RADIO
Ketel Marte 2019 Outlook: Potential Middle-Infield Sleeper
6 years agoAs a whole, Ketel Marte’s 2018 was lackluster. There were poor numbers in most categories, though he did manage to crack 104 wRC+ on the year. It would have been a lost season altogether except that Marte rebounded in the second half when he put up an .841 OPS. With the glut of talented shortstops, Marte figures to be an afterthought in most 8-12 team leagues. His current draft spot of 234 ADP means he should be available at the end of most drafts, and he’s worth that price in many leagues. There is some reason to believe in the growth of Martes’s second half. For starters, Marte was still only 24 years old last year, and his 2018 batted-ball profile was the best of his career. He was striking the ball even better in the second half when he dropped his ground-ball rate to near his career low while keeping his hard-hit rate at a career high. Marte’s dual-eligibility at second base and shortstop make him an intriguing late-round flier.
