7 Hitters Rostered in Fewer Than 15% of Leagues – Week 6

Each week from now until the end of the season, we will identify players rostered in fewer than 15% of fantasy baseball leagues who should be on your radar. For the most part, the players featured in this article are best suited for inclusion in deeper leagues (at least 12 teams or more). However, with the high number of players hitting the IL this past week you may need to use some of the players referenced in this article to field a complete and competitive lineup. We will reference Fantasy Pros’ roster percentages (as of Sunday afternoon) in this article.

 

Yan Gomes, C, WSH, (11%)

 

The catcher position is already one of the shallowest in fantasy baseball, so fantasy baseball managers might find themselves scrambling to find replacements for Travis d’Arnaud, Roberto Pérez, Wilson Ramos, and Alejandro Kirk who are among the backstops currently on the IL. Yan Gomes is surprisingly widely available in fantasy leagues and unlike many of your other options, he won’t be a drag on your counting stats. Over his last six starts entering Sunday’s action Gomes had a .375 BA with three HR and six RBI. His 13.4% K rate is the lowest of his career and although they seem to be far too generous, his .359 xBA and .652 xSLG show that he’s making good contact this season.

 

Robbie Grossman, OF, DET, (8%)

 

If you’re looking for a short-term replacement outfielder in a deep league who has the potential to provide you with a few stolen bases Robbie Grossman may fit the bill. Grossman has batted leadoff in 31 of his 33 games this season and with seven SBs (five of which were swiped over the past two weeks) he really seems to have embraced the role of leadoff hitter. Grossman has a .383 OBP on the season which is fueled by his league-leading 26 walks, and he has a modest hot streak in which he’s batting .304 with three SB over his last six games. He may only be batting .225 on the season, but his .285 xBA suggests that he may have run into a bit of bad luck so far this season. Grossman may not be the second coming of Rickey Henderson, but if he continues to be aggressive on the base paths he can provide your fantasy team with a shot in the arm and if you’ve been bitten by the injury bug, he can help your team tread water.

 

Freddy Galvis, SS, BAL, (8%)

 

In his prime, Freddy Galvis was capable of hitting 20 or more home runs and stealing double-digit bases. He’s still only 31 years-old and while he’s not running as much as he used to, he’s gotten off to a good start to the season with a .286 BA and four HR. He’s been especially hot over his last seven games entering Sunday’s action, batting .400 with two HR and five RBI. Galvis has been aggressive at the plate this season but at the same time, his 84.9% overall contact rate is the second-highest of his career, and his CSW% is the lowest of his career.

 

Josh Naylor, OF, CLE, (5%)

 

It seems that we fantasy baseball players have been waiting for Josh Naylor to break out for a while. Quite frankly we may never see a full breakout season from Naylor, but he’s made enough improvements to his approach that he does seem on his way to becoming a more fantasy-productive baseball player. Naylor only has two home runs on the season and while he does possess power, historically he’s hit too many groundballs and that has limited his home run production. However, there does seem to be a glimmer of hope. While his launch angle is still below the league average, it has increased for three straight seasons and is currently at 9.5. His barrel rate (10.1%), hard hit rate (41.8%) and exit velocity (90.1 mph) are all career highs. He has hit nine doubles this season and if he continues to increase his hard hit rate and launch angle, maybe he’ll hit fewer doubles and more home runs. His bat has been heating up of late. In his last 11 games entering Sunday’s action, Naylor has hit both of his home runs, scored eight runs, and has a .325 BA.

 

Matt Duffy, 2B/3B, CHC, (2%)

 

Matt Duffy is another player who could provide temporary relief for your ailing fantasy lineup while he’s getting regular at-bats at third base. His 2015 season in which he batted .295 with 12 HR and 12 SB in 149 games gives you a good idea of what his upside looks like. Duffy is batting .300 with eight runs scored and two stolen bases in his last 10 games. Like most of the players in today’s article, he’s a stopgap type of player who can fill a temporary hole in your fantasy lineup without tearing down what you’ve already built up this season.

 

Seth Brown, OF, OAK, (1%)

 

The A’s seem to have a knack for getting the most out of their players and even though Seth Brown doesn’t play every day, he makes the most of his playing time and can help solidify your fantasy baseball team. Brown has a good minor league pedigree, hitting over 30 home runs in two different seasons. He entered Sunday’s action batting .273 with five HR and 12 RBI in 23 games and had hit home runs in two straight. DFS players and those that play in leagues that allow daily changes to their starting lineups should note that Brown has been especially effective when playing at home this season, posting a .414/.469/.793 at Oakland’s RingCentral Coliseum.

 

Trevor Larnach, OF, MIN, (3%)

 

With Byron Buxton and Alex Kirilloff both looking like they’ll be sidelined for a while, Twins prospect Trevor Larnach should get some regular at-bats in the near future. While many fantasy players are aware of Kirilloff’s potential, Larnach has put up some pretty good minor league stats as well. He slashed .306/.374/.473 in three minor league seasons and he also swung a power bat in college as well. Based on his minor league stats he’s not afraid to swing the bat but while he’s aggressive he was still disciplined enough to be able to post double-digit walk rates in his minor league career. He’s a speculative add based on his past minor league success and future playing opportunity. Don’t drop anyone too valuable to add him, and don’t fall in love with him too quickly. If he slumps badly, don’t wait too long to drop him.

 

Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter and @justinparadisdesigns on Instagram)