This article is part of our NL FAAB Factor series.
As I wrote last week, normally, this would be my weekly look at National League free agents. But as we all know, we are not in normal times. First and foremost, I hope you and all of your loved ones are safe and well and remain that way.
To provide you some fresh reading material during this mandated hiatus, this article will look at some interesting NL players to draft and/or add off waivers. The LABR and Tout Wars NL-only leagues are our starting point for the column. Players drafted late or reserve picks are the main focus, though I probably will touch on others whose values I think will exceed their costs. My plan is to cover a handful of names each week, hopefully saving several over for the following column, allowing a new population of players to be covered weekly.
To make this somewhat interactive, as always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask in the comments and I will touch on those the following week. We will see how many weeks this lasts, and hopefully by the time we exhaust all the names we want to cover, we will have baseball or an idea when games will resume, enabling a resumption of the normal column.
STARTING PITCHER
Cole Hamels, Braves: Hamels, who inked a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta this winter, reported to camp with a shoulder injury. If
As I wrote last week, normally, this would be my weekly look at National League free agents. But as we all know, we are not in normal times. First and foremost, I hope you and all of your loved ones are safe and well and remain that way.
To provide you some fresh reading material during this mandated hiatus, this article will look at some interesting NL players to draft and/or add off waivers. The LABR and Tout Wars NL-only leagues are our starting point for the column. Players drafted late or reserve picks are the main focus, though I probably will touch on others whose values I think will exceed their costs. My plan is to cover a handful of names each week, hopefully saving several over for the following column, allowing a new population of players to be covered weekly.
To make this somewhat interactive, as always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask in the comments and I will touch on those the following week. We will see how many weeks this lasts, and hopefully by the time we exhaust all the names we want to cover, we will have baseball or an idea when games will resume, enabling a resumption of the normal column.
STARTING PITCHER
Cole Hamels, Braves: Hamels, who inked a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta this winter, reported to camp with a shoulder injury. If the season had started on time, Hamels would have been on the shelf, rehabbing. But the delay should allow Hamels to be ready when the bell rings. Hamels, who missed a portion of last season with an oblique injury and struggled down the stretch, should benefit from the fine offense in front of him in Atlanta, especially if you think his performance pre-injury, rather than post-injury, last season is a truer sense of his ability . LABR: $3; Tout Wars: $3
Drew Smyly, Giants: Once/if baseball resumes, Smyly projects to be the Giants' third or fourth starter. After missing all 2017 and pitching just one inning in the minors in 2018, Smyly at least showed last year he could remain healthy. His performance was another matter altogether, but he did post a 4.45 ERA across 62.2 innings after joining the Phillies midseason while also notching an impressive 68 strikeouts. Now in a pitcher-friendly environment and on a one-year deal, Smyly could see improved results in 2020. LABR: $0; Tout Wars: $1
RELIEF PITCHER
Brandon Kintzler, Marlins– Kintzler turned in a career-low 2.68 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with a 48:13 K:BB over 57 innings with the Cubs last season, racking up 17 holds. Signed to a one-year deal this offseason, Kintzler at least projects to open the season as the Miami closer. How long he retains that role is up in the air, as the Marlins likely will be selling at some point, opening the door for either Ryne Stanek or Drew Steckenrider or another reliever to fill the ninth inning spot. But for at least a little bit of time, Kintzler should retain value. LABR: $6; Tout Wars: $5
CATCHER
Jorge Alfaro, Marlins: As noted with Hamels, the one benefit to the extended delay in starting the season is those players who would have missed time initially now likely will be ready to go once play starts. Those leagues that have drafted already probably saw discounted bidding for these individuals, unless the projected COVID delay was factored into the equation. But leagues that held off drafting until a plan for resumption is announced won't have the same ability to buy at a discount. I am covering a few players who fall into this header, including Alfaro, who was projected to miss a bit of time with a strained left oblique suffered in late February. The delay has allowed Alfaro, who hit 18 home runs with a .737 OPS last year, his first in Miami, to be ready to go. LABR: $8; Tout Wars: $7
SECOND BASE
Ian Happ, Cubs: If 10 games is your league's threshold for qualifying at the position, you are in luck with Happ, who saw action in 13 games at second base last year. As RotoWire noted in our season outlook, a dip in exit velocity with an increase in launch angle helped fuel power but conspired to drop Happ's BABIP to a career-low .286 despite an uptick in his contact rate and drop in his K%. If Happ can maintain the gains he made last season and raise his BABIP slightly, he could be in line for a big year. He is projected to begin the year as Chicago's starting center fielder and could bat leadoff when Kris Bryant is given a day off. LABR: $8; Tout Wars: $7
THIRD BASE
Austin Riley, Braves: Riley, one of the Braves' top prospects heading into last season, burst onto the scene with a flourish after he was promoted in mid-May. As we noted in our preseason outlook, Riley went off for nine homers in his first 18 career games, and he still had an OPS north of .900 at the end of June. Then the league caught up to him. Riley hit .169/.221/.324 with a 41.6 K% from the beginning of July until his placement on the IL with a knee ligament injury in early August. He made it back in September but never made the necessary adjustments, slashing an even worse .132/.190/.263 over the final month of the regular season.
Josh Donaldson, Atlanta's third baseman last season, signed with Minnesota, leaving a hole at the hot corner. Johan Camargo, the starter at third base in 2017, and Riley, who moved from third to left field last season, were battling this spring to fill that spot. Originally, the loser was expected to head to Triple-A Gwinnett. But with MLB to have slightly expanded rosters once play resumes and both players having fine springs, each should open the season in Atlanta. Once games finally do resume, the duo will pick the competition back up, but if Riley can reduce his strikeouts he remains the favorite in the long run to seize the job. LABR: $5, Tout Wars: $7
SHORTSTOP
Paul DeJong, Cardinals: Profiling someone who went for $20 both in the LABR and Tout Wars may seem odd, but hear me out. As a DeJong owner in the RotoWire Staff League, I more than enjoyed the 30 home runs, 78 runs batted in and 97 runs scored last season, but not the .233 batting average, including .193 with men in scoring position. If spring performance is any indication — and yes, I know it usually isn't — DeJong could possibly revert to his 2017 form. He has now been working closely with hitting coach Jeff Albert for a full year, which might bode well for his success when baseball kicks off for 2020. LABR: $20; Tout Wars: $20
OUTFIELD
Sam Hilliard, Rockies: Hilliard entered the spring penciled in for a starting outfield spot in Colorado. Unfortunately, he hit .176 with two home runs, three doubles, 12 strikeouts and two walks in 36 plate appearances this spring, likely costing him that role. As a result, that Ian Desmond and Raimel Tapia could open the year in a platoon in left field with Hilliard getting starts there if he makes the roster. Hilliard, a 15th-round pick of Wichita State in 2015, the year he moved from pitching to the outfield, posted a monster line last season at Triple-A Albuquerque with 35 home runs, 101 runs batted in, 22 stolen bases and 109 runs scored in 126 games. He carried that fine performance with him to the majors, notching seven home runs, 13 runs batted in, two stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 27 games with the Rockies. Hilliard may start the year on the bench, creating a buying opportunity in leagues that are drafting when baseball finally resumes. LABR: $7; Tout Wars: $5.
Andrew McCutchen, Phillies: Like Alfaro, Cutch benefits from the delayed start to the season. McCutchen signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Phillies in December 2018 with the deal including a $15 million team option for 2022. In 59 games, McCutchen hit .256/.378/.457 with 10 homers and 45 runs scored, benefitting from the new home park. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in early June, requiring season-ending surgery. McCutchen likely would have missed the first month of the season, but he will be ready to lead off for the Phillies if and when the season gets underway. Owners that bought cheap, like Todd Zola, who paid $8 for him in the RotoWire Staff League, will reap the benefits of a "full" campaign from McCutchen. LABR: $7; Tout Wars: $5
