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Kyle Schwarber 2023 Player Outlook: Premier Power Option In Stacked Lineup
2 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber was once again one of baseball's best power hitters in 2022. Batting mostly leadoff for the Phillies, Schwarber was still able to gain strong counting stats, slashing .218/.323/.504 with 46 home runs, 94 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Schwarber's overall profile was mostly expected, as he struck out at a 29.9% rate while hitting the ball in the 99th percentile for exit velocity and hard-hit rate. His batting average did dip to .218, but his .240 BABIP and hard contact suggest that he got unlucky. Schwarber has now proven for several seasons that he makes elite contact with the ball, which should be even more valuable with changes to the baseball and the universal installation of humidors. He is currently being drafted at pick 61 overall, making him the 15th OF off the board. Given some of the immediate hitters going ahead of him (Cedric Mullins, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ozzie Albies) it seems that fantasy managers are worried about the lack of BA and speed. These concerns may be valid, but Schwarber's HR, R, and RBI contributions should be top-tier given the lineup he is in.
