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We're hurtling toward Opening Day and drafts are about to wind down to a close. If you're one of those folks doing some last-minute preparation, this article should help you towards the end of your drafts when you need to start filling out those bench spots.
Who do you select there? What type of hitter? Maybe a home run hitter? An on-base machine? A base-stealer? How about one you might not have top-of-mind -- multi-position-eligible players. These hitters can be especially valuable to those managers who play in leagues where daily roster changes are allowed, as this player could potentially fill in on a day when your starter is off. They could also be plugged in if a starter goes down with injury.
We'll discuss some of the more interesting ones here, although there are of course others not detailed here. And yes I know Mookie Betts is eligible at multiple positions, but he's not a "bench stash" -- these guys are. One last note is that when ADP and position eligibility are mentioned below, it is referring to the player's NFBC ADP and position eligibility. They are listed in order of ADP, not any other rank.
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Multi-Position Bench Bats: In Stock
Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals
Position eligibility: 2B, SS, OF
How he can help: SB, R
ADP: 201
Analysis: Edman is expected to begin the season on the IL as his return from last year's offseason wrist surgery hasn't gone as planned. He's experienced lingering pain in his wrist and he's been unable to play in any spring games. It's unclear when exactly he'll debut but it doesn't seem like he'll miss more than the first month. That still gives him plenty of runway to reach 20 stolen bases.
He should also provide plenty of runs scored as well, but last season he spent about 1/3 of his plate appearances hitting out of the nine-hole. That is obviously not fantasy-friendly, but he also hit leadoff about 1/3 of the time. If he can consistently hit atop the Cards' lineup it would certainly make him more appealing. The switch-hitter is a viable pick around his RotoBaller rank of 213.
Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds
Position eligibility: 1B, 3B
How he can help: HR, RBI, R
ADP: 209
Analysis: With Noelvi Marte's suspension, Candelario is expected to man the hot corner until Marte returns, but even once that happens, the Reds will find a way to get him in the lineup. His ability to play both corner infield spots will allow him to get some time at first base too, and he can also DH. And like Edman, the 30-year-old is a switch hitter, which gives the team additional flexibility in deploying him more often.
He hit 22 HR in 505 ABs last season. Not only should he get 500 ABs in 2024, but his home is now Great American Ball Park, one of the friendliest hitting environments in all of baseball. His ATC projection is .251-20-73-72-5.
"Bye bye, baby!"
Jeimer Candelario hits his first home run in a Reds uniform as he takes it the opposite way!
🔥🔥#RedsST | @Reds pic.twitter.com/uWcnAJenpi
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 23, 2024
Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies
Position eligibility: 2B, 3B
How he can help: HR, RBI, R
ADP: 224
Analysis: Ryan McMahon is projected for similar numbers (.245-22-72-75-6) to Jeimer Candelario. Also like Candelario, McMahon hits in a hitter-friendly park, Coors Field. The glaring difference between the two though is that McMahon's K% was almost 10% higher (31.6%) and the 29-year-old's inability to hit LHP likely ensures he won't outperform his projected average or contribute an unexpected amount of at-bats to justify taking him any higher than his ADP.
If you're unsure about when to deploy McMahon, let me make it simple for you: use him at home and against right-handed pitching. McMahon's splits last season were 42 wRC+ against LHP versus 107 wRC+ against RHP, and a .221 ISO at home versus .161 ISO away.
Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels
Position eligibility: 2B, 3B, SS, OF
How he can help: OBP, BB%
ADP: 242
Analysis: Rengifo refined his approach last season, reducing his O-Swing% 7.7% to 32.2%, increasing his walk rate from 5.9% to 9.2% (.339 OBP, .339 wOBA), and he even increased his Barrel% for the second consecutive season up to 7.6%. The 18.4% K% was more than 4% below the league average as well.
Rengifo has the most positional flexibility of anyone discussed here, and like some of the others, he is a switch hitter which adds to his utility. He should again approach 20 home runs and shouldn't be a drain on average. If you need more reason, I've drafted him in multiple leagues myself!
Luis Rengifo since being benched on July 14th: (196 PAs)
11 HRs
29 RBIs
.322/.378/.593
.901 OPS
160 wRC+
.407 wOBA
Maybe getting benched woke him up 👀 https://t.co/ALFuvuT8PH— Halos Media (@haloslaa) September 9, 2023
Multi-Position Bench Bats: On Sale
Jose Caballero, Tampa Bay Rays
Position eligibility: 2B, SS
How he can help: SB
ADP: 487
Analysis: Caballero is projected as the Rays' starting shortstop to begin the season. He stole 26 bags last season in just 280 PA, so the speed is for real. ATC projections see him swiping 20 bases in 271 PA. Why just 271 PA? It's possible Taylor Walls comes back from injury and takes the job, or recently signed Amed Rosario or prospect Junior Caminero forces their way into the lineup. If Walls ends up with the job, he too is a big-time stolen base threat so you could just swap Caballero for Walls.
Caballero has been working on pulling the ball more this spring in hopes of generating more power. The 27-year-old also already has some good plate discipline numbers: 78.6% Contact%, 9.1% SwStr%, 31.2% O-Swing, 10.0% BB%, and .343 OBP in 2023. All were better than average, so if he can replicate that while adding some pop in 2024, he could hang onto the job longer than expected, adding more SB along the way.
LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants
Position eligibility: 1B, OF
How he can help: OBP, BB%
ADP: 496
Analysis: I discussed Wade in the same article as Rengifo, both of whom had some of the biggest year-over-year BB% increases in all of baseball last season. To sum it up, Wade does not chase pitches which helped him to one of the highest walk rates (14.6%) in all of baseball in 2023, he makes a lot of contact when he does swing (80.4% Contact%), all of which buoyed his fantastic OBP of .373.
The lefty doesn't play in a homer-friendly park, but his 9.1% Barrel% could get him close to 20 home runs in 2024 regardless, and Oracle Park plays just fine for extra-base hits. Despite his contact rate, you should expect him to end with a lower BA than Rengifo, and he's projected for about 60 fewer at-bats in a potential platoon situation, which dampens his upside. If he can play his way into a full-time role though while hitting out of the third spot in the order (as he's projected), well, there's your upside!
Multi-Position Bench Bats: Bargain Bin
Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
Position eligibility: 2B, SS
How he can help: SB
ADP: 374
Quick Analysis: Turang got his first taste of MLB action last season, and the lefty was able to steal 26 bases in 448 PA. Although he's projected to be in a platoon, his projected PA and SB numbers for 2024 are similar to last season's totals. And guess what? He's off and running this spring, swiping seven bags in 51 Cactus League PA.
Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers
Position eligibility: 3B, SS, OF
How he can help: HR, SB
ADP: 461
Quick Analysis: The 33-year-old hit 15 home runs and stole 16 bases in just 384 PA last season. He's projected for 13 and 11 in 391 PA in 2024. If you want a really cheap way to get a piece of the potent Dodger lineup, this could be it.
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