Andres Gimenez 2021 Player Outlook: Starting Role But Likely Empty Steals
4 years agoLong one of the New York Mets' top prospects, shortstop Andres Gimenez made his debut in 2020, hitting .263/.333/.398 with 3 HR and 8 SB across 49 games at 2B, SS, and 3B. After being one of the pieces moved to Cleveland in the Francisco Lindor trade, there is some optimism around Gimenez in fantasy circles heading into 2021. Last year, as has long been with the case with Gimenez, the left-handed hitter displayed great defensive versatility and 94th-percentile speed, but little in the way of patience (5.3 BB%) or power (.136 ISO). While Gimenez makes contact with above-average consistency, he does little damage with it, finishing in the 20th-percentile in exit velocity and 11th-percentile in barrel rate. His calling card in fantasy will be a defensive versatility that should keep him on the field often in Cleveland and the speed to rack up stolen bases when he gets on base. However, people looking for cheap steals should temper expectations since Gimenez is an aggressive hitter with an above-average Swing% and Chase% who has never put up high walk rates in the minor leagues. He's likely to finish with an average around .250 with 8-10 HR and anywhere between 25-30 SB. That's nothing to turn your nose up at, but he's not going to help much in counting categories or with AVG/OBP, so if pitchers start taking advantage of his aggressiveness and keep him off the bases, thereby driving his SB total down closer to 20, you're not going to be getting a whole lot for his current ADP of 150. Considering Leody Tavares is going around 170, Nick Madrigal has an ADP of 190, and Jon Berti is being taken pick 245, I'd rather wait than take Gimenez at this current cost.