Each week we’ll look at a handful of different players whom 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 Friday afternoon.
All 2024 stats are as of the beginning of play on Friday.
Parker Meadows – 13%
Since returning from being optioned to the minors on July 5, Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows has quietly turned in a strong showing at the plate, hitting .304 with a .353 on-base percentage, a 149 wRC+, a .232 ISO, and an 8.1% barrel rate in 151 plate appearances.
Most crucially for fantasy managers, perhaps, is the fact that the outfielder has logged five home runs and six stolen bases during that span, while striking out just 19.2% of the time, providing quality power and speed production.
On top of all that, Meadows has established himself as a fixture atop the Tigers’ lineup, hitting leadoff in all but four of his starts since August 16.
Generally speaking, that usually means hitting ahead of some combination of Matt Vierling, Riley Greene, and Kerry Carpenter on most days.
Vierling is batting .289 with a .351 on-base percentage in 134 plate appearances since August 1.
During the same stretch, Greene is sporting a .268 average, a .351 on-base percentage, and a .220 ISO in 94 plate appearances during the same span.
Carpenter might be the most impactful of the bunch, with a .298 average, a 362 on-base percentage, six home runs, and a .298 ISO since the calendar turned to August.
All three are sporting a wRC+ above the 120 mark during that oft-mentioned stretch, with Carpenter leading the way with a 166 number. And with Spencer Torkelson (166 wRC+), Zach McKinstry (138 wRC+, and Trey Sweeney (102 wRC+) all finding varying levels of success further down the lineup, it provides (and should continue to provide) Meadows with both steady run-scoring and RBI chances.
Luke Raley – 9%
Speaking of hitters who’ve been in fine form at the plate since the calendar flipped to August, Luke Raley is hitting .270 with a .385 on-base percentage during that span, adding eight home runs and a stolen base in the process.
His wRC+ in that span sits exactly 80% of the league average, as of the beginning of play on Friday at 180.
During that span, the outfielder and first baseman has hit anywhere from leadoff to cleanup to fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth, so he isn’t quite seeing the same boost to his fantasy ceiling as Meadows is with a regular role (and extra plate appearances) coming at the top of the order.
Still, he’s bringing elite power production to the table. The .337 ISO will tell you that, but the real stat of note is the slugger’s barrel rate since August 1.
It’s currently sitting at 19.4%.
Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto’s barrel rates during the same period? 20.7% and 21.5% respectively.
Jesus Sanchez – 6%
Jesus Sanchez was mentioned in this column last month. Nearly a month ago, his rostered rate was at the 4% mark.
That column was from August 17. Up until then, Sanchez was hitting .242 with a .295 on-base percentage, 15 home runs, a stolen base, a 12.7% barrel rate, and a 52.8% hard-hit rate.
Since then, the positive regression has very much started to kick in for the 26-year-old surface-level stat line this year.
Still hitting just .246 with a .304 on-base percentage on the season, Sanchez’s recent hot streak (more on that shortly) has seemed all but inevitable to happen at some point. What with a .347 xwOBA, a .488 xSLG, a 12.3% barrel rate, and a 95% hard-hit rate on the season. All four rank in the 80th percentile or higher league-wide, with the hard-hit rate ranking as high as the 95th percentile.
Admittedly, there is some swing and miss when breaking down the 26-year-old’s numbers. He’s sporting a 35.5% chase rate and a 30.9% whiff rate on the season to go along with a 25.7% strikeout rate.
Still, this type of hot streak, one in which the outfielder is batting .269 with a .351 on-base percentage, a pair of home runs, five stolen bases, a 114 wRC+, and a 10.2% barrel rate, positions Sanchez as an impact waiver wire addition for fantasy managers down the stretch.
One who, depending on league size, could be crucial in helping win fantasy championships in a few weeks time.
He’s a fantasy must-add in leagues with more than 12 teams.
Lars Nootbaar – 19%
Exactly one Major League batter this season ranks in the 80th percentile or better in all of the following statistical categories: xwOBA, hard-hit rate, chase rate, and whiff rate.
Just one.
As you might’ve guessed, that one batter is Lars Nootbaar.
A few others came close. Mookie Betts and Jurickson Profar ranked in the 80th percentile or better in xwOBA, chase rate, and whiff rate, but neither had a hard-hit rate that ranked in the 80th percentile or better.
Leaving Nootbaar alone as the only hitter to rank so highly in all four metrics.
Overall, the 27-year-old is batting .246 with a .339 on-base percentage, nine home runs and seven stolen bases.
Like Sanchez, he’s been due for some positive statistical regression all season. And like Sanchez, it appears to be coming at the perfect time for fantasy managers.
Since August 1, the Cardinals outfielder is batting .267 with a .361 on-base percentage, he’s added a pair of home runs, nine total extra-base hits, and three stolen bases – not to mention a 12.0% barrel rate and a 53.0% hard-hit rate.
It’s just rare from a fantasy standpoint to find such a hitter with strong plate discipline metrics (the 27-year-old ranks in the 100th percentile in terms of chase rate) and the ability to make consistent, loud contact. Usually, those hitters (and there really aren’t a lot of them) are selected within the first 20 picks in fantasy drafts during the spring. Yet Nootbaar is currently on less than 20% of fantasy rosters. In short? Add him to your fantasy team now.
Photo by Adobe Stock | Adapted by Carlos Leano.