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Rookie Kahlil Watson Could be a Second-Half Speed Asset
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Kahlil Watson made his major-league debut with the Guards on June 18 and has hit just .221 (17-for-77) with only three walks and 28 strikeouts in his first 23 big-league games. The 23-year-old former 16th overall pick in 2021 by the Miami Marlins has made the most of his .250 on-base percentage, though, thanks to his wheels on the basepaths, stealing eight bases in nine tries. Cleveland's No. 12 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, got his first MLB call-up after hitting .255/.370/.491 with an .861 OPS, 12 home runs, 35 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 44 runs scored in 56 games and 254 plate appearances at Triple-A Columbus. Watson packs a small punch at 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds, but the North Carolina native is an elite athlete who has raw power from the left side of the plate. Plate discipline and swing-and-miss will probably continue to be an issue at the major-league level, though, so fantasy managers in dynasty and AL-only leagues should probably only count on stolen bases the rest of the way if he sticks around in the majors. Watson has also struggled against lefties, so don't count on him playing every day. Right now, Watson is only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
