There comes a time in every season, when it feels like players and dropping left and right. Maybe it is the heat or maybe it is a speech from Brian Snitker but it does feel like a shift is taking place with injuries across the board. Just this week, we lost the likes of Anthony Rendon, and Ozzie Albies while Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mitch Haniger appear to have delays in their rehab. It sounds like time to scour the waiver wire while making some tough decisions about who really can stick around on the injured list. This week in our Top 100 hitters, while we say goodbye to Rendon and Albies we get to welcome a few new faces. Sit back and enjoy this week’s edition of the Top 100 hitters for the rest of the 2022 fantasy baseball season.
Rising
- Bryan Reynolds – Jumping from the watching category two weeks ago, to the rising group this week, we have Mr. Reynolds. A trip through Atlanta and St. Louis seems to have continued to warm the bat with 3 homers and 15 R + RBI and a batting average well over .500. It certainly has been a tough year for the Pittsburgh outfielder, but he is a very good hitter and can likely be had for a discount at this point in time before he shows this for an extended period.
- Tommy Edman – Oli Marmol seems to be comfortable giving Edman the green light on the base paths putting him halfway to last season’s total and on pace for 35 or more thefts for the year. Hitting in front of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado is a big boon for the runs category as well, where he sits second in the National League. A well-rounded profile for an under-the-radar name that deserves more attention.
- Luke Voit – Finding a home in the Padres lineup with the clean-up spot and finally being healthy is starting to pay off for Voit. With 17 runs batted in over the past two weeks, the power and run production have a chance to help the needy fantasy owner. Do not expect a high batting average or much in the runs department, but the price of admission should not be too steep.
Falling
- Whit Merrifield – Whit has certainly had some poor luck this season meaning he is on base much too infrequent to take advantage of his speed. With an increase in luck, maybe there is a bit of turnaround in the cards. However, we must remember that Merrifield was a late bloomer and already an elder at 33 years old. He also has not attempted a stolen base since May 24th putting a big damper on the value where folks invested. I am concerned we are seeing the start of a decline even if that decline is jump-started by some poor luck.
- Juan Soto – It is heresy to put Juan Soto in the dropping category, but we have to admit he is having a down year when we generally place him in the top five hitters in the fantasy world. With a poor supporting cast and limited speed, he needs to deliver on his .300+ average and power to maintain that type of value. Do not get me wrong, I would love to own Soto. Unfortunately, he is having a bit of a rough go of it by his lofty standards thanks to some poor luck and some poorer than usual plate discipline that hints that he may be pressing.
Watching
- Michael Harris – A young upstart for the surging Braves, Harris has a nice mix of power and speed. He is likely to be overmatched at his age but has what we look for with a patient approach at the plate and the ability to influence the game from multiple aspects. I would not be pushing him into the Top 100 yet, but one to keep an eye on as this season progresses.
- Santiago Espinal – A guy that keeps coming up in conversation lately seems to be Espinal. A solid average backed by a .299 xBA with his hottest month being June, it is hard to ignore. Unfortunately, he simply reminds me of a guy like Luis Arraez who has a hot few weeks here and there but just does not offer enough counting stats to really be more than a plug-and-play. Sitting right outside the Top 100, he will likely settle into the 125-150 range the rest of the season.
Dropping out this week: Ozzie Albies, Anthony Rendon, Andrew Benintendi, Max Muncy, Franmil Reyes, Juan Yepez
