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All-Stars are fun but by this point in the season they aren’t kicking around on the waiver wire for you to scoop up.  Hopefully, you managed to draft or snag a few of them earlier in the season. Back to your regularly scheduled programming. Let’s find some hidden gems.

Jon Berti – I’ll be honest, Berti wasn’t a guy I thought I’d be writing about in a points league post. Speed is his calling card, he leads the league in steals with 22, and that’s not really the stat you want to chase in points leagues. The utility man figures to have an everyday role at second base locked down while Jazz Chisholm Jr is on the IL with a back injury. Berti has been money in June, batting .309 and swiping bases like it’s going out of style. The long and short of it is that he’s racking up points and even though the average will come down, the everyday at bats give him value.

Andrew McCutchen – June has been a good month for him, raising his batting average 35 points. That’s an impressive rebound and advanced stats indicate there’s more to come. He still has moderate power which is nice, but it’s more of a side dish than an entree. He’s more of a deep league target.

Adley Rutschman – It’s been a bit of a rough start for the rookie but he looks to be coming around. CBS leagues have already noticed and snapped him up but he’s still out there in about half of ESPN leagues. His roster percentage is rising so you’ll need to act fast. His upside is well worth taking a chance on.

Dylan Carlson – He’s got solid numbers across the board even if no one stat jumps out at you. His advanced stats don’t jump off the page either but he definitely has the upside for more, especially in the power department. If he grows into his power and is able to boost his average he can provide some good value.

Isaac Paredes – You have to love the power numbers he’s been flashing over the past couple weeks. Unfortunately, the Rays infield is pretty crowded so it seems unlikely he gets full-time at bats. He has been one of the league’s hotter hitters which should earn him more playing time. He also has some defensive versatility to help his case but his value is likely capped.

Jarren Duran – He’s currently on the restricted list while the team is north of the border and will likely be unable to participate in any games in Toronto barring a change so that’s something to keep in mind. He’s impressed so far in his limited action in the bigs. Blazing speed should allow for plenty of extra-base hits, he already has 5 doubles and 2 triples. That’s the kind of performance that can really help your team. Unfortunately, his everyday role may come to an end once Enrique Hernandez is cleared to return from his hip injury. He hasn’t resumed swinging yet and it’s unclear when he’ll be deemed ready. I’m intrigued by Duran’s potential but it’s probably better to view him as short-term option for the time being.

Nico Hoerner – As a contact hitter, Nico gets a big boost in points leagues. Without a ton of counting stats and a weak surrounding lineup, he is significantly undervalued this season. He’s eligible at both middle infield spots and should play every day because let’s face it, the Cubs don’t exactly have a wealth of other options. His batting average is already over .300 and xStats show that it should actually be closer to .320. There’s really not much more you can ask for from a guy you can pick up in exchange for the worst player on your roster.

Jack Suwinski – In need of a deep league target? Suwinski could be just the boost you’re looking for. His average is, quite frankly, abysmal, at .209 on the season. He hasn’t really been unlucky in that department either. Fortunately, he’s slugging .445 with 12 home runs. Those numbers are much more fantasy-friendly and you should give him a look.

 

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