Fantasy Baseball Daily Hitting Recap: 4/6/24

O’Doyle Rules

Brenton Doyle (COL): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.

Doyle was an intriguing possibility in the last round of many drafts this year.

On one end, it’s easy to ignore Doyle as a rosterable player, especially in traditional 12-team 5×5 leagues. On the other hand, a deeper look into his profile, especially from last season, makes him a low-risk, high-reward option at the outfield position.

First, he plays 81 games a year in Coors Field, one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball. He will also be guaranteed some regular playing time due to his stellar defense (he ranked in the 99th percentile in OAA in 2023) and the spacious dimensions of Coors Field. Lastly, despite posting a .593 OPS a year ago, he hit ten home runs and stole 22 bags.

Imagine what he could be capable of if he can get that OPS up to around the .650 range or above.

So far this year, Doyle is off to a much better start. He hasn’t stolen a base yet. However, he has hit two home runs in 34 plate appearances and is hitting .250 with a .794 OPS. Granted, the average exit velocity (26th percentile) isn’t incredible, but he’s chasing less (82nd percentile) and getting to the sweet spot (73rd percentile) more than in 2023. Those are the signs of Doyle building something special fantasy-wise, especially as a 24-year-old centerfielder on a rebuilding team.

If Doyle is available in leagues, he should be swiped up before he gains more attention and becomes unavailable on the waiver wire. Due to his power and stolen base potential, he’s valuable not just in keeper and dynasty formats but even redraft.

 

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday

Marcell Ozuna (ATL): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

After a bounce-back season in 2023 (40 HR; .904 OPS), Ozuna continues to mash in 2024. On Saturday, he hit his fourth home run of the year and collected his 10th RBI. He is at the top of the league in both categories. It’s easy to dislike Ozuna because of his off-the-field issues. That said, he continues to be a force with the bat, which Atlanta needs now, especially with their questionable pitching after Spencer Strider’s injury.

 

Spencer Steer (CIN): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB.

Steer hit 23 HR, stole 15 bases, and posted a .820 OPS last season in Cincinnati. Many fantasy managers wondered if he could do something similar in 2024. So far, he’s on the right track. After Saturday’s strong performance, Steer is hitting .448 with three HRs and an OPS of 1.426. He won’t be able to produce that over an entire season. That said, it’s looking like Steer has addressed any concerns that fantasy managers had this winter.

 

Aaron Judge (NYY): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.

Judge continues to do Judge things. On Saturday, he hit his 2nd home run of the year and collected two RBI. The average is low (.212), but he has a .357 OBP. That is thanks to a 19% walk rate, which ranks in the 95th percentile. The power is still there (.455 SLG). The plate discipline is as well. The average will come around soon.

 

Ketel Marte (AZ): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.

Marte has gotten some time in the leadoff spot, with Corbin Carroll off to a slow start (.194 average; .568 OPS). Arizona’s move has paid off, as he is hitting .368 with three HR and a stolen base. Even though he just turned 30, there doesn’t seem to be any slowing down for Marte, who shows tremendous power and speed at the keystone position. If he stays in the leadoff spot, he could produce even more value in 2024 than in years past, especially in the stolen base and runs scored categories.

 

J.T. Realmuto (PHI): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Realmuto hit 20 HRs and stole 16 bags in 2023, which continues to be stellar marks for a catcher. However, his average (.252) and OPS (.762) both saw drops from his career norms. Realmuto seems determined to improve upon those numbers this year. He currently is hitting .333 with a .935 OPS, and he hit his second HR of the year on Saturday.

 

Jurickson Profar (SD): 1-3, HR, R, 4 RBI.

Profar nearly didn’t get rostered by an MLB team this season, as the Padres signed him pretty late in the offseason. So far, he has made good on the Padres’ decision to bring him back to San Diego. He hit his first home run on Saturday and for the season, he is hitting .273 with a .885 OPS. On the flip side, his fantasy outlook doesn’t look great unless one plays in an OBP-focused league (he has a .400 OBP). In actual baseball, though, his position flexibility and patient eye bring a lot to a Padres roster looking to sneak into the playoffs in 2024.

 

Joey Bart (PIT): 2-5, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.

Bart made the most in his Pittsburgh debut after getting DFA’d by the Giants and swooped up by the Pirates just this past week. On Saturday, he collected two hits and hit his first HR as a Bucco. The former 2nd overall pick has long had potential but failed to live up to the hype, especially playing in the shadow of Buster Posey in San Francisco. With Endy Rodríguez out for the year and Henry Davis getting split time in the outfield and catcher, Bart will undoubtedly get a chance to prove he deserves to be on a big-league roster in 2024.

 

Brent Rooker (OAK): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.

It’s easy to forget what the A’s are doing on the field, especially with the mess that has been going on with their owner and stadium situation (they announced that they would be playing the next three years in Sacramento, making 2024 their final season in Oakland). Rooker isn’t tearing it up like he did a year ago (.214 average), but he can still hit bombs, which he did on Saturday. There are more intriguing fantasy options on the A’s (Zack Gelof and JJ Bleday being two), but Rooker could be a waiver option in OBP-based leagues.

 

Jorge Polanco (SEA): 1-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Polanco hasn’t gotten a great start in the Pacific Northwest. He is currently hitting .176 with a .508 OPS. A big issue has been the strikeouts, as he is sporting a 35.1% K%, a career-high. On Saturday, Polanco got back to form in the power category at least, as he hit his 1st HR of the season. There’s still a long way to go in the 2024 season. Hopefully, Saturday’s performance can help spark and turn around a struggling Polanco.

 

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)