RADIO
MLB outfielder Willie Calhoun is a potential 2022 fantasy baseball sleeper and ADP draft value. Target him as an undervalued OF and late-round sleeper.
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 350
CURRENT ADP: ~383 overall
ANALYSIS: Those of us who believe in Calhoun feel like we’re stuck in a Samuel Beckett play, but instead of waiting for Godot, we’re waiting for Willie to finally put everything together. In defense of the Calhoun believers, the raw hit skills are just so darn good he’s impossible. A big upside is lurking in this bat, and with a revamped Texas lineup and prayers for good health, 2022 may be the year for Calhoun to emerge as a regular fantasy contributor.
He raised his line drive rate to 20.7%, his average exit velocity to 90.2 MPH, and his hard-hit rate to 41.9%, all career-highs (not counting his rookie season where he saw 37 PA). This quality of contact gave him a .275 xBA compared to just a .250 BA, and the 25-point gap between his actual batting average and expected batting average was 19th-highest among qualified hitters. 19th-highest doesn’t seem too egregiously unlucky on its face, but Calhoun was one of two players in the top-20 with an actual batting average of .250 or higher.
Altogether, Calhoun boasts good plate skills and has made improvements to his quality of contact. He should have the chance to hit high in the Rangers’ batting order, meaning he’ll benefit greatly from the new additions of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Things are really falling into place for Calhoun, and this looks like it could finally be the year Willie Calhoun becomes a regular fantasy contributor.
More Fantasy Baseball Values and Sleepers
Andrew Painter - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter should continue to be viewed as a top stash option. After recovering from Tommy John and missing the entirety of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Painter has returned to the bump this season and is fast approaching his MLB […]
Zebby Matthews - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Zebby Matthews was one of the most interesting pitching prospects coming into this season and delivered solid outings before going down with a shoulder injury. Matthews has not been particularly impressive in his two major league stints so far, but his minor league success and […]
Quinn Mathews - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews was a popular name in this column during the opening month of the campaign, but suffered a shoulder injury. However, Mathews is back in action and remains on a trach to reach the majors this season. In his […]
Carson Whisenhunt - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: San Francisco Giants left-handed pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt continues to impress at Triple-A and is quickly approaching his MLB debut. The top-ranked prospect in the system opened the campaign by earning his second look at Triple-A. In 2024, Whisenhunt made his Triple-A debut but struggled, logging […]
Chase Burns - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: The Reds selected the hard-throwing right-hander, Chase Burns, with the second pick in last year's MLB Draft out of Wake Forest. The Reds opted for the 22-year-old to make his professional debut at the start of this season, and not during the final months of […]
Noah Cameron - Prospects Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups, Breakouts (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 50% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Noah Cameron is 2-1 with a 0.85 ERA in 31 2/3 innings pitched, but his roster rate suggests fantasy managers aren't buying it. His .148 BABIP, 99.1 percent strand rate, and 5.1 percent HR/FB all scream negative regression, while his 16 percent K% […]
Roman Anthony - Prospects Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups, Breakouts (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 60% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Prior to their contest against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday evening, the Boston Red Sox promoted their top prospect (and the top prospect in baseball), outfielder Roman Anthony. In a corresponding move, the Red Sox placed outfielder Wilyer Abreu (oblique) on the 10-day injured […]
Lance McCullers Jr. - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 35% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Welcome back, Lance McCullers Jr.! This guy had his fair share of injuries over the years and has not pitched in MLB since 2022. A once very promising arm for the Astros has built his way back and produced back-to-back quality starts while […]
Christian Encarnacion-Strand - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues ROSTERED IN: 20% of Leagues ANALYSIS: After missing the last month and a half with a back issue, Christian Encarnacion-Strand was activated from the IL on Friday and inserted back into the Cincinnati starting lineup at first base. Encarnacion-Strand was hitting well on his rehab assignment, slashing .318/.400/.636 with […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
