One of the best parts about fantasy baseball is watching the action unfold on the field. However, there’s more to it than just the results on the field. While our success in fantasy baseball is measured by just a few statistics, there are a great deal of data points behind them. Evaluating players and their performance is based on more than just one variable. But combined, it all comes together. Under that guise, let’s take a look at three players and how we can view them based on their early-season performances.
Fantasy Baseball Advanced Hitting Stats
Rice is Spicing Things Up
On its own, rice isn’t a terribly exciting food. Of course, there are many different varieties of rice, and ultimately, that plain white rice becomes a solid base. No, this isn’t the Food Network, and you didn’t get lost on the way to fantasy baseball advice.
Ben Rice is doing more than just providing sustainability for the New York Yankees. Instead, he’s producing well enough to make lineup decisions challenging. The good news is that we aren’t talking about just production from Rice, as his Statcast metrics back up his success.
From a fantasy perspective, there’s a lot to like with Rice. Entering play on Monday, Rice was hitting.260, but his .283 xBA supports that, at a minimum. What that begins to say is that there is more upside to be found. Not only is Rice hitting for average, but when he makes contact, the ball is being punished. Rice has a 20.2% barrel rate and 57.3% hard hit rate, which means that he’s making an impact when he’s making contact. Now, if only Rice could improve on his 12.1 degree average, then the ball would really be flying out of and around the mark more than it already is.
Rice is already up to nine home runs, 20 RBI, and 25 runs scored. He’s proving to be a season-changing sleeper pick, whether it was late in drafts or within an early FAAB run. There’s also nothing to suggest that he won’t continue to be a strong player.
At Least He’s Hitting
As a fantasy baseball manager, we have a very narrow-minded view of things. We have to be, to a large degree, agnostic about a lot of things other than actually what takes place on the field. To be clearer, it’s only the production that occurs at the plate that really matters. As long as there are at-bats to be had, and production in those at-bats, we are good.
From our perspective, who cares if Rafael Devers doesn’t play first base. As long as Devers is healthy and in the lineup, the rest of it doesn’t matter. The only team we care about is our fantasy teams. All of the drama aside, the man can hit. The good news is that he has found his groove and is doing just that. Adjusting to being a DH has gone well and there are no health questions about Devers’ shoulder either. Granted, the start to the season did go a little slow, but things are going well now.
Devers is now up to seven home runs and 31 RBI while batting .280 entering action on Monday. However, based on how he’s hitting the ball, there is more production to come. He has career highs across the board with an 18.8% barrel rate, 61.6% hard hit rate, and a 95.6 mile per hour average exit velocity. It goes without saying that it’s bringing fantasy success with it.
Springer Isn’t Done Yet
The Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup has had a rough go of it to begin the season. It’s important to note, though, that George Springer still has something left to offer. On an overall basis, Springer simply looks healthy, and he’s playing as such. Beyond what he’s doing at the plate, the biggest indicator is his six stolen bases.
While Springer is striking out a quarter of the time, he’s also hitting .297. You can point to a .385 BABIP and call for some regression, but no one is going to complain about his .270 xBA. It’s the quality of Springer’s contact, from a Statcast perspective, that really catches my eye, though. This is what allows me, from a fantasy perspective, to feel good about Springer.
We are seeing career highs from Springer with a 92.5 mile per hour average velocity, his 17.6% barrel rate, and also his 48.2% hard hit rate. Considering those metrics, it shouldn’t be surprising that he has five home runs, 18 RBI, and 21 runs scored.
