TJ Friedl - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 7)

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 42% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: TJ Friedl had a breakout season in 2023, playing in more than 100 MLB games for the first time in his career despite being 27 years old. He hit .279-18-66-73-27 in 138 games with a .353 wOBA and 116 wRC+. A wrist injury that occurred on a diving catch in the outfield sidetracked him two weeks before the regular season. He landed on the IL until Thursday when he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lousiville. The lefty went 1-for-3 with a double off the wall and a walk in that first rehab game.

Terry Lee Friedl!

103.9 mph off the bat.

Beautiful site. #Reds pic.twitter.com/X5kL6M9ITA

— Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding) May 3, 2024

Assuming he'll need at least a week's worth of games on the rehab assignment, he probably joins the Reds sometime around mid-May. So what can managers expect? With above-average bat-to-ball skills (83.4% Contact%), count on a decent batting average, and with his base-stealing acumen managers should expect another 20 stolen bases the rest of the way. A repeat of his 18-homer campaign was probably going to be a tall order based on his 3.2% Barrel% from last season, but perhaps a little more unlikely now due to the fact that his injury was to his wrist. Think 12-ish homers once he returns.

Friedl is a hustler, so despite an xBA of .240 last season he will beat out some infield hits based on pure hustle which will help support an actual BA above his xBA all season long. The 28-year-old hit up and down the lineup last season but 78% of his plate appearances came from the leadoff or two-hole spot in the lineup. Assuming that'll be the case upon his return, it should support strong run-scoring production, especially with the likes of Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer hitting behind him. Friedl is available in almost 60% of Yahoo leagues but is worth at least a bench spot in most 12-team leagues.

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