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Jeff Kahntroff analyzes hitter streamers and starts for Week 17. These bats are potential fantasy baseball waiver wire adds to stream for head-to-head leagues.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! As a reminder, in this piece we're looking for weekly streamers in head-to-head leagues, which means players who are 50% owned or less in Yahoo! leagues and who have seven games in the week. These players could provide great value off the waiver wire, particularly in head-to-head leagues, for week 17 of the 2017 baseball season.
To catch my streamers column each and every week, add me on Twitter @rotonails and always check the RotoBaller MLB page.
With that said, let’s dive into the stream(ers).
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Bats to Stream and Start in Week 17
Jose Reyes (SS/3B, NYM) - 26% owned
After Reyes' slow start to the year, I was beginning to regret listing him as one of my offseason sleepers. However, he has rebounded nicely, boasting a respectable .231/9/41/35/11 line after 90 games. The low average is due to an abnormally low .241 BABIP (.308 for his career) rather than a notable shift in his batted ball profile. Thus, Reyes projects to be a player who can post a decent average while providing great value in stolen bases and runs, and he may also add a touch of pop. Facing favorable pitching matchups this week, he ranks as my top streamer.
Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) - 49% owned
Happ is a 22 year-old top prospect with lots of pop and good speed. After a .271/8/18/14/1 line in June, he has started July with a .283/3/8/11/2 statline in 14 games. Even though Happ is unlikely to maintain such a high average, his power and speed should both be assets in a Cubs' lineup that is heating up. Facing decent pitching matchups this week, Happ is my number two streamer.
Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) - 12% owned
Zimmer is another top prospect with speed and power who has had early success in his rookie year. Zimmer is a basestealing machine with 44 in the minors in 2015, 38 in the minors in 2016, and 10 so far in his 55 major-league games this year. He also has respectable power with 31 homers over the last two years in the minors, and five homers in the majors this season. He will have trouble sustaining a decent average given his strikeout issues, but his power and speed combined with a good Indians' lineup that faces decent pitching matchups this week make him a valuable streamer.
Jason Heyward (OF, CHC) - 15% owned
It's amazing that Heyward's value has fallen so far. But, there is lots to like this week. Heyward is traditionally a streaky performer, and he has been hot as of late. He has loads of talent, and has performed well in the past. The Cubs' offense appears to be coming around, and it faces decent pitching matchups this week. All these factors lead to a potential week of five-category production. He is a risky play, but I am willing to take that risk.
David Peralta (OF, ARZ) - 48% owned
Peralta has the potential to be a five-category performer. This year, he has a .320/9/53/31/6 line. For his career, he has a 162 game average of .299/17/78/70/10. He is a player with noticeable splits, but the Diamondbacks face five righties this week in decent matchups. He is worth a stream.
Steve Pearce (1B/2B/OF, TOR) - 5% owned
Steve Pearce cannot stay healthy. However, he can hit. In just 51 games this year, he has a .272/8/18/24/0 line. In half a season last year, it was .288/13/35/35. In 102 games in 2014, he managed a .293/21/51/49/5 line. As I said, he can hit. Pearce is currently healthy, and you should take advantage of that fact as he faces decent pitching matchups this week.
Asdrubal Cabrera (2B/SS, NYM) - 17% owned
Asdrubal may be traded soon, so there is some risk to this play. Plus, Asdrubal doesn't jump off the page as an exceptional fantasy performer. However, he has been consistently decent the past few years, showing the ability to hit 20 homers with a respectable average, a handful of steals, and decent run production. With favorable matchups this week, he is worth the play.
Marcus Semien (SS, OAK) - 18% owned
In his last two seasons, Semien amassed 42 homers and 21 steals. In just 22 games this year, he already has six steals. He was off to a slow start and then missed significant time with an injury, but the track record is hard to ignore. You will not get much in the way of average, but he should produce well in the other categories against average pitching matchups this week.
Also worth monitoring
Kevin Pillar (OF, TOR) – Pillar has cooled off after a hot April, but he still already has double digit steals and homers on the year.
Dexter Fowler (OF, STL) – Power/speed threat already has 14 homers, 41 runs and 36 RBIs in just 77 games.
Paul DeJong (2B/3B/SS, STL) – The 23 year-old smacked 13 homers in 48 minor league games this year, and already has 10 in 43 MLB games.
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