X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Sophomores Who Have Fallen Between the Cracks?

Mark Hulet looks at potential breakouts for 2019 fantasy baseball. These MLB players are being underrated in drafts and should be targeted as sleepers for big profits.

Baseball prospects and rookies get covered extensively around baseball, whether we’re referring to just fantasy baseball or the sport in general. What we don’t do overly well, is cover the players that fall between the cracks. What I mean by that is the players that play long enough to lose their rookie eligibility but not quite extensively enough to garner hype and really show what they’re capable of doing.

The Dodgers’ Max Muncy, a breakout star in 2018, is a perfect example of this gap. He had a decent pedigree as a prospect with some decent numbers in the minors and a fairly quick ascent through the minors into the Majors. But then he hit a roadblock in limited action at the MLB level while playing all over the field for Oakland. He lost his rookie eligibility over a two-season stretch from 2015-16 and was then purged off the A’s 40-man roster and found himself at Triple-A with the Dodgers organization for all of 2017. During that time, while no one was really paying attention, he got good again. And then he got called up again in 2018 and didn’t waste the new opportunity.

Today’s exercise is a look at five players who have fallen between the cracks — too many at-bats to be considered prospects or rookies but they have yet to establish themselves as big leaguers. And, more importantly, they might just be able to help your fantasy team in 2019… if everything breaks just right. Just like it did for Max Muncy last year.   

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Willie Calhoun - OF/DH, Rangers

Calhoun hasn’t yet slipped out of the public’s consciousness and still has some of his residual hype attached but he’ll open the year in Triple-A after a modest spring training performance. And while he’s not exactly the same type of hitter that Muncy is, Calhoun has a chance to be an impact hitter for average and hit for power.

And the beauty of fantasy baseball is that we really don’t have to worry too much about the fact he can’t play defense, really anywhere, as long as we have an open “Utility” slot waiting. With Ronald Guzman unproven at first base, and Shin-Soo Choo now 36, there are cracks in the roster that could crumble enough to allow Calhoun another shot at The Show.

 

Greg Allen - OF, Indians

Allen is one of my favorite sleepers in 2019. He also plays for a Cleveland team that’s expected to do well in the standings and the club has pretty weak depth in the outfield. With that said, the recent signing of Carlos Gonzalez muddies things a bit (and let’s not forget the injured Bradley Zimmer, who almost qualifies for this list, too).

Allen does some things that are important and give him an extra edge for sticking with Cleveland while others like Jordan Luplow and Tyler Naquin might get the heave-ho. The fleet-of-foot outfielder can play all three outfield positions and is a natural center-fielder. He also has the potential to wreak havoc on the base paths and 40-50 stolen bases wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility with 140-150 games played; after all, he stole 21 bases last year but had only 68 hits in limited action.

 

Mitch Garver - C, Twins

The season that Garver had in 2018 is being seriously under-appreciated for a few reasons. Firstly, he doesn’t project to have the lion’s share of at-bats in 2019 because veteran Jason Castro is back from injury. Secondly, Willians Astudillo pretty much stole all the attention in 2018 with his MLB debut. Thirdly, well, Minnesota is just not a media hotspot like New York. Or Chicago. Or L.A… Or… well, you get the idea.

Despite all these obstacles, I’m here to remind you that Garver hit well as a rookie. Among all big league catchers with at least 300 at-bats, the 28-year-old catcher was 10th in weight runs created plus (wRC+) putting him offensively ahead of the likes of Salvador Perez, Willson Contreras, Gary Sanchez, and others that were likely drafted well ahead of him. If he gets a chance to play a reasonable amount, he could be a very good, very cheap option in the catcher’s slot… and a must-have in leagues with two catcher slots.   

 

Franklin Barreto - IF/OF, Athletics

The key piece in the ill-fated Josh Donaldson deal with Toronto, Barreto has already made two abbreviated attempts to stick in Oakland. Unfortunately, his approach has de-evolved at the highest level of play and he’s become more of a hacker. Always a free-swinger, his BB-K rate has turned into a frightening sight at Triple-A and in the Majors but if he can get back to what made him successful between 2013 and 2016 then he has a chance to be a nice little player.

He has the ability to sting the ball despite his modest size and he’s become more of a fly-ball hitter with a propensity for pulling the ball. Barreto may have given up hitting for average but he has 20-20 potential.  A solid spring has earned the young hitter a spot on the A’s team so now it’s up to him to earn enough playing time to be relevant. The first step to doing that will be to carry over his approach from the spring into the regular season, with the injury to first baseman Matt Olson cracking open the door to opportunity.

 

J.T. Chargois - RHP, Dodgers

Injuries have been Chargois’ mortal enemy since he signed out of a prestigious college program in 2012. He threw 16 innings of pro ball that year and then didn’t see the mound again until 2015. Along the path to today, he also missed almost all of 2017. Chargois won’t open the year in the Majors but his fastball-slider combo has a chance to be overpowering once he discovers the command/control that has eluded him thanks to the lost development time.

Along with the raw ability to generate whiff rates in the 10-12 strikeouts per nine innings range, Chargois also induces ground-balls at an elite level, which helps keep the ball in the yard. Mix all of these ingredients up and you have the makings of a high-leverage reliever capable of racking up saves and/or holds.

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF