Unsung Hitters Over the Last Month
Looking over the last 30 days, I toured the diamond for a standout at every position who could be available and continue to produce over the final month of the season.
C: Omar Narvaez, CWS | 148 wRC+, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB in 73 PA
The 26-year old backstop was supposed to be a backup, but then Welington Castillo was suspended 80 games for PEDs. Narvaez has made the most of his opportunity with a 127 wRC+ for the season. He’s more than just the last month of time, too, as he’s hitting .349/.433/.544 in 172 PA since June 1st after a paltry .169/.273/.234 line through May. Castillo’s suspension is done, but now he’s on the DL with shoulder inflammation. Narvaez is a solid C2 even when Castillo returns.
1B: Tyler White, HOU | 171 wRC+, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB in 86 PA
White got an extended look when a rash of injuries ran through the Astros offense and now he’s forcing his way into the lineup even as they get healthy. White destroyed Triple-A with a 166 wRC+ and more walks (15%) than strikeouts (13%) in 313 PA. While the 26% HR/FB rate might smooth out a bit, he’s got a healthy power profile.
2B: Adam Frazier, PIT | 157 wRC+, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 13 R, 0 SB in 79 PA
Frazier has been a solid utilityman over the last couple years and this year he’s experienced a nice little power surge. Well, this month, really. He had a .130 ISO coming into August before pop 11 extra-base hits in 78 PA since August 1st. He has boosted his flyball rate a bit, but it’s really the surge in hard contact (season-high 48%) and HR/FB rate (22%) driving his mini-breakout. Frazier is playing regularly and if Josh Harrison is dealt (he did clear waivers), there’s an even clearer path to playing time.
SS: Willy Adames, TB | 158 wRC+, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 17 R, 5 SB in 96 PA
The #11 prospect coming into the season didn’t reach the majors until late-May and was only up for a series before heading back down. Through July, he had just a .200/.256/.296 line with a 35% K rate in 125 PA. Things have clicked for the 22-year old in August. He’s cut his strikeout rate to 24% with plate discipline improvements across the board. He’s also hitting the ball a lot harder and more often to the pull field, generating a good bit of power. Adames has been key in the Rays surge and he is their starting shortstop the rest of the way (and should be locked in for the next several seasons, to be honest).
3B: Johan Camargo, ATL | 114 wRC+, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 11 R, 0 SB in 114 PA
I could’ve slotted Jedd Gyorko here (159 wRC+, 4 HR), but I wanted to give Camargo some burn. His OBP and SLG have been solid for most of the year despite toting a low-.200s AVG as late as June 16th (.219). He’s hitting .297 since then (240 PA) and even a little better in the 30 day sample we’re looking at here with a .299 mark. He’s only a deep league option because he doesn’t add much else to the AVG, but he’s one of those solid glue guys you can bounce between 3B and SS while getting low double digit dollar production by season’s end.
OF: Greg Allen, CLE | 107 wRC+, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 13 R, 7 SB in 75 PA
Teammate Melky Cabrera was a real consideration here (140 wRC+, 5 HR), too, but I chose to highlight Allen for his big speed component. Allen impressed me in the AFL back in 2016 and I was hoping he could make a real impact for Cleveland this year, but the bat just hadn’t been there until recently. The biggest difference from his minor league profile is that he managed a 10% BB rate in 1981 PA coming up, but has just a 4% mark this year. The hits have started to drop over this last month with a .329 AVG and he’s running well with 7 SBs in 8 tries. A rash OF injuries and Allen’s recent surge should keep him in the lineup consistently.
UT: Marwin Gonzalez, HOU | 176 wRC+, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 19 R, 0 SB in 107 PA
Like White, Gonzalez did his best to keep Houston afloat offensively when they lost star after star to injury. I think everyone expected some pullback from his career season last year, but I thought he’d maintain some of the gains. Through August 5th, he was still sporting a sub-.700 OPS, but a 20-game run during which he has a .333/.388/.603 line and 5 HR now has his OPS at .747 and his wRC+ at an above average 107. He’s still bouncing around the diamond with 22+ games at 1B, 2B, SS, and LF so getting in the lineup shouldn’t be any trouble.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to Franmil Reyes here (155 wRC+, 5 HR) who’s helped my team weather a whole bunch of injuries.
Yes, good call out for sure. He and Renfroe have given them a nice power surge and now with Luis Urias up, there are the makings of a scrappy little offense that could play spoiler for the NLW contender – Galvis, Urias, Myers, Hosmer, Renfroe, Hedges, Reyes, Margot isn’t a walkover. Although I say that and they just snapped a 5-gm losing streak the other day.
Frazier is an interesting guy. He’s a lefty who has always hit lefties pretty well (career .331/.366/.380 in 132 PA). He hits righties for more power but a lower average. He’s even tightened up his defense at second base to about average.
I wonder if he could turn into a homeless man’s Jose Ramirez. He doesn’t have the speed, unfortunately, and if the power isn’t for real, he doesn’t provide much else. But if he can maintain a decent average and keep up a 15-homer pace, he could be a very usable second basemen going forward beyond this year. Of course, if the power dries up or he hits a bad BABIP patch, he’s basically worthless.
I asked this in the pitching article but didn’t get a response so I’m posting here in hopes of getting your expertise, Paul (prepared for downvotes): Fantasy playoffs start next week (10 team H2H: QS, K, ERA, WHIP). My bottom 3 starters are Heaney, Musgrove, and Cahill. Castillo, Desclafani, Roark, Boyd, Junis, Cobb, Pivetta and Sabathia are available. More concerned about ERA and WHIP than K or QS. What if any roster moves would you make?
You tried shooting him a tweet (@sporer) or messaging on Twitch (psporer24) when hes live? Probably have a better chance of hearing back. Not sure how the starts lineup but Heaney/LAA play TEX a few times down the stretch and they crush lefties also play OAK a couple times and HOU once or twice and they are both top 10 against lefties, i dropped him for Roark, WAS only matchup against a good R hitting lineup is the Cubs, with all but PHI ranking in the bottom 10.
Sorry I missed it, as DBall mentioned my Twitter & Twitch are always good for questions, too, but I try to get on comments regularly. First and foremost, I’m looking at matchups, so make sure you’re zeroed in on that. I don’t go crazy on home-road splits, but Cahill’s have been INSANE so I’d prob look to him for home only right now.
From there, I’d be looking at Junis, Roark, CC, and Cobb since ratios are really your target. As much as I like Pivetta & Castillo, they’re volatile and K-focused so they probably won’t give you what you want. Heaney would be my first cut and then it’s a toss up between Musgrove & Cahill depending on how often Cahill is slated for home starts in the near future (I haven’t looked)
Idea is great. We all want to find unsung guys! Not sure these fit the bill though… anecdotal, but I believe every one of these guys is owned in my relatively shallow league (12 team mixed, no bench). Granted a few of them were just picked up this weekend, but anyone near the top of a “last 30 days” sort is usually grabbed in competitive leagues.
The only one owned in my 12 team mixed is Marwin. Besides him, these are all pretty fringe-y dudes who have only emerged as options over the past couple weeks.
I tried to pick some of the ones who’d be available.
ESPN rates:
Narvaez 6%
White 24%
Frazier 5%
Adames 25%
Camargo 35%
Allen 30%
Marwin 77%
Hopefully a couple are available for all of y’all depending on your league!
Now on the DL (second time since July) with a hammy issue, and likely missed a PA cutoff, Kolten Wong is at .362/.415/.500 with a 147 wRC+ in August over 65 PA, and .336/.384/.496 since July 1 in 127 PA, 136 wRC+.
OK, a bit late on the comment here and the guy obviously won’t be available in keeper leagues, but Kyle Tucker has been completely annihilating AAA since being sent back down on Aug 1st.
In 16 games since being sent back down:
.463/.532/.940 in 67 AB (77 PA) with 10 HR, 24 RBI, 22 R, 6 SB and great plate discipline with 10 BB and only 13 K.
He’s hit in 13 of 16 games with 11 of them multi-hit games. He’s only had 3 hitless games and in 2 of those he did draw a BB.