Post-Hype Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Outlooks for CJ Abrams, Triston Casas, Alex Kirilloff, Mickey Moniak

July 26, 2023

Lauren (@philaurdelphia) takes a deeper look at young sluggers who have taken big steps forward offensively and become solid fantasy contributors this year.

CJ Abrams, SS, Washington Nationals

75% rostered

Their 2023 overall record may not reflect it, but a handful of Nationals hitters are quietly having productive seasons. Among them is CJ Abrams, one of the prized returns for Washington in the Juan Soto trade at last year's deadline. The former top prospect got off to a bit of a slow start for the Nats but has begun to come into his own, especially in the month of July.

In 18 games, the 22-year-old has slashed .347/.392/.583 with a trio of home runs, four doubles, and seven RBI. The kid's got speed as well, as exemplified by his two triples and 10 stolen bases without getting caught in that span, bringing his total up to 19 stolen bags for the season. His elite play earned him NL Player of the Week honors for July 15.

Abrams' hot start to the second half is certainly something to keep an eye on; he's a 2019 first-round draft pick after all and was highly touted prior to his debut in April 2022. He has the tools to exceed in the big leagues and can likely provide your fantasy team with some much-needed points as well.

Alex Kirilloff, OF, Minnesota Twins

47% rostered

Former first-round pick of the Twins, Alex Kirilloff has been plagued with injuries since his professional career got underway. After making his MLB debut at the end of the 2020 season, Kirilloff played a career-high 59 games in 2021. That was until this season when the 25-year-old surpassed that number with 66 appearances for Minnesota, thus finally finding his groove in the major leagues. The lefty bat had shown promise in 2021 and 2022, but due to the number of injuries he sustained, it was difficult to tell if the 15th overall pick in 2016 was the real deal.

Kirilloff's bumpy path is similar to that of another Twins' first-round pick, Royce Lewis, who's displayed flashes of greatness at the major league level, but injuries have simply held him back -- he's totaled just 38 games since debuting in May of 2022. With consistent playing time, perhaps Lewis can find the same success that his teammate has found recently. Kirilloff has been red-hot since the All-Star break, slugging .674 with four home runs, four doubles, a triple, and 14 RBI.

Minnesota currently holds a three-game lead over the Guardians for first place in the AL Central, and Kirilloff's production has been a big part of that. Although he's pretty much a non-factor against left-handed pitching (.470 OPS in 44 at-bats) he's mashed versus righties and has managed a .282/.371/.465 slash line with eight home runs and 32 RBI overall in 2023.

Mickey Moniak, OF, Los Angeles Angels

55% rostered

The 2016 first-overall draft pick by the Phillies, Mickey Moniak has had a bit of a bumpy ride to begin his MLB career. Things in Philadelphia just weren't working out for the California native, as he posted an abysmal .386 OPS across 47 games in three years with the club that drafted him. He seemed to turn the page offensively after working with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long in 2022 spring training but suffered a broken hand prior to the season. So, between injuries and countless back-and-forth between the minors and the majors, Philadelphia and Moniak headed for an amicable divorce at last year's trade deadline.

The 25-year-old, along with right fielder Jadiel Sanchez, was traded to the Angels for Noah Syndergaard. And right now, the deal is looking like an absolute steal for Los Angeles. Syndergaard simply served as a rental for the Phillies as they made their way to the World Series last fall, and the veteran starter signed with the Dodgers in the offseason. Moniak, meanwhile, has looked like a completely different player this season for the Halos.

In 47 games, Moniak has batted .331 alongside a .977 OPS, 25 extra-base hits, and 34 RBI -- all career bests for him. In July, he's batted .355/.385/.532, swatted three homers and driven in 13 runs. He still has a propensity to strike out, though, and has walked just five times in 177 plate appearances, but has largely been solid at the plate this year and has played decent defense in the outfield.

Triston Casas, 1B, Boston Red Sox

38% rostered

Triston Cases is a guy I have written about a lot recently and for good reason -- he is absolutely dominating at the plate for the Red Sox right now. Following a slow start to the 2023 season, the 2018 first-round draft pick has an unbelievable 1.528 OPS since the All-Star break, along with five home runs and 10 RBI in 10 games.

The 6-foot-5, 244-pound lefty bat can crush the ball as well, ranking in the 89th percentile in Barrel% and 86th in max exit velocity. Boston's 2023 season has been a strange one, but if one thing is for sure, Casas finding his power stroke has been a beautiful thing for the Red Sox and a hopeful sign of things to come for the 23-year-old.

Overall, he's managed a respectable .247/.352/.462 slash with 30 extra-base hits, 37 RBI, and 46 walks -- that places him in the 94th percentile in BB%. Casas is yet another example of why being patient with rookies is paramount in this sport. Most need time to adjust, and once they do, the results can be extraordinary.

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