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Eugenio Suarez 2021 Outlook: Believe in the Barrel Rate
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez got off to a slow start in 2020 after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. His power eventually came back but his average never got to a respectable level. Suarez finished with a disappointing final slash line of .202/.312/.470 but was able to blast 15 home runs while driving in 38 runs. The shoulder issue didn't cost him any IL time, as his only missed games were due to paternity leave. It's likely that it affected his swing in July and early August, though. It took a month for Suarez to keep his average above the .150 mark and his power stroke to fully return. In this case, his upward trend indicates that a longer sample would have normalized his stat line. Despite the struggles, Suarez posted a superior 14.4% Barrel rate nearly identical to 2019 and a strong 13% walk rate. Suarez is a power bat in a hitter's park with little to worry about. Once the top few third basemen are off the board, Suarez is a great option around his early ADP of 70. He's also likely to see additional defensive value in 2021 with the emergence of Jonathan India which could cause a domino effect around the infield. The veteran infielder could end up back at shortstop where he began his career -- although he'll maintain his third-base eligibility.
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