Miguel Andujar, OF, OAK (CBS: 7% rostered, ESPN: 3% rostered)
Andujar got the call on May 24, and saying he has been on a tear is an understatement. When you go 13-for-29 in your first seven games with two homers and 10 RBI you’re getting out of the gate strong. We’ve seen this before, so don’t go crazy with the spending tonight, as you won’t have to.
Ben Brown, SP, CHC (CBS: 45% rostered, ESPN: 15% rostered)
He has the 70-grade knuckle curve that is getting a 50% whiff, but not much else. The fastball is average, and he’s only thrown his change-up six times. Can he live on the curveball alone? Not likely, and why his xERA is a run and a half higher than his ERA? (RW)
Nick Gonzales, 2B, PIT (CBS: 40% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
He’s still trying to hit everything a mile with a launch angle of 26 degrees. To his credit, he does hit the ball hard. He could have a long career if he starts to level out the swing just a little. Candidly, he’s getting close. (RW)
Hogan Harris, SP, OAK (CBS/ESPN: not rostered)
My first impression of Harris’ stuff? It’s not bad at all. All of his pitches are generating swings and misses, thanks to his good extension. He may not have a blazing fastball, but if he can consistently throw strikes, he could be a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter. However, control has been a challenge for him in the past. It’s a bit of a risk, but I might consider taking a chance on him.
Jake Irvin, SP, WAS (CBS: 22% rostered, ESPN: 5% rostered)
He doesn’t have a plus pitch but pounds the strike one. His ERA is 3.23, and his xERA is sitting at 4.25. The stuff points to a back-of-the-rotation guy. (RW)
Otto Lopez, 2B/3B, MIA (CBS: 6% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered)
The extra-base hits are few and far between, but the contact skills combined with decent speed are more than enough for the 25-year-old Otto to own the second base gig in Miami and occupy a spot in your lineup in the MI slot.
Parker Meadows, OF, DET (CBS: 11% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered)
The Tigers have made some interesting moves, including promoting Akil Baddoo. However, the potential return of Parker Meadows is a development worth keeping an eye on. Despite a slow start this Spring, Meadows has been on fire since being demoted to Triple-A Toledo in May, with 4 HR 10 RBI, 7 SB, and a .924 OPS. With Kerry Carpenter looking at an extended stint on the IL, it’s only a matter of time before we see Meadows back with the Tigers, potentially making him a valuable pickup.
Andrew McCutchen, UT, PIT (CBS: 7% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
Eight homers out of the leadoff slot to go along with 26 runs scored.
Joc Pederson, OF, ARZ (CBS: 31% rostered, ESPN: 6% rostered)
As Rich and yours truly discussed on the Friday Podcast, could there be a more perfect replacement for the injured LaMonte Wade Jr.? A platooning power bat with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and a stellar .406 OBP is a sneaky and should be a relatively inexpensive option this week.
Geraldo Perdomo, 2B/SS, ARZ (CBS: 9% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered)
Perdomo suffered a right meniscus tear 24 at-bats into the season and has been on the mend ever since. The rehab part of the program should move to the final stage, live games, this week, with a return as early as the second week of June. A little pop, a little bit more speed, and excellent strike zone judgment should guarantee an everyday role in the DBacks lineup.
Cody Poteet, SP, NYY (CBS: 1% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
The Clarke Schmidt injury has opened the door for the 29-year-old righthander. Pitched well against the Guardians on May 13, earning the W.
Brendan Rodgers, 2B, COL (CBS: 15% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
BABIP is a beautiful thing (.341). Compared to Nick Gonzales’ 26-degree launch angle, Rodgers does not have much at all (4.3 degrees). Adding some loft would help his cause. He’s just a warm body at this point, but sometimes that’s what you need. (RW)
Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, ATL (CBS: 29% rostered, ESPN: 4% rostered)
Let’s see what Rich Wilson says about the Braves #3 prospect and “biggest mover” heading into the 2024 campaign. “Spencer Schwellenbach was the Braves’ second-round pick in the 2021 Draft and immediately needed TJ Surgery. He missed the entire 2022 season.
He started as a shortstop at Nebraska before moving to the mound full-time. He’s athletic with a fastball in the low to mid-90s with the makings of a nice slider and change-up. I missed him both times the Augusta GreenJackets (get it???) came to Myrtle Beach, but the buzz was really good. The control improved as the season progressed, and in his three starts in High-A to end the season, he walked one in 13.2 innings, striking out 14.
The Braves are doing great work with their pitchers and quickly moving them through the system. I think Schwellenbach could join the Atlanta pitching train sometime in 2025.”
Nelson Velazquez, OF, KCR (CBS: 12% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
Five home runs in 10 games since May 22. There were a total of 7 hits in those same ten games. 17 HR last year in 162 at-bats. Power is real, as is the BA.
Mark Vientos, 3B, NYM (CBS: 18% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered)
Bret Baty has been shipped off to Triple-A Syracuse, opening the door for a steady diet of at-bats for Mark Vientos. He slugged a homer on Saturday, his third in the past two weeks, so he’s off to a good start. The Mets need something/someone/anything to bring some joy to Citi Field.
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, DET (CBS: 30% rostered, ESPN: 16% rostered)
He hits the ball hard, has a ton of launch, decent contact skills, and can run. Hmmm…, it seems pretty good to me. Yeah, he’s aggressive at the plate, but there are skills here for a 15-15 player, maybe more. (RW)
Matt Waldron, SP, SDP (CBS: 41% rostered, ESPN: 5% rostered)
He has knuckled down, settled in, and is pitching quite well….. for a knuckleballer. Tim Wakefield would be very proud of his early accomplishments.
The Closer Report
Jalen Beeks, RP, COL (CBS: 13% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered)
Why do I always think of the the gorilla in Trading Places when his name pops up? Finally, we could have some stability in the Rockies bullpen. He’s definitely worthy of “trading places” with the
Yimi Garcia, RP, TOR (CBS: 17% rostered, ESPN: 6% rostered)
Jays closer, Justin Romano, is again dealing with a sore elbow. He was held out of the 14-inning marathon Friday night and promptly dispatched to the IL Saturday morning. For how long? Who knows, but this is Romano’s second arm-related IL stint this year. Further details will follow, but since this is the second time he’s already missed time with the same problem earlier in the year, it’s time to buy some insurance. Chad Green (CBS: 4% rostered)
Reed Garrett, RP, NYM (CBS: 43% rostered, ESPN: 12% rostered)
He has nasty stuff. He doesn’t throw a fastball often and instead relies on a cutter. He also throws a splitter and sweeper. The split gets a 57% whiff rate, and the sweeper gets a 38% whiff rate. Throw in his cutter at a 36% whiff rate, and now you might understand the meaning of nasty. The only fly in the ointment is he has below-average control. It’s not horrible, but there will be some white-knuckle moments. Otherwise, he’s money.
Jeff Hoffman, RP, PHI (CBS: 28% rostered, ESPN: 9% rostered)
You can lead a Fantasy Manager to Saves, but as evidenced by my repeated recommendations on April 1, April 14, and May 26 and the fact that Hoffman is still available in 72% of the Leagues playing at CBS, you can’t convince them to invest. If my constant prodding isn’t enough, maybe the 3 Saves in his past 6 appearances will be enough.
Bryan Hudson, RP, MIL (CBS: 13% rostered, ESPN: 8% rostered)
A little bit both off and under the radar, Hudson is proving to be quite an asset in leagues that count holds and as an injury replacement in deeper formats. He’s now up to 7 holds with a 1.13 ERA and most importantly 37 strikeouts in 32 IP.
