As every enterprising fantasy baseball manager knows, hitting the waiver wire almost every week is crucial for success over the course of a long season. With just over a month left in the MLB schedule, that truth does not change. The problem? With so many games behind us, it can become very difficult to evaluate recent performance. Because every player’s overall statistics (*and by extension their perceived fantasy value*) are beginning to set in stone due to sample size, the impact of current play fails to show up on their stat line. As a result, now more than ever, skippers are prone to misevaluating players (ie: quietly raking hitters who fail to get much attention because of their overall stats). That, of course, is the exact issue this column was designed to address.
In this edition, six otherwise overlooked hitters who–despite uninspiring starts–are surprising everyone with their ability to quietly rake at the plate are analyzed for ambitious fantasy managers hoping to edge out their competition.
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Six Quietly Raking Hitters
*Please note that all statistics are accurate as of Wednesday, August 30th at 10:oo pm ET*
Davis Schneider, UTIL, Toronto Blue Jays
.426/.526/.894 slash line, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 1 SB in 14 games since joining the Blue Jays.
Davis Schneider, the 28th-round pick who stands at an unimposing 5’9″/190, managed to defy the odds on August 4 when he cracked the big leagues. However, 6 HR, 14 RBI, and a .426 BA later, Schneider has successfully done it again. Considering it has only taken him 14 games to secure the nickname “Babe,” the message for skippers could not be clearer.
In spite of inconsistent rookie playing time this month, his smoldering hot bat should secure him a starting spot in manager John Schneider’s lineup for the time being. To that end, the fact that Davis Schneider has been able to keep his hot streak alive over 14 sporadic games across the month indicates that he is more than a fad. While he is virtually unstoppable as one of baseball’s fiercest hitters right now, fantasy skippers should add the 24-year-old hastily before Schneider becomes a league-wide phenomenon.
#BlueJays Davis Schneider has the highest OPS through a player's first 13 career MLB games since at least 1906 (min 50 PA):
Davis Schneider – 1.421
Willie McCovey – 1.345
Pete Alonso – 1.334
Mark Reynolds – 1.304
Sam Horn – 1.274#NextLevel pic.twitter.com/SK0s9K0XHP— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) August 30, 2023
Royce Lewis, 3B, SS, Minnesota Twins
.273/.354/.600 , 5 HR, 14 RBI, 1 SB in 14 games since coming off of the IL.
Royce Lewis, the first overall pick back in 2017, has had the misfortune of two consecutive injury-plagued seasons to start his major league career. As a result, even though he has dominated when on the field, Lewis has yet to make himself a household fantasy name with just 62 career games. To that end, when news broke that he was going to be removed from the Twins’ 10-day injured list on August 15, it was easy enough to miss.
However, with the caliber of his recent play, missing out on Royce Lewis is now the reality of the situation. Now that he is back on the field, healthy and mashing home runs, it is important to act on Lewis before word gets out. The infielder provides a rare and exceptionally valuable combination of power, average, on-base potential, and speed, making him a no-brainer in every format. Although injuries have made it so he is still somewhat available, as perhaps this list’s best option, fantasy managers should add him right away.
Eddie Rosario, OF, Atlanta Braves
.345/.416/.564, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 2 SB over his last 30 games.
.481/.531/.852, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB over his last 7 games.
It may be hard to see–what with the fact Atlanta might have one of the greatest offenses of all time–but lately, Eddie Rosario has been a raking hitter producing at an elite level.
With his encouraging yet not incredible overall season statistics (.262/.314/.487, 20 HR, 64 RBI) still disguising the impact of his recent play, Rosario has huge potential right now. As far as hot hitters to choose from go, as an established veteran Rosario certainly has the lowest risk and his stat padding opportunities should continue to be plentiful in the Braves lineup. Skippers should expect a big September from Rosario and should act immediately while he is still somewhat available.
Shea Langeliers, C, Oakland Athletics
.214/.287/.449, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 2 SB over his last 3o games.
.265/.333/.592, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 2 SB over his last 15 games.
With high roster rates at the start of the season, it is a surprise to see up-and-coming catcher Shea Langeliers so readily available. A power first, get on-base later catcher, Langeliers has posted an impressive 16 HR from the big C this season. Still, factoring in his .207/.273/.391 slash line on the season, fantasy managers evidently do not feel they are getting enough.
However, perhaps out of sight on the lowly Oakland A’s, Langeliers has been a raking hitter lately. With his fresh power stroke at the plate, the backstop is producing at levels above his positional average and is a formidable option to slot in at catcher while he is hot and available. Look to him for some solid production to round out the season at a weak position.
Luis Rengifo, UTIL, Los Angeles Angels
.345/.416/.564, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 0 SB over his last 30 games.
.481/.531/.852, 3 HR, 8 RBI over his last 7 games.
After his unexpectedly strong 2022 season (.264/.294/.429, 17 HR, 52 RBI), fantasy managers looking for some dependable depth at the start of the season afforded Luis Rengifo the benefit of the doubt this year. And while vindication took its sweet time after Rengifo’s rough start, he is proving the doubters wrong and has established himself as one of baseball’s premier hot hitters over the last 30 days.
With his hot streak being especially potent over the last week, Rengifo is the poster child for available hot hitters to ride. As it stands today, it seems unlikely Rengifo will be available for much longer if he continues this incredible level of play, so the is nigh to roster him.
Luis Rengifo homers in his first two at-bats 🔥 @Angels pic.twitter.com/ugZkBweNOP
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 29, 2023
DJ Stewart, OF, New York Mets
.284/.363/.679, 9 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB over his last 30 games.
.347/.396/.898, 8 HR, 16 RBI over his last 15 games.
Long story short, when a former first-round pick turned journeyman becomes one of baseball’s raking hitters after he gets playing time post-deadline, do not question it. To everyone’s amazement, after he was given an opportunity to play every day when the Mets traded Mark Canha, seemingly washed up outfielder DJ Stewart has risen to the challenge.
With his overachieving performance at the plate this late in the season, fantasy managers are encouraged not to question his success and ride Stewart’s wave until it dries. For now, he is still readily available in all formats, but the hesitancy of every fantasy manager is fading quickly with every bomb Stewart hits out of the park. Expect his roster rates to surge upward very soon.
Connor Joe, 1B, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
.268/.379/.454 slash line, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB over his last 30 games.
.300/.438/.391, O HR, 5 RBI over his last 15 games.
Connor Joe, the Pirates’ plucky outfielder who fought through the grueling Rule 5 process in 2019, testicular cancer in 2020, and–after a promising 2021 campaign–a brutal fall from grace in 2022, is demonstrating his trademark persistence once again this season.
After a May-June stretch that has helped to blind fantasy managers from his recent production, Joe has really broken out since. In spite of his .250/.347/.431, 9 HR, 33 RBI season overall that–while acceptable–affords him little attention, it is time managers took notice of his recent play. Look to the hot hitter for decent offense plus some positional versatility to potentially ride for the rest of the year.