RADIO
This is it. The playoffs are beginning in head-to-head leagues. There are only a few weeks left to make your move in roto leagues. Now is the time to do another in-depth analysis to find out exactly what you need to make yourself competitive or move up in certain categories.
The corner infield positions traditionally offer power with the potential for high averages. However, at this stage of the game, to get power, you'll likely get a mediocre batting average. The other route is to get players that are a little more well-rounded. In this piece, I'll identify waiver wire targets for first base and third base in week 23 who should be able to contribute in multiple categories. These players are owned in 50% or less of Yahoo! leagues.
We'll also look at the names mentioned in last week’s post, noting which players have graduated off of the waiver wire (ownership higher than 50%), which are still recommended pickups, and which we are dropping off the list entirely. If you have any questions on corner infielders or any dynasty question for that matter, message me directly on Twitter @EllisCan2.
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Week 23 Corner Infield (CI) Waiver Wire Targets
Tyler White (1B, HOU) 39% owned
We introduced him when his ownership level was at 2%. Though his ownership has risen, he is still under-owned. White routinely bats in the middle third of one of the best lineups in the league. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer have all returned from the disabled list. The Astros have their full complement of weapons, which should only increase White’s counting stats. His last two weeks have been a prime example of his performance in the second half. In the last 14 days, White has hit four homers, 12 RBI, and a .333 batting average.
White will take on the Twins at home before a road series against the Red Sox. He will face an equal number of games against right-handed pitchers (3) as he does against left-handers (3). The beautiful part about it is that he doesn’t care who is on the mound, he hits well against both left-handers (.333) and right-handers (.296). Although White is markedly better at home (.350), his .273 batting average on the road should not deter anyone from enlisting his services. Find a way to get him in your lineup.
Johan Camargo (2B/3B/SS, ATL) 38% owned
I don’t know who is more surprised, the Braves organization or fantasy baseball managers. Johan Camargo has been a revelation this season. His performance hasn’t been one that single-handedly carries your team to a championship, but he definitely is a contributing factor. Camargo has a slash line of .278/.357/.463 with 15 HR and 64 RBI. He has accomplished this with a 37% hard-hit rate combined with a 45% ground ball rate.
The second half is where Camargo has made most of his improvements. His batting average has increased to .324 during that time. Also, not known for being a power hitter, he has a .203 ISO in the second half thus far. Camargo has better plate discipline and is using the whole field. He dropped his pull rate (36%) as well. Camargo will look to carry his recent success the last two weeks (two HR, seven RBI, and .367 AVG) into a home matchup against the Red Sox. The Braves then travel to Chase Field for a four-game series against the Diamondbacks.
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) 37% owned
Patience is key, particularly with young sophomore players. Realistically, it isn’t patience as much as it is striking while the iron is hot in this case. Very few managers likely held onto Mancini during his rough patches this season (May-July). Mancini has rewarded those been an improved source of production and he was likely acquired off the waiver wire cheaply. In the month of August, he is batting .291 with seven homers and 20 RBI. For those that were delayed to jump back in, they were able to take advantage of his eight runs, three homers, and nine RBI to go with a .275 average the last two weeks.
The changes in August can be traced to a couple of things. Mancini has increased his fly ball (37%) and hard-hit rate (43.8%) while reducing his strikeout rate (20%). The week continues on the road with matchups against the Mariners and the Rays. Mancini will face two right-handed pitchers in Seattle. He will also face Blake Snell on the mound for one turn against the Rays. The other two games in that series will be comprised of the pitcher-du-jour strategy they have developed.
Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, NYM) 9% owned
Flores has had a decent go of it this year and the results were likely more than most had expected. He has 11 homers, 48 RBI, and a .272 average. Additionally, as a utility player, he has earned positional eligibility all over the infield. Flores’ plate discipline has really improved as well. He has a 5.5% swinging strike rate, albeit with only a 47% swing rate. He has also really impressed with his walk rate (8.8%). The question then becomes what he does to put the ball in play. With only a 33% hard-hit rate, it is difficult to consistently achieve success with a 46% fly ball rate.
In the last 30 days, Flores has one homer, 13 RBI, and a .288 average. However, he is in a serious drought as of late with only two hits in the last 15 at-bats. Flores hopes to get things right this week with a series against the Dodgers in L.A. followed by a home series against the Phillies. If you are capable of streaming Flores, the home start against Philly would be the better choice as he has a .292 batting average at home. He also has a .289 average against right-handers, which is what the Phillies have on the schedule.
Tyler Austin (1B, MIN) 5% owned
Tyler Austin was acquired by the Twins from the Yankees to serve as a power bat against left-handed pitchers. While his performance against righties hasn’t been very good, it seems to be enough for the team to give him more regular playing time. Austin’s batting average this season (.236) doesn’t instill confidence and might even cause some trepidation when contemplating acquiring him. However, he has started working to improve the stats in the second half, with seven homers and a .263 average.
Again, Austin is mainly known for his power. He has a 41% hard-hit rate and a .386 ISO in the second half as well. He put his power on display in the last week. Austin hit four homers in the last 23 at-bats; unfortunately, it came with a .217 batting average, which isn’t satisfying in any league. The last two weeks doesn’t look as bad with six runs, two homers, and six RBI with a .268 average. The Twins will spend the week on the road. Austin will have matchups against the Athletics followed by the Mariners. If your roster needs the power and can stomach the mediocre batting average, Austin is a candidate for you.
