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DJ Lemahieu 2020 Outlook: Positional Versatility Good Enough to Start at First Base
5 years agoNew York utility man DJ LeMahieu enjoyed a career year in 2019. With 26 home runs, he showcased more power than ever and accumulated 109 runs and 102 RBI with 5 steals and a .327 average. LeMahieu has always been a high batting-average player, but the power and counting stats were dramatically improved. The batted-ball profile shows a player who has improved his launch angle for two seasons in a row while also improving his exit velocity on all contact, especially on fly balls and line drives (95.2 MPH). The result is that LeMahieu may rank 145th in barrels per plate appearance, but he makes up for that modest percentage with the sheer volume of barrels. He had 39 last year, good enough to rank 56th. LeMahieu’s .375 wOBA was a near match for his .379 xwOBA, and the fact that the Yankees saw him as a better player than Bryce Harper suggests that there is deep scouting evaluation to support the batted-ball data of LeMahieu’s growth. Last, but not least, LeMahieu’s positional eligibility will help owners fill their rosters night in and night out. While he may not repeat 26 home runs, LeMahieu seems a good bet to return adequate value for his ADP of 64. Fantasy owners can expect 185 R+RBI, 20 HR, 5 SB, and a batting average around .290.
