Week 8 Recap (Hitting Adds under 50%)

12 Team Standard scoring settings/ roster %s

 

Owen Miller – MIL – 1B, 2B, 3B (44%)

2023/ 37 G: .319 AVG, 16 R, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 6 SB

After struggling for two seasons with Cleveland hitting .243 with 6 HR/2 SB in 130 G last season. Over the past month .333 AVG, 12 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SB. Still only 26 looks like potentially breaking out in a super-utility role with Milwaukee, needing 1 more start to add OF eligibility in yahoo leagues.

 

Josh Naylor – CLE – 1B, OF (42%)

2023/ 44 G: .234 AVG, 12 R, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 3 SB

2022/ 122 G: .256 AVG, 47 R, 20 HR, 79 RBI, 6 SB

A former 1st-round pick (12th overall) drafted in 2015, had a breakout season in 2022. Like Conforto has started out the season slowly but over the past month .269 AVG, 7 R, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 2 SB. While Cleveland is currently the worst offense in baseball (last in runs scored with 175, 2nd lowest OAK at 188 for context) they are not devoid of talent with 4-time All-Star/3-time silver slugger Jose Ramirez hitting 3rd ahead of him. Leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is slumping hitting .254 after hitting .298 last season and Ahmed Rosario is hitting .243 after hitting .283/2.82 his first two seasons in Cleveland

 

Francisco Alvarez – NYM – C (36%) 

2023: 32 G: .273 AVG, 13 R, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 0 SB

2022: AA/ 67 G .277 AVG, 43 R, 18 HR, 47 RBI, 0 SB

2022: AAA/45 G: .234 AVG, 31 R, 9 HR, 31 RBI, 0 SB

Like most young catchers struggled initially trying to balance managing a pitching staff, improving defensively on top of hitting. An injury to defensive catcher Tomas Nido led to an almost everyday role allowing Alvarez the chance to develop faster. Over the past month, Alvarez is hitting .323 AVG, 10 R, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 0 SB. Manager Buck Showalter tends to baby younger players in favor of veterans, so playing time could be an issue and continued to hit 9th despite the hot streak. Hit 2nd Sunday with McNeil maybe a sign can hit higher in order possibly 5-7th. The return of Tomas Nido and the eventual return of Omar Narvaez could complicate things but for now Alvarez looks viable in one-catcher leagues. 

 

Jake McCarthy – ARI – OF (36%)

2023/ 24 G: .147 AVG, 8 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 SB

2022/ 99 G: .283 AVG, 53 R, 8 HR, 43 RBI, 23 SB

After a breakout season, McCarthy was a popular pick in the mid-late rounds of drafts. But after a slow start to the season hitting .143 in 22 G was demoted to AAA. In 22 AAA games, he hit .333 with 4 HR/ 4 SB to earn a promotion on Friday. Alek Thomas was recently demoted with Dominic Fletcher taking his place in CF. Fletcher hit initially but has recently gone cold leading to his demotion. Playing time could be an issue with Pavin Smith mixing in while Lourdis Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll play every day, but McCarthy has displayed 30 SB upside. 

 

Mickey Moniak – LAA – OF (26%)

2023: 11 G: .361 AVG, 7 R, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB

2023: AAA/ 33 G: .308 with 27 R, 8 HR, 23 RBI, 2 SB

1st overall pick in 2016 draft by Phillies, traded to Angels for Noah Syndergaard last season at the deadline. Leading off every day aside from LHP (has not made a single start) replacing struggling OF Taylor Ward. Hitting ahead of Trout, Ohtani and Renfroe should have a chance to score a lot of runs (9th in the league with 259).

 

Jose Siri – TB – OF (13%)

2023/ 29 G: .250 AVG, 20 R, 9 HR, 20 RBI, 4 SB

2022/ 48 G: .178 AVG, 18 R, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SB (w/ HOU)

2022/ 56 G: .241 AVG, 35 R, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 8 SB (w/ TB)

Had a mini breakout after being acquired by Tampa in the three-team trade that sent Trey Mancini to Houston. His barrel% has increased from 6.2 to 19, top 8% max EV at 113.7, increased  hardhit% from 33 to 41.3% while decreasing K% from 33.2 to 28.6%. Siri was in the top 5 sprint speed in 2021, top 10 in 2022 and is in the top 10 this season at 29.7- the leader Bobby Witt Jr. at 30.3 for context. Playing time like with most Rays is an issue but his defense should keep him in the lineup more than not playing in 9 of the last 12 games.

 

Jeimer Candelario – WAS – 3B (11%)

2023: 50 G: .262 AVG, 24 R, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 0 SB

2022: 124 G: .217 AVG, 49 R, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 0 SB

Limited power with 19 HR in 144 G in 2018 his career high, 16 HR – 149 G – 2021, 13 HR – 124 G last season. Has increased launch angle from 13.5 to 14.6, hardhit% from 34.6 to 37 while dropping K% from 23.3 to 19. Over the past two weeks putting up 4th round value .392 AVG, 10 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB. The Nationals offense is pretty mediocre (20th in runs scored with 226) but they have a solid leadoff hitter in Lane Thomas .289 AVG with .347 OBP, Luis Garcia has been solid with a .280 AVG with a .321 OBP and Joey Meneses is hitting .300 with a .335 OBP.

 

Leody Taveras – TEX – OF (9%)

2023: 38 G: .316 AVG, 24 R, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB

2022/ 99 G: .261 AVG, 39 R, 5 HR, 11 SB, had 10 SB in 49 G

2021 and 8 SB in 33 G in 2020

While a liability for average in the past has always displayed the ability to steal bases (top 5% sprint speed in every season). In a short sample size has a .269 XBA compared to .229 career, increasing his hardhit% from 36.1 to 43.3%, decreasing K% from 25.8 to 21.4%/ increasing BB% from 6.2 to 8.6%. Has hit 9th for most of the season but playing every day Texas is 2nd in the league with 328 runs, TB 1st at 335 but then there is a drop off LAD 3rd with 298. Over the past month 6th round value .360 AVG, 14 R, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 4 SB.

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

Luis Garcia – WAS – 2B, SS (14%)

 

Nolan Jones – COL – OF (7%)

 

Edouard Julien – MIN – 2B (4%)

 

Rougned Oder – SD – 2B, OF (3%)

 

Tucupita Marcano – PIT – 2B, SS, OF (1%)