Life of the Marte
Noelvi Marte (CIN): 5-7, 2 2B, HR, 3 R, 7 RBI.
Noelvi Marte, have a day! In fact, Cincinnati Reds, have a day! The Reds beat up on the Baltimore Orioles 24-2, scoring the most runs in a game since 1999, with Marte being one of the two Reds’ Bash Brothers who did most of the damage (see below for his partner in crime). Marte went 5-for-7 with a home run, seven RBI, and three runs. Marte Like It’s 1999, ammirite? I could do this all day.
Many will be wondering if Marte is worth a waiver wire pickup. Some will point to his prospect pedigree and his hot start to his big-league career in late 2023, slashing a cool .316/.366/.456 in 35 games to finish out the season, including three home runs, seven doubles, 15 RBI, and six steals. But just as soon as his fantasy stock was soaring, everything came crashing back to earth.
Marte was suspended 80 games in March 2024 for a PED violation, and when he returned, he was a shell of his 2023 self, hitting only .210/.248/.301 over 66 games. Things got so bad that the former top prospect began the 2025 season in the minors, partly due to performance, but partly because Marte is blocked on a crowded Reds’ major-league roster. It took a couple of injuries to starters, first to Matt McLain, and now to Christian Encarnacion-Strand, for Marte to be called up, even though his Triple-A numbers have been solid to start the season, albeit without a homer.
So, is this the breakout performance of a top prospect that the fantasy community has been waiting for? Unfortunately, no. Marte will likely be an everyday MLB player in the future. But let’s enjoy Sunday’s game for what it was: a hitter’s version of a Birthday Party (Birthday Marte?) – a fun, one-day blip performance where a bench bat hitting in the eight-spot hit a grand slam off one position player (Jorge Mateo) in the eighth inning, and an RBI double off another one (Gary Sánchez) in the ninth. The last two innings were basically batting practice for the Reds.
Marte came into the day with a .083 batting average after going 0-for-5 in his last game, and he struck out the two times he didn’t reach base on Sunday. Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that Marte will be a fantasy asset for our rosters because of his name, pedigree, and Sunday’s stat line. Do not jump on the Marte Bus – it will not be a fun ride.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Sunday:
Austin Wynns (CIN): 6-7, HR, 2 R, 6 RBI.
All this man does is Wynn. Well, at least yesterday. There was another Birthday Party in Camden Yards on Sunday, with nine-hole backup catcher Austin Wynns collecting six hits and six RBIs, including a three-run HR off Gary Sánchez in the ninth inning. Enjoy the day, Austin!
Javier Sanoja (MIA): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI.
Another day, another big performance from a Miami Marlins player you probably never heard of. Down two runs in the eighth inning, rookie utilityman Javier Sanoja hit a huge three-run HR, his first of his career, to put the Marlins up on the Phillies. Later in the game, up one run in the 10th inning, Sanoja hit an RBI single to score an insurance run for Miami. Nothing to see here for fantasy value, but another fun stat line from a wild Sunday in the bigs.
Rhys Hoskins (MIL): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, SB.
We started today’s Batters Box with seven RBI, then six, then five, and now we get to a four-RBI game, thankfully from a player who carries some fantasy value! Rhys Hoskins hit his third home run in five games and had a monster week at the plate for the Brewers. Gone are the days of Hoskins being a starting 1B for your fantasy teams, but he’s a better player than his 2024 slash line indicates (.214/.303/.419). His 2025 22.7 K% and 12.1 BB% are already markedly better than his 28.8 K% and 10.3 BB% in 2024. Hoskins is a decent CI option in 12-teamers this year, especially for those in OBP leagues if his walk rate stays up.
Zach Neto (LAA): 1-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Check your waiver wires, people! Zach Neto returned from the IL this weekend and hit his first bomb in his third game back. This former first-round pick, who hit 23 home runs and stole 30 bases in 2024, might still be on waivers in your leagues, and if he is, rectify that situation right away. Neto is only 24, and his power/speed profile has 25/25 upside for the rest of the season, even while hitting seventh (for now) on the lowly Angels.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (SDP): 2-4, 3B, HR, 3 R, RBI, BB.
Is he the future NL and fantasy MVP this year? After April 19, it sure looks like it. He’s had a bonkers start to the season, and fantasy owners are reaping the benefits, especially all those who picked him up in the second round during draft season. Check out his deep-red Statcast page and his beautiful skyward Process+ chart below:
Byron Buxton (MIN): 2-5, 2B, HR, R, RBI.
Byron Buxton is 31 years old and will never be the fantasy MVP everyone thought he would be, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a solid fantasy asset in your outfield. Buxton had a strong week, hitting his fourth home run of the season and his second since taking over the two-spot in the Twins lineup. He’s still fast (100th percentile sprint speed) and carries some pop (93rd percentile hard hit rate and 91st percentile Bat Speed). Don’t expect All-Star level production, but Buxton can produce for your team in 2025 as long as he stays healthy.
Kyle Manzardo (CLE): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Manzardo cooled off earlier this week, going on a nice 2-for-18 run, before hitting a home run on both Saturday and Sunday. His roster rate dipped 13% on Yahoo during his cold streak to just 24% owned, and that’s a big mistake. Like any rookie, Manzardo’s results will run hot and cold, but if you look under the hood using our Process+ metric, you see a player who is putting it all together. Results will follow. Buy and hold.
Cody Bellinger (NYY): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, SB.
It’s been a disastrous start in pinstripes for the former NL MVP, but hopefully Sunday’s sock and shoe is the start of a turnaround that Yankees fans and fantasy owners alike are rooting for. Cody Bellinger’s .192 xBA is in the bottom 10% of the league, and his 26.4 K% is his worst since his forgettable 2021 and 2022 seasons. He is, however, hitting the ball harder than he’s ever done before, with a hard-hit rate of 46.8%. The season is still young, my friends.
Cal Raleigh (SEA): 1-5, HR, R, 2 RBI.
I, like many fantasy players, was too scared of Cal Raleigh’s AVG to take a shot on his power during draft season. I, like many fantasy players who don’t own Cal Raleigh in 2025, made a bad decision during draft season and feel dumb about it. Raleigh keeps on blasting home runs and is running away with the No. 1 overall catcher title so far in 2025.
