RADIO
Nolan Arenado 2019 Outlook: Superstar 3B Ready To Yield Mile-High Production
6 years agoColorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado enters 2019 looking to post his fourth consecutive season with run and RBI tallies over the century mark and validate his top-10 ADP and a RotoBaller site ranking of fifth overall. The elite defender turns 28 in April and has hit at least 37 homers, scored 97 runs and knocked in 110 Rox with an average above .287 while topping 650 plate appearances in each of his last four years. His surface stats remained stellar in 2018, but a career-high 18.1% strikeout rate and 11.2% swinging-strike rate were tied to another three-percentage-point drop in zone-contact rate. His Z-Contact% was 90.1% in ‘16, 87.3% in ‘17 and 84.4% in ‘18. That said, his hard-hit rate soared six percentage points to a career-best 42.9% and the Rockies, while far from their full potential on offense, still scored the seventh-most runs in ‘18 (780) and several stars surround Arenado in the batting order. While Arenado may don another uniform come 2020, he remains locked into a mile-high paradise for now. Combine the production and hitter-friendly Coors Field with his strong bill of health over the years and you’ve got a true anchor for your fantasy team no matter what format you play.
