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

Yordan Alvarez Debuts... and It's Everything We Hoped For

Six weeks ago, we heralded the arrival of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Two weeks ago, we lamented the call-ups of Derek Fisher and Myles Straw. All the while, Yordan Alvarez waited patiently in the minors, ripping the cover off the ball.

And now, the time has come. Alvarez is up with the big club and announced his presence immediately with a two-run homer in his first game as an Astro.

You obviously remember my column from a few weeks ago where I declared Alvarez this year's American League Rookie of the Year-in-waiting. At last, he can make good on that prediction. Let's see what Alvarez can bring to the table.

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

 

Background

First, let's review his background, for those unfamiliar. Alvarez is a native Cuba who played two years in his home country. He started at the age of 16, struggling in his first year of professional ball. He improved his plate discipline greatly the following year, hitting .351 with just 10 strikeouts over 111 at-bats. He was signed by the Dodgers at 18 but was then traded to Houston in exchange for reliever Josh Fields.

In his first year of Rookie ball, Alvarez made 57 plate appearances and hit .341 with more walks (12) than strikeouts (seven). He kept it going, batting .360 at the low-A level and started to show some power with nine home runs in 32 games. He kept progressing in Double-A, slashing .325/.389/.615 with 12 HR in 169 at-bats but then struggled a bit once he reached Triple-A, batting .259 with lesser power numbers over nearly the same timeframe. For that reason, he wasn't at the top of the radar for impact prospects heading into this year.

In 56 games and 256 plate appearances for Triple-A Round Rock in 2019, Alvarez tormented pitchers to the tune of a .343/.443/.742 slash line with 23 HR, 71 RBI. The PCL is known to be a hitter-friendly league but he was the cream of the crop, ranking first in home runs and runs batted in, second in slugging and on-base percentage, and seventh in batting average. This includes a mini-slump that coinciding with the call-ups of Fisher and Straw, which probably depressed him almost as much as fantasy owners who had been stashing him for weeks. Alvarez had nothing to prove in the minors and finally forced Houston GM Jeff Luhnow's hand.

In most other farm systems, Alvarez would be at the top of the prospect list and potentially made the 25-man roster out of spring training. In Houston, there is an embarrassment of riches and having Alvarez in the lineup is simply a luxury. He was a top-100 overall prospect heading into 2019, ranked as high as 34 by Baseball America. At 21 years of age, Alvarez has shown some ability but didn't stand out until this year. Service time was no longer an issue, so why the delay?

 

Slow Your Roll

As much as we all want to anoint him the Next Big Thing®, there are legitimate reasons Alvarez didn't reach the majors right away and they don't have to do with service time.

First, it seems Luhnow was a bit gunshy after last year's failed experiment with Kyle Tucker. As he said to the Houston Chronicle, “The same people who were clamoring for Kyle Tucker to come up because he was destroying AAA pitching are the same people now clamoring for Yordan Alvarez to come up. If he is coming up, he’s coming up to play, and if he comes up and hits .210, that’s not going to help our team. I need to make sure he’s going to help our team.” So far so good. Then again, it's been one game.

The other issue is where he fits in, as young players don't typically slot in at DH immediately. As Luhnow said back in late April, “He’s working on his defense right now and making sure he can play at least an average left field if he comes up here, because we’re going to need him to play in the field. The bat seems to be the carrying tool for him and the power is there." Yes, the bat is indeed there. The defense has never been and may never be a strong suit, so his playing time may be completely dependent on his bat.

He played DH in his first Major League game and could stay there for the foreseeable future, as a replacement for Tyler White, who has been the worst hitter on one of the majors' best offensive teams. Ideally, the Astros find a way to make him the primary DH. At the very least, they could put Alvarez in a lefty/righty platoon with Yuli Gurriel at first base in order to get him on the field.

Finally, while Alvarez didn't have any problem with left-handers in the minors, he could be slow-played against lefties if he does struggle at all in his first taste of action. He had the benefit of facing Dylan Bundy and the O's in his debut, which gives any hitter a good chance for a long ball. On Tuesday, the Astros face Freddy Peralta and the Brewers in what could be Alvarez's second MLB game. Facing a young right-hander who has allowed eight HR in seven starts, we could be in store for another power display. Still, it's hard to tell how much time Alvarez will get against lefties and whether the promotion will even last once George Springer and Carlos Correa come off the IL.

Keeping Luhnow's words in mind, it could just take a bad stretch for Alvarez to get yanked down to Triple-A again. Kyle Tucker still hasn't found his way back, as the team wants to make sure he doesn't flop again - as much was said about Alvarez. That hard-earned FAAB bid could pay off in huge dividends or it could go straight out the window if he is back in Round Rock by July.

 

Rookie of the Year Material?

Yordan Alvarez is the hottest prospect du jour and a must-add in all formats based on his scorching pace in the minors. But should you burn all your FAAB on someone who may not stick on the roster?

Houston hasn't needed any help with their lineup this year; they currently rank second in team average at .267, fourth with 106 home runs and eighth with 342 runs scored. That changed when Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, and George Springer all hit the IL recently. The team was in no rush to bring Alvarez up but finally had no choice due to numerous injuries. That said, Springer should be back before the All-Star break, although no return date has been set. Once the starters are back, Alvarez could be a victim of the numbers crunch. His lack of defensive prowess or versatility could lead the team to keep a player like Straw, who has taken reps at shortstop, or Fisher, who is far speedier, instead.

Any fantasy owner outside of the shallowest of leagues should have interest in Alvarez and he's worth a massive bid based on his enormous raw power. Be warned that his time in the majors isn't guaranteed to be a long one, though. When comparing him to a player like Austin Riley, who has already entrenched himself as an everyday player in Atlanta, it's best not to be overly optimistic that Alvarez will match that production over the course of the season. Then again, we are talking about the impending Rookie of the Year... screw it, go all in!

More MLB Prospects 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

CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
NHL

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Kyle Larson

Can Kyle Larson Dominate at Bristol Again?
Denny Hamlin

One of the Best at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

All Eyes on Ryan Blaney at Bristol
Chase Briscoe

Whiffs in Qualifying, Will Start 31st in Bristol Night Race
Ty Gibbs

Could Contend at Bristol
AJ Allmendinger

on the Pole for Bristol Night Race
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

RapSheet: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Expected to Be Lead Back Moving Forward
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
Brock Purdy

Officially Ruled Out Against Saints
Jauan Jennings

Given Questionable Tag for Week 2
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Dallas Goedert

Officially Ruled Out for Week 2
Xavier Worthy

Listed as Doubtful to Play in Week 2
Jayden Reed

Hopes to Return in November Following Surgery
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Ketel Marte

Expected to Return on Friday
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Quinshon Judkins

Questionable to Make NFL Debut in Week 2
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Alexander Hernandez

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Quang Le

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Card Opener
Santiago Luna

Set For His Debut At Noche UFC 3
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks
CFB

Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Sees Little Usage in Week 2, Outlook Still Trending Upwards?
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Leads Commanders in Catches, Scores Touchdown Again
Tucker Kraft

Posts Huge Performance on Thursday
Joe Mixon

Lack of Joe Mixon Injury Updates Sparking Concern for Fantasy Managers?
Jayden Reed

Fractures Collarbone, Headed for Injured Reserve
Austin Ekeler

Commanders Fear Austin Ekeler Tore his Achilles
Jesús Luzardo

Jesus Luzardo Strikes Out 10 in Win
Aaron Judge

Matches Yankees Legend with Two-Homer Game
Austin Ekeler

Injured, Carried Off Field with Non-Contact Injury
Jayden Reed

Ruled Out with Shoulder Injury
Quinshon Judkins

Browns Insider Expects NFL to "Come Down Heavy" on a Quinshon Judkins Suspension
Jayden Reed

Questionable to Return on TNF With Shoulder Injury
Anthony Volpe

Playing Through Partially Torn Labrum in his Shoulder
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
Tyreek Hill

Chiefs, Steelers Eyeing a Trade for Tyreek Hill?
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
CFB

Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

Officially Signs Contract Extension
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
Chris Godwin

to Be Limited in His Return Thursday
Brock Purdy

Out 2-5 Weeks With Turf Toe
Lauri Markkanen

Big at Both Ends as Finland Books Place in EuroBasket Semis
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Notches 39 Points in Losing Effort
NBA

Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
NBA

Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Kyle Monangai

to See More Carries Going Forward?
Charles Bassey

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Hawks
Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Will Smith

Scratched With Hand Soreness on Wednesday
Ketel Marte

has Foot Contusion, Expected to Play Friday
Shohei Ohtani

Won't Pitch This Weekend
MacKenzie Gore

to Start on Thursday
Ketel Marte

Exits Early on Wednesday
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Anthony Rizzo

Retires
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Masyn Winn

Will Require Offseason Knee Surgery
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 12, Earns 12th Win on Tuesday
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Will Smith

Returns to Dodgers Lineup on Tuesday
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
Malcolm Brogdon

on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory

RANKINGS

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