Several hitters broke through in the second half of the 2024 MLB season, showcasing performances that fantasy managers may have missed when they turned off baseball and turned on football. These players, whether they revamped their approach, found themselves in new environments, or finally realized their long-awaited potential, made significant impacts. While some are poised to build on their success, others leave questions about sustainability heading into 2025. This article highlights standout hitting breakouts who thrived after the All-Star break, with stats and insights to help determine their value heading into 2025.
5 Second Half Hitting Breakouts
Lawrence Butler | OF | Oakland Athletics
Arguably the breakout hitter of the second half and emerging as a key contributor in the Athletics lineup was Lawrence Butler. Post All-Star break, Butler put up a .300 AVG with 13 HRs and 12 SBs. He was the A’s most productive hitter in the second half and that includes Brent Rooker. Anchored by a massive July, Butler caught fire for 10 HRs, a .363 AVG, a preposterous 1.210 OPS, and accrued ~130 points in standard scoring leagues. This development came about in large part by a drastically reduced K% from 29.5% in the first half to 19.8% in the second half. Butler totaled a .211 AVG, with 9 HRs, and 6 SBs from March-June. Then he nearly doubled that production in the second half in only three more games. Of all hitters in the second half, Butler ranked 10th in wRC+ at 155, fueling his breakout. Outfield is a much deeper position now than it was at this time last season and Butler comes into 2025 with as much helium as any player in the league.
Parker Meadows | OF | Detroit Tigers
After being recalled on July 5 of 2024, Parker Meadows quickly adjusted to the majors and began showcasing his potential. He rediscovered the power that produced 20 home runs in both 2022 and 2023. Before being recalled, Meadows had an abysmal 35.1% strikeout rate, fanning 34 times in 97 plate appearances. After returning, he hit .296 with 6 home runs, 10 doubles, and 5 triples, while striking out only 42 times in 201 plate appearances. A key improvement was reducing his swinging strike rate, which dropped from 14.7% in May to 8.7% by mid-September. His wOBA also climbed from .194 on May 6th to .402 by August 27th, showing improved swing decisions. Meadows became a major contributor to the Tigers’ postseason run. However, his 166 off-season ADP suggests his 2025 breakout potential is already priced in. He’s being drafted alongside players like Nick Castellanos, Steven Kwan, and Brandon Nimmo but presents significantly more upside.
Eugenio Suárez | 3B | Arizona Diamondbacks
A 33-year-old veteran as a second-half breakout? Let’s call it a re-emergence. Arizona’s third baseman ranked 11th in the second half with a wRC+ (153) just behind Butler. His performance was too good to ignore, especially considering his inconsistency from 2020 through the first half of 2024. Before July 2024, Suárez hit over .250 only four times in any month since 2020. He rediscovered his power stroke, hitting 20 of his 30 home runs after July 17. From late August to September 11, he went on a tear, slashing .444 with 8 home runs in 12 games. This Cincinnati-level production seemed to disappear for years, like a plane in the Bermuda Triangle. Seattle’s hitting environment gets some blame but his struggles started before moving there. The real question is whether his second-half surge is sustainable. Suárez could contribute in three categories but requires a commitment to a .230-.250 hitter. He’s more valuable in points leagues, where his 30-home-run potential offsets his lower average.
Victor Robles | OF | Seattle Mariners
Victor Robles, who once ranked ahead of Juan Soto as the #6 overall prospect in 2018, has had an underwhelming career. After slashing .236/.311/.356 with the Nationals, he was released at the start of June. A change of scenery seemed to spark him after joining Seattle. From June 5 onward, Robles posted a .328/.393/.467 slash line with a career-low 16.7% strikeout rate. He added 20 stolen bases, 41 runs, and 20 doubles despite playing in MLB’s worst offensive environment. Robles has never been a power hitter, so his value lies in runs, stolen bases, and batting average. His batted ball profile hasn’t changed much, but his whiff rate on fastballs improved significantly. It dropped from 24% in 2022 to 18.6% in 2023 and 12.3% in 2024. He also struck out on fastballs at a career-low 9% rate. Despite improvements, it’s hard to trust this version of Robles is permanent. His 220 ADP in November 2024 makes him a cheap option in most 12-team leagues outside NFBC formats. Though only in the 65th sprint speed percentile, a .280 hitter with 45+ steals at the Mariners’ top lineup spot offers serviceable value.
Still kind of hard for my brain to process that Victor Robles had a 155 OPS+ in 77 games for the Seattle Mariners. Go figure!
— Zane C (@ZanesWorldHQ) November 16, 2024
Tyler Fitzgerald | SS | San Francisco Giants
The Giants recalled Tyler Fitzgerald on June 28 and he started producing immediately. Fitzgerald dominated until mid-August, hitting 11 homers in 24 games with 20 RBI and 20 runs scored. In July, he had an impressive stretch, homering in five consecutive games. Although drafted out of Louisville in 2019, he lacks prospect pedigree and never entered the Giants’ top 30 rankings. However, he has consistently shown power in the minors, hitting 19, 21, and 22 homers from 2021 to 2023. His second major league stint showcased this power immediately. Projecting his stats over a full season suggests 30 doubles, 26 homers, 28 steals, and a .270 average. This stat line is impressive, but it raises questions: Was this a hot streak or a true breakout? His Baseball Savant metrics don’t inspire confidence, especially given his age at 27. His exit velocities, launch angle, pulled homers, and sprint speed all resemble 2016 Trea Turner, which is a dreamable ceiling. I typically avoid “pop-up” prospects showing sudden potential, as the league is certain to adjust, leading to struggles. Still, even reaching part of that ceiling at a 235 ADP could make Fitzgerald a massive value pick.
Honorable Mention: Gavin Lux | 2B | Los Angeles Dodgers
It might have all finally clicked for Lux after unfortunate injuries and struggles early in his career. He seems to have overcome all of that and exercised the demons. He was one of the hottest hitters in baseball during the second half of 2024, batting .304. He has yet to display the type of power that caused him to rocket up prospect rankings in 2019, but he is still only 26. He totaled 10 homers and 50 RBI in 2024 with most of that coming in a second half highlighted by 16 doubles after the All-Star break. Maybe we finally see that long-awaited breakout in 2025 for Lux.
