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Fantasy Baseball Category Targets: Week 20

Fantasy Baseball Category Targets: Week 20

Often when we’re scouring the waiver wire, we’re looking for players to bolster a particular category, rather than the next trendy up-and-comer. Looking for stolen bases? Home runs? ERA and WHIP?

I’ve got you covered. I present to you Week 20’s fantasy baseball 5×5 category targets. For this exercise, I’ll be using ESPN ownership percentages. Stats are accurate entering Friday’s contests.

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Batting Average

Howie Kendrick (2B/OF – WAS): 18.5%

With three straight starts out of the leadoff spot, Howie Kendrick appears to be the new man atop the order for the banged up Washington Nationals. A career .291 hitter, Kendrick won’t wow you in power or speed, but should provide reasonable across the board contribution as long as he’s hitting high in the lineup. Although injuries have held him to just 55 games this season, he’s hitting an excellent .344/.398/.510 over 211 plate appearances.

Home Runs

Yonder Alonso (1B – SEA): 36.2%

Remember this guy? He may not have the shine he had earlier in the season, but Yonder Alonso is showing some signs of getting his mojo back after going 3-for-4 with a dinger on Wednesday. It’s just his third home run of the second half, but he has a 40.0% hard-hit rate this month and is starting to get back to hitting more fly balls again. Given the drastic changes to his batted-ball profile this year, it’s hard to forecast what he’ll do the rest of the way, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that he grabs some of that early-season magic back and provides some solid pop down the stretch.

RBIs

Eddie Rosario (OF – MIN): 49.6%

Corey Spangenberg (2B/3B/OF – SD): 32.7%

Two of the hottest hitters not named Giancarlo Stanton, Eddie Rosario and Corey Spangenberg aren’t exactly household names, but each could give your fantasy team a boost. Rosario has recently ascended to the five-hole for the Minnesota Twins, and in the month of August, he already has five long balls off a 43.5% hard-hit rate. Meanwhile, not to be outdone, Spangenberg has a cool 41.5% hard-hit rate with four dingers this month and can chip in with some speed (eight stolen bases in 2017). Neither projects as a power-bat over the long haul, but they should be ample sources of counting stats while they’re in good form.

Runs

Manuel Margot (OF – SD): 31.9%

Known more for his speed, the leadoff man for the San Diego Padres has shown some surprising pop in the second half, with seven homers and a 37.0% hard-hit rate since the All-Star break. Now with 12 long balls and 12 stolen bases on the year, Manuel Margot is quietly turning into a sneaky power-speed threat. While it’s fair to question the home runs — he showed little power in the minors — at the very least he’s hitting well, and will continue to score runs as long as he’s atop the lineup.

Stolen Bases

Michael Taylor (OF – WAS): 17.6%

People seem to forget that this guy was a rather hot commodity prior to missing over a month with a strained oblique. But power-speed combos don’t grow on trees, and Michael Taylor is certainly that with 12 round-trippers and 10 swiped bags over 276 plate appearances. Prior to his injury, Taylor was batting first or second, so a move back up the order isn’t inconceivable, particularly while the Nats are wading through injuries.

Wins

Andrew Heaney (SP – LAA): 6.3%

Following a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery, Friday’s scheduled start against the Baltimore Orioles will be Andrew Heaney’s first start since April of 2016. Thus, he’s a complete wild card, but Heaney showed promise across 18 starts in 2015, posting a 3.49 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He performed well on his minor league rehab assignment and could provide sneaky value on the surging Los Angeles Angels.

Strikeouts

Dinelson Lamet (RP/SP – SD): 30.4%

This isn’t the first time Dinelson Lamet has made an appearance here, but he remains available in most leagues and has a tantalizing 29.0% strikeout rate. The 4.78 ERA may be ugly, but he has a 3.75 SIERA — suggesting he’s pitched better than his ERA — and has a pristine 1.96 ERA over his last five starts. Walks remain a concern, and Lamet may struggle with wins on a lowly Padres team, but there’s some undeniable upside in his arm.

ERA and WHIP

Luis Castillo (RP/SP – CIN): 26.6%

Another guy who’s gotten love in this space before, but isn’t getting love in enough fantasy leagues. Castillo blanked the Chicago Cubs his last time out, and now sports a 3.39 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He’s been issuing too many free passes, but otherwise has strong peripherals with a 24.4% strikeout rate, 56.4% groundball rate, and 28.6% hard-hit rate. In a season where quality starting pitching has been hard to come by, Castillo might cure what ails your team.

Saves

Brad Ziegler (RP – MIA) : 18.7%

If Cam Bedrosian or Matt Belisle are still available, take a peek at them for saves, but ole’ Brad Ziegler gets the top billing today solely because he’s the most unheralded of major league closers. It’s with good reason — he has a 5.40 ERA after all — but he’s converted all four of his save chances and has yet to give up a run since taking the role. It’s easy to forget that this isn’t his first rodeo, as he has 89 career saves. Kyle Barraclough looms should Ziegler falter, but saves are saves, and Ziegler is as good a source as any. There’s a good chance he’s the guy being ignored on your waiver wire.


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Kenyatta Storin is a featured writer with FantasyPros. For more from Kenyatta, check out his archive and follow him @kenyattastorin.

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