There’s a few categories of rookies. One category of rookies is guys who could be extremely valuable if they get an everyday job out of Spring Training — your Wander Francos, your Royce Lewises, your Brendan Rodgerses (Rodgerii? Rodge on rye?). Then there’s another category of guys who will actually have a starting job but might not excite you with huge upside — your Luis Garcias, your Ryan Jefferses, your Andres Gimenezes (Gim Z’ers?). At least Andres Gimenez appears to be in the latter group. But, and, please allow Reversal Question Man to ask it — IS HE?! I hear that, RQM. Andres Gimenez last year went 22/3/12/.263/8 in 118 ABs. Casually, without much fanfare, I’m just going to muffle Mr. Prorater and do it myself: Across 162 games that’s a statline of 100/15/60/.270/40. Oh, I’m sorry, are you gorgeous? Or am I mistaking you for someone else? No…*puts on sunglasses*…you are gorgeous. Now, let’s get out of here. *takes Gimenez’s 162-game prorated stats out of this honkeytonk bar, jumps in my Sebring and peels out of the parking lot, just as we hit the open road, I turn away from Gimenez’s 162-prorated stats and look at Carter Kieboom’s upside, and Gimenez’s 162-prorated stats smack me* What? I just wanted to see what Kieboom could do, you know I love you. Don’t be mad! So, what can we expect from Andres Gimenez for 2021 fantasy baseball?
Don’t want to make our Mets readers horny, but what if the Mets trade for Francisco Lindor? What if they don’t trade for Lindor? What if they trade Andres Gimenez to Cleveland? Well, in any of those scenarios, Gimenez plays from Jump Street. In the latter–Well, it’s actually the third scenario, so the lattest scenario? Yeah, in the lattest scenario on the Indians, Gimenez definitely plays. No way he gets traded somewhere like that and doesn’t play. If Lindor is in Queens with Gimenez, Andres moves to 2nd and platoons with Cano. If Andres remains in New York with no Lindor, he plays short. Tut-tut-tut, what about Amed Rosario? Okay, the infield is jammed, but I have to think Gimenez sees at least 75% of starts. For fantasy, playing time is near the top of my wants. My wantiest?
Last year, Gimenez had a 5.3% BB/9 and 21.2% K%. Not exceptional on the walks, not even near league average, but the strikeouts are actually better than league average, and his percentages of balls swung at outside and inside the zone were close to league average. He was getting pretty beat by the curve last year, and pounding the fastball and change. Basically, if you sit dead-red, Gimenez will get ya. In conclusion, his average won’t be bad. Doesn’t walk, doesn’t strikeout (much), hits fastballs. Check, check, fine, .265-75 with neutral luck.
How about that power? He had a 13.5 Launch Angle, 10% HR/FB and 33.7% fly ball rate, while pulling a majority of balls in play. He can power out 8-12 homers next year, and maybe 15-17 in his prime. Not a big power guy, but he has 60 grade wheels, and loves to run even if it’s into outs. I could see him being limited depending on what a manager wants to do. Luis Rojas seemed fine running, and Gimenez was only caught once last year, but the year before he had a hideous caught stealing percentage in Double-A. Maybe he figured out that part of his game. Or maybe it was 60 games in a weird season and pitchers and catchers didn’t care if Gimenez ran. I could see either being accurate. I want to believe Gimenez is good for 30+ bags, as his speed says he should be, but I also see a guy who might steal 18 bags while being caught ten times. To recap the last 37 words, he was around top 20 in the league in Sprint Speed, and I worry he might get a red light. So, wide range of outcomes is sadly in his most productive category. That’s a concern. How’sever, he should be cheap eh eff in drafts, so what the hey? To give you an idea of how good things could be, Steamer projects Gimenez for nine homers and 16 steals in only 352 ABs. If he can get to 550 ABs, we’re talking a possible 15/25 guy. Yummers! For 2021, I’ll give Andres Gimenez projections of 51/11/58/.268/19 in 397 ABs with a chance for more.
