Mickey Moniak Clubhouse

Mickey Moniak (COL): 4-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI.

Mickey Moniak hit his seventh and eighth home runs of the season yesterday afternoon. Moniak has been living large with the Colorado Rockies, putting up 32 home runs, 76 runs, and 83 RBI in 533 plate appearances since signing with the Rockies during Spring Training last year. While Moniak has all the makings of the prototypical Coors bat, he has also managed to bring his strikeout rate down to 23.4%. The 27-year-old corner outfielder has made better contact, too, with a .277/.311/.555 line.

Obviously, Coors Field has inflated Moniak’s stats slightly, as 21 of those 32 homers were notched at home. However, that’s the ballpark he plays in, and he’ll have 69 more home games this season to drive plenty more dingers out of the yard.

An 84th-percentile sprint speed (28.3 ft/s) and 89th-percentile baserunning value are signs that there’s more than chip-in speed here, especially with Moniak’s newfound contact skills. How much more will depend on how much new manager Warren Schaeffer lets him run. Even with Moniak’s home/road splits, 25+ home runs, 15+ stolen bases, and a .270+ batting average is an extremely valuable fantasy player.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Thursday:

Brandon Marsh (PHI): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.

We may be seeing a breakout from Brandon Marsh this year in his age-28 season. Marsh has made a name for himself as a contact hitter, consistently delivering an average exit velocity north of 91 mph and 90th percentile LA Sweet Spot rates. That ability to hit the ball hard and at a useful angle could finally be resulting in a power surge. Marsh’s elite 32.5% Ideal Plate Appearance rate is in the 90th percentile and is an encouraging sign that there could be more nights like this ahead for him.

 

Adolis García (PHI): 1-1, HR, R, RBI.

Adolis García came into pinch hit at the top of the ninth and tied the game with a solo shot. García has quietly delivered solid underlying numbers in his first season in Philadelphia. His current 92.9 mph average exit velocity and 50.0% Hard Hit rate would both be career highs, and the Phillies have taken notice, moving him up to the cleanup spot. Another season of 20+ home runs and 12-15 stolen bases should be in the cards for the 33-year-old right fielder.

 

Carson Benge (NYM): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI.

Carson Benge started 2026 as a consensus Top 20 prospect before the New York Mets announced he’d be joining their Opening Day roster. Benge has struggled so far during his first taste of major league action, picking up only his second homer of the season last night and bringing his batting average up to .159. The speed is certainly for real, with a 28.6 ft/s sprint speed (91st percentile) resulting in six stolen bases already. Unless this is the start of a major hot streak, that may be moot since it’s likely only a matter of time before the Mets send Benge back to Triple-A for more seasoning. There’s a superstar here, but Benge needs to refine his game before we see a breakout.

 

Andrew Benintendi (CHW): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Andrew Benintendi also notched his second homer of the year last night. Benintendi should be in line for his third consecutive season of 20 home runs. He’s selling out for power right now, with career highs in 89.7 mph average exit velocity, 13.0% Barrel rate, and 58.7% Hard Hit rate, at the expense of his strikeout rate (35.4%). It’s hollow power for fantasy leagues, as a 68 Contact+ value doesn’t leave much optimism for his rate stats to improve, and the Chicago White Sox’s lacklustre lineup leaves a low ceiling for runs and RBI.

 

Tristan Gray (MIN): 2-5, HR, R, 2 RBI.

Utility infielder Tristan Gray has been one of the surprises of 2026. Yesterday’s performance brought Gray up to three home runs and 13 RBI in 14 games. Despite an 89.2 mph average exit velocity, Gray has earned a 105 Power+ thanks to an elite 44.4% LA Sweet Spot rate. This may be more skill than luck, as an 87 Pitch Runs value alongside a 100 DV+ (107 zDV/97 oDV) suggests that this has been the result of solid decision-making against high-quality pitching. The biggest concern here is playing time in a loaded Minnesota Twins lineup, but if Gray continues to produce like this, he’ll force his way into opportunities. At 30 years old, it’s easy to overlook him in favour of a high ceiling youngster like Benge, but production is worth more than upside, so consider riding the hot hand with Gray.

 

Bo Bichette (NYM): 3-5, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB.

Bo Bichette has struggled to adjust to life in Queens. Last night’s outburst boosted him to a .238/.270/.314/.585 line and a 66 wRC+. A far cry from his postseason performance that helped the Toronto Blue Jays reach the World Series just a few months ago. The good news is you can count on a rebound as the season goes on. We’ve seen Bichette be a streaky player in the past, and his 90.7 mph average exit velocity is in line with last year, so the power hasn’t disappeared. A 76 DV+ and 82 Strike Zone Judgement values are indicators that Bichette is swinging at some pitches he shouldn’t right now. Trust the Mets to get this figured out and quickly. They’ve invested far too much in Bichette at a $42M AAV for anything less.

 

Hyeseong Kim (LAD): 2-4, RBI, SB.

Those looking for stolen bases should keep a close eye on Hyeseong Kim. The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ middle infielder has been overshadowed by big-budget free agent deals and one of the league’s top farm systems, but has done nothing but produce since coming over from the KBO. In 211 major league plate appearances, Kim has recorded four home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a .287/.333/.400 triple slash. His plate discipline has taken a step forward in 2026 with a 14.6% walk rate and a 24.4% strikeout rate.

With Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman both on the IL, Kim has emerged as the favourite at shortstop over Miguel Rojas, so there is playing time here, at least for the foreseeable future. There isn’t usually much hesitation to take a chance on a player wearing Dodger blue, and Kim’s speed and versatility make him a worthy gamble.

 

Matt Shaw (CHC): 2-2, BB, SB.

The Chicago Cubs‘ signing of Alex Bregman saw Matt Shaw’s stock drop dramatically over the offseason as it pushed Shaw into a bench role. Shaw has made the most of the opportunities he has received so far to the tune of two homers, two steals, a .305/.344/.492/.835 line, and a 132 wRC+. A slow start from Pete Crow-Armstrong could lead to some extra days off that Shaw can capitalize on for the near future. Shaw showed us a tantalizing power-speed combo in his rookie campaign last season, and the improvement in his contact should make it only a matter of time before he emerges with an everyday role for the Cubs.

 

Miguel Andujar (SDP): 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI.

Despite a career resurgence over his past two seasons, Miguel Andujar has struggled to lock down an everyday role. Until now. Andujar has been sharing the DH spot with Gavin Sheets so far in 2026, but the San Diego Padres have been playing Sheets more often at first base and a corner outfield spot recently. While Andujar has yet to hit a single barrel this year, this is more of a fluke than anything, with Andujar putting up a career-high 90.1 mph average exit velocity in San Diego. This may be a good time to hop aboard the Andujar train, as the homers could be right around the corner, and he’ll deliver elite rate stats in the meanwhile.