Each week, we’ll look at a handful of different hitters who fantasy managers should consider picking up in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Many of these players will have the most value in larger leagues where waiver wire options aren’t as plentiful. Still, they could also occasionally be useful additions in other, more standard-sized leagues, depending on your options at their position.
All roster percentages mentioned in this column are via FantasyPros as of Wednesday afternoon.
Nolan Schanuel – 12%
Mentioned earlier this season in this column, Schanuel is enjoying a breakout season at the plate.
He’s still not hitting for much power. As of the beginning of play on Wednesday, the first baseman had collected just four home runs and a 5.5% barrel rate in 292 plate appearances while logging a .429 xSLG and a .112 ISO.
But Schanuel is making so much contact (and drawing so many walks) that it more or less papers over the lack of power production for fantasy managers in deeper leagues.
Overall, the 23-year-old is hitting .283 with a .374 on-base percentage, four home runs and three stolen bases. He’s striking out just 13.0% of the time and logging an 11.6% walk rate.
Among qualified batters, only 15 have a lower strikeout rate this season.
Also among qualified batters, just 33 have a higher walk rate than the Angels’ first baseman.
Furthermore, after mostly hitting in the bottom half of the American League West club’s lineup to start the year, the first baseman has hit second in each of his starts dating back to April 29.
Since June 3, that has meant hitting directly in front of Mike Trout.
Schanuel might not provide above-average power production for fantasy managers, but he’s going to help in a number of other categories.
Casey Schmitt – 1%
Casey Schmitt has only logged 86 plate appearances this season in the majors, but if he keeps making this kind of contact at the plate, his surface-level stats should improve considerably moving forward.
The 26-year-old is hitting just .230 on the season with a .329 on-base percentage and three home runs in the aforementioned 86 plate appearances, but he’s also logging a .362 xwOBA, an 11.8% barrel rate, a 49.0% hard-hit rate, a .265 xBA and a .466 xwOBAcon.
Again, we’re talking about a tiny sample size here, but for Schmitt is very much worth adding in fantasy leagues at the moment.
And it’s not purely down to just the strong quality of contact and underlying metrics.
It’s to do with all of those strong quality of contact and underlying metrics and the fact that the 26-year-old is fantasy-eligible at all four infield positions, making him a fit for just about every fantasy team, regardless of where that team needs roster reinforcements.
Furthermore, Schmitt has started to hit closer and closer to the middle of San Francisco’s lineup after starting the year batting in the bottom third of the order.
In general, that’s usually a positive fantasy-wise, due to the additional plate appearances and opportunities that come with hitting further up the lineup. But now that the Giants have acquired Rafael Devers, it makes Schmitt potentially hitting near the middle of the National League West club’s lineup even more significant for his fantasy upside.
Jake Fraley – 1%
Jake Fraley is probably more of an option – or at least a better fantasy option – in leagues where on-base percentage is part of the scoring. If the season ended today, the 30-year-old’s 14.4% walk rate would be the second-best of his career.
Overall, Fraley is batting .230 with a .341 on-base percentage, five home runs and four stolen bases in 132 plate appearances. He’s struck out just 17.4% of the time while adding a 103 wRC+.
And while the veteran’s 5.6% barrel rate and 35.6% hard-hit rate could certainly be better, his ability to make plenty of contact and draw walks is potentially significant for his fantasy production.
Not just in general, but also because he gets to play half of his home games at the extremely hitter-friendly venue that is Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
And while Fraley doesn’t have quite as high of a fantasy ceiling in leagues that use on-base percentage as part of the scoring, the fact that he draws so many walks puts him in a strong position to see continued run-scoring opportunities.
It also doesn’t hurt that he’s hitting .290 with a .389 on-base percentage, a home run and a stolen base in 36 plate appearances this month. If he can start to hit further up the lineup, it’d only improve his fantasy ceiling
Graphic by Carlos Leano.
