As the fantasy baseball season approaches, people all over are starting to get geared up for their drafts. Nick went over late starting pitcher targets yesterday and today I'm focusing on the 10 hitters I'm targeting in my leagues.
Note: These players are listed in alphabetical order and not by rank.
1. Andrew Benintendi (Boston Red Sox) - I would say that, if you asked most people who they think the AL Rookie of the Year will be this season, a lot of them will say Andrew Benintendi, and with good reason. Benintendi is incredibly skilled in just about every way. He tore the minor leagues up, and was promoted to the majors late last year, playing 34 games for the Red Sox. In that short amount of time, he proved he was ready for the majors, batting .295 across those 118 plate appearances. Benintendi's not a big dude, he's only 5'10" and 170 pounds, but the guy has good power. He's got quick hands and a strong swing, and could easily pump out 20+ home runs eventually. Perhaps the most intriguing part about Benintendi is his pure hitting ability. He's got great pitch recognition, he's a smart hitter, and makes great contact. He's also got really good speed too, and while this doesn't really matter for fantasy, he's an excellent fielder. I think eventually, Benintendi could be a 20/20, .280-.290 hitter, but I don't think that's what he'll do this season (though I don't think it's out of the question). This season will really hinge on where he bats in the lineup, and I think the Red Sox will bat him towards the top, likely second. If he does end up batting at the top of the lineup, I think an average in the .280s, 10-15 home runs, 15-20 steals, 70-80 RBIs and 80-90 runs. And honestly, it would not surprise me if he does even better than that. If, by the end of the year, we're sitting here going "Holy crap I can't believe Benintendi hit 23 home runs, stole 25 bases and batted .300," it honestly wouldn't shock me. His potential is crazy high, and he's going fairly low, so I think he's worth the grab.
I would like to take your “list” seriously but you are missing a top 25 pitcher that you don’t have in the top 100. You might want to add him so if he is a top 10 pitcher again you don’t look stupid. Dallas Kuechel
Hey Jay, what makes you so confident that Keuchel will return to his 2015 form?
I go over ever single ranking on that List during the pre-season and I recommend taking a look at what I said about Keuchel here:
http://pitcherlist.com/2017-rankings-top-60-starting-pitchers-for-fantasy-baseball/
Let me know what you disagree with! I’m more than happy to dive into this with you.