Fantasy Baseball Depth Chart Review: Jordan Lawlar, Jarred Kelenic, Cavan Biggio (2023)

Another week down, and we are officially closing in on single-digit games remaining for the MLB regular season. Playoff races are searing, and many prospects have continued to make their names known in recent weeks. For reference, as of writing, this is how current seeding sits:

AL Leaders: Baltimore Orioles (93-56), Houston Astros (84-66), Minnesota Twins (79-71)

AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays (92-59), Toronto Blue Jays (83-67), Texas Rangers (82-67)

In the hunt: Seattle Mariners (81-68, 1.0 GB), New York Yankees (76-74, 6.5 GB)

NL Leaders: Atlanta Braves (96-53), Los Angeles Dodgers (91-57), Milwaukee Brewers (84-65)

NL Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies (81-68), Arizona Diamondbacks (79-72), Chicago Cubs (78-72), Miami Marlins (78-72)

In the hunt: Cincinnati Reds (78-73, 0.5 GB), San Francisco Giants (76-74, 2.0 GB), San Diego Padres (72-78, 6.0 GB)

On the AL side of things, almost everything looks to be locked up pretty nicely. The sole true outlier is the Mariners, who could steal a Wild Card spot away from either the Blue Jays or Rangers, or outright usurp the Astros if the cards fall correctly. The AL West is certainly the division to keep an eye on to see how it all plays out.

The National League is much more interesting, with arguably seven different teams fighting between wild-card opportunities and divisional leads. As it currently stands, the Diamondbacks just passed the Cubs on Sunday night after defeating them head-to-head and now hold the second WC spot. The Cubs and Marlins now both sit tied at 78-72, and they should also both be looking over their shoulders at the Reds, who sit just one-half game behind them.

The NL playoff race could very well come down to the final game of the regular season- it is fair to expect fireworks throughout the next couple of weeks. I am particularly excited and intrigued to see how it all plays out. This week’s Depth Chart Review is going to focus on these playoff teams.

Fantasy Baseball Depth Chart Review

Jordan Lawlar (SS – ARI)

Lawlar is the No. 1 ranked player in the Arizona farm system, and he got the call up earlier in September at just 21 years old. He made his debut on September 7, securing his first major-league hit while finishing 1-for-4. Since that date, it has been a struggle for him at the dish overall, as he has gone just 3-for-20 (.150) while striking out eight times.

There is no need to panic on the young prospect, as his prolific numbers in the minors clearly back up his salivating potential. In 105 games between AA and AAA this season, Lawlar slashed .278/.378/.496 with 20 homers, 67 RBI, 47 XBHs, and 36 steals. Lawlar has plenty of time to adjust to big-league pitching, and he should be able to do so as he garners more experience. He could breakout at any given time, and that could prove huge for the Diamondbacks as they transition into the postseason.

Jarred Kelenic (OF – SEA)

The Mariners need to play every game from here on out as if it’s their last. They were surely relieved to see Kelenic return from the injured list last week. He was a bright spot for the team prior to getting hurt, as he was batting north of .250 with 11 homers through the first few months of the campaign.

Kelenic is now returning to the Seattle lineup amidst the team slumping, as they have gone just 3-7 over their last 10 games. Kelenic will need to ramp up quickly. The Mariners could definitely use his offensive support, as they make their late-September push. Hopefully, Kelenic can be a key piece to them turning to things around.

Cavan Biggio (1B,2B,3B,OF – TOR)

While Davis Schneider has truly carried the Blue Jays through portions of both August and September, it has been Biggio offering some of his best offensive output of the season in recent days. Biggio has a season-long average of just .233, but he is slashing .308/.429/.462 in September, easily his best marks all year. Biggio’s output has earned him a spot in the middle of the Toronto lineup regularly.

The son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, Cavan is 12-for-39 so far in September with 10 runs scored, a homer, and an even 9-to-9 K/BB ratio. He has helped the Blue Jays win three games straight after a stretch in which they had lost four in a row to the Rangers.

Toronto concludes their season with nothing but critical inter-divisional games, including six matchups against Tampa Bay. Biggio will be relied on to help the team traverse the difficult end-of-season schedule and have them rocketing into October on a high note.