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Changes in Jacob Young's Plate Approach Could Make Him an Appealing Waiver Wire Target
Across 201 plate appearances so far in 2026, Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young is hitting .232/.290/.378 with seven home runs, 25 RBI, 25 runs scored, and four stolen bases. While the 26-year-old is still a below-average offensive contributor by measure of wRC+ (89), he's made some notable changes at the plate this season. Young's max exit velocity is up from 107 mph to 110.1 mph, and his average launch angle has moved from 3.9 degrees to 10.8 degrees. As a result, Young's seven home runs this season are more than he had over the first 1,006 plate appearances of his career (five). He may also get to more speed over the course of a full season, as he swiped 33 bags across 150 games in 2024. At the very worst, Young's elite defense in center field should keep him in an improving Washington lineup on an everyday basis and allow him to rack up counting stats. In deeper leagues, fantasy managers could be wise to target Young on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
