With Opening Day finally here tomorrow we actually have some real baseball to discuss! Typically, in this piece, I will view the week ahead and discuss some players with plus matchups to target in FAAB. However, the last week or so has been dominated by news of top prospects potentially making Opening Day rosters and many of them have stolen base value.
- Bobby Witt Jr, has made the Royals roster and he is likely owned in all leagues. He has the looks of a fantasy superstar if he somehow is still available he is a must-add.
- The other big one is, obviously, Julio Rodriguez officially making the Mariners’ roster. He has massive power and a lot more speed than most people realize. There is potential for 20+ SBs and if he is somehow available in your leagues go add him.
- Josh Lowe will replace Austin Meadows in the Tampa OF. Lowe has swing and miss concerns but there is 20/20 plus potential if he can get the full run of playing time. He likely ends up in a platoon of some sort to minimize the swing and miss but he is a must-add in all fantasy formats.
- Bryson Stott has been announced as a part of the Phillies’ Opening Day roster. Stott has had a fantastic Spring and should be part of a timeshare with Alec Bohm at third base. His speed is more average than elite but there is potential for 10 SBs if he manages to get around 600 PAs.
- Geraldo Perdomo should be given a shot to begin the year replacing Nick Ahmed and Josh Rojas. He has previously stolen over 20 bases in the minors and while he will hit near the bottom of the lineup, he is a great bet to swipe a few bags early in the season. He won’t cost as much as the top prospects in FAAB if he’s still available and could help to give you a leg up in SBs early. He has a shot to play well enough to keep the job even when Ahmed returns.
- CJ Abrams has 80-grade speed. While no official announcement has been made it seems more and more likely that Abrams will make the Opening Day roster. If he does he could be a game-changer in fantasy although the power will be minimal and he could be slightly below average in AVG. If you faded SBs and need to make a change, you could do worse than Abrams.
- Steven Kwan makes a ton of contact has modest power and speed and should get everyday PT in Cleveland. He will post a good AVG and is a player worth targeting in fantasy leagues.
- On a lesser scale, Diego Castillo is an interesting player to look at as well. The Pirates MI is more of an average prospect but could put up a 10/10 season with a solid AVG.
Prospect hype can often get out of control and as a result, can lead to some chances to buy other players at a discounted rate. Look for some other guys who may be stolen base threats, for example, Tyler Wade who could put up similar numbers to CJ Abrams.
