The peak of draft season might be over, but there is still time to draft your team. We are all smitten by the allure of picking promising prospects or young studs. However, there are some veteran MLB stars who can still leave a positive mark on our rosters.
We are not looking at the Miguel Cabreras, Nelson Cruzes, or Josh Donaldsons. Those were difference-makers back in the day, but they are not expected to be fantasy contributors at this point in their careers.
This article is about trying to determine a few players who are 35 or older who might not be at their peaks but remain capable of helping your fantasy team.
You’d be surprised to see the number of potential fantasy stars who are 34 that barely missed being part of this list, such as Jacob deGrom, DJ LeMahieu, or Starling Marte. Still, there is more than enough to put together a solid list for this particular exercise.
Without further ado, let’s go to the list.
5 Veteran MLB Stars Over 35 Who Can Still Help Your Fantasy Team
Veteran MLB Stars You Can Count On
Justin Verlander, New York Mets
Verlander won an AL Cy Young last year at 39 years old and coming off serious, long-term elbow surgery. Take a moment to let that sink in. Oh, and he won the same award in 2019, his last fully healthy season.
The guy is just a freak of nature, a competitive beast who signed a multi-year deal with the Mets – the most win-now team in baseball – and intends to keep pitching for several more years.
Verlander just tossed 175 innings of a 1.75 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP with Houston in 2022. He also pitched five scoreless frames with eight strikeouts in his most recent spring start. Yes: he is ready to dominate once again at 40 years old.
Max Scherzer, New York Mets
Verlander’s teammate on the Mets is just as impressive as the reigning AL Cy Young winner. Scherzer is 38 and just posted a 2.29 ERA with 173 strikeouts in 145.1 frames. When discussing veteran MLB stars, he should be one of the first names mentioned, and he still can be a fantasy ace as long as you don’t expect 200 innings.
Even 180 frames might be a stretch considering he missed time with oblique strains two times last year. You have to understand, additionally, the Mets’ desire to keep him healthy and fresh for the postseason. However, on a per-start basis, few hurlers are better than Scherzer.
Yu Darvish, San Diego Padres
Even at 36, Yu Darvish is still getting it done. Last season, he posted a 3.10 ERA with 197 strikeouts in 194.2 innings. That innings total was actually the second-highest of his MLB career. Yes: there is plenty of ammo left in that right arm.
Armed with at least six pitches and elite command (just 1.71 walks per nine frames last year), Darvish remains relevant and plays for a contender, potentially boosting his wins total. There is a lot to like here despite the age.
Sluggers Aging Gracefully
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Ok, we might be cheating a bit here because Goldy is technically not over 35 (he is 35, though). Let us have this one, though, OK?
Like a fine wine, he is aging gracefully: a .317/.404/.578 line with 35 home runs and a career-high 177 wRC+ catapulted him to his first NL MVP award at age 34.
He is one of those veteran MLB stars that you probably won’t have to fear he will suddenly decline in 2023. He just goes out there and performs, giving fantasy teams one of the safest floors out there.
A lock for 30 homers, 95 runs, 95 RBI, and a .290 average, you probably won’t find a more consistent four-category contributor in fantasy.
Jose Abreu, Houston Astros
If we are talking about veteran MLB stars, we can’t just forget about the Astros’ marquee winter signing. Abreu will make an already lethal lineup better and longer.
Traditionally an RBI asset, Abreu will have ample chances to score and drive in runs in MLB’s best offense. He might not be a 30-homer hitter anymore, but he will hit around .300 and should return at least 20-homer power if he remains healthy.
He is a reliable contributor in two of the most difficult categories to predict in fantasy: batting average and RBI, and he is doing it at 36. Even without the power, metrics such as wRC+ and Offensive Runs Above Average (Off) say he just had one of his finest seasons in recent memory.
