Fantasy Baseball Hitting Risers and Fallers – Durbin Rises

When determining who to add to this list of risers and fallers, I look at a standard 5×5 league ranking. The list is based on where the player ranks today, using their production from the start of the season. We then compare this rank to their rank from ten days ago.

To ensure this list applies to most fantasy managers, either the current ranking or the prior ranking must be in the top 300. I have also tried to avoid any players who have risen or fallen because of a stay on the IL.

Also, check out our top Pitching Risers and Fallers.

More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Rookie Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued | Bullpen Report

Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers

HITTING RISERS

Caleb Durbin (3B, BOS)

Over the last 10 days, Caleb Durbin has become the biggest riser in the Fantrax rankings with a .348/.400/.652 slash line, pairing two home runs with two stolen bases. There has been a dramatic launch angle change, which jumped from a groundball-heavy 6.2° to an optimal 15.1° over this window. However, for the year, the launch angle is 10.5, and that is still two degrees less than his career average. He is sixth in WAR during that period and ninth in average. This could just be a hot streak, though, because his AVG, OBP, OPS, and BB/K rate are all down from last year.

Current Rank:   249          Previous Rank:  398         Rostered: 73%

Dansby Swanson (SS, CHC)

He made the list last week and is still a riser. He has hit for a .340 average, six home runs, and a whopping 21 RBIs over his last 12 games. For someone projected to hit 22 home runs for the year, he owns the second-highest SLG percentage during his last 10 days. His wRC+ is fourth, and so is his wOBA. The most surprising stat is his hard – hit percentage. It was 66.7% for the last 10 days, putting his rank at number one, above players like Kyle Schwarber and Jac Caglianone.

Current Rank:   63          Previous Rank:  184         Rostered: 89%

Owen Caissie (OF, MIA)

Owen Caissie has been elite over his last seven games, with a .389/.450/.778 line with two home runs. Caissie’s zone contact rate (Z-Contact%) jumped from 74.2% to 83.5% over the last 10 days. Striking out less and using his raw power will get him mentioned on my risers list. Even though he can be streaky, he has brought his average, walk rate, strikeout rate, and wRC+ back to a level that is better than his career averages. This tells me he may turn into a very viable fantasy asset.

Current Rank:   278          Previous Rank:  394         Rostered: 60%

Luis García Jr. (2B, WSH)

Luis Garcia Jr. continues to climb standard league rankings. During the last 10 days, he’s contributed across every fantasy category with improved averages, extra-base hits, and run production. Garcia has also improved his plate discipline, lowering his chase rate by approximately six percentage points while posting a stronger BB/K ratio. In his last 10 games, he has only had 2 games with no hits. In his last seven days, he has four home runs to go with a .500 batting average.  Garcia is outperforming last year’s stats in almost every category.

Current Rank:   89          Previous Rank:  198         Rostered: 88%

Spencer Torkelson (1B, DET)

Over his last 10 games, the Detroit first baseman is batting .324 with two long balls and eight RBIs. He is outperforming his expected stats a bit, but within a range that shows this is sustainable. His hard-hit rate is at a career high. His next 10 games are all at home except for three games at Texas, where he actually hits better.

Current Rank:   241          Previous Rank:  349         Rostered: 80%

HITTING FALLERS

Matt McLain (2B, CIN)

Matt McLain’s recent slide stems from an alarming breakdown in contact. Over the last 10 games, he has only two hits. He had no home runs, steals, or RBIs in that stretch and only scored one run. Over the last 14 days, he played in nine games and had a .087 batting average. His wRC+ for these 10 days is -52. His line for the season now is .195/.298/.337 with an OPS of only .635. He has fallen more spots in the rankings than any other player over the last 10 days.

Current Rank:   297          Previous Rank:  243         Rostered: 70%

Iván Herrera (C, STL)

His slash for the last 10 days is .111/.226/.148 and an OPS of only  .374. His hard-hit% for the year is the lowest it’s been in his career. Statcast shows his average exit velocity has dropped nearly 2 mph, and his barrel rate has also declined from roughly 10% to 5%. Herrera has gone from being one of the Cardinals’ best hitters earlier in the season to someone you now have to keep on your bench.

Current Rank:   141          Previous Rank:  99         Rostered: 97%

Jakob Marsee (OF, MIA)

Marsee was drafted by most fantasy managers looking for stolen bases. Until there is a way for a player to steal first base, his production is not even giving you that category. Over the past 10 days, Marsee has batted just .143, managing only two base hits. His zone contact rate (Z-Contact%) plunged from 82.1% to a dismal 71.4%. Marsee’s chase rate has climbed nearly seven percentage points. His wRC+ for those 10 days is -36. His average during this period ranks dead last, and his OBP ranks second from the bottom during this stretch.

Current Rank:   213          Previous Rank:  181         Rostered: 83%

Luke Keaschall (2B, MIN)

Another player who helps in the stolen base category has 12 for the year already. His problem is the same as Marsee’s. In his last ten games, he has reached first base in only 3 of those games. In every category, he is down considerably from last year’s numbers. His Statcast numbers are way off. His contact rate, hard-hit rate, and his zone contact rate have all deteriorated during this last 10-game stretch. He is only 23 years old and could soon be eligible for the outfield position, but is still only good for a bench spot on your roster.

Current Rank:   263          Previous Rank:  236         Rostered: 83%

Ildemaro Vargas (1B/2B, ARI)

The 34-year-old Vargas for the year is still showing the same batting average, OBP, Slug and OPS as his career numbers. However, over the past 10 days, his average and OBP have fallen while he has offered almost no home run, RBI or stolen-base production. His WAR for those 10 days is -0.1. He has only one hit in his last seven games and only 3 in the last ten. Which landed him on the list of largest fallers.

Current Rank:   260          Previous Rank:  235         Rostered: 43%