March 19, 2020

New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier asserted himself as the team's top option in left field last season and fantasy managers should buy-in as a must-start outfielder. Maybe it was his pinstriped mask, maybe it was a former top-prospect getting his first extended look in the Majors, but Frazier mashed in 2020 and slashed .267/.397/.511 with eight homers and 26 RBI in 39 games. Most impressive for Frazier, however, was what he did when he didn't swing the bat. Frazier cut his swing rate by nine percent and his chase-rate by seven percent. A more patient approach paid off as Frazier walked at an elite 15.6 percent rate and did more damage when he did swing. Among outfielders with at least 150 plate-appearances, Frazier ranked eighth in on-base percentage, 11th in wRC+, and 14th in OPS (.905). The Yankees themselves bought in last season starting the 26-year old every day even when Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Giancarlo Stanton were healthy. Fantasy managers need to be wary of some regression as 2020 was an inherently small sample, but the changes in his approach seem to back up his production. The return of Brett Gardner also complicates things a little bit. Frazier has massive upside batting in a stacked lineup and playing half his games in an extreme hitter's park. He's a steal at his average draft position of 175th overall.--Mike Schwarzenbach - RotoBaller