Baseball season is almost back! Pitchers and catchers are close to reporting, but for many people, the more exciting thing is fantasy baseball is back. While second basemen aren’t always the source of stats in the lineup, getting one of the best can vault your lineup to the top of the league. Let’s dive into the top five for 2024.
Fantasy Baseball: Top-10 Second Basemen and Projections (1-5)
Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers)
2023 Stats: BA.307, OBP.408, SLG.579, OPS.987, 39 HR, 107 RBI, 126 R, 179 H, 40 2B, 1 3B, 96 BB, 107 K, 14 SB
Betts is the clear number-one second baseman in fantasy baseball this year. Even as he surpasses the age of 30, his batting average makes him an elite asset. Even more impressive is his on-base percentage. He has a great eye at the plate where he boasts a 13.9% walk rate and an elite 15.4% strikeout rate. What makes Mookie Betts even more valuable is he is a multi-position player. He will be able to slot in at second base, shortstop, or right field, giving you flexibility in your roster.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.282, OBP .372, SLG.525, OPS.897, 33 HR, 96 RBI, 114 R, 162 H, 36 2B, 2 3B, 82 BB, 107 K, 13 SB
Ozzie Albies (Atlanta Braves)
2023 Stats: BA.280, OBP.336, SLG.513, OPS.849, 33 HR, 109 RBI, 96 R, 167 H, 30 2B, 5 3B, 46 BB, 107 K, 13 SB
Albies is coming off a career year. He set career highs in home runs and RBIs in 2023 after being injured in 2022. The young Braves second basemen showed more patience at the plate leading to better numbers overall. Albies is a great pick in fantasy baseball because he is in one of the most prolific offenses in the National League. He can get on base and has the hitters behind him to drive him in. If you aren’t able to get Betts, Albies isn’t a bad consolation prize.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.274, OBP .327, SLG.485, OPS.812, 27 HR, 93 RBI, 95 R, 161 H, 33 2B, 4 3B, 46 BB, 108 K, 13 SB
Marcus Semien (Texas Rangers)
2023 Stats: BA.276, OBP.348, SLG.478, OPS.826, 29 HR, 100 RBI, 122 R, 185 H, 40 2B, 4 3B, 72 BB, 110 K, 14 SB
Semien led the league in runs and hits in 2023. In 2024, fantasy baseball owners can look for the same consistency. Over the course of his career, his batting average, paired with his ability to contribute in multiple categories, make him valuable in fantasy. The biggest issue for a player like Semien is he is reliant on the lineup behind him. This shouldn’t be an issue for Semien, as the Rangers have some great young hitters. It is unrealistic to think he will lead the league in hits and runs again, but the potential is there.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.263, OBP .331, SLG.460, OPS.791, 27 HR, 86 RBI, 101 R, 162 H, 34 2B, 3 3B, 62 BB, 113 K, 15 SB
Jose Altuve (Houston Astros)
2023 Stats: BA.311, OBP.393, SLG.522, OPS.915, 17 HR, 51 RBI, 76 R, 112 H, 21 2B, 2 3B, 44 BB, 71 K, 14 SB
Altuve comes into 2024 a richer man. He got a huge extension this offseason thanks to his consistent play. While his 2023 numbers seem low, he started last season dealing with an injury. When we came back, he had a blistering .311 batting average. Altuve continues to be a valuable fantasy baseball option with only one minor disadvantage. He doesn’t drive in a ton of runs because of his spot in the lineup. Still, with a full season, Altuve should be able to put up solid numbers.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.274, OBP .347, SLG.464, OPS.811, 24 HR, 75 RBI, 98 R, 152 H, 30 2B, 1 3B, 62 BB, 102 K, 13 SB
Matt McLain (Cincinnati Reds)
2023 Stats: BA.290, OBP.357, SLG.507, OPS.864, 16 HR, 50 RBI, 65 R, 106 H, 23 2B, 4 3B, 31 BB, 115 K, 14 SB
McLain was one of many rookies who performed well in 2023. Despite only playing in 89 games, he racked up a lot of stats. Most notably, his 100+ hits were extremely impressive, as any player who can average over one hit a game is going to be valuable in fantasy baseball. He struggled with strikeouts, but this is common for rookies. If you assume some growth, McLain may end up being the top second baseman this year.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.258, OBP .332, SLG.461, OPS.793, 23 HR, 78 RBI, 84 R, 136 H, 30 2B, 4 3B, 59 BB, 163 K, 19 SB
Those are the top five second basemen in fantasy baseball for 2024. Stay tuned to Total Apex Fantasy Sports all season for advice and analysis.
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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