Andrelton Simmons (SS, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 19% of Yahoo! Leagues

ANALYSIS: Andrelton Simmons has long been considered a better real life baseball player than a fantasy asset. Indeed, his value to the Angels is primarily with his glove and not his bat. Outside of his 17 home run season in 2013, Simmons has held little fantasy value. However, Simmons’ bat has come alive as the season has gone on, and he has started to hit his way into fantasy relevance. His slash line over his last 28 games is a blistering .324/.369/.505 with 16 runs scored, 16 RBI and six stolen bases. He has done that on a realistic .314 BABIP, making it all the more impressive. Simmons has changed his batted ball profile significantly this season, showing a big increase in hard-contact (32.7% this year, career 25.5%) and Pull% (43.9% this year, 39.9 career). Those figures have led to a higher HR/FB rate which has led to him hitting six home runs in the first part of the season, his most since 2014. Additionally, his eight stolen bases is the second highest total of his career, and he is only 65 games into the season. Simmons has a real chance of putting together a 15-15 season, and his place near the top of the Angels order will only help him score more runs. Simmons should be added in all 12-team leagues and beyond, and has crept his way into consideration in standard mixed leagues as well.