Christian Walker (1B, ARI) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups

June 24, 2019

Nicklaus Gaut profiles Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 13 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season due to his newfound power and breakout season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 20% of leagues

ANALYSIS: On his fourth team in two years, 28-year old Christian Walker seemed to be on the verge of a late-blooming breakout, lighting up the stat sheet over the course of April. Over his first month, Walker slashed  .307/.381/.614 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored, and three stolen bases - and consequentially his ownership soared, with GM's banking on his 20.7% Barrel-rate and 50.5% Hard Hit% carrying him to continued production. But the bottom fell out in May, as Walker's numbers plummeted - and not just the .307 average that dropped 100 points, partly on the back of a 100 point drop in his .393 BABIP from April. Only three home runs and seven RBI - as well as a 66 wRC+ - ensured that his ownership dropped just as fast.

But since the start of June, Walker has seemingly stopped the bleeding of May and started to rebound. While not getting all the way back to the high levels of April, he's at least returned to being startable, already matching his home run and RBI totals from May with still a week left before the calendar flips to July. As well as the improved numbers on the surface, he's also posted a 21.6% K-rate in June that is almost nine points lower than it was through May, as well as raising his overall contact-rate by five points.

While not the All-Star he was in April, Walker has shown enough improvement over the dregs of May to justify a roster spot - with now being the time, as his 80% availability is sure to drop if he continues to return to form.