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Finding viable power hitters off of the fantasy baseball waiver wire is no easy task for fantasy managers. This piece will discuss sluggers who are rostered in less than half of fantasy leagues, and who may be able to help you in the power department. If your team is struggling in that area, tune into these four names that are swinging for the fences.
Middling power hitters get labeled as “three outcome hitters” in some cases, specifically Joey Gallo during his Texas Rangers tenure. This phrase is defined as a hitter who will hit a home run, walk, or strikeout in most plate appearances. Major League Baseball’s rules changes introduced a shift ban that will allow hitters to hit for a higher average than we’ve seen in years past.
The shift ban seems to have affected the following hitters in a positive way, allowing for more base hits and lowering the likelihood of a “three outcome” at-bat. These hitters are ranked in the order of who has the best chance to continue to hit for power over the course of the season.
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Joey Gallo, Minnesota Twins
47% Rostered
Gallo is off to a fantastic start in Minnesota after struggling in two of the largest markets in Major League Baseball, New York and Los Angeles. The fantasy baseball community is quick to forget the success Gallo had in Texas and partially in New York, hitting 38 plus home runs in three seasons. These seasons expectedly came with a batting average close to .200 and a strikeout rate north of 35%.
Through his first 14 games in 2023, Gallo has hit .263 with six home runs and 12 RBI. His expected batting average is in line at .255, the highest of his career, per Statcast. This is an extremely small sample size as he missed ten games with a mild chest strain. Nevertheless, early signs of improvement are there and the shift ban seems to be allowing more hitters to find success in the batting average department.
Gallo’s average exit velocity sits at 97.5 mph, the highest of his career, and has put up a max exit velocity of 112.6 mph, per Statcast. If he can keep his strikeout rate down below his career average of 37.1%, we could potentially get another 25-plus home run season out of Gallo.
Jorge Soler, Miami Marlins
26% Rostered
Unlike Gallo, playing time concerns do not seem to be an issue for Jorge Soler on a decimated Miami Marlins roster. He’s settled into an everyday designated hitter role for the struggling ball club. Soler has hit .253 with five home runs and ten RBI through 22 games in 2023. As discussed with Gallo, Soler’s expected batting average is up to a career-high of .288 in a small sample size, per Statcast.
Soler is no stranger to power surges as he led the American League with 48 home runs in 2019. He also has a World Series MVP under his belt with the Atlanta Braves, crushing pitching throughout their playoff run. Soler has consistently hit the ball hard throughout his career, posting no lower than a 114.1 mph max exit velocity in any season.
Soler will look to surpass the total of 13 home runs he hit in 72 games in his first season with the Marlins last year. LoanDepot Park tends to limit most power hitters' potential but Soler’s hard-hit rate and average exit velocity are hopefully enough to overcome it. They rank in the 90th plus percentile along with barrel % which is 19%, the highest of his career, per Statcast.
Jack Suwinski, Pittsburgh Pirates
28% Rostered
The 24-year-old made a name for himself in Pittsburgh last year, crushing 19 home runs with limited playing time. Jack Suwinski flashed his consistent raw power but struggled with a batting average just north of .200. Suwinski has found more consistent playing time this year as he’s started the season with a .269 batting average, five home runs, and 11 RBI in 17 games.
The downside to rostering Suwinski is the Pirates have the option to send him down to Triple-A if he starts to struggle. The injury-riddled franchise will hopefully stick with their young options as they’ve been surprisingly successful to start the 2023 season. However, chances are high that he’ll be on the bench against most left-handed starting pitchers.
Suwinski’s power is legitimate as he ranks in the 90th percentile in average exit velocity so far this season. Three of his five home runs came in the Colorado series at Coors Field for what it’s worth. Suwinski’s success has come from an improved walk rate of 16.9% so far this season and has shown the ability to lay off pitches outside the zone.
Jake Burger, Chicago White Sox
7% Rostered
Jake Burger finds himself in a similar spot to Suwinski with more playing time concerns. He will have to prove to the White Sox that he can be a productive bat in the lineup in order to stay in the majors when Yoan Moncada returns from his back injury. Burger flashed his power upside last year with eight home runs in just 51 games with the big league club.
Burger is off to a great start again in 2023 after being called up to fill in for Moncada. He has hit .227 with five home runs and ten RBI in just 16 games. His expected batting average is .277 and ranks in the top one percent in max exit velocity and barrel % per Statcast.
Burger’s power is legitimate but he’s best left on the waiver wire until he can carve out a more solidified role for himself. Chances are high that he’ll be sent down to the minors when Moncada returns, no matter how well he’s hitting. It’s an unfortunate situation for the 27-year-old because I’d like to see him in a more concrete role for the season's duration. Most Major League managers find it difficult to fit players into healthy lineups that sport a strikeout rate above 30%; Burger’s sits at 34.6% for the season.
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