph) and 49.6% hard-hit rate had me convinced he was on the verge of a power breakout. Unfortunately, those came with one of the worst whiff rates in the league (34.4%) and the lowest zone contact rate among qualified batters. Melendez is off to a much better start in 2024. As of this writing, he is batting .255 (with a .286 xBA) and has three home runs and eight RBI. Melendez is hitting in the middle of the Kansas City Royals’ surprisingly potent lineup.
Brendan Donovan, 1B/2B/OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Preseason Rank: 297 Updated rank: 201
Through 16 games, Brendan Donovan owns a .254 batting average and is getting on base at a .375 clip. So far, he has scored 10 runs, driven in nine, and has swatted two home runs. Stuck in a utility role last year before an elbow injury ended his season, Donovan is now the Cardinals’ everyday left fielder thanks to injuries that decimated the team’s outfield depth. Donovan has been at the top of the batting order in every game he has played thus far.
Kutter Crawford, SP, Boston Red Sox
Preseason rank: 251 Updated rank: 156
Kutter Crawford came into spring training without a guaranteed spot in the Red Sox rotation. After four starts, he is pitching like a staff ace, having racked up 24 strikeouts, a 0.42 ERA, and a 0.80 WHIP. The 28-year-old right-hander is relying on his sweeper significantly more compared to last season. In 2023, he used it just 6.7% of the time, but so far it makes up 28.4% of his mix and is generating a 28.3% whiff rate. According to RotoBaller’s Pitcher Schedule Projections Tool, Crawford’s upcoming matchups should provide continued success.
Kutter Crawford, Dirty 83mph Splitter. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/b4UDjTm4Ui
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 10, 2024
Other Big Risers
Robert Suarez, RP, San Diego Padres (Preseason rank: 244; Updated rank: 153)
Justin Turner, 1B/2B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays (Preseason rank: 261; Updated rank: 172)
Jackson Holliday, SS, Baltimore Orioles (Preseason rank: 203; Updated rank: 116)
Yu Darvish, SP, San Diego Padres (Preseason rank: 184; Updated rank: 108)
Isaac Paredes, 1B/2B/3B, Tampa Bay Rays (Preseason rank: 200; Updated rank: 127)
Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Biggest Fallers
Esteury Ruiz, Jordan Walker, and Henry Davis were the biggest fallers compared to their preseason ranks. There were actually several players who fell or were dropped from the list entirely but met this fate thanks to injury concerns. We will get to those players in a special section below. For now, let’s take a look at what sent those healthy players down the board.
Esteury Ruiz, OF, Oakland Athletics
Preseason rank: 147 Updated rank: NA
The funny thing about Esteury Ruiz leading off this list is that he didn’t do anything wrong. In the first three games of the season, Ruiz stole one base and had three hits and a sacrifice fly in his eight plate appearances. For reasons that remain a mystery, the A’s saw fit to option him to Triple-A Las Vegas on April 1.
Once in the minors, Ruiz went on a tear, underscoring the quixotic decision-making of Oakland’s front office. In 11 games with the Aviators, the 25-year-old outfielder went 14-for-43, crushed three home runs, and swiped seven bags. Ruiz could play his way back into the top 300. He has since been recalled and hit a pinch-hit home run in his first game back.
Esteury Ruiz getting unjustly sent to the minors then proceeding to do nothing but hit BOMBS is the ultimate ball don’t lie energy.
This one was 412 feet, 109.8 mph. Just crushed.
🗣️🗣️🗣️pic.twitter.com/6x6Mm0T8N8
— Karl Buscheck (@KarlBuscheck) April 17, 2024
Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Preseason rank: 104 Updated rank: 214
Jordan Walker is starting 2024 in a slump. He has played in all but two of the Cardinals’ 18 games and has just nine hits in 49 at-bats. His triple slash is a lowly .184/.250/.306 and he has produced only seven runs plus RBI. Walker started slow enough in 2023 to be optioned before the end of April and then provided modest production after being recalled in June. His turnaround last year combined with his skill set justified ranking him just outside the top 100 in the preseason, but the abysmal production pushed him well off that starting point.
Henry Davis, C/OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Preseason rank: 191 Updated rank: NA
Henry Davis was a spring training standout, garnering lots of buzz for consistently hitting the ball hard and finishing with a .310 batting average and 1.067 OPS. His production in the regular season has not lived up to the hype, though. Davis is hitting .180 with a single barrel so far and a 29.5% K%. The former first-round pick was slated for a clean shot at an everyday role but that’s been complicated with the recent addition of Joey Bart to the Pirates roster.
Other Big Fallers
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Chicago White Sox (Preseason rank: 204; Updated rank: NA)
A.J. Puk, SP/RP, Miami Marlins (Preseason rank: 207; Updated rank: NA)
Thairo Estrada, 2B/SS, San Francisco Giants (Preseason rank: 124; Updated rank: 204)
Alex Lange, RP, Detroit Tigers (Preseason rank: 224; Updated rank: NA)
Jack Suwinski, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (Preseason rank: 214; Updated rank: 290)
Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Notable Injuries
Unfortunately, injuries have hit hard early on in 2024. Many prominent players got hurt early and are expected to spend significant amounts of time on the injured list, affecting their placement in the rankings. Spencer Strider (elbow), Shane Bieber (elbow), Eury Perez (elbow), Trevor Story (shoulder), and other players whose seasons ended prematurely due to injury have been dropped from the updated rankings entirely.
Others who have not been lost for the season but with indefinite timelines for recovery such as Framber Valdez (elbow), Justin Steele (hamstring), Ozzie Albies (toe), Seiya Suzuki (oblique) and Nick Pivetta (elbow) have been pushed out of the top 300 as well. Luis Robert (hip), Royce Lewis (hamstring), and Josh Jung (wrist) still remain in the top 300 but each fell more than 100 slots in the rankings. Justin Verlander (shoulder), Walker Buehler (elbow), and Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) slid in the rankings after starting the season on the IL but are expected to debut in the near future and could rebound by the next update.
Justin Verlander will make his season debut on Friday pic.twitter.com/v9Lykv2mYA
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 17, 2024
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