Sometimes the difference maker in winning and losing a Fantasy Baseball championship is finding that “diamond in the free agency rough.”
By Dustin Shull
Most of the time it is hard to stay on top of all of these players and such deep information because we are busy throughout the days and simply do not have time to research more than hopping on our fantasy apps and seeing who the top additions have been.
Luckily there are numerous sources that you can turn to in that sliver of time you find to dedicate to your lineup.
Elite Sports NY has a handful of guys that, if available, should be sought after and snatched up before they become another fantasy baseball owner’s property.
Let’s take a look at those names.
Tyler White (1B-HOU)
Yes, Trevor Story started his Major League career off with a bang and for some reason could not stop launching almost every ball thrown at him over the fence.
Let’s not forget about Tyler White’s incredibly hot start though. Home runs aside, White is actually having a better start than Story.
Sounds crazy, I know, but in just 26 plate appearances, White has a mind-blowing .545 average and only four strikeouts. Comparatively, Story has eight K’s, and other than his seven homers, only has two other hits in his 28 trips to the batter’s box.
Fantasy wise, White is the better option right now. He’s hit three home runs, driven in nine runs, has an on-base percentage of .577, and is slugging a ridiculous 1.091.
The only downside to White is whether or not he comes back down to earth and AJ Reed gets called up to take over. Given his production, that seems unlikely at the moment.
Obviously it is very early and sometimes the fire that these young guys bring with them dies down after a while, but he is definitely the hottest commodity on the waiver wire at the moment and soon will only be a trade target.
Snatch this guy up while you have the chance or make a move and get him on your squad.
Ubaldo Jimenez (SP-BAL)
At this point in time I don’t think there is one pitcher on the Orioles that you shouldn’t want on your team.
They are the only undefeated team remaining in the MLB, and with a potent offense supporting them, there are no signs of slowing down.
Jimenez has only pitched one game, but that was to a pretty good Nationals team and he sat down nine of them via the strikeout. He also only gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work.
Since his 2010 season where he went 19-8 and struck out 214, stability has been something that he just can’t find.
There are times when an aging pitcher has one last year where they dominate and have one last hoorah. This is going to be Jimenez’s year.
Along with that powerful offense and being able to limit walks (which will be his x-factor), this should be a nice year for the 11 season veteran. Do not hesitate to add him and confidently insert him into your lineups.
Jeanmar Gomez (RP-PHI)
The closing carousel that is the Phillies bullpen, could potentially be locked down for the time being.
In four appearances (four innings pitched) Gomez has converted three saves and has yet to surrender a run.
This comes after David Hernandez, the favorite to hold on to the closer job, and Dalier Hinojosa blew their opportunities to take over the shut down role.
Closers are tough to come by, unless you went ahead and took two or three when you drafted, so you can’t let anyone that gets into the closer discussion hang around in free agency for long.
There may not be tons of chances for Gomez to shut the door on teams due to the Phillies not being expected to win many games this year, but if he is available in your league go ahead and add him.
Nomar Mazara (RF-TEX)
Mazara, a top prospect of the Texas Rangers, was called up to the bigs when an injury landed starting outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on the disabled list. Fantasy baseball owners, remember this name.
He didn’t waste any time showing the power that he possesses, planting one in the bleacher seats for a nice welcome to the 2016 season.
Mazara has a quick bat and uses that to his advantage to make solid contact. Last season in the Minors he hit 14 home runs, had 69 RBIs, and a .296 batting average in 558 at-bats.
Although only a sample size of two games, Mazara has five hits in eight official at-bats (one being the home run), driven in two, and struck out only once. The one strikeout may not seem like a big deal because he has only nine plate appearances, but Joey Gallo followed his big first game up with a stinker and struck out three times. Obviously Mazara’s sample size is small, but the youth movement in baseball offers enough reason to add one of the game’s most talented youngsters.
It will probably be hard to find Mazara available for free by now, but if he is don’t waste time adding him as he should be a nice addition for deeper fantasy leagues.
Eugenio Suarez (SS-CIN)
Replacing Todd Frazier after the amazing season he had in 2015 is not something that is as simple as plugging in a 24 year old infielder that you received in a trade two years prior and expecting the same results, right?
Suarez might not be the same player as Todd Frazier by any means, but you can’t deny the production that he is giving this Reds team in this young season. In almost 400 plate appearances (14 HR, 48 RBI, .280 BA) in the 2015 season, Suarez did more than prove that he is a viable enough option to make the Reds comfortable with trading away Frazier.
Thus far in seven games played, Suarez has four homers, nine runs batted in, and is hitting .370. It is also important to note that he has only struck out twice in 30 chances at the dish. Suarez also hits in one of the most batter friendly ballparks in the game, making him a viable option in any fantasy baseball format.
Unrealistic to expect Frazier-like numbers from Eugenio, but it is definitely encouraging that to this point he has done nothing to make anyone reconsider owning him in their league. He isn’t going anywhere anytime soon so get him on your team if you can.
Miguel Montero (C-CHC)
At the beginning of the season it didn’t look like Montero, someone that has always been a good option at catcher, would be on many fantasy owner’s radar. Jon Lester being exclusively caught by David Ross, dating back to their Red Sox days together, and Kyle Schwarber cutting into a lot of the other catching opportunities didn’t leave much for Montero.
All of that changed when Schwarber collided with fellow teammate Dexter Fowler tearing his ACL and LCL. A crushing blow to the Cubs and a devastating injury for such a young player.
As bad as that is for Schwarber, it bodes very well for anyone in need of a catcher because now Montero will definitely see his fair share of games behind the plate. Ross is not going to cut into too much because of his age and Montero is far better offensively.
Montero is always a solid RBI guy (506 in 11 years) and is a solid bet for 15 to 20 home runs. Quality catchers are hard finds in fantasy baseball, but Montero should produce in a loaded Chicago lineup.
So far this season Montero is hitting .278 with one home run and five runs driven in and with the added chances to catch on a more regular basis, he is someone that would definitely do you some good throughout this long season.