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Jeremy Pena 2023 MLB Player Outlook: Lacking Upside At A Loaded Position
2 years agoJeremy Pena's rookie season did not leave many Astros fans missing the departed Carlos Correa, especially after his performance in the World Series. During the regular season, Pena slashed a solid .253/.289/.426 with 22 homers and 11 steals. The loaded offense around him bolstered him to 72 runs and 63 RBI despite the fact that he was a bottom-third hitter last season. Now we find Pena going around pick 100 in drafts at a loaded shortstop position. The good news with Pena was that he managed strikeouts (24%) and stole enough bases to be a positive in that category. The bad news is that his barrel rate was more "good" than "great" at 9.6% - and he doesn't hit the ball very hard with a max exit velocity of 110.5 and a lower 36% hard-hit rate. Pena feels like a safe bet to hit 20 homers and steal 10-15 bags again this year, which is certainly useful in fantasy, but there are fair questions about whether or not his ceiling is good enough to be a top 120 pick as a guy unlikely to start many games in the top five sports of the lineup.
