Mike Trout Fantasy Outlook: When should you select the Angels superstar in 2024 fantasy baseball drafts?
For much of the past decade, Mike Trout has been the top pick (or close to) in fantasy baseball leagues. The Los Angeles Angels superstar is one of the best players of his generation, continually producing consistently across multiple categories.
"EVERY organization should have a @MikeTrout . A consummate TEAM guy & an Angel because he WANTS to be. We as @Angels better never take him for granted! #GoHalos" - @art_hinojos
The superstar outfielder has long rewarded fantasy baseball managers thanks to his contributions across the board, racking up elite-level production in home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and batting average. That being said, he has seen his average draft position slowly tumble as he starts to get older.
Players such as Ronald Acuna Jr., Aaron Judge, and Mookie Betts have found themselves surpassing the Los Angeles Angels star for a number of different factors.
From a higher ceiling in stolen base categories or world-class home run power, a number of players will find themselves selected ahead of Trout in drafts. This has raised a common question heading into the 2024 fantasy baseball season: when should managers look to draft Mike Trout this year?
Mike Trout could be a true bargain with a third or fourth-round pick
There are a number of reasons why fantasy managers have begun to shy away from the three-time MVP. One of the main reasons is health.
Once one of the most durable superstars in the MLB, the Los Angeles Angels superstar has only cleared 100 games once in the past three seasons. That unreliability makes him a gamble early in 2024 fantasy drafts.
That being said, if Trout can remain on the field, he could be one of the best bargains this draft season. His 2022 season is a prime example of this, as the Angels star crushed 40 home runs in only 119 games.
"This is Mike Trout. He hit 40 HRs in 2022 (3rd most in MLB) despite playing only 119 games. 70 of his 124 hits went for extra bases. He is very good." - @uniformcritic
There will undoubtedly be a risk when drafting Mike Trout. However, the upside still remains in the future Hall of Famer. There are worse picks in the fourth round of drafts, as Trout could finish as a top-tier fantasy baseball player in 2024 if he remains healthy.