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Welcome to Week 12, RotoBallers. Over the season, inclusion in the weekly RotoBaller Outfield Waiver Wire Targets roundup almost guarantees a sharp increase in ownership. For example, just a mention on our prestigious column, and Joc Pederson has seen his rate jump by more than 20%. Johnny Field's percentage increased by 100%!! But unfortunately, our powers are not universal, and previous favorites like Harrison Bader have seen theirs drop. I don't have a good explanation for such a travesty, but it's time for a change. Readers, be the change you want to see in the world.
These players might seem unattractive, but each of them brings something unique and valuable to a fantasy roster. Champions don't care about names, just numbers. Wipe the names from your eyes when you evaluate your roster, just look at their production. The players below can fill holes and provide highly valuable depth, and when the season ends and we see what percentage of championship rosters had unheralded, unexpected, unappreciated producers like these gentlemen, don't tell me we didn't try.
So, without further ado, here are the Week 12 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets. Check out the rest of Rotoballer.com for the content you need to win, and don't forget to follow our team of analysts on Twitter. We have the moves you need to make to get that ring. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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Week 12 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets
Jorge Soler (OF, KC) - 25% owned
I’m writing this after learning that Jorge Soler fractured a bone in his left foot after fouling a ball off of it against the A’s, and I realize that over the last three weeks Soler has struggled to keep up the blistering pace he held through April and much of May. Over said 21 days, Soler’s strikeout rate and walk rate have gone south, leading to a disappointing 0.3 BB/K rate, and his .207/.270/.448 line with just three homers and a single steal have left much to be desired. His stats look far more like the last few years, which saw his stock plummet from talented prospect to likely bust.
However, Soler is still a talented youngster and this might be the ideal time to buy. The 26-year-old is still squaring up on the ball just as he has all season, evidenced by a .241 ISO and otherworldly 55.3% hard hit percentage over that same three week. He needs to work to get his flyball percentage back up, but it appears to both the numbers and the eye that Soler’s recent troubles are the result of some bad luck and a young hitter pressing to maintain success. When the outfielder was succeeding, his approach was far more consistent. Lately, he’s been hacking away a bit. Truth be told, a rest may do him some good, although that’s putting a very shiny silver-lining on the occasion of breaking a bone. If you’re in a deep or dynasty league, consider trading for Soler and stashing him until he returns. If you have an open DL spot, you’ll likely be able to get him for a song and could end up with a very useful power source for the second half of the season.
Scott Kingery (OF/SS/2B/3B, PHI) - 22% owned
Since I’m covering for the middle infield column for this week, I’m stealing the 24-year-old Philly for myself since he qualifies in the outfield. Kingery was waaaay overvalued entering the season thanks to a good performance in the spring and the always popular prospect effect. After a good stretch to open the season, Kingery’s value hit a Bitcoin-level fever pitch, one that he could’ve never hoped to live up to. Taken altogether, the last calendar month has been brutal, with just a single home run and stolen base to show for it with a .220/.330/.610 line.
But the last week has been different. In fact, it’s been Kingery’s best week since the start of the season. Over the last 22 plate appearances, the rookie has replicated the home run and steals output with a near even BB/K rate. His .294/.409/.471 is solid for a player of his caliber, although the slugging and ISO of .176 are propped up by the home run. The most important metric here is that his line drive rate is spiking, which leads to more hits and gives Kingery a chance to use his speed to create extra bases.
Truthfully, Kingery’s value is unlikely to provide much pop this season. His power spiked in the minors last year, but it’s still unclear if that power will ever translate, as his hard hit rate of 25.8% this season leaves a lot to be desired. Kingery’s approach is more contact over hit and is better geared to line drives than home runs. He’s a much better asset in dynasty and keeper leagues where owners will have a chance to see if the power ever comes around, but players this season would be better off hoping for .280/.325/.360 type line with a bunch of runs and some steals. If you can add him off the wire, he’s a good mid-ceiling option with positional flexibility.
Willie Calhoun (OF/2B, TEX) - 10% owned
So, obviously file Willie Calhoun away in the “guys that you’re not sure when they’re going to help you” category, but it’s high time that Mighty Mouse was mentioned here. The Rangers’ top prospect has really turned in on in recent weeks, hitting .424 over his last 33 at-bats while flashing the huge power that we came into the season expecting to be on display in Arlington. He finally looks like the player that made Texas pull the trigger on trading away Yu Darvish.
With the improvement at the plate, it’s less a question of “if” Calhoun will contribute, and more a matter of “when”. Rangers management has been oddly resistant to giving their stud hitter a shot with the big club, even when it seemed like every player that could play infield in their entire system was hurt at the same time. But we are inching closer and closer to the July “Super Two” mark, meaning that Texas will have successfully delayed Calhoun’s service time long enough that there will be few reasons to keep him with Triple-A. The closer we get to July, the higher his ownership rate will move. If you’re in need of power in the outfield and have a roster spot for a prospect, there are few better suited for the rest of the season than Calhoun.
Niko Goodrum (OF/1B, DET) - 6% owned
Another week, another surprisingly good piece of work for Niko. A .267/.294/.600 line is pretty solid for 15 at-bats, but the thing that gets me is the extra base hits. Of his four hits this week, three of them including his homer went for extra bases. In fact, 19 of his 36 hits on the year have gone for extra bases, including the six home runs. The surprising speed that Goodrum brings to the table allows him to get extra value out of the good contact he makes. If you're in a league that tracks total bases or gives extra points for extra bases, Niko is an option whose floor is looking much higher than was previously expected. At this point, there are multiple players that would lose playing time in Detroit before anyone considers taking the 26-year-old out of the lineup.
Johnny Field (OF, TB) - 1% owned
The official unofficial mascot of the OF Waiver Wire Column had a pretty ho-hum week again, getting just 14 appearances and producing just a .250/.357/.333 line. But you know what, my man Field made soft contact on exactly 0.00% of the pitches he connected with, so don’t come at me telling me my man isn’t putting in work. I continue to wave the Field flag as someone who should be owned in way more than 1% of leagues. Included in the list of guys I’d prefer Field over for the rest of this season: Rougned Odor, Domingo Santana, and Byron Buxton. Come fight me!
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