December 29, 2021

Is Adalberto Mondesi a good MLB player? No, not really. His plate discipline is completely non-existent with a 20.1 SwStr% and 38.8% chase rate, leading to an ugly .230/.271/.452 triple-slash line with a 31.6 K% and 4.4 BB% in 2021. When he makes contact, he struggles to produce line drives (last year's 13.9 LD% was actually an improvement over his 2020 mark) and hits way too many pop-ups (26.5 IFFB%, 43 FB%). As a result, his .299 BABIP was below .300 despite his legendary speed. Mondesi also struggled to stay on the field, logging three IL stints during the 2021 season. The Royals are growing tired of their enigmatic infielder, with reports surfacing that the team may limit his playing time to keep him healthier in 2022. Playing less isn't what fantasy managers are looking for, but the Royals lack the roster depth to follow through with that plan. Instead, RosterResource projects Mondesi as Kansas City's regular DH, allowing him to accumulate a full season of PAs without playing the field to keep him healthy. That should easily produce 60 SB with upside for more. Mondesi isn't a zero in the power categories either, as he boosted his average airborne exit velocity to 97.8 mph and posted a 17.6% HR/FB last season. Steals and homers are the name of the game in fantasy, and Mondesi's ability to dominate the scarcer category without hurting you in the other makes him well worth his ADP of 53.21.--Rick Lucks - RotoBaller