Seven Hitters Contributing Fantasy Value in Deeper Leagues: Can it Continue?

At this point in the season, it’s about playing time and finding hitters that can produce in specific categories. Here’s a follow-up to a previous article on surprising starting pitchers who have been performing well since August. Today, it’s the hitter version, with seven players contributing in deeper leagues. We used a roster percentage cutoff of 50% or lower in Online Championships, with the exception of one catcher-eligible player.

We’ll examine seven hitters who have been contributing fantasy value over the past couple of weeks. Is it luck or skill? Or have they been earning more playing time down the stretch? Though these hitters won’t win weeks or leagues, they can be sneaky fantasy contributors for the final few weeks.

Thomas Saggese, 2B/SS/OF, Cardinals

Saggese was called up in late August, around the time when Blaze Jordan and Masyn Winn hit the injured list. Winn returned from the injured list (thumb) on Tuesday, but was scratched from on Wednesday with thumb soreness. Meanwhile, Jordan will reportedly miss several weeks, according to an update on August 28.

Saggese’s production seems to be fueled by his .351 BABIP. Though he hit 20 home runs in Triple-A in 2024, the profile lacks power. In the small 2026 sample, Saggese has a career-best in bat speed (72.2 mph) and barrel rate per plate appearance (6.6%). If those skills stick, Saggese’s power could be mediocre to above-average.

Saggese ran higher BABIPs in the minors and, given his speed, that likely continues to boost a higher batting average. Interestingly, Saggese has a below-average contact rate (73.7%) and an aggressive approach, with swing rates 4-5 points higher than the league norm. He can contribute in power and speed, but it’s minimal, and batting average might be his best category.

The Cardinals face the White Sox, Giants, and Nationals at home in St. Louis. Meanwhile, the Cardinals play the final week on the road against the Pirates and Brewers. Since Saggese lacks a strong standout skill, he projects as a hitter that benefits from volume and positional flexibility.

Mickey Gasper, C, Red Sox

Gasper was sent to Triple-A on August 30, then recalled the following day after Willson Contreras landed on the injured list with a hamstring injury. With Adley Rutschman as the Red Sox catcher, Gasper plays first base while hitting for power. Gasper has been on a roll since August, with all eight home runs coming during that brief sample.

He boasts a 12.5% barrel rate per plate appearance since the start August, nearly double his season-long average (6.8%). asper pulls the ball in the air 20.3% of the time, tapping into pull-side power. Since being recalled, Gasper has batted second in the lineup. And as a switch hitter, he doesn’t have to be platooned. That gives him more volume for all league formats.

Even in one-catcher leagues, Gasper can help in power down the stretch.

Brett Bateman, OF, Blue Jays

After Toronto called up Bateman in early August, he quickly became a fixture in the top part of the Blue Jays lineup. Bateman has been a strong source of batting average, supported by his .424 BABIP. Bateman ran higher BABIPs in the minors, but since his arrival, he has the sixth-highest BABIP among hitters with 50+ plate appearance among hitters with 50 plate appearances. That is not sustainable.

BABIP aside, Bateman has strong plate discipline skills, with an 83.1% contact rate and a 6.9% swinging-strike rate. In the minors, Bateman regularly stole 20+ bases. Bateman is a high-end athlete with an 87th-percentile Sprint Speed, 92nd-percentile arm strength, and strong defensive metrics. Though Bateman’s 7% stolen base opportunity rate is low, one should expect more steals with a larger sample.

Bateman projects like an old-school leadoff hitter who puts balls in play, hits for average, and steals bases.

Cooper Pratt, SS, Brewers

Pratt has been rolling over the past couple of weeks, with a .324 batting average, one home run, and three stolen bases. His .324 BABIP has fueled that production, though Pratt could be expected to run higher BABIPs, given his speed and minor league track record. Speaking of speed, Pratt boasts an 89th-percentile Sprint Speed and an 81st-percentile Outs Above Average. His speed and defense will keep his bat in the lineup.

Pratt’s 81% contact rate and 8.7% swinging-strike rate this season indicate he can maintain the strong plate discipline that he showed in the minors. That further supports Pratt’s batting average floor and ceiling. With little to no power, Pratt’s speed boosts his fantasy value. Pratt has a 25% stolen base opportunity rate and converts 86% of the time.

He should be a solid source of batting average and speed, especially if he remains fortunate with a higher BABIP.

Michael Conforto, OF, Cubs

Conforto has been used in a strict strong-side platoon for the Cubs, with an occasional day off against a right-handed starting pitcher. The Cubs project to face 10 right-handed starting pitchers over the next 12 games starting on Friday, before facing a trio of lefties in their final series against the Red Sox. That should bode well for Conforto in daily and weekly lineups before the final three games of the season.

Conforto’s bat speed is down 1.5 mph to 72.5 mph this season. However, he is maintaining an above-average barrel rate (6.9%) with a career-high 29% pulled-air rate. For context, Conforto’s pulled-air rate is 10 points higher than his career average. Nine of Conforto’s home runs came on pulled-air.

The Cubs face the Pirates and Braves at home for three each. Then they play three games in Cincinnati before three more at home against the Marlins and their final three in Boston. Conforto and the Cubs could take advantage of weaker projected pitchers, with some of the best arms they are facing (Braxton Ashcraft, Paul Skenes, Sandy Alcantara, and Chase Burns) having limited workloads.

Jonah Cox, OF, Giants

Providing power, speed, and batting average, Cox ranks highly on player raters. But a .438 BABIP is fueling his production, and it comes with a scary 38% strikeout rate. In the minors, Cox ran higher BABIPs, with a .488 BABIP and .415 batting average across two minor league levels in 2026.

The high strikeout rates align with Cox’s 65.8% contact rate and 17.6% swinging-strike rate. Cox will have volatile moments over a larger sample. Among the 2,751 hitters with 100 plate appearances since 2021, 18 hitters had a 35% strikeout rate and a .350 BABIP or higher, as seen in the visual below. Cox would join this list.

Most of these hitters flashed at times, but lacked consistency because of their volatility. If a hitter struggles to make contact, we want them to hit the ball hard. Cox has a decent 5% barrel rate per plate appearance. He could benefit from pulling the ball more, with a 5.3% pulled air rate and over 43.9% of his batted balls going to the opposite field.

With Cox’s elite speed (99th-percentile Sprint Speed), he has been running often, given his 45% stolen base opportunity rate. It’s easy to drool over Cox’s stolen base potential, with the ZiPS projections having him at 30+ steals.

In Cox’s first 17 games, he played against two right-handed starting pitchers while hitting from the right side. Since September 1, Cox has started against five out of six right-handed starting pitchers, potentially hinting at more playing time beyond a weak-side platoon role. If the occasional start against righties and the weak-side platoon situation maintains, Cox may have limited playing time with 4-5 left-handed starters on the schedule.

Turner Hill, OF, Giants

As a left-handed hitter, Hill seems to have solidified his playing time with the Giants. Since he was called up on August 14, he has started against three of 10 left-handed starting pitchers. Hill has strong plate discipline, with nearly identical strikeout and walk rates. That’s further supported by Hill’s 90.6% contact rate and a lowly 3.6% swinging-strike rate.

Since Hill lacks power, with a 2.7% barrel rate per plate appearance and 65.9 mph bat speed, he relies heavily on his batting average to boost his fantasy value. In the minors, Hill stole 20+ bases in multiple seasons, with a high-end Sprint Speed (79th percentile) to support the steals. Unfortunately, Hill has a 10% stolen-base opportunity rate in his brief MLB sample, so we may want to temper expectations there.

Hill projects like a strong source of batting average, though it’s a somewhat empty profile with volume in his favor.