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Ketel Marte 2020 Outlook: Can He Repeat 2019 Breakout?
5 years agoKetel Marte was a breakout candidate by numerous fantasy analysts entering the 2019 season, and he didn't disappoint with a .329/.389/.592 slash line in 144 games. The switch-hitter popped 32 long balls, 97 runs, 92 RBI, and 10 SB before ending his season prematurely with a back injury. Marte showed tremendous consistency all season batting .309 or above in every month other than April. These monthly numbers also rose gradually until his season finished, further reiterating the point that his breakout was no fluke. One of the reasons Marte was pegged as a sleeper before last season was because he's had progressive growth in several metrics in every season. These numbers topped out at a 40.0% Hard Hit%, 89.8 MPH Exit Velocity, and a 9.3% Barrel% in 2019, all marks well above the league average. His fly-ball rate (23.7%) and Pull% (40.2%) stand out the most from his revamped swing, which were the key factors for his HR output. Locked into the top-third of the Diamondbacks lineup once again for this upcoming season, Marte still has room for growth entering his age-26 season. The cost is much higher than it was a year ago, but his current ADP of 44 is worth the selection if his back heals properly this offseason.
