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.
Donovan Solano – 1%
With Rowdy Tellez recently designated for assignment, Donovan Solano looks set to step into more playing time for the Seattle Mariners for the rest of the season.
The veteran has hit .266 with a .302 on-base percentage, three home runs and a 96 wRC+ in 116 plate appearances in his first season in Seattle with the Mariners, providing excellent production against right-handed pitching.
That role alone makes Solano worth a look in deeper leagues, even if he’s only someone to start against right-handed pitching.
It also doesn’t hurt for fantasy managers that he’s been on a tear at the plate lately.
Since the start of May, Solano is batting .355 with a .403 on-base percentage, three home runs, a 6.0% walk rate, a 17.9% strikeout rate and a .177 ISO in 67 plate appearances with a wRC+ that’s 73 points above league average.
Elsewhere, he’s collected multi-hit games in five of his last seven outings, with three straight three-hit games entering play this week and stands out as a potential impact short-term addition for fantasy managers looking for a boost in weekly batting average production.
As an added bonus, he also brings fantasy eligibility at both first base and at third base to the table.
Gary Sánchez – 3%
Speaking of players potentially stepping into an expanded role for an extended period, Gary Sánchez looks set to be Baltimore’s starting catcher in the interim, with Adley Rutschman recently being placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left oblique strain.
The veteran isn’t hitting for a tremendously high average in Baltimore, but is hitting the ball hard with regularity and should benefit considerably from extended playing time.
For the season, Sanchez is batting .214 with a .308 on-base percentage, a trio of home runs, a 4.6% walk rate, a 27.7% strikeout rate, a .120 ISO and a 98 wRC+ in 65 plate appearances for the Orioles as of the start of play on Wednesday.
It’s still a decidedly small sample size for the catcher, who has logged a double-digit barrel rate in each of his Major League seasons, and has logged an xwOBAcon north of the .410 mark in all but one Major League season.
So far this year, the veteran is sporting a 64.1% hard-hit rate and a 12.8% barrel rate on 39 batted ball events.
If he can hit anywhere near the heart of the Baltimore lineup on a regular basis, he’ll be a quality starting option in leagues with two catchers, as well as standard leagues with 14 or more teams.
Tyler Freeman – 5%
The player the Colorado Rockies acquired for Nolan Jones earlier this year, Freeman, has quietly gotten off to a strong start with the National League West club.
The 26-year-old is batting .327 with a .411 on-base percentage, a home run, nine stolen bases, a 128 wRC+, a .376 xwOBA and a higher walk rate (8.9%) than a strikeout rate (7.3%).
It’s still a reasonably small sample size, but not too small in the grand scheme of things to completely write it off.
And while Freeman isn’t likely to suddenly start hitting for a bunch of power – his barrel rate was just 3.1% entering play on Wednesday – his ability to make a bunch of contact sets him up for plenty of fantasy success with Coors Field as his home stadium.
The former Guardians infielder is batting .315 with a .381 on-base percentage, a .825 OPS and just a 6.3% strikeout rate in 63 plate appearances at home.
Interestingly, and perhaps in encouraging news moving forward, his road wRC+ (154) is actually 48 points higher than his home wRC+, so this isn’t necessarily a situation where you have to keep him out of fantasy lineups when he isn’t playing at Coors Field.
Graphic by Carlos Leano.
