RADIO
Manuel Margot Looks To Be 20/20 Threat
7 years agoManuel Margot established himself as the everyday center fielder for the Padres in 2017. Despite missing a chunk of games to a calf injury, Margot finished his first full season with 13 HR, 17 SB and a .721 OPS. As the top prize from the Craig Kimbrel trade with Boston, Margot’s speed was expected but the power came as a surprise, having hit no more than 10 HR in the minors. At 23 years old, Margot should leadoff for the Padres while looking to improve his BB:K which stood at 0.33 last season. San Diego should be a better offense in 2018 so an increase in 53 Runs scored seems probable. Although 17-for-24 in steals last year, he was caught only once after the All-Star break, going 7-for-8. When he’s not striking out (20.0% rate in 2017), Margot showed the ability to get hits with a .309 BABIP, consistent with his results in the minors. Now with a sample size of 566 Plate Appearances on record, owners could expect another crack at double digit homers, over 75 runs scored and over 20 steals. At his current 144 ADP, Margot could be a sneaky pick for owners in the middle of a draft. With a good spring training, it’s plausible to see his value rise precipitously, making him a playable third outfielder or rotational utility player on fantasy rosters.
