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The drafts are over, Opening Day is finally here, let the real games begin. All year long, I’ll be breaking down the top corner infield options on the waiver wire for you. Let’s kick things off with some options to take a look at for week one.
For our purposes, we'll examine players with fantasy potential that are rostered in 30% or fewer of Yahoo leagues. The usual caveats apply that available options will vary according to your league size and settings.
Either way, here are some corner infield options to consider on the waiver wire for the first week of the 2022 fantasy baseball season.
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Hunter Dozier, Kansas City Royals
24% Rostered
Even with Bobby Witt Jr. taking over at the hot corner, Dozier should be able to find his way into the Royals lineup on an everyday basis. He struggled mightily during the 2021 season but came out flying during the spring. Dozier went 15-for-37 (.405) with a triple, a home run, two doubles, five RBI, and two runs scored over 13 spring training games. He’s been hitting sixth and serving as the designated hitter over the first few games. The 30-year old should have every opportunity to play and offers intriguing bounce-back potential.
Jeimer Candelario, Detroit Tigers
22% Rostered
Candelario shined for the Tigers over the second-half of last season, hitting eleven of his 16 home runs and posting an .882 OPS. He continued his rise with a strong spring and could be looking at another strong campaign. The Tigers offense is going to be significantly better this season with the additions of Austin Meadows, Javier Baez, and top prospect Spencer Torkelson. Candelario has been serving as the number five hitter early on for the Tigers. He could be an extremely underrated corner infield option when it comes to fantasy baseball this season.
Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres
12% Rostered
Kim struggled last season but also never really had the opportunity to play every day with the Padres. With Fernando Tatis Jr. sidelined, for the time being, this may be his time to shine. Kim put together a strong spring training performance, looking like a completely new ballplayer out there. Over 13 games, he hit a home run, a triple, and two doubles while posting a 1.072 OPS. With newfound confidence at the plate, last year's experience under his belt, and a huge opportunity right in front of him Kim should continue to show his true colors.
Dominic Smith, New York Mets
8% Rostered
Smith is a man without a position heading into the 2022 season with the Mets, but if he hits the way he did during the spring, he’ll be out there more often than not. He battled an injury and struggled during the 2021 season but looks primed for a bounce back. Smith hit two home runs - two more in an intrasquad game against Max Scherzer - and posted a .531 OBP and 1.377 OPS. I wouldn’t expect him to return to his 2020 form, but Smith could be a valuable addition if he continues his return to form.
Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
4% Rostered
Like Dozier, Walker had a pretty forgettable 2021 season and came out strong during spring training play. Over 12 games, he hit three home runs and four doubles while posting a 1.174 OPS. Walker will again serve as the big power bat in the middle of the Diamondbacks order this season. If he rounds back into form, he should post a decent on-base percentage and around the 20-25 homer range.
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