This is the first time in recent memory that power is so sought after. It used to be the easiest to come by, but last year turned that on its head. Now we are looking for power bats to fill the lineups. Here are eight names going late in drafts you can target to fill the home-run void if you are light on power. Here are other sleepers to target for stolen bases & runs.
- Fitz’s Positional Primers
- Hitters to Avoid | Target
- Pitchers to Avoid | Target
- Latest Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Sleeper Targets for Home Runs: PLAYER
Nolan Jones (OF – COL) and Sean Bouchard (OF – COL)
Only one will likely start out of spring for the Rockies as Randal Grichuk recovers from hernia surgery, so they are grouped together. Whichever wins the job is who you want from these two. Unless you are in a very deep league, then you might just take both in the reserve rounds. Let’s start with Sean Bouchard. In 97 plate appearances at the MLB level last season, Bouchard showed a strong plate approach. He struck out just 25.8% and walked 21.6% of the time. This was following a 14.1% walk rate in Triple-A. His ability to keep the ball elevated and make contact will play up in Coors.
Meanwhile, Nolan Jones was a top prospect in the Guardians’ system and they made a point to get him this offseason. In his small sample last season, Jones flashed the power potential. The underlying metrics were strong. He has good on-base skills, but the strikeouts are a concern. The power metrics that stood out in the said small sample:
- 80th-percentile max exit velocity
- 14.5% Barrel%
- 49.1% Hard-hit%
Taking that quality of contact and power metrics and transplanting them into Coors is intriguing. Can it hide the swing-and-miss rate is the question? Because the strikeouts were an ongoing issue and remain a concern entering 2023. The bright side is it appears to be more of an issue with being overly patient, as he also has high walk rates. If he was more aggressive at the plate, it might pay off.
For more information on Nolan Jones (and a couple of other names), here is a video to check out:
Beyond our fantasy baseball content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – which optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball draft season.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio