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
A Name For Later
We are at the point in the season where the waiver wire is becoming dire. Depending on the depth and setup of your league, options to improve your roster may be limited at best. That means looking everywhere and considering all options. While he’s currently in Triple-A after the Chicago White Sox just gave up on him, there may be some real value to be found in Andrew Vaughn.
Previously the third overall pick, Vaughn’s career with the White Sox hasn’t quite panned out as expected. To be fair, his supporting cast, especially in the past year-plus, has also been less than stellar. However, in 2023 (.258 AVG, 21 HR, 80 RBI) and 2024 (.246 AVG, 19 HR, 70 RBI), Vaughn was a solid producer. It’s fair to wonder if he would have had more RBI in the middle of Chicago’s lineup if there were more runners on base in front of him. In 2025, though, Vaughn has struggled, hitting just .189 with five home runs and 19 RBI. He was then sent to Triple-A, where he subsequently continued to struggle.
It was just 15 games before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, but Vaughn hit just .211 with two home runs and 11 RBI. For now, Vaughn is still in Triple-A, but I’d imagine we’ll see him in the near future in Milwaukee. Currently, Rhys Hoskins and Christian Yelich are the first baseman and DH, but the former can play the outfield. While he hasn’t played outfield since 2022, Vaughn does have 202 games there as well.
A change of scenery and a better lineup should help. Luck hasn’t been in his favor as evidenced by a .217 BABIP and .258 xBA. If you focus on his 13.3% barrel rate and 48.3% hard hit rate, perhaps we have a post-hype sleeper present?
Greene is That Guy
Staying healthy up to this point helps, but we’re getting a reminder of what Riley Greene is truly capable of. A rising tide does lift all boats, and Greene is part of a surging and successful Detroit team, but he’s also playing a large part in it.
Currently, Greene has the sixth-best barrel rate in the league at 18.3%. That also comes with a 47.8% hard hit rate, .491 SLG (.511 xSLG), and a .216 ISO. With metrics like that, Greene’s success is no surprise. To this point, the outfielder is hitting .275 with 14 home runs and 49 RBI. If Greene follows his current pace and stays healthy, a 30/100 season is a reasonable projection for the former first-round pick.
While we’ve waited for a true breakout and sustained success, there is one area that requires a little attention. Greene is hitting a strong .275 on the season, but his .256 xBA brings things slightly back to center. Even at that clip, it’s still a solid mark, especially in today’s game and combined with the other production, but it does represent a little regression. The biggest problem for Greene is his career-high 31.4% strikeout rate. If he can refine that, then things could look even better.
Pay Attention to O’Hearn
There haven’t been many bright spots to Baltimore’s offense so far this season. However, if you get past the platoon aspect to Ryan O’Hearn, the first baseman/outfielder, deserves some attention. The fact that O’Hearn is eligible at multiple positions helps from a roster construction standpoint. Before we go any further, though, it’s important to note that he’s had just 45 plate appearances against left-handed pitching so far this season. When in the lineup, though, O’Hearn generally finds success.
In the pursuit of counting stats, it sometimes happens that batting average gets overlooked. That isn’t the case with O’Hearn, as he’s hitting .310 with a .316 xBA. The good news is that O’Hearn doesn’t completely sacrifice power for average, as evidenced by his .502 SLG (.511 xSLG). He’s hit every other ball hard and has a solid 9.1% barrel rate and .192 ISO.
That has translated to 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and 28 runs scored through 58 games so far this season. O’Hearn’s production ultimately has a place on the majority of fantasy teams.
