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
Stowers Isn’t Slowing Down
Entering this season, you are forgiven if Kyle Stowers wasn’t on your radar for fantasy drafts. In fact, you weren’t alone. Aside from 50-round Draft and Hold leagues, Stowers simply wasn’t considered a viable option. The best thing that Stowers had going for him, was the Miami Marlins’ lack of depth.
Entering 2025, the highest Stowers hit in the major leagues was .208 last year. In 117 games, over three seasons, Stowers had just six home runs and 35 RBI. Stowers did show some upside in the minor leagues, but nothing to suggest a true breakout would be coming. Well, until Stowers started crushing the ball.
Prior to Monday’s game, Stowers was hitting .305 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI, and 23 runs scored. He’s already at career highs across the board, but it’s how he’s doing it that should give us optimism. Stowers has a .258 ISO with a top-tier 22.4% barrel rate. That comes along with a 52.4% hard hit rate and a .563 slugging percentage. When you factor that in with his .289 xBA, it looks like Stowers is heading to the All-Star game this summer. And from a fantasy perspective, Stowers will go down as one of the best early-season acquisitions.
Health is in Buxton’s Favor
I don’t want to do it. By no means am I looking to put the jinx on anything here (did I already do it?), but Byron Buxton has been healthy so far this season. Not only has Buxton remained on the field, but he’s also rewarding all fantasy managers who their faith in him heading into 2025.
We always knew Buxton had talent, but that only takes a player so far if he can’t stay on the field. Through 41 games this season, Buxton has 10 home runs with 27 home runs, 33 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The fact that Buxton is running more than he has since 2017 is a great sign; both for his health and his fantasy production.
While not back to his prime, Buxton’s .261 ISO is pretty close and also nothing to discount. The same can be said for Buxton’s 16.3% barrel rate and 55.58% hard hit rate. The injury history is there, so you don’t want to buy high, but selling low shouldn’t be an option either. The metrics back up Buxton’s success so it should provide some confidence.
Of course, we can’t ignore the fact that Buxton is, once again, on the Injured List. The difference this time though, is that it’s the 7-Day Concussion IL. His stay should be short, and there shouldn’t be any residual effects either.
Schwarber Continues to Crush the Ball
One of the first Statcast metrics that jump to every0ne’s attention, is barrel rate. The higher the barrel rate, the more success we can expect, and that becomes an area to target. By no means is Kyle Schwarber’s 14.4% barrel rate bad or something to discount, but at this point, we’ve come to expect crazy things at the plate from Schwarber.
The good news though is that Schwarber continues to punish the baseball at a high level. All things considered, things are shaping up to be a career year for Schwarber. While no one targets Schwarber for his on base abilities, he provides a substantial OBP boost with a 15.8% walk rate. At .257, Schwarber has one of the better batting averages for his career, but his .287 xBA says we have even more gains to be made. Staying with the expected stats, his .623 xSLG compared to a .563 SLG says that there’s plenty of power in play with Schwarber.
On the actual side, 15 home runs and 32 RBI is sure to capture your attention. The good news, is that every where you look, there is another metric pointing us to continued success for Schwarber. Come for the power, but stay for everything else as Schwarber is clicking across the board.
