Fantasy Baseball Player Notes
2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes
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145.
Ryan Mountcastle
LF
Mountcastle followed up a successful minor-league career with a strong 35-game stint in the majors last year. Not only did he bat .333 with an .878 OPS and a 139 wRC+, but he also walked 7.9% of the time, far above what he showed in the minors. The batting average is unsustainable - he was a .295 hitter in the minors and last year he relied on a .398 BABIP despite sub-par average exit velocity and a middling line drive rate. But playing in Camden Yards should certainly keep his production high, and batting in the middle of the Orioles lineup should lead to enough RBI chances to make him a rosterable, if not startable, fantasy option.
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150.
Anthony Santander
RF
Santander has quietly turned into a strong power bat, but few fantasy managers seem to give him credit. A .476 slugging percentage with 20 home runs in 93 games in 2019, followed by a .575 slugging percentage and 11 home runs in 37 games in 2020. There's nothing particularly fluky about his power output - it's just a young hitter coming into his own and making better contact. He did seem to sell out a bit for power last year, upping his launch angle and fly ball rate significantly. And yet he hit .261, the same mark as in 2019, and his xBA was .286. In other words, there's plenty to like about Santander, who is going well behind other hitters who offer similar production. He should be a value in drafts this year.
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173.
Trey Mancini
RF
Mancini missed all of the 2020 season after being diagnosed with cancer, but appears to be healthy as we head into 2021. He had a breakout 2019 season during which he hit 35 home runs and slashed .291/.364/.535, and there's every reason to think that production is sustainable. Mancini had hit 24 home runs in each of the two previous seasons, and other than being a bit more selective at the plate, made few changes that suggest his 2019 production was fluky. Instead, it appeared to be the natural progression of a hitter improving on his already strong foundation. Batting in a great home park, Mancini should again be a four-category producer, and his ADP should rise if he shows he's fully healthy throughout the spring.
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207.
John Means
SP
Means's 4.53 ERA and grotesque home run rate are probably going to scare the casual fantasy manager away, but there is a ton to like about him heading into 2021. First, Means had a weird year last season, as he dealt with arm fatigue early and then his father passed away, so his schedule was certainly thrown up into the air at the start. Probably because of those difficulties, his outstanding changeup wasn't effective earlier in the season, but it was back to being his money pitch by season's end. Add to that Means' increase in velocity, his strong finish (1.52 ERA, 30 strikeouts over his last four starts), and his excellent command, and there's a breakout waiting to happen, despite the tough division.
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253.
Austin Hays
CF
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332.
Renato Nunez
1B,DH
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353.
Hunter Harvey
RP
Harvey had a ton of buzz heading into last season, but a strained forearm ultimately limited him to just 8 2/3 innings. He's got a dominant fastball that can reach triple digits, but his injury history has been a roadblock to him becoming a regular and reliable reliever. Brandon Hyde hasn't named a closer yet and may in fact go by committee with Harvey, Tanner Scott, and Cesar Valdez. But the uncertainty makes Harvey basically free in drafts, and he's worth an extremely late round pick in deeper leagues in case he wins the job.
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376.
Pedro Severino
C
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424.
Dean Kremer
SP
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432.
Keegan Akin
SP
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455.
DJ Stewart
RF
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542.
Freddy Galvis
SS
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546.
Rio Ruiz
3B
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556.
Cedric Mullins II
CF
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572.
Chance Sisco
C
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589.
Tanner Scott
RP
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599.
Adley Rutschman
C
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724.
Pat Valaika
SS
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762.
Cesar Valdez
RP
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806.
Jahmai Jones
2B
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808.
Tyler Wells
SP
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817.
Yolmer Sanchez
3B
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871.
Felix Hernandez
SP
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895.
Matt Harvey
SP
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908.
Mac Sceroler
SP
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923.
Chris Davis
1B
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938.
Richie Martin
SS
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944.
Dillon Tate
RP
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959.
Cole Sulser
RP
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1004.
Shawn Armstrong
RP
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1011.
Zac Lowther
SP
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1030.
DL Hall
SP
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1079.
Isaac Mattson
RP
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1085.
Fernando Abad
RP
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1162.
Ashton Goudeau
RP
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1185.
Jorge Lopez
SP
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1228.
Travis Lakins Sr.
RP
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1244.
Wade LeBlanc
SP
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1249.
Yusniel Diaz
RF
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1268.
Bruce Zimmermann
SP
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1271.
Evan Phillips
RP
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1274.
Michael Baumann
SP
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1275.
Thomas Eshelman
RP
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1337.
Austin Wynns
C
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1343.
Nick Ciuffo
C
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1367.
Rylan Bannon
3B
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1405.
Ramon Urias
SS
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1432.
Chris Shaw
1B
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1438.
Dwight Smith Jr.
LF
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1470.
Ryan McKenna
CF
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1472.
Tyler Nevin
1B
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1486.
Stevie Wilkerson
CF
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1506.
Richard Urena
SS
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1523.
Jose Rondon
2B
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