Last-minute Breakout Bats – Hot Hitters

Every. Week. Matters. This is what I’ve learned the last few years while battling at the top of my Fantrax dynasty league. This year, at least three categories will come down to this final week of the season to decide the top spot. It’s why we’re always on the lookout for players who can give us an edge.

Offensively, late-season breakout bats can play a big role in helping us capture one or more of these close categories. Names don’t matter at this time of year. We just want hot hitters. Anyone can play the fantasy hero. Here are some bats to know …

Picking it up: Recent Breakout Bats

Tier I

Jackson Merrill, OF, San Diego Padres

Where have you been, Jackson Merrill? Overall, it’s been a deeply disappointing season for the sophomore outfielder, whose rookie season last year included an all-star nod, a silver slugger award, and a runner-up finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Injuries are partly to blame, but the rate stats are all down, too (.263/.316/.455 entering action Sunday).

But the 22-year-old has figured something out lately. Over 14 games from Sept. 6-20, Merrill batted .321 with six homers, 11 RBIs and a 1.160 OPS. He’s hit the ball with authority, adding five doubles and two triples to the impressive home run count. The discipline remains a problem (two walks to 16 strikeouts), and he still isn’t stealing bases, but the young outfielder has figured something out at the plate.

Tier II

Andy Pages, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Is there such a thing as a quiet 25-homer season? If so, Pages has done just that. He’s going to eclipse 150 games played this year, too, but he flies under the radar in star-studded Los Angeles. The batting average is nearly .280, he has a shot to finish with an OPS above .800, and he’s even added 14 steals.

Prior to Saturday, Pages had hit a scalding .469 in his previous nine contests, striking out just twice in 33 plate appearances. Since Aug. 25, it’s a cool .342 batting average with a .933 OPS, four homers and 11 RBIs in 21 games. There’s nothing quiet about that.

Agustin Ramirez, C, Miami Marlins

The first of two catchers on this list, Ramirez, as a rookie, is already one of the steadier contributors on offense at the backstop position. Nothing flashy, just consistent production. The average and OPS are only .234 and .714, respectively (we expect those to go up next year), but he’s impressively eclipsed the 20-homer mark.

That’s partly because he’s in the lineup nearly every day. Consider this: He had 513 at-bats heading into Sunday despite not being called up until three weeks into April. The 24-year-old has recorded a hit in 11 straight, batting .311/.360/.533 during that time – with a couple of long balls and a pair of steals.

Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves

Baldwin is going to be a good one. Another 24-year-old rookie, his rate stats are better than Ramirez’s (.271 batting average and .791 OPS entering action Sunday). And his plate discipline is advanced for a first-year player of any position (35 walks, 62 strikeouts in 117 games). If he doesn’t have to share catching duties with Sean Murphy next year, watch out.

With Murphy now sidelined with injury, Baldwin has gotten a taste of that this month, and he’s been hot the last week: Nine hits in 24 at-bats, including three homers and 11 RBIs in six games – all Atlanta wins. Like Ramirez fantasy owners, those who have Baldwin can count on him being in the lineup nearly every day.

Tier III

Harrison Bader, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

We talked about Brandon Marsh in this space two weeks ago, noting that Bader was arguably equally as hot. Well, now he’s surpassed his teammate. In 43 games since joining the Phillies, the veteran has hit an absurd .331 with a .906 OPS. He’s striking out a whole lot, which doesn’t portend well for this streak to last forever, but he’s in a groove right now.

Between Sept. 8-19, the 31-year-old batted .412 with a 1.042 OPS. That’s 21 hits (including two homers) in 51 at-bats over 11 games. And he’s hitting leadoff every day for one of the better teams in the National League (knocking Nick Castellanos to the bench in the process). Ride the bat while it’s hot.

Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies

On the one hand, you want to take Moniak’s offensive production with a grain of salt. This is a player who fell well short of expectations the first several years of his career. On the other hand, he was a former first overall pick; his season numbers are very solid, and he’s got the Coors Field boost, to boot.

Now 27, he’s been especially hot lately, batting .412 with a 1.294 OPS over his last nine games. Included during that time? A whopping five homers, as well as three steals. Remarkably, he’s at 24 homers for the season in what has been by far a career year. The Rockies hit the road this week, but bats this hot can travel wherever.