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Thursday marks the beginning of the 2023 Major League Baseball season. As such, most fantasy baseball drafts are over, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some hitters to still keep an eye on.
These five hitters displayed encouraging signs during the 2022 campaign, and it is likely they’ll build upon those strengths for their respective teams this year.
Either via trade or a waiver pickup, these five hitters are sure to pay dividends to most fantasy teams this season.
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Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, Royals
Pasquantino made his debut with the Royals in June 2022, and the former 11th-rounder exceeded expectations in his rookie year for Kansas City. The 25-year-old first baseman slashed .295/.383/.450 with 10 home runs and 26 RBI in 72 games last season.
He is expected to be the Royals’ first baseman this year, but could also split time between there and as the designated hitter, thus getting more playing time than last year. The left-handed hitter ranked in the 87th percentile in Max Exit Velocity in 2022, despite only appearing in 72 games, and primarily drove the ball to the right side of the field. If he can begin to use the left side of the field, watch out.
Pasquantino had a fairly quiet spring—due in part to representing Italy in the World Baseball Classic—but is expected to continue what he started in 2022. ATC projects him to hit 22 home runs alongside 77 RBI and a .281/.360/.474 slash line.
Riley Greene, OF, Tigers
A former top prospect and first-round pick, Greene debuted in June 2022 with the Detroit Tigers. His call-up was highly anticipated, and while he put together a solid showing across 93 games, he did not reach the potential Detroit was hoping for.
Greene, just 22, batted .253/.321/.362 with 18 doubles, four triples, five home runs, and 42 RBI. Not bad at all for his rookie campaign, but the Tigers are hoping for him to take a big step forward in 2023. If his spring numbers are any indication, Detroit is in luck. Greene slugged .615 with four homers and 14 RBI in 19 games.
The Orlando, Fla., native will be an everyday outfielder for the Tigers, supplying him with more reps at the plate and more opportunities to break out. ATC projects Greene to slash .253/.323/.394 with 13 long balls and 60 RBI.
Christian Walker, 1B, Diamondbacks
Walker had a stellar season with the Diamondbacks in 2022, hitting 36 home runs and driving in 94 across 160 games. He ranked in the 92nd percentile in xwOBA and xSLG and 86th in Max Exit Velocity and 82nd in Barrel %. Not too shabby for the 32-year-old. His defense at first base also earned him a Gold Glove Award.
Walker will likely slot into the clean-up spot in a strong Diamondbacks lineup that has a chance to compete this year. After slugging .477 alongside a .804 OPS and 126 OPS+, the Pennsylvania native will look to keep swinging a hot bat and perhaps earn an extension with the D-backs, as he is eligible for arbitration at the end of the season.
ATC projects Walker to launch 26 homers and knock in 84 while batting .251/.328/ .450 in 2023.
Alec Bohm, 3B, Phillies
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm has come a long way since the beginning of the 2022 season. Not only has the former first-rounder majorly improved defensively at the hot corner, but Bohm has begun to find his power stroke offensively.
Last season, Bohm posted a .280 average and .713 OPS with 13 home runs and 72 RBI. Following the 26-year-old's lackluster sophomore campaign, there were some rumors circulating that Philadelphia may look elsewhere for everyday third base duties. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, as under hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson, Bohm has become a well-rounded player.
Bohm likes to use the whole field, and the 6-foot-5, 218-pound righty bulked up over the offseason and will seek to drive more balls out of the ballpark in 2023. ATC projects Bohm to slash .278/.325/.416 with 15 homers and 70 RBI.
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles
Mountcastle made his debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2020 after being selected 36th-overall by the club in 2015 and has since established himself as a power hitter in their lineup. Although he took a step back in 2022 in contrast to his 2021 season—33 home runs compared to just 22—he was about on par with the rest of his statistics.
Moreover, he still made hard contact last season, ranking in the 81st percentile in Max Exit Velocity, 91st in xBA, 93rd in xwOBA, 94th in Barrel %, and 96th in xSLG. So, despite his decrease in homers, Mountcastle still hit the ball consistently hard. The 26-year-old will be just fine as he enters his prime years.
ATC projects Mountcastle to hit 22 home runs and collect 82 RBI with a .258/.314/.447 slash line.
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