RADIO
Ender Inciarte 2019 Outlook: Draft For Speed And That’s About It
6 years agoAfter making the 2017 All-Star team, Ender Inciarte struggled in 2018 with a career-low .265 average and a .705 OPS — the second-lowest mark of his career. Despite those struggles, Inciarte still managed to set career-highs with 28 steals and 61 RBI in almost 60 fewer plate appearances from the year before. Inciarte has proven to be fairly inconsistent throughout his career, but there are signs that he could have a solid year in 2019. For starters, his .293 BABIP was the lowest mark of his career, and 35 points lower than his career line entering 2018. But along with that, Inciarte showed some improved plate discipline as he increased his walk rate to 7.4 percent — the second-highest rate of his career — while lowering his swinging strike percentage to 6.4 percent. He also showed better vision at the plate by swinging at a career-low 31.3 percent of pitches outside the strike zone. Inciarte isn’t going to be a difference maker in most leagues, but he should be a solid fourth outfielder for owners. Expect about a .275 average with at least 25 steals, and owners should be fine grabbing him at his current 140 ADP.
