The Hit List – July 1st

A quick look at some available bats at each position for the upcoming week. Check out Nick’s piece on available pitchers, too. I’m using the FantasyPros roster rates of 50% or lower as the threshold and including a 25% or lower option at each position, too.

CATCHER

John Hicks | DET, 39%, 7 games (4 vR, 3 vL) – A non-catching catcher with a full time role is enough to merit heavy consideration behind the dish these days. Hicks has made the most of his opportunity with a .284/.329/.446 line this year. He’s better against lefties on the year (.948 OPS), but none of the righties are particularly special: Kyle Hendricks, Yovani Gallardo, Bartolo Colon, and Austin Bibens-Dirkx.

Chris Iannetta | COL, 15%, 6 gms (2 vR, 4 vL) – Iannetta’s a career lefty-killer (.837 OPS) and while he’s been quiet against them this year (.589), he still gets the starts because of the track record. The first three games of the week are in Coors, too.

FIRST BASE

Yuli Gurriel | HOU, 46%, 6 gms (4 vR, 2 vL) – It’s hard to find AVG the wire as the best in that category are usually worth rostering in all leagues, but Gurriel’s power-deficient profile at first base leaves him available in

Yonder Alonso | CLE, 34%, 6 gms (5 vR, 1 vL) – His power hasn’t matched last year’s (.235 ISO), but it’s still easily his second-best effort with a .188 ISO. He’s +176 points against righties and gets some big time HR pitchers in Jake Junis, Ian Kennedy,

Jake Bauers | TB, 13%, 6 gms (3 vR, 3vL) – The rookie 1B/OF hasn’t shown any platoon issues in his small sample so far (1.088 vL) and his power seems to have gotten the MLB boost.

SECOND BASE

Joe Panik | SF, 8%, 7 gms (5 vR, 2 vL) – His .248 BABIP is well below his career .294 mark despite no major changes in his profile. He is pulling a bit more and that could be into the shift, but that wouldn’t account for nearly 50 points of BABIP. He gets three in Coors to open the week, too.

Niko Goodrum | DET, 4%, 7 gms (4 vR, 3 vL) – Goodrum slowed down in June (.594 OPS), but still gets regular playing time and has been a power/speed utilityman with 7 HR and 6 SB on the season.

SHORTSTOP

Paul DeJong | STL, 48%, 7 gms (3 vR, 4 vL) – This is more of a long-term pickup as he might not be back off the DL until the four game set in San Francisco. There’s too much power upside to leave him on the wire, even in shallower leagues.

Daniel Robertson | TB, 9%, 6 gms (3 vR, 3 vL) – I think there are skills here for more than we’ve seen so far. He’s getting back to some of his power with a .157 ISO after a .119 last year, but his .805 OPS is built on the .384 OBP.

THIRD BASE

Matt Duffy| TB, 25%, 6 gms (3 vR, 3 vL) – Basically a Gurriel+ with 3B eligibility and some speed (6 SB).

Jeimer Candelario | DET, 24%, 7 gms (4 vR, 3 vL) – Like Goodrum, he cooled down in June (.684 OPS), but he still popped four homers, giving exactly that many in each month so far. He also gets to exact revenge on the Cubs!

OUTFIELD

Michael Taylor | WAS, 40%, 7 gms (4 vR, 3 vL) – Billy Hamilton is on many more rosters despite even worse numbers and while Taylor’s never logged a 60-steal season, he does lead baseball with 23 so far this year.

Randal Grichuk | TOR, 10%, 6 gms (all vR) – Grichuk just finished up a huge June (.988 OPS, 8 HR) and gets a chance to stay hot with six home games against righties. He’s got an .837 OPS against righties and .915 at home, compared to .579 against lefties and .529 on the road.

Alen Hanson | SF, 6%, 7 gms (5 vR, 2 vL) – He’s been excellent against righties with a 1.019 OPS, 5 HR, and 3 SB in 88 PA.