Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

You could do a lot worse than O'Neil as your second outfielder. You're in great shape if somehow your third outfielder. He's a second-tier five-category guy, although O'Neill's .366 BABIP in 2021 suggests that he's probably not going to bat .286 again. The peripherals suggest that O'Neill's power is legit, however. He's not a guy you reach for, but if he starts to fall, grab him. O'Neill is only 26, so it's possible he'll turn in a season that ends up much better than his ADP.

There's a lot to like here. The biggest draws are speed and multi-position (OF/2B) eligibility. Edman stole 30 bases last year, tying for fourth in MLB. Statcast says he's in the 92nd percentile for sprint speed. There's a little bit of power here, too. Edman hit only 11 HRs last year but clubbed 41 doubles. Edman has a .272 batting average over three seasons, and there could be room for growth there. His contact rate improved to 85% last year, and he sprays hits to both sides of the diamond. Edman doesn't take many walks, but that's a minor nit to pick.

Carlson rebounded from a disastrous 2020 season to put up a respectable .266/.343/.437 line with 18 home runs last year. But the dreams of fantasy superstardom after his 2019 minor-league season (26 homers, 20 steals) have been put on hold, as he seems to have little interest in stealing bases in the majors (three total in two seasons), and his hard-hit rate was in the bottom nine percent of the league last year. His numbers and underlying metrics suggest that he's a slightly above-average MLB player, though it's worth remembering that he's just 23 years old and there's certainly potential for more. Drafting Carlson as a fourth outfielder with upside for more is the right approach, as he should bring a fairly solid floor with potential for a high ceiling if everything comes together.