Big Kid Adds (Week 8)

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are nine of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain every 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.

Note: Sorry about missing last week’s edition of the Big Kid Adds. Real life got in the way.

Hitters

Henry Bolte (9): I was a fan of how Bolte was performing in AAA and liked his talent, specifically his power, more than Ewing. In AAA, the 22-year-old Bolte had 12 HR, 17 SB, and a .348 AVG. The only issue was his 58% GB% (3 deg LA), and that low trajectory has continued into the majors with a 60% GB% (29 PA). His power numbers so far are the same, with a 90.4 avgEV at both levels. Another key is that he’s continuing to run with 2 SB so far.

One issue he faces will be roster congestion. West Sacramento is already loaded with outfielders (Brent Rooker, Carlos Cortes, Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler) and has Denzel Clarke on a rehab assignment. For now, Cortes and Butler are sitting about half the time, with Bolte starting in seven of nine games since being promoted. That playing time could end when Clarke returns.

A.J. Ewing (9): After destroying AA and AAA (combined .339/.447/.514, 2 HR, 17 SB), he has hit the ground running in the majors (.296/.441/.481, 1 HR, 2 SB). So far, major league pitchers haven’t found a weakness to exploit. He might start seeing more sliders (28% SwStr%) and sinkers (14% SwStr%, 67% GB%) instead of four-seamers (2% SwStr%).

Like with Bolte, playing time might be an issue. The Mets just promoted right-handed Nick Morabito, who started against the last lefty instead of the left-handed Ewing. On top of the possible platoon, Luis Robert Jr. should return at some point and cut into everyone’s playing time … at least until he gets hurt again.

Keibert Ruiz (7): Ruiz is a healthy catcher and semi-productive (4 HR, .250 AVG). In these deeper leagues, his skillset has value.

More home runs should be coming. He’s added 1.1 mph to his Bat Speed, leading to a 3.7 mph jump in avgEV. He has as many Barrels this year (5) in less than 100 PA as he did last season in 267 PA.

Ha-Seong Kim (7): Kim returned from the IL and is slotted in as the everyday shortstop … for now. He was fine in his minor league rehab assignment with a .733 OPS, 0 HR, and 1 SB (34 PA). He can’t seem to get going in the majors with a .279 OPS. Even though his Bat Speed is up to 71.7 mph, he has a career-low 85.7 mph avgEV and a 61% GB%. Pitchers aren’t afraid of him and are feeding him a constant supply of fastballs.

The Braves have noticed Kim’s struggles, sitting him twice in the last four games.

Yohendrick Piñango (7): The 24-year-old left-handed outfielder has 60 PA this season while batting .304/.350/.393 with 1 HR. I’m not sure how to value his talent. In the minors last year, he hit 15 HR in 533 PA and already has 3 HR in AAA this season. His AAA Launch Angles the past two seasons have been 14 deg and 16 deg. In the majors this year, it’s down to 5 degrees. Also, he has a 0 degree Attack Angle. A flat swing isn’t going to lead to many home runs. I’m not sure if he’ll adjust, but it’s something to monitor.

Possibly related, he has an 86% Contact% (higher than any minor league level) and a 15% K%. Maybe he is sacrificing power for contact. Right now, he’s a line drive machine (34% LD%).

Like everyone I examined so far, his playing time is up in the air. He’s sat against the last three lefties the team faced, so he seems to be a strong-side platoon bat.

Mickey Gasper (7): The catcher-qualified 31-year-old starts about two-thirds of the time while batting .344/.364/.406 so far. When he does start, he has been hitting second. Gasper has never shown any power or speed, but a catcher who can hit for batting average can be a huge help.

Tyler O’Neill (6): O’Neill started six straight games coming into this past weekend’s FAAB run, but he has been horrible this season (.525 OPS). And, the 31-year-old has shown no signs of improvement in May (.415 OPS). His body and swing are designed to do one thing: hit dongs. The problem is that the 31-year-old lost 2.6 mph of bat speed. His Barrel% has tanked from 17% to 5%. And he continues putting the ball in the air with his Launch Angle up from 22 deg to 25 deg.

Austin Martin (5): Like O’Neill, Martin started more (nine starts in 10 games), but at least Martin has been productive (.413 OBP, 7 SB). He’s providing no power (1 HR, 2% Barrel%, .081 ISO), but a 3.5 category contributor at this point in the season is a solid add.

He does have some playing time risk. He wasn’t playing against righties. He wasn’t been horrible against them (vs .661 OPS), it’s just that he crushes lefties (.953 OPS).

Starters

Braxton Garrett (6): Well, the Marlins tried him in the majors for a couple of disastrous starts. In them, he allowed 7 ER, 7 H, 8 BB, and 5 K in 4 IP That works out to a 14.54 ERA and 3.46 WHIP. At least he didn’t allow a home run. He had no control and struggled with control in the minors (4.3 BB/9). A solid drop until he can throw strikes.

Zebby Matthews (6): There was little hype for Matthews because of his AAA struggles (4.72 ERA, 4.27 xFIP, 1.51 WHIP). In two starts (13 IP) since being promoted, he walked just one batter while striking out 11. Any pitcher will look solid with a sub-1.00 BB/9. While he won’t be a strikeout machine, a 7.6 K/9 is great given how few walks he gives up. Our STUPH models agree that he’s got below-average strikeout ability (44 botStf, 98 Stuff+) and above-average command (60 botCmd, 105 Location+).

There might be a little strikeout upside if he threw his slider more. Right now, he uses it just 14% of the time, but it has a 23% SwStr% and 57% GB%.

Some team in every league should be taking a chance on him.

Grant Holmes (5): Holmes hit the waiver wire the previous week. He was struggling with control (4.6 BB/9), and it showed in his rate stats (4.35 ERA, 4.55 xFIP, 1.31 WHIP). Holmes had a decent start on Sunday (6 IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 1 BB), so he was added for his Saturday start against the Nationals.

All signs point to him being a mid-to-high 4.00 ERA starter who might be worth streaming.

River Ryan (5): I think there was some hope that Ryan would get promoted from AAA (4.09 ERA, 3.31 xFIP, 1.27 WHIP, 11.5 K/9, 11 IP). The 27-year-old could get the call, but who knows when and what the role would be.

Reliever

Antonio Senzatela (5): In these deeper leagues, I looked to add Senzatela and Hogan Harris (added in 4 leagues) where possible. The starting pitcher pool has all but dried up, with one decent guy (Matthews) appearing each week. This pair may not have a 100% lock on the closer’s role, but they make decent streaming options in place of a bad starter. All I’m hoping for from them is decent ratios and 10 Saves over the course of the season. Just push my team forward, not fall back.

Two other good ratio, possibly Save, options are Grant Taylor (possible closer) and Keaton Winn (good pitcher in a bad bullpen).