RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 114
CURRENT ADP: ~156
ANALYSIS: Cincinnati Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand earned his call-up after crushing 52 long balls over a year and a half in the minors. He didn't disappoint the Reds by batting .270 with 13 HRs, a 48.4% hard-hit rate, and .476 xSLG, putting him in the top 30 of qualified hitters in the expected slugging percentage.
He can flat-out rake and becomes even more appealing playing half his games in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Is that enough for the Reds to give CES everyday playing time? Noelvi Marte was suspended 80 games for PEDs, opening up more playing time for CES. Before the suspension, the big righty had to share 1B and DH with switch-hitting Jeimer Candelario and Jonathan India, who has been shopped around again this offseason.
Candelario will handle third base duties, while Encarncion-Strand will handle first base with Marte suspended. Playing time may be frustrating when Marte returns from suspension. However, by July, there's a high probability that multiple players will be either injured, traded, or slumping. Most importantly, he controls his destiny, meaning that if he produces when given the chance, they'll have to insert him into the lineup daily.
ATC projects Encarncion-Strand to slash .266/.325/.491 with 26 home runs over 122 games. CES has an NFBC ADP of 132, slightly later than RotoBaller's overall ranking of 117. Expect Encarncion-Strand's ADP to rise with the Marte suspension, and he is excellent mid-round value heading into 2024 fantasy baseball drafts.
That sound off CES' bat 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/iMKptWYe76
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 13, 2024
More Fantasy Baseball Draft Values and Sleepers
3 Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlooks - Roman Anthony, Kumar Rocker, Jacob Wilson
Even though the regular season has just begun, it is never too early to begin stashing young prospects. Last season, several top prospects received an early MLB promotion and became must-start players during the remainder of the season, like Paul Skenes. In addition, some prospects even broke camp with the MLB roster and became top […]
Quinn Mathews, Rhett Lowder, Zebby Matthews - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Draft Values
Rookie starters rarely make a big splash in year one, but there is a talented crop of pitchers set to start in the minor leagues that could be impactful. Quinn Mathews, Rhett Lowder, and Zebby Matthews are all interesting fantasy baseball prospects this year, but which of these three can be considered "sleepers" at their […]
Matt Shaw, Jordan Lawlar, Drake Baldwin - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Draft Values
Rookies don't always pay off their price tag in redraft leagues, but some prospects are teeming with so much upside that they are worth drafting in case they bust out in a big way. Matt Shaw, Jordan Lawlar, and Drake Baldwin are all interesting fantasy baseball prospects this year, but which of these three are […]
Jackson Jobe, Bubba Chandler, Noah Schultz - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Draft Values
Rookie starters rarely make a big impact in year one, but there is a talented crop of pitchers set to start in the minor leagues that could come up and find success early. Jackson Jobe, Bubba Chandler, and Noah Schultz are all interesting fantasy baseball prospects this year, but which of these three can be […]
Dylan Crews, Kristian Campbell, Jasson Dominguez - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Draft Values
Rookies don't always pay off their price tag in redraft leagues, but some prospects are teeming with so much upside that they are worth drafting in case they bust out in a big way. Dylan Crews, Kristian Campbell, and Jasson Dominguez are all interesting fantasy baseball prospects this year, but which of these three are […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
