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2023 Player Outlook

2023 Recap: De La Cruz is going to be one of the most polarizing players in fantasy baseball this season. In just 98 games last season, he hit 13 home runs and stole 35 bases, potentially setting the stage for a massive 2024 campaign. However, as toolsy as he is, don't overlook the .235 average, 33.7 percent strikeout rate, and 53.9 percent ground ball rate. He couldn't hit left-handed pitching at all last year, highlighted by a .184 average, 40.2 percent strikeout rate, and 28 wRC+. Over the final month of the season, he hit just .202 with just five extra-base hits (2 HR), but 12 stolen bases certainly helped. 

2024 Outlook: The ceiling is immense with De La Cruz, but the floor is pretty low as well, which cannot be ignored. Using your second or third round pick on De La Cruz is one of the biggest risks in the early round, and catapults you head-first into the "first or worst" mentality. Risk-averse drafters will likely look elsewhere in the early rounds, and while De La Cruz probably joins the 20/20 club in his sleep, he might do so while hitting .225 with an OBP below .315. Again, there's more risk with De La Cruz than the electrifying highlight reel indicates.