🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
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

Turning Two: Who Will Join the 20/20 Club in 2017?

Welcome back to our fifth edition of Turning Two. We've now discussed candidates for 50 HR, .350 BA, 300 K, and 20 W for the 2017 season. This week's topic is a bit easier but still a noteworthy accomplishment: pulling off a 20/20 campaign.

For those that don't know, 20/20 means 20 home runs and 20 steals. In fantasy baseball having a player that can be a valuable asset in multiple categories is essential to constructing a roster. It results in a more balanced team with better odds of competing in Roto leagues. Plus since everyone these days, including me, excluding Ben, can hit over 20 HR, the real fantasy gold is finding players that will add that rare speed along with the pop.

Nine players enjoyed access to the 20/20 group in 2016: Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Wil Myers, Jose Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, Ian Desmond, Jean Segura, and Melvin (formerly BJ) Upton. We've got four new candidates to join the club in 2017, none of which have completed a 20/20 previously, so there's plenty of new blood to read over. Let's get started.

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

 

Turning Two: Who Will Join the 20/20 Club?

Have a subject you want discussed? Send us a note via Twitter to RotoBaller (@RotoBaller), JB (@RowdyRotoJB) or Ben (@Ben_Ruppert_21) and let us know!

 

JB's Two:

Keon Broxton, MIL (OF)

After three separate MLB stints before the All-Star break in 2016, Broxton finally showed some serious promise after his last call up on July 26. For the season combined between Triple A and the majors, he hit 17 HR and stole 41 bases, after going 10/39 in the Pirates minor league system in 2015. The dude can flat-out fly. The 41 SB would have ranked fifth in the MLB. Broxton showed an impressive ability to draw walks, owning a .354 OBP. This should help keep him near the top of the lineup this season, and give him plenty more opportunities to pile on those stolen bases.

Obviously the power department is the main concern with Broxton reaching the 20/20 threshold this year. Nay-sayers will point to his ridiculous strikeout tendencies. His 36.1 K% was second worst in the league among hitters with at least 200 PA. However, he did show improvements in that area during his torrid streak after July 26. From the time of the last call up, to injuring his wrist on September 15, Broxton hit .294 and dropped his strikeout percentage by almost 12 points. Plus when he wasn't striking out he was absolutely tearing the cover off the ball, hitting an absurd 50.6 Hard% after July 26, and a still impressive 43.3% for the season. Combine this hard hitting with the fact that he plays in Miller Field, a top 10 park for HR, and 20 bombs is definitely within reach. He has hit ISO percentages over .200 multiple times throughout his minor league career, so as his plate discipline improves, the long balls will come. Forget 20/20, Broxton is a 20/40 candidate in 2017.

Ben: No question about Broxton’s speed, swiping 23 bags in only 75 games last season. His .188 ISO shows he has more power in the tank, but he strikes out a TON. He had a 36.1% strikeout rate last season with a 14.7% SwStr%. When he hits it he crushes it; he had a 43.3% hard-hit rate, with a soft hit rate of only 13.3%. If he does manage to hit over 20 HR, it will come at the expense of his average. His 14.8% walk rate will keep his OBP afloat. 

 

Javier Baez, CHC (2B/3B/SS)

I am a big fan of Baez in 2017, especially after the show he put on in the playoffs and what he's been doing during the World Baseball Classic for Team Puerto Rico. The dude is so fun to watch. He had a productive 2016 in a super utility role for the World Champion Cubs, finishing with 14 HR and 12 SB in 450 PA. Unlike Broxton, the HR side of the 20/20 prediction will be the easy part for Baez. He's always had massive raw power, hitting 37 HR in 2013 and 32 in 2014 across multiple levels of Minor Leagues and a short MLB stint, and has significantly dropped his strikeout percentages since his first taste of big league pitching.

However, in order for Baez to reach 20 SB he is going to need a full seasons worth of PA. At first glance that may seem like a long shot, but I believe it will happen in 2017. First off, he mashes southpaws (.311 BA and 124 wRC+ vs LHP in 2016) which should result in automatic playing time considering the entire OF is left handed batters. Secondly, as previously stated, the kid plays everywhere. He played six different positions last year, and excelled defensively at second base, posting the third best defensive runs saved (11 DSR) mark at the position. Ben Zobrist posted a measley -3. This means Zobrist should see plenty of time in the OF when Jon Jay and Jason Heyward prove yet again to be below average hitters, opening up time at second for Baez. Thirdly, Joe Maddon is still the manager in Chicago. If anyone can get a guy like Javier Baez at bats, its Maddon. He also has a way of getting SB out of guys, too, such as 17 SB from Anthony Rizzo and 13 SB from Kris Bryant in 2015.

Ben: Baez continues to make strides in his approach at the plate, but I think Broxton has a better shot at 20/20. Baez only walked at a 3.3% rate while striking out 24% of the time last season. His hard hit rate fell under 30% for the first time in his career, but his contact rate has risen each season up to 62.4%. His SwStr% has fallen each year, to a low of 14.4%. I could see him making a leap in the HR department, but he won’t get on base enough to approach 20 steals. 

 

Ben's Two:

Anthony Rendon, WSH (3B)

Rendon had an excellent bounce-back year in 2016, earning him the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award. His final line looked a lot like his 2014 season, when he earned Rookie of the Year and MVP votes. He recovered from a slow start to hit .270/.348/.450 with 20 HR and 12 steals.  In 2014 he almost became a 20/20 member, hitting 21 HR with 17 steals.

In his two healthy seasons, Rendon has posted an ISO of .186 and .180, leading to two 20-HR seasons. He does an effective job laying off bad pitches; his 22.8% outside-swing rate was well below the league average of 30%. His 6.4% swinging strike rate was also below the league average of 10%. As he enters his prime seasons the 20 HR number shouldn’t be the issue. It will be whether he can reach 20 steals or not. Though his strikeout rate rose from 15.2% to 18.1%, his walk rate rose from 8.5% to 10.0%. If he can cut his strikeout rate down a bit next season, those added times on base will help him reach the 20 SB plateau. Hitting in the middle of the order will limit his chances, so he will need to improve on last season’s 12-for-18 effort on the base paths.

The biggest question for Rendon will be whether or not he can stay healthy. He’s healthy heading into this season, and he has shown he can be very productive when his body is ready. However, injuries have plagued him multiple times in his career. Only time will tell if he stays healthy enough to push for 20/20.

JB: Rendon will get you 25 HR, especially since I believe he suffered some awful luck in his splits versus LHP that will even out this year. However, the speed looks to be just a shell of the 2014 Rookie performance when he stole 17 bases. Whether or not it is fallout from the 2015 knee injury, Rendon's speed just isn't what it needs to be to reach 20 SB in his normal amount of attempts, as evident by his -0.4 wSB last season. 

 

Odubel Herrera, PHI (OF)

After surprising the Phillies with his production in 2015 after the Rule 5 draft, Herrera proved he was no fluke in 2016.  He made notable improvements in his approach last season, slashing .286/.361/.420 with 15 HR and 25 steals while playing in 159 games. We knew after 2015 that he had wheels, but the increase from eight to 15 HR was nice to see from the 25-year old outfielder.

Herrera increased his OBP last season thanks to his increased walk rate, which was up from 5.2% to 9.6%. He also decreased his strikeout rate from 24% down to 20.4%. Though his average dropped a tad last season, he made up for that by making better contact with the ball. His ISO jumped from .121 to 134, and his hard-hit percentage improved from 26.6% to 27.2%. Hitters who push the ball to the opposite field don’t tend to be big power hitters, and Herrera finished fourth in the league last season with a 35.8% opposite field batted ball percentage. However, Ian Desmond, Corey Dickerson, and Justin Turner all had a oppo% over 30% and managed to hit over 20 HR last season.

If he continues to make improvements in his approach, Herrera is certainly capable of tacking on an extra five HR while stealing 25 or more bags. He is a lock to play every day, and will continue to hit high in the order (and could work his way back to the leadoff spot with his above-average OBP) for the Phillies.

JB: Herrera took a massive step forward last year after showing plenty of promise in his rookie season. He is a great OBP asset, which is why he will reach 20 SB again in 2017. The burst of power he enjoyed seems like a natural progression but I don't see enough room for another spike in HR, considering his .128 ISO over his first two seasons. No one with an ISO under .150 reached 20 HR in 2016. 

 

More 2017 RotoBaller Predictions




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

Caris LeVert

Upgraded to Available Tuesday
Ron Holland II

Remains Out Against Kings
Robert Williams III

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Jonathan Isaac

Active Tuesday Night
Javon Small

Returns to Grizzlies Lineup Tuesday
Tristan da Silva

Remains Sidelined Against Portland
Goga Bitadze

Out Against Portland
Vince Williams Jr.

Misses Third Consecutive Game
Cedric Coward

Unavailable on Tuesday Night
Aaron Wiggins

Will Play Against Spurs
Ryan O'Hearn

Pirates Agree on Two-Year Deal
Grayson Allen

Absent for Third Consecutive Game
Zach LaVine

to Miss at Least One More Week
Victor Wembanyama

Ready to Take on Thunder
Dwight Powell

Misses Tuesday's Game Due to Illness
Jaden Hardy

Starting on Tuesday Night
DK Metcalf

has Two-Game Suspension Upheld
Klay Thompson

Sits Out Tuesday's Action
Philip Rivers

to Remain the Starter in Week 17
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Active Against Mavericks
Peyton Watson

Ready to Face Mavericks
Jaden McDaniels

Out on Tuesday Evening
Jordan Poole

Herbert Jones Out Tuesday
Max Christie

Still Out on Tuesday Night
George Kittle

Dealing With Mid-to-Low Ankle Sprain
Viktor Arvidsson

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Ryan Leonard

Available Tuesday
Tom Wilson

in Danger of Missing First Game of the Season
Phillip Danault

Makes Second Canadiens Debut Tuesday
Collin Graf

Available Against Golden Knights
Jack Eichel

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Vince Dunn

Won't Play Tuesday
Deshaun Watson

Will Not be Activated Off PUP List, 2025 Season is Over
J.J. McCarthy

Ruled Out for Week 17
Rome Odunze

Expected to Return This Season
Christian McCaffrey

Another Monster Game for Christian McCaffrey in Week 16
Brock Purdy

Throws for Five Touchdowns in Week 16
TreVeyon Henderson

in Concussion Protocol, Week 17 Status Unclear
George Kittle

Week 17 Availability in Question?
CFB

Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz "Names of Interest" for Michigan Head Coach
Timothy Liljegren

to Miss Second Straight Game Tuesday
Will Smith

Out Week-to-Week
Jaccob Slavin

Placed on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Seth Jarvis

Considered Week-to-Week
Darren Raddysh

Totals Three Points in Monday's Win
Mason Marchment

Scores Twice Monday
Vince Dunn

Injured in Monday's Win
Rashee Rice

Still in Concussion Protocol, Estimated as Non-Participant on Monday
J.J. McCarthy

Listed as DNP on Monday Ahead of Week 17
Ilya Sorokin

to Miss Tuesday's Game
DK Metcalf

Suspended for Two Games Following Confrontation with Fan
Christian Dvorak

Returns to Flyers Lineup
Elias Pettersson

Still Out Monday
Brandon Montour

to Miss Four Weeks After Hand Surgery
Miles Wood

Available Against Kings
Zach Werenski

Ruled Out Monday
Leo Carlsson

Won't Play Monday
CFB

Byrum Brown Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

Bobby Petrino Joining Bill Belichick as North Carolina's Offensive Coordinator
TreVeyon Henderson

Exits Week 16 Victory with Head Injury
Lamar Jackson

Questionable to Return in Week 16 with Back Injury
Willson Contreras

Shipped to the Red Sox
Quinshon Judkins

Done for the Season with Broken Leg
Nick Chubb

Officially Active Against Raiders in Week 16
Gardner Minshew

Won't Return in Week 16
Woody Marks

Officially Inactive for Week 16
Quinshon Judkins

Carted Off in Week 16, Ruled Out with Apparent Leg Injury
Tua Tagovailoa

Dolphins Hope to Trade Tua Tagovailoa in the Offseason
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
CFB

Darian Mensah Returning to Duke Next Season
CFB

Josh Hoover Linked to Indiana in Transfer Portal
CFB

Arch Manning Agrees to Reduced Compensation for 2026 Season
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP