Since many of you play in highly competitive or deeper leagues, this week I wanted to focus on players in 10 or 12 team leagues that will almost assuredly be available on your waiver wire. For deeper leagues, these guys will most likely still be available as they are all owned in under 2% of ESPN leagues. I noticed I accidentally unfairly discriminate against deeper leagues in my pieces, so I wanted to make sure I am giving player recommendations for those that play in them. So here is 3 From Me: deep dive edition.
Bryan Reynolds – OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (1.8% owned in ESPN)
Ryan’s more athletic brother, Bryan Reynolds, may not appear in any hits on the big screen but has been getting plenty of them on the field in his rookie year. Through 111 plate appearances, Reynolds is slashing .320/.369/.573 while adding 5 HR, 14 runs scored, and 16 RBI. He has added 9 doubles and a triple, giving him extra bases in 15 out of his first 33 hits. Reynolds has 149 wRC+ through 32 games played, to go along with a .394 wOBA and .252 ISO. He ranks in the top 25 in the MLB in both wRC+ and wOBA among those with over 100 PA. His .384 BABIP suggests his .320 average will come down, but that is to be expected. His xBA of .272 is a more realistic average for him to hover around when all is said and done, which is just fine by me. Reynolds has been making excellent contact with the ball, as his 53% hard hit percentage ranks in the top 3% of the league. His average exit velocity of 91.7 MPH ranks 30th among all big leaguers with at least 70 batted ball events. Reynolds has been working his way up in the batting order, which further adds to his budding fantasy appeal.
Steamer ROS: .279/.336/.436 with 33 R, 8 HR, 35 RBI, and 3 SB in 290 PA
J.D. Davis – 3B, New York Mets (1.6% owned)
After hitting just 1 home run in 42 games for the Astros last year, J.D. Davis has 6 in his 44 games played for the Mets this year. Perhaps a change of scenery is what he needed to tap into his power at the big league level. Davis has 70-grade raw power, and was able to hit 30 homers across the minors and majors in 2017. Now with a pretty clear path to playing time, he seems poised to be a solid source of power off the waiver wire. Through 141 PA, Davis is slashing .268/.340/.457 with 12 extra base hits, 18 runs scored, and 16 runs batted in. He has walked in 9.9% of his plate appearances. His .268 average is pretty respectable, but his xBA of .316 suggests it should be much higher based off his batted balls. Speaking of batted balls, he is a Statcast Hero so far this year. His hard hit percentage, xBA, xwOBA, and xSLG are all in the 90th percentile or higher among all MLB players in 2019. His average exit velocity of 91.2 MPH is only in the 82nd percentile among big leaguers this year. Long story short, he has been making amazing contact with the ball this year. Whether this will continue over a full season remains to be seen, but he is absolutely someone I’m willing to take a chance on.
ZiPS ROS: .244/.305/.411 with 39 R, 12 HR, 39 RBI, and 2 SB in 337 PA
(I used ZiPS for him because Steamer only gives him 179 PA for ROS)
Mark Canha – OF/1B, Oakland A’s (0.7% owned)
Canha showcased his power last year by swatting 17 home runs in just 411 PA. He has continued to hit for power this year, as he has 8 homers through his first 97 PA. He is slashing .228/.361/.570 with 11 XBH, 16 runs scored, and 16 RBI. Yes, unfortunately he won’t singlehandedly win batting average for you. However, his horrid .192 BABIP is a sign that his average is due for some positive regression in the near future. Canha has been hitting the ball well, as evidenced by a .342 ISO, .386 wOBA, and 146 wRC+. He is also walking at a 14.4% rate which will help buoy his OBP. Canha is not the greatest fielder by any means, but has been getting consistent playing time between 1B, outfield, and DH. His improved plate discipline and power make him an appealing fantasy option in deeper leagues and those that factor in walks/OBP.
ZiPS ROS: .235/./317/.447 with 35 R, 12 HR, 35 RBI, and 2 SB in 265 PA
(Again, Steamer only had him down for 147 PA ROS so I went with ZiPS)
