Top 50 Dynasty Second Base Rankings for 2024 Fantasy Baseball

The dynasty second base rankings talent pool continues to rapidly expand entering the 2024 campaign with five-category fantasy superstar Mookie Betts joining a handful of reliable veteran stalwarts in Ozzie Albies, Marcus Semien, Jose Altuve, and Gleyber Torres at the top of the position.

The infusion of up-and-coming potential upper-echelon contributors like Matt McLain, Nico Hoerner, Zack Gelof, Colt Keith, Nolan Gorman, and Edouard Julien provide additional depth. There’s no shortage of intrigue in the lower rungs of these dynasty second base rankings either with young talents like Termarr Johnson, Jordan Westburg, Gavin Lux, and Davis Schneider sprinkled in amongst high-upside veteran alternatives with lingering injury question marks in Brandon Lowe and Jorge Polanco.

It’s worth noting that the keystone rankings will continue experiencing significant overhaul in the coming months, as it’s the likely landing spot for several top prospects currently playing other positions in the minor leagues. Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday, who is universally regarded as one of the top fantasy prospects in baseball, is a prime example of this phenomenon.

Additional highly-touted prospects that fit this mold include Matt Shaw, Tyler Black, Sterlin Thompson  Baltimore general manager Mike Elias said in early February that the precocious 20-year-old shortstop, who compiled a stratospheric .941 OPS with 12 homers and 24 steals in 581 plate appearances last year across three minor-league levels, will have an opportunity this spring to make the club’s season-opening roster and is expected see “a lot of action” at second base during Grapefruit League play. He projects as an immediate five-category fantasy contributor and could potentially usurp Betts atop these dynasty second base rankings in the future. Without further delay, let’s dive into the rankings.

Dynasty Second Base Tiers

Tier 1

(1) Mookie Betts, Dodgers, Age: 31, Overall Rank: 10

Betts immediately took over the top spot at the keystone for dynasty purposes last year when he added second-base eligibility amidst a career-best 39-homer campaign in which he batted .307 with 126 runs scored and 107 RBI. He also chipped in 14 stolen bases, just for good measure. Fantasy managers continue to hold their collective breath every time he backpedals into right field to snare a shallow pop fly, but the 31-year-old figures to remain an elite five-category contributor for at least the next half-decade, if not longer.

He’s added some additional over-the-fence pop in the last few years, establishing a surefire 30-homer baseline, and the Dodgers’ loaded supporting cast – which added generational talent Shohei Ohtani this offseason – further buoys his runs scored and RBI totals at near-elite levels moving forward. There are zero weaknesses in his fantasy profile at this juncture as he’s settled in as the ultimate five-category floor-raiser and a consensus first-round selection in all fantasy formats. Unless Jackson Holliday morphs into an immediate superstar at second base for the Orioles, he’ll retain the top spot in the second base dynasty rankings far beyond the 2024 campaign.

Tier 2

(2) Ozzie Albies, Braves, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 29

Albies re-established himself last year with a resurgent performance as one of the truly elite options for dynasty managers by clobbering a career-high 33 round-trippers and adding 109 RBI across 660 plate appearances, proving that an injury-marred 2022 campaign was a total fluke. At 27 years old, we’re extremely confident projecting a 25-homer, 10-steal baseline moving forward. Perhaps more importantly, he showed last season by making some additional contact that it’s not unrealistic to forecast a batting average closer to .280 than .240 as he enters his prime years as a central catalyst in a loaded Braves’ lineup.

Tier 3

(3) Marcus Semien, Rangers, Age: 33, Overall Rank: 55

(4) Matt McLain, Reds, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 56

(5) Jose Altuve, Astros, Age: 33, Overall Rank: 60

(6) Gleyber Torres, Yankees, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 62

It’s difficult to decide between the quartet of Semien, McLain, Altuve, or Torres for the third spot in these rankings, but we’re giving the slight edge to Semien since he’s been the model of consistency for dynasty managers, leading the majors in plate appearances four consecutive full seasons dating back to 2019. The unparalleled durability figures to waver as he enters his mid-30’s, but there’s no reason to think he won’t be an extremely productive fantasy contributor for at least a few more seasons, especially given the smorgasbord of talent around him in a loaded Rangers’ lineup. The biggest question mark he faces is whether he can hold off some of the younger on-the-rise alternatives at the position as he approaches the late stages of his career.

There’s a distinct possibility we’re too high on McLain almost entirely due to recency bias, especially given the plethora of established veteran options with much lengthier track records – most notably Torres and Altuve – checking in just a handful of spots behind him in Fantrax’s latest Top 500 Dynasty Rankings update. However, he looked extremely impressive last year in his first taste of the majors, finishing with 16 homers and 14 steals, while also maintaining a robust .290 batting average, across 403 plate appearances in 89 contests. He won’t come at a bargain in startup dynasty drafts this spring, but his emerging power/speed combination makes him a likely five-category impact fantasy contributor for years to come as one of the centerpieces of Cincinnati’s rebuild.

Altuve’s advancing age, durability concerns and declining speed are becoming even more prominent red flags, but he remains an elite batting average booster, while also adding easy 30-homer pop, if he stays remotely healthy. The health risks will become further amplified as he enters his mid-30s, but he’s established an extremely high floor as one of the most desirable four-category anchors in these dynasty second base rankings. It’s a small boost to his long-term value that he’s going to remain in Houston long-term, instead of becoming a free agent at the conclusion of the upcoming 2024 season, after signing a five-year contract extension in early February.

Torres has settled in as an upper-echelon four-category fantasy contributor, eclipsing 24 homers in four of the last five full seasons since 2018. He’s also managed to post double-digit stolen bases in each of the last three years. New York’s numerous offseason acquisitions, headlined by generational superstar Juan Soto, should help boost his counting stats in 2024 and possibly beyond. He’s one of the safer bets for dynasty managers to repeat as a top-10 fantasy option at second base for the next handful of years.

Tier 4

(7) Nico Hoerner, Cubs, Age: 26, Overall Rank: 94

(8) Zack Gelof, Athletics, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 104

(9) Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks, Age: 30, Overall Rank: 106

(10) Ha-Seong Kim, Padres, Age: 28, Overall Rank: 109

(11) Colt Keith, Tigers, Age: 22, Overall Rank: 115

(12) Nolan Gorman, Cardinals, Age: 23, Overall Rank: 116

Hoerner built on a breakout 2022 campaign, thanks almost entirely to the league’s new stolen-base-friendly rule changes, by more than doubling his stolen base total last year, finishing with a whopping 43 thefts in 688 plate appearances. At just 26 years old, he’s just entering his physical prime and should remain a solid batting average source, while also adding double-digit homers, and at least 30 steals annually. He’s a couple of spots ahead of the remainder of this tier in the overall rankings, but the lack of elite power upside prevents him from joining the true upper-echelon options at the keystone. He’s an extremely valuable fantasy contributor, but he’s likely close to his ceiling barring an unexpected power breakthrough.

There weren’t a ton of positives last year for the rebuilding Athletics, but Gelof’s emergence as a potential foundational building block as a top-of-the-order mainstay was one of the few rays of sunshine in an otherwise dismal season. The unheralded 24-year-old second baseman burst onto the fantasy radar, batting .267 with 14 homers and 14 steals in just 300 plate appearances over 69 games after making his major-league debut in mid-July. There’s probably going to be some pullback across the board in his first full season in the big leagues, but he’s flashed enough power/speed potential to finish as a borderline top-10 option at the keystone for fantasy managers moving forward. This ranking is a touch aggressive, but it’s not unrealistic to forecast him building on last year’s successful debut.

One of Arizona’s primary offensive catalysts during their improbable run to the Fall Classic, Marte put together one of the strongest seasons of his career last year, posting an .844 OPS with 94 runs scored, 25 homers, 82 RBI and eight stolen bases across 650 plate appearances. The positive news is that nothing really changed in his batted ball profile or underlying metrics, it was simply a case of staying healthy along with the emergence of franchise cornerstone Corbin Carroll as a top-of-the-order table-setter. Even if we bake in some regression and missed time, Marte figures to finish as a fringe top-10 contributor at second base for at least the next few years as he enters his early 30’s.

After making incremental progress in a pair of seasons since arriving in San Diego back in 2021, Kim was one of the primary beneficiaries of last year’s rule changes to incentivize stolen base attempts, finishing with a career-best 38 thefts. Entering his age-28 campaign, there’s no reason to think he can’t continue posting double-digit homers and eclipsing the 30-steal threshold for at least a few more years, but there’s probably going to be some slight regression coming in 2024 based on his underlying batted ball metrics. The multi-position eligibility is an added bonus for fantasy managers and cements his status as a fringe top-100 overall pick in startup dynasty leagues.

Keith appears poised to open 2024 as Detroit’s starting second baseman after signing a long-term contract extension in late January to buy out the majority of his arbitration-eligible seasons. He put together an impressive breakout campaign last year in the upper minors, slashing a robust .306/.380/.552 with 27 homers and three steals in 577 plate appearances between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo. There may be an initial adjustment period as the 22-year-old makes the leap to the majors this season, but he projects as an immediate four-category fantasy contributor. He’ll chip in a handful of stolen bases, but the lack of speed caps his potential long-term upside.

There’s an argument that Gorman possesses the highest over-the-fence power ceiling of any potential second baseman in the game after he walloped 27 homers in just 464 plate appearances last year for the Cardinals. A lingering back issue, which he’s been forced to deal with and manage the last few years, remains a slight concern, but the fact that he’s avoided significant absences or a surgical procedure are encouraging signs. He’s a strong bet to reach the lofty 30-homer plateau in 2024 and could easily wind up as a top 10 option at the keystone if he continues to improve.

Tier 5

(13) Luis Arraez, Marlins, Age: 26, Overall Rank: 134

(14) Bryson Stott, Phillies, Age: 26, Overall Rank: 142

(15) Edouard Julien, Twins, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 144

(16) Andrés Giménez, Guardians, Age: 25, Overall Rank: 154

The ultimate batting average floor-raiser, Arraez is a bit of a one-trick pony, but it’s an extremely valuable skill set for fantasy purposes. The line-drive machine turns 27 years old in early April and figures to contend for batting titles for years to come. The lack of over-the-fence pop and stolen base production limits his upside, but fantasy managers should feel confident in him consistently finishing near the top 10 at the keystone for the next half-decade, if not longer.

Stott built upon a solid rookie campaign last year, posting 15 homers and 31 steals in a whopping 640 plate appearances. His underlying batted ball metrics, including lackluster marks in both average exit velocity (88.1 mph) and barrel percentage (4.7 percent) strongly indicate that there isn’t some additional over-the-fence pop on the horizon. The 30-steal potential is a plus in his favor, but we’re willing to roll the dice on some of the other up-and-coming options at the position heading into 2024.

One of the more intriguing long-term options for dynasty managers at the keystone, Julien has some serious growth potential thanks to his excellent plate discipline and potential 20-plus homer pop. With veteran Jorge Polanco no longer in the picture following an offseason trade to the Mariners, he’ll open the 2024 campaign as Minnesota’s primary second baseman. There are lingering concerns regarding strikeouts, ground balls and his ability to handle lefties, but it’s relatively easy to outline a roadmap to elite fantasy production.

We’re probably a shade lower on Giménez than industry consensus, but that has more to do with the emergence of power-oriented young sluggers like Gelof, Keith, Gorman, and Julien seemingly knocking on the door of upper-echelon status at the position. He’s posted double-digit homers and at least 20 stolen bases in back-to-back seasons, but he experienced a precipitous decline in the batting average department last year. His fortunes could change with some improved batted ball luck moving forward, but we’re pretty sure we’ve seen his ceiling already.

Tier 6

(17) Tommy Edman, Cardinals, Age: 28, Overall Rank: 184

(18) Thairo Estrada, Giants, Age: 28, Overall Rank: 189

(19) Jonathan India, Reds, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 193

The unfortunate reality for speed-oriented fantasy contributors like Giménez and Edman – who drops a bit in these rankings as he recovers from offseason arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist – is that last year’s league-wide uptick in stolen base production reduces the impact their 30-theft potential has for fantasy managers going forward.

Tier 6

(20) Jordan Westburg, Orioles, Age: 25, Overall Rank: 211

(21) Termarr Johnson, Pirates, Age: 19, Overall Rank: 215

(22) Ronny Mauricio, Mets, Age: 22, Overall Rank: 222

(23) Gavin Lux, Dodgers, Age: 26, Overall Rank: 248

(24) Brendan Donovan, Cardinals, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 249

On the heels of an underwhelming debut last year, Westburg enters the impending 2024 campaign with an opportunity to emerge as the Orioles’ starting second baseman with a strong effort in Grapefruit League action. There’s no escaping the reality that top prospect Jackson Holliday is hot on his heels and has a chance to relegate him to a reserve role if he tears the cover off the ball in spring training.

There aren’t a ton of true second base prospects since the majority of big leaguers wind up matriculating to the keystone later on in their development, but Johnson is one of the few exceptions to that phenomenon. The fourth overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft has flashed strong plate skills and big-time power potential in the lower minors so far and has a chance to shoot up these rankings with a strong performance in the upper minors.

There was a chance for Mauricio to carve out a semi-permanent role with the Mets in spring training, but he’s going to miss the entire 2024 campaign after tearing his ACL in December while playing in the Dominican Winter League. He showed some flashes of potential during a late-season cameo in the big leagues last year, which are enough to make him a worthwhile stash for dynasty managers, especially those embarking on a full-scale rebuild.

Lux is poised to take over as Los Angeles’ starting shortstop this season after missing all of last year when he tore his ACL during spring training. The 26-year-old former top prospect retains second-base eligibility and projects as a potential double-digit source of homers and stolen bases for fantasy managers with some additional upside if he puts everything together as part of a formidable Dodgers lineup.

Tier 7

(25) Vaughn Grissom, Red Sox, Age: 23, Overall Rank: 250

(26) Jace Jung, Tigers, Age: 23, Overall Rank: 270

(27) Ryan McMahon, Rockies, Age: 29, Overall Rank: 275

(28) Brandon Lowe, Rays, Age: 29, Overall Rank: 288

(29) Miguel Vargas, Dodgers, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 309

(30) Thomas Saggese, Cardinals, Age: 21, Overall Rank: 314

(31) Jorge Polanco, Mariners, Age: 30, Overall Rank: 347

(32) Davis Schneider, Blue Jays, Age: 25, Overall Rank: 356

(33) Connor Norby, Orioles, Age: 23, Overall Rank: 382

(34) Brandon Drury, Angels, Age: 31, Overall Rank: 390

Lowe is a bit of an x-factor as omnipresent back issues have torpedoed his value the last two seasons following a career-best 39-homer explosion during the 2021 campaign. We’re not totally sure what happened to Vargas last year as he failed to parlay his impressive minor league production into success at the highest level in Los Angeles. Saggese is one of the top second base prospects in the game and figures to get a look in St. Louis relatively soon after putting up stellar numbers last year in the upper minors. Polanco was shipped to the Mariners in a late-January trade and figures to be a sneaky option for dynasty managers if he manages to overcome the persistent knee issues that have plagued him the last few years. Schneider should probably slot in much higher in these rankings, but there isn’t enough of a track record at the highest level for us to feel confident forecasting him as a potential upper-echelon contributor.

Tier 8

(35) Brendan Rodgers, Rockies, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 440

(36) Jeff McNeil, Mets, Age: 31, Overall Rank: 444

(37) Whit Merrifield, Free Agent, Age: 35, Overall Rank: 445

(38) José Caballero, Rays, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 447

(39) Xavier Edwards, Marlins, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 453

(40) Juan Brito, Guardians, Age: 22, Overall Rank: 454

(41) Justin Foscue, Rangers, Age: 25, Overall Rank: 461

(42) Brice Turang, Brewers, Age: 24, Overall Rank: 463

(43) Luis García, Nationals, Age: 23, Overall Rank: 467

(44) Luis Rengifo, Angels, Age: 27, Overall Rank: 474

(45) Carlos Jorge, Reds, Age: 20, Overall Rank: 482

Foscue is the type of prospect that could benefit from a change of scenery as he’s clearly blocked (for now) from joining a stacked Rangers’ lineup. The 24-year-old former first-round pick boasts stellar plate discipline and put up excellent numbers last year at Triple-A Round Rock. He’s a stash candidate for dynasty managers in the hope that he gets a chance either in Texas or somewhere else during the 2024 season.

Tier 9

(46) James Triantos, Cubs, Age: 22, Overall Rank: NR

(47) Ryan Bliss, Mariners, Age: 24 Overall Rank: NR

(48) Austin Martin, Twins, Age: 25 Overall Rank: NR

(49) Jorbit Vivas, Yankees, Age: 23 Overall Rank: NR

(50) Chase Meidroth, Red Sox, Age: 22 Overall Rank: NR

Got a beef with George’s 2024 Dynasty Second Base Rankings? Let him hear it in the comments below. For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.

2024 Dynasty Second Base Rankings

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