We are back with the second installment of breaking down the Phillies’ roster and which players you should draft in your 2024 fantasy baseball leagues. In case you missed our first installment on Phillies starting pitchers, click here to read it now.
As we work through the Phillies’ roster, each of these installments may differ in length. Today, we have two Phillies in particular who should be drafted to join your outfield, along with two who may prove useful as streaming options.
Breaking Down the Phillies’ Outfield
Before we get into the main list, let’s establish a few things. First, Bryce Harper is no longer OF-eligible in most fantasy baseball leagues. If your settings somehow list Harper as still OF-eligible, jump on that and get Bryce Harper.
Otherwise, we’ll talk about Harper in the infield article. Second, in case this is not obvious, Cristian Pache, Jake Cave, and Simon Muzziotti are not fantasy-relevant going into 2024. If any of them begin picking up meaningful playing time for the Phillies and get on a roll at the plate, that can be re-evaluated. Otherwise, just don’t draft them.
A reminder as well that we are assuming a 5×5 category league, meaning that you will receive points for the better your players do in the following categories: batting average, runs, RBI, home runs, and stolen bases. Now, let’s get to the meat and potatoes.
| Player | OF Rank | Overall Rank |
| Kyle Schwarber (OF/DH) | 18 | 61 |
| Nick Castellanos (OF) | 22 | 93 |
| Brandon Marsh (OF) | 90 | 340 |
| Johan Rojas (OF) | 122 | 341 |
I would fully expect Kyle Schwarber to get minimal time in left field in 2024. However, until that is proven on the field, Schwarber will retain outfield eligibility. Amongst outfielders, Schwarber led all of Major League Baseball with 47 home runs in 2023. He also ranks fourth in runs scored (108) and seventh in RBI (104). If you’re expecting value from Kyle Schwarber in batting average or stolen bases, you got the wrong guy.
Moving into 2024, I would expect a lot of the same value out of Schwarber, especially if he remains in the leadoff position per Rob Thomson’s strategy. If Schwarber were to move back to the 3-5 side of the order, his RBI would likely increase while runs may drop slightly.
If Kyle is available and you need a slugger in the outfield, draft him. He would likely go in the fifth or sixth round, depending on the league; just look to reinforce him with a high-average and high-speed OF if possible.
Nick Castellanos joins Kyle Schwarber as the second Phillies outfielder worth a draft slot this season. Both rank within the No. 2 OF slot in most leagues, with Castellanos dropping into the upper No. 3 category in 10-team formats. In 2023, Castellanos ranked fifth in RBI (106) and ninth in home runs (29). While his run production was a lot lower-ranked than Schwarber’s (23rd amongst OF at 79), Castellanos’ average certainly made up for it at .272. And while his 11 stolen bases certainly are not a reason to draft him, he does at least have a chance to contribute to the category.
Given Schwarber’s power numbers, it makes sense to draft Schwarber over Castellanos. However, if you can’t afford to take the batting average hit, Castellanos may be worth drafting over Schwarber within the context of your team. Just know, at 93rd overall, Castellanos will fall further back in the draft than Schwarber, likely going anywhere from the seventh to the ninth round.
Daily Fantasy Options
Let’s start with the obvious: at 340th and 341st overall, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas should only be drafted in your league if your league is that incredibly deep. Both, however, may have a small amount of worth as potential daily streaming options and, if I am to be honest, Rojas ranks higher than Marsh in my book.
Marsh’s overall line was serviceable in 2023. A .280 average, 12 home runs, 58 runs, 61 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Solid for a lower-end lineup bat in the Majors. What strikes me about Brandon Marsh is that when he is hot, he is hot. And sometimes, especially in daily formats, you just have to be on the lookout for the hot bat. In 2023, Marsh started off the season strong for the Phillies with a .329 average through April while scoring 17 runs in 27 games, adding 14 RBI and four home runs.
Why I like Rojas more, however, lies in the fifth category: stolen bases. In just 59 games played, Rojas stole 14 bases in 2023, getting caught only one time. Extrapolate that to a full 162-game workload and Rojas would have stolen 38 bases in 2023, fourth among outfielders.
As of now, Rojas needs to prove he can continue reaching base at the rate he did in the regular season. Assuming he puts his postseason woes behind him and he continues to reach base at a decent rate, Rojas’ stolen base value alone might skyrocket his fantasy value.
For now, however, his value is not proven. If you stash him as a daily streamer post-draft, however, he just might work his way into your daily lineup if Rojas can find consistency.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In our first edition of this series, we looked at Phillies starting pitchers. Unless otherwise stated, assume any analysis is primarily meant for 5×5 category leagues. Adjust accordingly to your specific fantasy team’s settings.
