3 years agoEdman is something of a dinosaur in modern baseball, as the speedy infielder was one of only six players to swipe at least 30 bases in 2021, and only one of two National League players to reach that milestone last season. Edman's penchant for steals push his fantasy value far above his actual bat skills, meaning his top-80 draft day price is a dicey proposition for those who rely and trust in quality of contact metrics. His meager 87.5 MPH average exit velocity and 35.1% hard hit rate last season leave something to be desired, and his 4.2% barrel rate in 2021 was downright pitiful. He made the most of his limited physical abilities at the dish by putting the ball in play with an 86.5% contact rate and 13.7% K rate in 2021, and keeping it on the ground, with a 46% GB rate last season, an approach that perfectly compliments his speed-first skillset. The frequent contact is nice, but his 5.5% career walk rate puts a cap on his on-base upside, and with just a .308 OBP last season, one has to wonder how strong Edman's grip on St. Louis's leadoff spot is, especially since the Cardinals will welcome new manager Oliver Marmol in 2022. A new manager might spell trouble for Edman's stolen base totals well; Mike Shildt was let go over "Philosophical differences", and while the general public will likely never know specifics, one can assume those differences were more related to lineup construction and baserunning strategy than debates about Nietzsche and Heidegger. We can't know how the changing of the guard will affect Edman, but between the new manager and suspect hitting skills, there are reasons to doubt a repeat season here. Still, players who can put up 30 steals don't grow on trees, so Edman may be a worthy gamble in 5x5 Roto or categories leagues if his manager can structure the rest of their team with reliable sources of power and batting average.--Elliott Baas - RotoBaller