RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 240
CURRENT ADP: ~261 overall
ANALYSIS: Pham stole 14 bases last season but has a history of good wheels, stealing 25 in both 2017 and 2019 and also swiping 15 in 2018. He stole six in just 31 games during the COVID-shortened season, so it's fair to say that Pham has had essentially a 15 stolen base floor over the last five years. When Pham stole 25 bases in 2019, his sprint speed was 28.7 ft/sec and his home-to-first time was 4.38, which was good for 252nd in the league. In 2021, his sprint speed was 27.8 ft/sec and a home-to-first time of 4.54, so he does seem to be slowing down a step, which could also be the result of multiple soft tissue injuries over the years.
Another reason I like Pham is because of his ability to help you in other categories. Pham has tremendous plate discipline with a 13.9% walk rate last year and a 12.5% rate for his career to go along with a strikeout rate that hasn't been above 23% since 2018. He's also been a .265 career hitter, and I urge you to not let the .229 batting average from last year fool you. Pham recorded a career-high 10% barrel rate last year to go along with a 46.7% hard-hit rate. The hits just didn't fall for him. He also upped his flyball rate and dropped his groundball rate by 14% from 2020 and by 5% from 2019. That's part of the reason he hit 15 home runs despite playing in a good pitcher's park. While many people are drafting Robbie Grossman around pick 180 for the hope that he puts up a 15/15 season, I think you are just as likely to get 15/15 from Pham but with a higher batting average going way later. You're taking a risk drafting him before he has a set team, but he's been a full-time player since 2017 so I expect him to sign somewhere he is going to start.
More Fantasy Baseball Values and Sleepers
Carmen Mlodzinski - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis (Week 8)
PROSPECT: Carmen Mlodzinski, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates CURRENT LEVEL: MLB 2024 STATS: 13 G, Zero GS, 0-1, 15.0 IP, 6.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 4.2 BB/9, 1.8 HR/9, 12.0 H/9, 2.29 SO/W ANALYSIS: Carmen Mlodzinski got his first taste of major league action with the Pittsburgh Pirates last summer, starting as a middle reliever and working... Read More
Henry Bolte - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis (Week 8)
PROSPECT: Henry Bolte, OF, Oakland Athletics CURRENT LEVEL: High-A 2024 STATS: 31 G, .246/.366/.434, Five HR, 24 RBI, 27 R, 13 SB, 13.1% BB%, 36.6% K%, .391 BABIP, .376 wOBA, 127 wRC+ ANALYSIS: The Athletics made Bolte their second-round pick in 2022 and convinced him to sign an over-slot deal rather than attend the University of... Read More
Andrew Sears - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis (Week 8)
PROSPECT: Andrew Sears, SP, Detroit Tigers CURRENT LEVEL: Single-A 2024 STATS: Six G, Five GS, 1-1, 10.1 IP, 3.10 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 9.74 K/9, 5.75 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 50.0% GB%, .294 BABIP ANALYSIS: The Tigers plucked Sears from the University of Connecticut during the 10th round of last year's MLB Draft. He's struggled with walks in... Read More
LaMonte Wade Jr. - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 8)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 19% of Leagues ANALYSIS: LaMonte Wade Jr. is coming off a season in which he belted 17 home runs and posted a .347 wOBA with 122 wRC+. The lefty's OBP last season was an astounding .373. So what has he done for an encore in 2024?... Read More
Hao-Yu Lee - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis (Week 8)
PROSPECT: Hao-Yu Lee, 2B, Detroit Tigers CURRENT LEVEL: Double-A 2024 STATS: 28 G, .273/.357/.436, Three HR, 18 RBI, 18 R, Four SB, 11.1% BB%, 20.6% K%, .329 BABIP, .366 wOBA, 128 wRC+ ANALYSIS: Lee is a former international signing from Taiwan who was acquired from the Phillies at last summer's trade deadline. He was swapped for Michael... Read More
Trenton Denholm - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis (Week 8)
PROSPECT: Trenton Denholm, SP, Cleveland Guardians CURRENT LEVEL: High-A 2024 STATS: Six G, Six GS, 3-0, 32.1 IP, 2.51 ERA, 2.60 xFIP, 10.02 K/9, 0.84 BB/9, 1.67 HR/9, 47.1% GB%, .217 BABIP ANALYSIS: Denholm was the Guardians' 14th-round pick in 2021. At 24, he's on the older side for High-A prospects, but there's still plenty... Read More
A.J. Puk - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 8)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues ROSTERED IN: 10% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Due to a rash of injuries to the Marlins rotation, left-hander A.J. Puk was able to snatch a rotation spot out of spring training, the first time in his big league career in which he would work as a starter. Needless to say, it... Read More
Connor Wong - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 8)
BALLER MOVE: Add in two-catcher leagues ROSTERED IN: 31% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong has enjoyed a torrid start to his 2024 season but fantasy managers may want to pump the brakes on his surface production to this point. The 27-year-old (28 in four days) is hitting a hefty .340 with five... Read More
Matt Manning - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 8)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Matt Manning became the casualty of a numbers game in the Tigers rotation out of spring training as the club added veterans Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty as rotation locks in the offseason alongside incumbents Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. The final spot... Read More
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
