Fernando Martinez & Matt Dominguez: Deep League Waiver Wire

It’s time for our weekly look at the best of the worst. That’s right, it’s the deep league waiver wire where I attempt to find value in mediocre players! Today happens to be Astros day. The good thing about being a weak team is that most of your players are unowned in fantasy leagues. So that gives me multiple options for this very column.

Fernando Martinez | HOU OF | 3% Owned

Last Saturday, Martinez returned from the DL after missing time due to an oblique strain. With no guarantees in the Astros outfield and unexciting alternatives, he may finally be given an extended chance to shine. The one-time top Mets prospect is still just 24 years old, even though it feels as if he has been around forever. Amazingly, he has only accumulated 281 total plate appearances in the Majors, despite being up and down since 2009. Martinez doesn’t make great contact and he owns just about a 10% line drive rate over his limited action. That doesn’t bode well for his ability to contribute in batting average.

However, he does have power. Although he hasn’t exactly reached the potential that was once broadcast across the New York media, he has posted ISO rates of around .200 at several minor league stops. According to our power factors, Minute Maid Park inflates left-handed home runs, which could provide a nice boost to Martinez’s total. Aside from the power, he has been hitting in the two hole in the Astros order. No matter the lineup, anywhere in the top five is going to be pretty good for a hitter’s fantasy value. He has warts for sure, and several of them to be fair, but deep leaguers in need of power should give him a gander.

Matt Dominguez | HOU 3B | 9% Owned

Dominguez was the 12th overall pick in the 2007 draft by the then Florida Marlins. He hit well at Single-A in 2008, posting a .382 wOBA, including a .203 ISO, but it all went downhill offensively from there. Since then, he failed to exceed a .347 wOBA, which he posted the following season at High-A. But what Dominguez does do is make pretty good contact. His batted ball distribution this season is intriguing as well. He’s hitting more fly balls than ever, which is a good idea at Minute Maid, but of course isn’t very beneficial to his BABIP. Unfortunately, he’s also hitting pop-ups like crazy, which is another factor that is going to hurt his BABIP.

Despite the good contact, he might need some luck to even be neutral in the batting average category. The good news is that he should play nearly every day as the Astros have no strong alternatives and will want to see what they have after acquiring him last summer for Carlos Lee.