So far in my 2024 fantasy baseball rookie outlook posts, two Rangers players Oreo’d Jackson Holliday. Is this ideal for their outlooks? Here’s a better question for you, what is ideal? Does it matter where the rookies come from? Adley and Gunnar in the Orioles’ lineup this past year meant what for them? Good things for real and fantasy baseball. Don’t try to find narratives where there are none. Just because the Rangers have two rookies don’t put on it, “Well, they both can’t be good.” That’s wrong. They can and, with that lineup around them, they have a good chance of being good. Here’s another way to look at it: Prefer two rookies in a stacked Rangers’ lineup or one rookie in the not-so-good Nats’ lineup? Trick question! A rookie in the Nats’ lineup can be good too. Don’t get wrapped up in non-stories. Am I currently arguing with a strawman? Yeah, maybe. Remember the other day, when I said people I asked were split about who the top prospect would be in 2024 fantasy baseball? Our one-time fantasy baseball prospect guy, Geoff, who now works at Baseball America, voted for Wyatt Langford. Yes, I made sure, double-checked honestly, because I know some of you might be wondering, “Isn’t Wyatt Langford the kid from Ozark with the cougar problem?” He’s not, from what I can tell. So, what can we expect from Wyatt Langford for 2024 fantasy baseball?
Wyatt Langford was drafted last year by the Rangers, and only has 49 career pro games. Zoinks, indeed. He was 22nd on Itch’s top 25 fantasy baseball prospects at the mid-way point last year. The tools are, brucely, ridonk. Let’s turn our gandering eyes to:
Wyatt Langford is SPEED ????
After recording his first Triple-A hit, he stole a base and scored in the five-run 1st inning! pic.twitter.com/r0uyzMj6qN
— Round Rock Express (@RRExpress) September 20, 2023
That’s the wheels, and the wheels are rollin’ rollin rollin’ at The Rock, not Latrobe or Alcatraz, but Round Rock. My peepers see a 20+ steal guy there. He had 12 steals in those 49 career pro games. He didn’t steal that much in college (9 in 64 games, and caught once), but, meh, that’s noise. He’s clearly fast, and just needs the desire. Now, the power:
This guy is unreal.
ANOTHER homer for Wyatt Langford! His second of the night for his first career multi-homer game of his pro career!
B8 | FRI 10, AMA 1 #LetsRide pic.twitter.com/vHJDb0gOjm
— Frisco RoughRiders (@RidersBaseball) September 14, 2023
I pulled that clip because he’s jammed there and still muscled it out. In those 49 pro games, he hit 10 homers. For what it’s Cronenworth, power was a big part of his college game — 26 homers in 66 games, then 21 HRs in 64 games the following year. Speaking of college, I sure hope he gets his degree, because I don’t believe in athletes going pro–I’m kidding! Let’s effin’ go!
So, he’s got power and speed? Shucks, don’t tell me he can hit for average too. *intern whispers in ear* Damn it! Wyatt Langford can hit for average too! He doesn’t swing at balls, he doesn’t miss his pitches, and he hits everything hard. He could go .300/.400/.600. I’m going to faint. That’s with 30 homers and 15-20 steals. I need to sit down. Grey getting woozy, and speaking in the third person.
There’s a drawback, there’s gotta be a drawback, that’s what you’re thinking. A 30/15/.300 guy would’ve been the number one prospect for 2024 fantasy with ten of the ten people I asked if it was that simple. Well, I don’t know when he’s breaking camp. Ideally, he would start the year with the Rangers, but his outfield-mate, Evan Carter, was my top rookie prospect, and they have Adolis and Leody, so that leaves Wyatt Langford where? I don’t know, but promoting a top pick all the way to Triple-A shows how good he is and what the Rangers think of him. I’m going to be optimistic and give Wyatt Langford 2024 projections of 48/16/51/.278/14 in 411 ABs with a chance for a lot more.
