On the latest Razzball Fantasy Baseball podcast, they talk about the corner infield negatively. They’re right, and you should listen, but with every weird position season there’s opportunity, especially buying low or high. I’m enjoying the chaos and hoping you are too. Here are a few players you should be looking to wheel and deal amidst the weak position chatter.
Curtis Mead
It’s Mead week here at Razzball, and I’m not talking about the honey wine that’s making a worldwide comeback. We’re talking about the multi-position eligible Washington National. What the guy has improved is his plate approach. The walk rate has gone up to 14% on the year; this is more than his last two combined (6% last year and 4% the year before). This is a meaningful change and one that stabilizes quickly.
The plate approach has led to a .400 OBP in the last month. When you factor in that prospects are taking longer to adjust to the MLB pitching than we’re used to, and that Mead is playing daily, this is a guy you want to get now. It’s not just a hot month, it’s a real change that’s leading to improvement across the board. Therefore, projections are underestimating what he can do.
Look for double digit dingers and an above league-average BA. By WRC+ (for the three of you that play in a league with that category), on the season, he’s at 142. That’s quite good and will solidify his playing time. When you look at his improved fly ball rate, that projects to more power. Even better, his pull rate has spiked from 34% to 49% this year, and to top off this baseball sundae, he’s pulling it in the air!
Mead has a low-ish BABIP of .245, leading to a slightly below average BA of .242. I’m looking for that to improve (his 17% K rate supports this too). He’s got the pedigree, he’s got the opportunity, and he’s only 28% owned on Yahoo. Excuse me while I go see if he’s available (fare thee well, Austin Riley!)
Jonathan Aranda
I live in the eastern part of North Carolina, within driving distance of two minor league baseball teams. I force my family to go to one game a year, usually the Durham Bulls (AAA for the Rays). One time, we went on dollar hot dog night; we ate 20 as a group of 4. Another time, my daughter got a ball. This year, we actually managed an entire game. My son has severe autism, and it’s a lot of work, but everyone was happy this time. Good primo seats too:
To make a short story long, I watched Aranda in Durham in 2023, when he hit .339. 2024 was injury-riddled, and 2025 was a breakout until, again, injury. After typing this, I should probably be more concerned about his health, huh. He’s a guy that I’ve followed since then and rooted for, which is fun! (Similar feeling with Jett Williams for Milwaukee, Kevin Alcantara in Chicago, and Colson Montgomery)
This season, he’s up to .290 overall after hitting .524 his past seven days as of this writing. His last 30 is still impressive: .374/.464/.500. When you combine his current stats with his Razzball projected ones, he’s going to finish with a .275 batting average, 23 HR, 79 R, and 83 RBI. I think that’s low, computer! He hit over .300 last year, and right around it this year. He’s always hit when healthy, and it’s time to stop expecting regression and trust what Aranda’s doing. For hard-hit metrics, he’s in the top 20th percentile in every one; the metrics fully support it. You should, too.
Aranda. Hitting machine. Definitely think he’s going to keep this up.
Colson Montgomery
Another guy I watched as a visitor in Durham, Montgomery is lighting Chicago on fire in the radio and social media. Seems like there’s a battle as to who’s better, him or Dansby Swanson. To which I say, stop the foolishness. Montgomery, playing SS but 3B eligible for this year, is what a Swanson would be in a best case scenario. He’s on pace for 32 HR, 72 R, and 87 RBI using my possibly-flawed combination of current stats and future projection. There is just one thing.
If you’ve followed my stuff here for the past four years, you’ll know I don’t like guys who swing for the moon with high K rates. Montgomery has huge bat speed, but his strikeout rate is over 30%, a huge red flag. In drafts, I generally make that a cutoff for viability; over 30 just has too much risk to tank your batting average. And whaddya know, Colson’s projection is .220 for average. And if that goes down, so do the counting stats otherwise. That K rate leaves basically no margin for error, and you have to factor that the .220 projection could result in .200 very quickly.
I’d find a Sox fan (if you can, there’s no reason to really be one) and deal him now at his likely peak.
Time to Cut Loose
Spencer Torkelson, at age 26, probably is not going to have a massive improvement or breakout. This year, he’s trying the high walk rate patient approach. The walk rate is exactly the same as it has been, but the patient approach is too patient; his strikeout rate is 32.6! Over 30, usually I’m out.
Especially, I’m out when the BABIP is .289 for a .210 batting average. He’s overperforming, guys. If you’re still waiting for the mythical breakout, it doesn’t look like it’s coming any time soon. You would hope to see the whiff decrease; it’s gone from 24% to 29%. He’s squaring up the ball less often, so while his chase rate is improving, he’s just not really hitting the ball well while he swings.
I’m out, finally.
