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.
José Caballero – 13%
Last year, José Caballero played second base, third base and shortstop, providing the Tampa Bay Rays and fantasy managers alike plenty in the way of positional versatility, not to mention stolen base production (he stole 44 bases in 139 games).
This year, José Caballero has played second base, third base, shortstop and the outfield, providing the Tampa Bay Rays and fantasy managers alike plenty in the way of positional versatility and stolen base production.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering what he did last year, Caballero has collected five stolen bases so far.
As of the beginning of play on Wednesday, the infielder and outfielder was hitting .333 with a .455 on-base percentage, a home run and the aforementioned five stolen bases.
He has logged a .222 ISO so far, up considerably from the .120 number it was last year. And while Caballero is unlikely to start hitting a bunch of home runs – his barrel rate this year is still just 6.0% – if he can even boost his power numbers a bit, the 28-year-old could hit his way into being a starting option in most fantasy leagues and formats.
Even if it’s just somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 home runs instead of nine, Caballero brings more than enough to the table elsewhere from a fantasy perspective, with his speed and eligibility at a number of positions, to make an impact. The power production is really all that’s missing.
Kyle Farmer – 3%
Kyle Farmer has provided solid fantasy production in the past, particularly from a counting stat standpoint. He hit .263 with a .316 on-base percentage, 16 home runs and a pair of stolen bases in 529 plate appearances for the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, adding 60 runs scored and 63 RBI in the process.
Farmer hit .255 and drove in 78 runs in 583 plate appearances the next year, along with 14 home runs, and has three times surpassed double-digit home runs in a season since 2020.
So far this season, playing for the Colorado Rockies, Farmer has just one run scored and four RBI in 16 games and 56 plate appearances as of the beginning of play on Wednesday.
Those numbers should improve considerably.
Coors Field being Farmer’s new home park will obviously play a significant part here, but it’s also worth noting that the veteran infielder is off to a strong start at the plate with a .333 average, a .375 on-base percentage and a 129 wRC+ so far.
Combine all that, the Coors Field bit in particular, with Farmer’s penchant for putting the ball in play and he should be well on his way to a quality fantasy season. Add him now before the numbers improve.
Furthermore, Farmer has started hitting in the top third of the Rockies lineup. Since April 10, he’s hit either second or third in each of his last six starts, a stretch in which he’s hitting 364 with a 169 wRC+ in 24 plate appearances.
Ty France – 7%
The Minnesota Twins have struggled to score runs this season. Entering play Wednesday, the American League Central club had outscored just six other franchises early in the season.
And while the run-scoring numbers could certainly be better, Ty France has enjoyed a strong start to the season, to the point where he’s starting to hit in the middle of (or close to the middle of) Minnesota’s lineup on a regular basis.
France is batting .270 with a .333 on-base percentage and a pair of home runs in 69 plate appearances so far. He’s striking out just 8.7% of the time (which ranks in the 96th percentile) and is sporting a .366 xwOBA and a .290 xBA.
The veteran infielder has never been a prolific power hitter, but if the season ended today, his 8.8% barrel rate would be a new career high.
The further up in the lineup France hits in Minnesota, the better fantasy production he’s going to have. Obviously opportunities in the form of more plate appearances will help, but France, like Farmer, doesn’t strike out too much, which should lead to more RBI chances over time, particularly if he’s hitting near Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa on a regular basis.
Graphic by Carlos Leano.
