Author: Paul Sporer | Page 16 | RotoGraphs Fantasy Baseball

Gold Digging: Building a Team After Pick-300 Pt. 1

January 28, 2025

This is another one of my favorite offseason exercises. Last week, I went through the Steamer600 projections to uncover some potential gems who could break out if they get that kind of playing time. Today we’re on the hunt again, this time for gold (they’re minerals, Marie!) and we’re doing so by lopping off the first 300 picks of the Average Draft Position and then picking our players.

Later this week, I’ll have the rest of the lineup and then next week, I’ll share my pitchers.

Catcher

Hunter Goodman | COL – 313 ADP

This one is very straightforward: a super powerful catcher-eligible bat in Coors. He also played some 1B and LF so he could be a non-catching catcher. He must figure out how to hit first! Goodman clubbed 13 HRs in just 70 games last season, but his 0.13 BB/K was tied for 3rd-lowest (min. 220 PA) as he posted a 61 wRC+ in 224 PA. He did have a 0.35 BB/K (MLB league average: 0.36) in 1259 minor league plate appearances so he has shown some ability to draw a walk. Think Patrick Wisdom in Coors if things work out for Goodman. Wisdom clubbed 30 HRs/500 PA from 2021-23 despite a paltry 0.26 BB/K and .214 AVG in 1211 PA.

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The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1370 – 2B Preview Pt. 2

by Paul Sporer

January 28, 2025

1/27/25

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is live. Support the show by subscribing to our Patreon!!

Follow us on Twitter

@sporer – Host
@justinmasonfwfb – Co-Host/Producer

PATREON

Join our Patreon for live video feeds of each show
Watch the video feed replay on YouTube

SECOND BASE PREVIEW PT. 2:

Tier 4

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The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1368 – 2B Preview Pt. 1

by Paul Sporer

January 24, 2025

1/24/25

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is live. Support the show by subscribing to our Patreon!!

Follow us on Twitter

@sporer – Host
@justinmasonfwfb – Co-Host/Producer

PATREON

Join our Patreon for live video feeds of each show
Watch the video feed replay on YouTube

SECOND BASE PREVIEW PT. 1:

Tier 1

Mookie Betts

Tier 2

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Identifying Potential Gems from Steamer600

by Paul Sporer

January 22, 2025

Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

One of my favorite traditions every winter is to peruse our Steamer600 projections and dream about some potential breakthrough seasons. This puts everyone on equal footing playing time-wise since it is the most difficult factor to consistently project as Rob Manfred simply refuses to turn off injuries in the global settings of the game!

Here are some of my favorite potential breakouts using these numbers:

CATCHER (they do make an exception at C where it’s 450 PA since very few Cs log 600)

Gabriel Moreno | ARI, 194 ADP | .283 AVG, 10 HR, 54 R, 51 RBI, 5 SB

I am still on the Moreno Train! He couldn’t really build on his 2023 breakout because while he did add a few points to his wRC+ total, he only played 97 games and saw his .284 AVG drop 18 points. Thumb and adductor strains in June and August, respectively, cost him about a month of time and contributed to his modest overall output. While it didn’t yield much in the way of his counting stats, it is worth noting that Moreno had a sharp improvement in plate skills, doubling his BB/K from 0.8, tops among catchers with at least 350 PA. A fully healthy season could see the 25-year-old backstop eclipse 400 PA for the first time while this projection likes him for a power surge, too. We did catch a glimpse of power production during their World Series run in 2023 as Moreno clubbed 4 HRs in 70 PA after hitting 7 in 380 during the regular season. The batting average is the key though, so even if he stays more in the 5-7 HR range, there is upside to chase with Moreno. In the last five full seasons (so 2019 added in to replace 2020) there have been just eight instances of a catcher hitting .280+ in at least 400 PA with William Contreras being the only guy to do it twice. I like Moreno to join that club in 2025.

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