Willie Calhoun (OF, TEX) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

August 3, 2019

Nicklaus Gaut profiles Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 19 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season as the rookie top prospect is hitting better since being called back up to the majors.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 10% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Texas Ranger rookie Willie Calhoun was surprisingly demoted on June 15, with a .277 AVG over his first 99 plate appearances in the majors while hitting five home runs, with 13 RBI and 15 runs scored. But after Joey Gallo hit the injured list with a broken hamate bone, Calhoun was called back after only playing four games in the minors. In his six games back with the big club, Calhoun is hitting lasers with authority, slashing .333/.385/.7o8 with two home runs and seven RBI over 26 plate appearances. Calhoun now has a 45.2% hard-hit rate on the year and is hitting like the prospect we were promised, with a 178 wRC+ since coming back up.

He sets up for strong matchups this week as he's set to face only one lefthander in the Ranger's six games, and while he does have only a .200 AVG against lefties this year, Calhoun's splits on wRC+ and wOBA are both virtually identical versus either hand. First up, is a three-game set in Cleveland where Calhoun will have a tough matchup in Mike Clevinger but also two rookies in Zach Plesac and Adam Civale. Three games in Milwaukee follow, where Calhoun will face his one leftie in Gio Gonzalez as well as Adrian Houser and new Brewer Jordan Lyles.

If Calhoun continues to hit as he has since returning to the majors, that 10% ownership is sure to rise rapidly. And with Gallo to remain out for the next month after having hand surgery, there's little danger that Calhoun gets another surprise demotion. Grab him now because the more Calhoun rakes, the more steam his hype-train will gather.