Bohm provides good value

With the amount of coverage surrounding fantasy baseball, it’s hard to find true “sleepers” that most people haven’t heard of. The key might actually be finding players who are currently undervalued based on their ADP. Let’s highlight five such players who could end up providing significant value at their ADP.

Mark Vientos, New York Mets (ADP 87)

Vientos appeared in 16 games for the Mets in 2022, then 65 more games for them in 2023. He struggled during both tenures, recording a 63 wRC+ and a 68 wRC+. Things finally came together for him last season over his 111 games with the team. He finished with 27 home runs, 71 RBI and 58 runs scored to go along with his .249 ISO and .356 wOBA. His biggest area of improvement was his 14.1% barrel rate. He had an 8.3% barrel rate in 2022, then a 10.7% barrel rate in 2023.

Vientos showed plenty of power throughout his time in the minors. In 2023, he hit 16 home runs over just 61 games at Triple-A. With an everyday role in hand for the Mets from the start of this season, he has the potential to hit at least 30 home runs. He could also drive in a lot of runs since he is expected to hit fourth or fifth within the Mets lineup. Hitting in front of him many nights will be Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, so there should be plenty of runners on base for him. With the potential for him to hit .260 with over 30 home runs and 100 RBI, Vientos shouldn’t be going this late in drafts.

Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs (ADP 125)

Steele made 24 starts for the Cubs last season, finishing with a 3.07 ERA and a 3.23 FIP. Steele has made at least 24 starts in each of the last three seasons. He didn’t finish with an ERA higher than 3.18 or a FIP higher than 3.23 in any of those campaigns. He has also become more adept at keeping hitters off base. He had a 1.17 WHIP in 2023, which he followed up with a 1.10 WHIP last year.

With all of those great numbers, why is Steele being selected this late in drafts? Part of the reason is likely his career 24.4% strikeout rate. However, he can still be an asset with his ratios. He is a master of inducing weak contact, allowing just a 4.8% barrel rate and a 34.6% hard-hit rate for his career. For those who don’t want to spend early draft capital on starting pitching, Steele is a stellar target outside of the top 100 in drafts.

Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies (ADP 156)

Bohm recorded 97 RBI for the Phillies last year, marking his second straight season with that many RBI. His home run total was modest at just 15, but he did hit 20 home runs the season prior. Bohm also hit .280 last season, marking his third straight season in which he finished with a batting average of at least .274.

Bohm does a great job of making contact, posting just a 17.9% strikeout rate for his career. Last season, his strikeout rate was just 14.2%. He doesn’t lift the ball a ton, posting a 46.6% groundball rate for his career. That will likely continue to limit his home run upside. However, he does have a career 44.5% hard-hit rate, which has helped him rack up doubles. Bohm is expected to hit third within the Phillies lineup this season. Ahead of him should be Trea Turner and Bryce Harper. Immediately behind him in the lineup should be Kyle Schwarber. That’s about as good of a spot in a lineup as it gets. He has the potential to hit .275 with 20 home runs and 100 RBI, making him a potential steal outside of the top 150.

Clarke Schmidt, New York Yankees (ADP 223)

It has been a rough spring for the Yankees. Not only will Luis Gil (lat) be out for around three months, but Gerrit Cole (elbow) will miss the entire season. Max Fried will be their new ace, while the team hopes that Carlos Rodon can finally live up to his hefty contract. Behind those two in the rotation will be Schmidt, Marcus Stroman and likely Will Warren. Stroman and Warren come with plenty of question marks, which could make Schmidt pivotal to their success.

Schmidt made 32 starts for the Yankees in 2023 and it took him a season to adjust to the role. He looked much better last season, although injuries limited him to 16 starts. He finished with a 2.85 ERA, 3.58 FIP and a 26.3% strikeout rate. One of the reasons for his improved production was being more reliant on his cutter, which he threw 35.0% of the time and had a 33.2% whiff rate. While he has been slowed by a back issue, he did make his spring appearance Tuesday and isn’t expected to start the season on the IL. There’s no way he should be drafted outside of the top 200.

Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins (ADP 226)

Injuries have been a problem for Correa. Entering 2024, he had appeared in fewer than 137 games in both of the previous two seasons. Then he played in just 86 games last year. Correa has played in at least 140 games in a season just two times during his career.

Despite his limited availability last year, Correa still produced 14 home runs and 54 RBI. His .905 OPS was the third-highest mark of his career. While injuries have been an issue, he has a .197 ISO, .353 wOBA and a 127 wRC+ for his career. When he is healthy, Correa is a valuable fantasy option. The minimal risk at his current ADP could be well worth the potential reward if he can play in at least 120 games. If he approaches 140 games, he could end up being one of the better bargains outside of the top 200.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.