Big Kid Adds (Week 21)

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even a larger entry fee ($2.5K to $15K). They were originally named “High Stakes Leagues” and there are ten of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues.

Overview, after more pitchers than hitters on the list last week, we are back to a more normal ratio of twice as many hitters has pitchers.

Batters

Jhonkensy Noel (8): Noel is a true power play with 9 HR (.316 ISO) in 109 PA. He’s not going to steal more than one or two bases and with a 31% K%, he might be a batting average drag. This season, his average is a decent .245 AVG but projections have him in the .220 AVG to .230 AVG range.

The lack of playing time limited his fantasy value until this past week. After only starting against lefties to begin his career, Noel has started in five of the last six games, all against righties.

Andrés Chaparro (8): Since being promoted, the 25-year-old has started seven straight games at first base while hitting .240/.321/.360. In 457 in AAA this year, he hit .328/.405/.572 with 23 HR and 3 SB. Projections like what they see. Here are his Steamer600 comps.

Not all are must-starts, but guys who are interesting if playing every game (Vaughn, Kepler, Suarez, De La Cruz, Santana).

Jace Jung (6): The more I dug into Jung, the more I saw a replacement-level bat. I know I lean on projections a ton but they give me a nice centering range on a player’s potential outcomes so here are Jung’s.

Looking over that list, I’m not interested in rostering anyone and I’m not sure where is the upside.

On top of the limited offensive ability, he’s a horrible defender so his glove won’t keep him on the field. I’d not be surprised if he gets treated like AAAA talent and only promoted when injury opens up a spot.

Shay Whitcomb (6): Recalled to play third base with Alex Bregman banged up so he might at least get at-bats for a while.

Alex Bregman said he expects his availability to play third base will be “a fluid situation” the rest of the season. Bregman repeated there is nothing structurally wrong with his elbow ligament but said there are “some little gremlins in there” causing swelling.

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) August 21, 2024

In AAA, he was amazing by hitting .293/.378/.530 with 25 HR and 26 SB. A .500 BABIP means the success has continued to the majors where he has .899 OPS in 16 PA. Looking at Whitcomb’s Steamer600 comps, it’s full of disappointments.

Ramón Laureano (5): After struggling with Cleveland (.494 OPS in 86 PA), he’s been great with Atlanta (.851 OPS, 6 HR in 103 PA). Besides the production, the 29-year-old has started in 12 of the last 13 games. Nice addition while contributing.

Jacob Wilson (5): He hurt himself in his first major league game. He could be off the IL any day. For now, he’s just a potential source of batting average.

Ramón Urías (5): Nothing special. He’s just getting full-time at-bats with the demotion of Coby Mayo.

Note: The following four outfielders weren’t on my radar for the week, but someone felt they could help. It just might be that the pool was that shallow. In my 15-team Super (one of the leagues being analyzed), here are the available outfield options ranked by plate appearances over the past two weeks. First, the pickings are slim. Second, several of the following adds were based on previous plate appearances, not looking forward.

Gavin Sheets (5): I have no idea why Sheets was getting added. He’s been a below-average hitter with a .686 OPS and just 8 HR. Additionally, he only plays against righties, and the White Sox only had three on the schedule. I don’t get it.

David Peralta (5): A strong-side platoon bat who is hitting a respectable .263/.324/.425 with 6 HR. In leagues with bi-weekly lineups, he’s a decent had for the week’s first half with the Padres scheduled to face four righties. He’ll head to the bench over the weekend with two lefties on the schedule.

Jordan Beck (5): Beck has started in six straight games but has struggled in the majors. He has shown no plate discipline with a 5% BB% and 35% K%. Pitchers are feeding him high-velocity fastballs and he can’t do anything against them as seen by his 23% SwStr%. Additionally, he’s not getting to any of his raw power (112 maxEV) with just a .099 ISO. He needs to take several steps forward to be a rosterable hitter.

Will Brennan (5): Strong-side platoon bat who has been OK (.681 OPS, 8 HR, 3 SB in 283 PA) this season who only has four righties on the schedule this week (five next week).

Michael A. Taylor (5): While Taylor always starts against lefties, he has been starting against more righties. But Taylor has been horrible this year (and last year) hitting .197/.257/.287 with at least 10 SB.

Starters

Matthew Boyd (10): A .172 BABIP has Boyd with a decent-looking 3.38 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in his first two starts but his 4.77 xFIP doesn’t point to as much shine. Even though I usually lean into xFIP, there are some positive signs.

His 3.4 BB/9 is far from ideal but his 35% Ball% points to a 2.6 BB/9 going forward. Also, his average fastball is sitting at 92.2 mph, a career-high.

So far, it has been a mixed bag in just two games, but someone in every league should at least be taking a chance on him.

Zebby Matthews (10): While a 3.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP are respectable, it has come from a good and bad game. While he lasted 5.0 IP in both his starts (77 and 92 pitches), he struck out five batters in the first game (vs KC) with no walks. In the second one (vs NYY), he got just one strikeout and walked two batters. Also, in the second, five runs scored but only two were earned.

He has a five-pitch mix but throws his fastball, cutter, and slider over 90% of the time. His fastball (95 mph, 3% SwStr%) and slider (15% SwStr%) have received good grades from prospect evaluators and our STUPH models. His cutter is a new pitch and has held its own with an 11% SwStr%. Of the other two pitches (curve and change), the change has the best hope of being a decent offering considering its comps.

Keider Montero (5): On the surface, Montero is not that interesting with a 5.28 ERA (4.25 xFIP), 1.31 WHIP, and 7.4 K/9. Nothing major under the hood has changed with his K%-BB% at 12% for the first and second halves. He’s add a sinker (12% usage, 0% SwStr%, 71% GB%) over his last four starts, but it’s worthless so far.

The most likely reason for the adds is that Montero faces the White Sox this week and the Angels next week.

Relievers

Edwin Uceta (5): With Pete Fairbanks on the IL, some fantasy managers took the chance on Uceta being the Rays closer. Other options on the team are Manuel Rodríguez and Colin Poche.

Looking at our closer depth charts, THE GUY is not obvious.