In the fantasy baseball industry, we are always looking for diamonds in the rough. Last year Steven Kwan went virtually undrafted and hit all year long. He was a glue piece for many title teams. The question this year is whether he is worth a 10th-round pick or better. For Superman fans this is a tip of the cap to the, “Does the World need Superman?” comics.
The season is not here yet, but why not get a head start and jump in a Fantrax Classic Draft contest? Get a jump on the season with a Best Ball league or maybe a Draft and Hold. Or put some green on the line with a new season-long league to try and conquer. There’s no better time than now to get your baseball on!
Does the fantasy baseball world need Steven Kwan?
In 2023 Steven Kwan hit a robust .298 which is high in this day and age. Kwan never really cooled off, finishing with 168 hits in 568 at-bats. He was able to walk more than he struck out which is normally reserved for elite players like Juan Soto. Real-life factors such as a gold glove anchor a pretty impressive resume. Outside of a lack of power shown, Kwan hasn’t shown much weakness. He should be leading off for the Guardians when they start the season in a few weeks.
While the list of pros is long there is a case not to draft him where he is being taken. There is a term around fantasy baseball that states, “he’s a better real-life player than a fantasy player.” You will lose out on several key stats such as OPS, home runs, and RBIs by depending on Kwan as a true anchor piece. He will also be facing competition all over the outfield from the likes of Myles Straw, Will Brennan, and Oscar Gonzales among others. Currently, according to ADP, he is going in the 10th round which is still a foundation piece in most 10-to-12-team leagues. You are jumping ahead grabbing Kwan that early.
Jeff McNeil is being drafted in round 16 and Luis Arraez is being drafted in round 17 respectively. Both offer similar production to Kwan and both were batting champs for their leagues last year along with hitting more home runs, and RBIs as well as having higher on-base percentages then Kwan.
To further examine, I will give you my next five best players after Kwan is drafted according to consensus rankings. The list goes:
- George Kirby- Seattle
- Jeremy Pena- Houston
- Gleyber Torres- New York (AL)
- Kyle Wright- Atlanta
- Logan Gilbert- Seattle
With those names, I honestly rest my case. He’s a good player but likely a better real-life player. I see him as a streaming option that I’m not jumping ahead to draft early.