RADIO
Houston Astros starting pitcher Jose Urquidy is a 2020 fantasy baseball draft value. His ADP is undervalued, making him a potential draft bargain and late-round sleeper to target.
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~190
CURRENT ADP: ~215 overall
ANALYSIS: We last saw Jose Urquidy tossing five shutout innings in Game 4 of the World Series, helping the Astros even things up at two games apiece. Entering 2019, the lanky right-hander profiled as more of a spot starter than anything else, thanks mainly to his command and a plus change-up. Increased fastball velocity and the addition of a second breaking ball allowed him to move quickly from Double-A to the majors. In nine major-league appearances (seven starts) covering 41 innings, Urquidy posted solid ratios (3.95 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and a 19.8% K-BB that would have ranked 17th among starters if he'd thrown enough innings to qualify.
One thing that didn't carry over from Urquidy's work in the low minors to his 2019 campaign? Low home run rates. In 111 innings across Triple-A and the majors last year, the 24-year-old allowed 21 homers. He hasn't displayed an extreme tendency toward grounders or flies to this point in his career but has tilted more toward the latter. Even if he shows some vulnerability to the long ball, though, Urquidy's ability to limit base runners should mitigate that to a significant degree. And while a strikeout per inning doesn't go quite as far as it used to, he'll rack up enough whiffs to help you keep up with the Joneses.
Urquidy has been late to arrive at camp, which has led to some COVID speculation; however, until we learn more or hear any clear timeline, he remains a clear favorite for a rotation spot in Houston. As with any young arm, he'll need to prove he can sustain the growth he displayed in 2019 and respond as MLB hitters adjust. At a modest 215 ADP, though, he's a low-risk bet.
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
