Bryan Reynolds (OF, PIT) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickup

Nicklaus Gaut profiles Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder (OF) Bryan Reynolds as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 13 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season due to his high expected batting average and hitting prowess.

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 35% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Who? It seems that's the common response every time Bryan Reynolds numbers are brought up. "Who had his seventh multi-hit game of June?" "Who went 4-for-5, the night after going 3-for-5?" "Who now has a 156 wRC+ over 200 PA?" The newest star who is quietly blooming in Pittsburgh, that's who. Now slashing .357/.411/.562, Reynolds has become a must-add in all leagues, collecting at least one hit in 43 of his 55 games - including two different 10-game hit streaks and a total of 18 multi-hit games.

It's been easy to overlook the switch-hitting Reynolds, who's not only playing in small-market Pittsburgh but also has a quiet, calm demeanor that will rarely even crack a smile after hitting a home run. But as he has a 162-game pace of 18 HR - 96 R - 78 RBI - as well as a .357 average that leads all players with at least 200 PA - further ignore Reynolds to your own detriment.

While the sky-high average is sure to come back down to earth - considering that he has a .441 BABIP - he's likely to continue to hit for a high average, with BaseballSavant showing him with a .307 xBA which is in the top-4% of all batters. Even assuming regression to his batting average, Reynolds still carries a .416 wOBA with a .562 SLG and .205 ISO - providing a likely high floor for his production going forward. Pick up Reynolds now before someone in your league actually watches a Pirates game and realizes that he's been a top fantasy-producer for almost a third of the season.