New Everyday Players — Sep 13, 2023

Long time no see, eh? There’s never a day without at least a pair of new everyday players to report on!

Spencer Horwitz | TOR 1B

Horwitz was first recalled when rosters expanded at the beginning of September. However, through Monday, he had only started three of ten games, though that’s partly because the team faced a left-handed starter in four of them. But now Brandon Belt’s injury has opened up a spot at first base and he already earned a start there, making me think he’ll end up on a strong side platoon role at first base while Belt is out.

Horwitz isn’t exactly a top prospect, as he last ranked just 29th on the team. His best scouting grades come from his Hit and Game Power, both of which sit at 45/50, which are unimpressive. He’s shown power at times though, posting a 16.9% HR/FB rate and .220 ISO at Double-A last year, plus he posted a 111.3 MPH maxEV at Triple-A this year, which is actually pretty good. It certainly suggests better than the 9.3% HR/FB rate and .158 ISO he posted there this season. So it appears to me like he has more power potential than he’s shown and the strong plate skills will eventually result in power gains.

Speaking of plate skills, he’s posted some impressive walk and strikeout rate pairings. He actually walked more than he struck out at Triple-A this year, and that walk rate was in the mid-teens for the fourth straight minor league stint. He has only posted a double digit SwStk% once in his professional career, and led to just a 20.3% strikeout rate. So he doesn’t seem like your typical first baseman with power, but more in the Sean Casey/Scott Hatteberg Moneyball-type mold.

That type isn’t very exciting for fantasy owners, but if your league uses OBP instead of batting average, he could certainly deliver positive value. He even swiped nine bases in the minors this year, so perhaps you get a full season that includes home runs just into double digits, a handful of steals, and a .330+ OBP, with upside for much more.

Pete Crow-Armstrong | CHC OF

The team’s top prospect and 23rd overall was recalled on Monday, and then made his first start yesterday. The lefty might end up on a strong side platoon, or rotate with Mike Tauchman. It’s really anyone’s guess right now, but he has the potential to earn some meaningful playing time over the rest of the season. With 50/55 Raw Power and 60/60 Speed grades, I’m interested in learning more. A 60/70 Field grade will also help keep him in the lineup through slumps.

The 21-year-old does what makes fantasy owners salivate — hit for power and showcase his speed. He posted double digit HR/FB rates and ISO marks of at least .200 everywhere he played since 2022. However, he posted just a 107.3 MPH maxEV at Triple-A this year, which is unimpressive.

His actual home run potential is a question though given his FB% marks that have really bounced around. From a low of just 28.9% at Single-A in 2022 to the extreme high of 55.8% at Double-A this year, no one can be sure yet what his batted ball profile is going to look like. But it’s going to matter for his home run total and BABIP.

Speaking of BABIP, he has posted marks of at least .351 everywhere he has played. It’s not really clear from his batted ball profile how he’s accomplishing it, as he hits his fair share of fly balls and pop-ups and only hit a strong rate of line drives during his two stints in 2022.

Aside from his power is his speed, as he swiped 37 bases between Double-A and Triple-A this year, after stealing 32 last year. That willingness to run is less in question than his power right now, so at the very least, he could chip in a couple of steals by season’s end. It makes him worth a look in deeper leagues if you have the need for speed.

Estevan Florial | NYY OF

The former top prospect was last ranked 32nd on the team and that was back in 2021. But with 60/60 Raw Power and 70/70 Speed grades, he’s hard to give up on. Recalled on Monday after top prospect Jasson Dominguez went on the IL, he looks to be the team’s new starting centerfielder, at least against right-handed starters. Florial has enjoyed a couple of small cups of coffee with the Yankees in the past, recording a total of 63 PAs between 2020 and 2022, but never had an extended look. This may now be his best chance to impress.

At Triple-A this year, where he has played since 2021, he posted a professional best HR/FB rate and ISO, backed by a 111.4 MPH maxEV. It resulted in 28 homers, putting him on a 30-homer pace over a full season. Oh, and he steals bases too with that 70/70 speed! He swiped 25 this year after 39 last year, so he actually looks like a more powerful Crow-Armstrong.

With consistently strong walk rates, he’s likely a better play right now in OBP leagues. But as I keep saying, those ratio stats could bounce anywhere over a small sample, so I wouldn’t shy away thinking he might kill you in batting average.

While he may also sit against left-handed starters, he’s an ideal speculation in most league formats, as he has the potential to knock a couple of homers and steal a handful of bases over the rest of the season.