League-specific fantasy baseball formats provide an additional challenge that many have come to enjoy. The draft prep takes on a different approach as more MLB players become relevant. Late-round targets in mixed leagues turn into mid-rounders.
Some of the players left off the board in mixed-league drafts also jump onto it for various reasons. The hitters and pitchers below fit into those groups in NL-Only leagues for 2022.
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Hitting Targets
LaMonte Wade Jr. (SFG – 1B/OF)
A bit of a “late-bloomer,” Lamonte Wade Jr. became an impact bat for the NL West Champs as a 27-year-old rookie last season. Over 381 plate appearances, Wade produced a .808 OPS with 18 home runs, 56 RBI, and 52 runs. He even added in six steals in seven attempts.
Wade mostly deployed as a platoon player in 2021, but he will be on the strong side even if that is the case again this year. The power outfielder has 20-plus homer potential even if at-bats are somewhat limited. He crushed righties to the tune of a .250 ISO last year while putting up a 41.3-percent hard-hit rate and 44.2-percent flyball rate overall.
Cesar Hernandez projects as the leadoff man for the Nationals this year, and that only serves to bump up his fantasy value. A .277 career hitter with a .352 OBP, the veteran second baseman suddenly saw those marks drop to .232 and .308, respectively, last season. That did not stop him from hitting a career-high 21 homers with 62 RBI and 84 runs scored in 149 games.
Hernandez swiped between 15-19 bases each season from 2015-to-2018, but that has not been a part of his game the last couple of years. The hope when drafting him is for rebounds in both AVG and OBP back to career norms, which will lead to plenty of runs scored. The potential is there for Hernandez with bats like Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz in the heart of the Nationals batting order.
Kyle Farmer got his first real shot to be an everyday player in the bigs at age 30 last year. He took over the reins at shortstop for the Reds and ran with it beginning in early May.
Across 468 plate appearances from May 7 on, Farmer slashed .274/.319/.434 with 15 homers, 57 RBI, and 53 runs scored. He played a solid short while producing steady offensive numbers, mainly from the bottom half of the order. A similar role should be in store for Farmer this year. With a starting gig out of the gate, 20 deep drives are not out of the question. Playing half of his games in homer-happy Great American Ball Park only helps.
Lorenzo Cain is no longer the MVP-caliber player he often was during the peak of his prime. That does not mean he cannot still provide some fantasy value. Injuries limited the two-time All-Star to 286 plate appearances in 2021, but he still stole 13 bases in 15 attempts. That is a good sign.
Cain is an excellent defensive center fielder. That and an $18-million paycheck due him should keep him in the Brewers lineup regularly. Cain has hit .261 over his last 231 games dating back to the beginning of 2019, which seems to be a reasonable expectation.
Pitching Targets
Less than one full year removed from Tommy John surgery, Dakota Hudson surprisingly returned to the mound for the Cardinals late last September. 8.2 innings is a minimal sample size, but there was still some key takeaways from his brief work last season.
Hudson’s velocity was there, as he averaged 92.1 mph on the heater. The 27-year-old righty has always been a groundball pitcher, and he induced them at a ridiculous 65.4-percent rate in 2021. With one of the best defensive infields in the game behind him, that bodes well for Hudson. The Cardinals will need innings from their established starters considering the health questions with ace Jack Flaherty. Hudson is one of those players.
Eric Lauer is almost the forgotten man in the Milwaukee rotation. That can happen when there are three All-Stars ahead present. His 2021 breakout nonetheless deserves attention, particularly the numbers the southpaw put up from late June.
Something clicked for Lauer, beginning with a six-inning, scoreless outing on June 27 of last year. Across his last 80.2 innings, the 26-year-old recorded a 2.23 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 23.6 K%. Lauer logged 118.2 innings last season, and his career-high is 149.2. He seems to have a good shot to top that in 2022. A selection in the mid-rounds is reasonable.
For even more fantasy baseball draft prep advice, check out our 2022 MLB Draft Kit
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Nate Miller is a featured writer at FantasyPros and 8-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Miller_RotoDad.
