RADIO
Josh Bell Will Bring The Power
7 years agoFresh off a third-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting, Josh Bell should again be a solid fantasy asset in his sophomore season. In addition to hitting .255/.334/.466 in 2017, the Pirates first baseman led all first-year players in games played (159) and finished third to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger in home runs (26) and RBI (90). With a solid plate approach (10.6 BB%) in addition, he makes a fairly well-rounded offensive player for leagues that use on-base and slugging percentage. However, Bell will likely need to hit the ball in the air more to maintain his power numbers. More than half of his batted balls were grounders (51.1%), and his fly-ball rate (31.2%) was well below league average. Moreover, his 19.1% HR/FB is probably unsustainable. That being said, as the probable Pittsburgh cleanup hitter once again, Bell will have plenty of chances to drive in runs even if he doesn't hit as many long balls. Although he loses his outfield eligibility going into 2018, Bell is worth a backup first base spot in most fantasy leagues. Just avoid reaching too much for him at a deep position.
