4 years agoAtlanta Braves third baseman/outfielder Austin Riley is being tabbed as a sleeper in 2021 with the potential for a power outbreak after hitting eight homers in 51 games last year while increasing his average exit velocity. While we wouldn't bet against growth, context is needed. In 2020, Riley increased his exit velocity on ground balls, but it actually declined on line drives and fly balls. His ground-ball rate also increased, while his line-drive and fly-ball rates dropped. That suggests a different approach is needed to translate his power potential into home runs. What was most impressive last year was Riley's strikeout rate, as it dropped from 36.4% to 23.8% while he improved his walk rate from 5.4% to 7.8%. If those gains hold, he should be able to turn that into a batting average around .250. The Braves lineup is one of the most potent in the league, and only the Dodgers scored more runs than them last year. Despite exclusively batting in the bottom half of the Braves lineup, Riley still ranked 15th in runs scored (24) and 12th in RBI (27) among third basemen last year. Riley only has 131 total MLB games under his belt and won't turn 24 until April, so he is still very much developing. His current ADP is around 217, so you won't use up much draft capital for 2021 to roster him. While we should temper expectations a bit this year, Riley can still provide solid power and counting stats for your teams in 2021.--Jamie Steed - RotoBaller