Miguel Sano (1B/3B, MIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

Nicklaus Gaut profiles Minnesota Twins third baseman, Miguel Sano as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 18 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season as the veteran corner infielder is healthy and performing like a top-50 hitter.

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 33% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Minnesota third baseman Miguel Sano had been slumping coming out of the All-Star break, but even after waking back up last week he still remains criminally under-owned at only 33%. Over this last week, Sano hit three more home runs, with eight RBI and four runs scored and overall in his 55 games played this year now has 17 home runs, 34 RBI, and 37 Runs. For comparison's sake, since coming off of the injured list on May 16 Sano has as many home runs and runs scored as Josh Donaldson, with only nine fewer RBI - and in 35 fewer plate appearances. Donaldson cannot be found out the waiver wire, but Sano likely still can be.

It isn't just the counting stats where Sano is showing up, with his Statcast metrics backing up the authority with which he's been smashing the baseball. His 15.7% barrel-rate is top-3% of the league, while his 55.7% hard-contact and 93.3 mph average exit-velocity are both in the top-1%. There is now enough evidence that Sano has put his disastrous 2018 behind him and is back to being a top-50 hitter who should be owned in all leagues.