Fantasy Baseball Cheat Sheet: Late-Round Sleepers That Dominate in Runs

These five players come at a great discount in fantasy baseball drafts and will earn you an edge in the Runs category.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates scoring with outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9) on a two run single by outfielder Starling Marte (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

If you've prioritized home runs and RBI early in your ROTO draft, but suddenly find yourself a little light in the Runs category, here are five players who can help. 

The best part? 

All of these players are coming off the board after the tenth round. 

Be sure to reference this category cheat sheet series as you head into your drafts.  We'll also dive into RBI, batting average, stolen bases and home runs in separate articles. 

Now, let's draft a winning team! 

Late-Round Targets for Runs 

Steve Kwan (OF) CLE ADP 137

Kwan is undervalued in drafts right now.

His power may not be flashy, but he has plenty of skills that can contribute to fantasy success.   

Kwan does not strike out. His 9.4% K-rate was second only to Luis Arraez in 2024.   His .292 batting average ranked 14th in MLB, and it was not far off from his expected batting overage of .284,  according to Statcast.

Kwan doesn’t have any real power, but with his elite contact skills, he should still be effective as the leadoff hitter for the Guardians. In 2024, he hit a career-high 14 home runs across 121 games played due to those skills and an elevated fly ball rate.    More important, however, is his ability to get on base and score runs while also contributing to his batting average. He could also chip in double-digit steals.   Kwan’s .364 OBP ranked 13th in MLB for 2024. 

Kwan has the potential for 90+ runs without being a complete zero in home runs and stolen bases- just be sure you count on your RBI from someone else. 

Brandon Nimmo (OF) NYM ADP 135

I’m willing to bet on a Nimmo bounce-back in 2025 at this point in the draft.

Nimmo hit just .224 last season, but it was the first time he hit below .274 since 2019.    Even still, he clubbed 25 homers and scored 88 runs.  The Mets will have to pitch to Nimmo, who will be after Juan Soto and Pete Alonso in the lineup.

According to Fangraphs, New York is projected to score the third-most runs per game in 2025. 

Brandon Nimmo - New York Mets (23)
pic.twitter.com/TUm2hbjyG1

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 30, 2024

Luis Arraez (1B/2B)  ADP 147

Arraez’s contact skills are beyond elite.    His 4.3% K-rate was the lowest in MLB for 2024, and he hit .314. Across six major league seasons, Arraez has not hit less than .294.   He’s an automatic boost to anyone’s batting average category. 

That batting average has often come at the expense of every other category, but last season, he tallied 83 runs.   Sixty-one of those runs came across just 117 games with San Diego, where he hit leadoff in front of Fernando Tatis, Jr.  That bodes well for another sold contribution in the runs category this year.    I’ll pencil him in for 80+ in 2025.   The positional flexibility is a nice bonus, too. 

Sep 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) scores on a single by Nolan Arenado as San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) watches the action during the first inning at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Masyn Winn (SS/MI) STL ADP 171

Wynn scored 85 runs, primarily batting leadoff for the Cardinals last season, where he is expected to bat again in 2025.

It’s an un-sexy pick, but it could be a smart move at pick 171.

Wynn might also contribute double-digit home runs and steals without tanking your batting average.  His Sprint speed is on the 87th percentile of MLB, and though he sold out some of his batting average for power in the second half of last season,  at just 22 years old, there’s optimism he could put it all together and still maintain a productive spot at the top of the lineup. 

Taylor Ward (OF) LAA  ADP 176

Taylor Ward plays for a boring team (sorry, Halos fans) and one that isn’t expected to win many games this year.

But, what if…. Mike Trout stays healthy?   And Juan Soto crushes 30 homers?  And Jo Adell finally has that breakout season? 

Taylor Ward would score a lot of runs.  

Even if none of those things come true, you can probably still count on Ward for 80 runs batting leadoff for the Angels. 

Ward under-performed his batted-ball data in 2024 while also logging career highs in home runs (25), RBI (75) and tying his career-high in runs (73).  Ward moved around in the Angels lineup last season, seeing twice as many pitches from the #3 spot as he did in the leadoff position.   He had a respectable 9.5% walk rate in 2024, and though he hit just .246, he should be able to contribute in a few categories. 

Sep 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Dansby Swanson (7) advances home to score against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Dansby Swanson (SS), CHC ADP 180 

Swanson has never really lived up to his number-one draft pick, but he’s been a solid late-round value for a few seasons.  He’s scored 80+ runs in each the last three seasons (two with the Cubs and one with the Braves), and last year he stole a career-high 19 bases. 

2024 was off to a slow start before he had a hot two months to finish the season with a .283/.351/.471 slash line, seven home runs, and 12 steals.

He’s an everyday starter for a Cubs team that is currently the betting favorite to win the NL Central. This could be a good return on investment if he can pick up where he left off.  

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