What is up people. We are steaming right into the midst of summer and that means the balls will start flying. Of course pitcher not being able to spin their pitches as much with the “sticky stuff” will probably help hitters as well. Either way we could be in for a power binge. One guy who’s heating up along with the weather is Bryan Reynolds. Now I know he may not be the sexiest name in fantasy sports but he’s been getting it done with power as well as smacking doubles. I absolutely love what he’s been doing all season long and I’m not alone in that judging by his roster percentage being over 90. If you happen to be in that last ten-ish percent of leagues… you know what to do. The most impressive part about his season is that he’s managed to maintain the high batting average he was known for while tapping into a power source that he didn’t show earlier in his career. If you already have him, hold on loosley, don’t let go. And if you don’t have him, I would kick the tires and see if his manager doesn’t believe in the results.
Kyle Schwarber has been on an absolute mission the past couple weeks and by my count he’s got about 15 points on second place. The move to the leadoff spot has agreed with him and he’s been racking up points. He’s not the type of guy you expect to see at the top of the order but so far the move has been great for his fantasy production. In his last seven games 8 of his 10 hits have left the yard. Now that’s how you pile up points. He’s not widely available at this point but if he’s still out there… don’t leave that kind of power potential on the wire. Even when the binge cools off, he still has a ton of value.
Jonathan Schoop isn’t quite as hot as Schwarber but he’s been on a roll since the calendar flipped to June. In that time he’s sporting an average north of .350 and has blasted 10 home runs. Even if (when) the numbers come down to normal levels, he’s been contributing enough to be worth a roster spot.
Gary Sanchez is reminding us why we even drafted him in the first place by blast 7 long balls. He’s not a guy who will hit for a high average, but he can rack up points in a hurry with his power. Given that catcher can be a bit brutal at times, it’s worth checking to see if Sanchez is out there. Just don’t get to enamored with the name and be afraid to move on if the power dries up for a for a stretch.
Jake Cronenworth keeps doing his thing down in San Diego. He brings a lot to the table with his positional eligibility and has multiple ways to put up points. He has the power for dingers and the speed to turn singles into doubles. It also helps that he has a pretty strong supporting cast around him to get on base or drive him in.
Trevor Story is starting to show signs of coming around. The season numbers are disappointing for a guy who was likely a high pick. The most surprising part has been the lack of power, especially since lat time I checked, the Rockies hadn’t given him away yet for a ham sandwich. He has nearly doubled that total over the past week so there’s hope he’s rediscovering his power stroke as we move into summer.
Mike Yastrzemski continued his recent run of power. I’d like to see him scatter some more hits in there as well but the bombs are nice.
Tony Kemp has showed up and showed out recently with his performance at the plate. He is still widely available so if you need help in the outfield or at middle infield you should take a look at him. He has solid numbers on the season as well so there could be some staying power. He’s putting up points in a variety of ways with a pinch of power and the speed to steal a base or snag a triple.
Myles Straw is heating up and is ready to help you in the outfield. I’d like to see more power or counting stats to boost his point totals but singles score points too. Not everyone can be a league winner and guys like Straw who can give you consistent points are valuable parts of your roster.
