Let’s get that championship. We’re really getting into crunch time now and fortunately, there are still some untapped gems who can help you close out the season on a high note. With expanded rosters for MLB teams, we’ll get to see some of the game’s next studs experience their first taste of big league action. Gunnar Henderson finally got the call and has the potential to make an immediate splash, which he showed off by going yard for his first major league hit. There’s no good reason for the Orioles to call him up as a bench player so expect to see him in the lineup often. Not only do you want that, you need that.
Miguel Vargas – Should be getting the call soon. I like his power bat but it remains to be seen just how the Dodgers will choose to deploy his bat. Definitely worth a stash.
TJ Friedl – A three-piece meal with a side of 10 RBIs and a batting average over .370 make him one of baseball’s hottest hitters over the past two weeks. It’s a small sample size but he’s posted back-to-back strong weeks and with not much time left in the season you don’t have the time to wait and see what happens. Make moves and scoop him, he’s too hot to let someone use him against you.
Jake McCarthy – You may not have heard of him in light of the Diamondbacks promoting their top prospect Corbin Carroll. Early returns for Carroll have been impressive and he looks to be an excellent player who can do a bit of everything. By all means, grab him if you have the room. However, don’t let that make you forget about McCarthy. He may not have the lofty pedigree or the power potential but he has put up very nice point totals the past three weeks and that brings him into play for deeper leagues. His bat is simply too hot to ignore and back-to-back-to-back weeks is enough for me to buy in.
Isaac Paredes – He’s a streaky hitter but he has power so he can put up big-time points in a hurry. Well, he’s got 4 in his past seven games. That’s what we like to see. Unfortunately, this spike has been the exception rather than the rule but the potential for a week-winning performance is there. Even better, he has multi-position eligibility. Before you rush to add him, he was scratched from Tuesday’s game without a clear reason. It could be an injury or the whims of his manager. In either case, keep an eye on his status.
Brendan Donovan – Do you need help at first base, second base, third base, or outfield but only have one spot on your roster? Then consider this your lucky day because he can slot in at any of those positions. Did I mention he can do all that with a hot bat as well? That’s back-to-back strong weeks from him and with the way the Cards seem to crank out good players… he could be your answer. He doesn’t hit for power but he does make great contact, and that makes him an under-the-radar points league hero.
Victor Reyes – How deep would you like to go? Because let me tell you, this guy is out there everywhere (0.7% ESPN, 3% CBS). Like so many other deep league options, he doesn’t have stats that wow you. After all, if he did he wouldn’t still be on waivers. Regardless of how he scores points, he has now put up back-to-back strong weeks. If you’re in a pinch, consider his hot bat.
Keston Hiura – I can’t say that he’s completely fixed since he doesn’t play every day because he struggles against lefties. He makes up for that by dominating right-handed pitching. His power is nice even if he is striking out around 40% of the time. Yeah, that part is sucky because it opens him up to negative point games if your league punishes strikeouts. Hiura has become a forgotten man due to his struggles and demotion but he’s not that far removed from being considered a top prospect and future star.
Robbie Grossman – Strangely, his roster percentage is actually higher on ESPN than it is on CBS. His season numbers are shall we say.. gross but since being acquired by the Braves things have started to look up. He has played his way into a near-everyday role in the outfield. That role is near the bottom of the order but at least the lineup surrounding him is strong so the opportunity for points will still be there.
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