RADIO
Raimel Tapia 2020 Outlook: Has Much More To Prove At The Major League Level
5 years agoRaimel Tapia finally got the chance to play in the Majors last year, and the returns were decent. The signals are mixed as to whether he can improve much this season. His Minor League track record does point to more speed and some pop, as he stole 21 bases and hit 11 home runs at Triple-A in 2018. In 138 games in the bigs last year, Tapia hit .275 with nine home runs and scored 54 runs. He also chipped in nine steals thanks to an encouraging 28.6 ft/sec Sprint Speed. His 2019 xBA of .257, though, is concerning. The xSLG of .376 is certainly not a positive, either. Add in an Exit Velocity of 87.4 and a Barrel % of 3.7 and Tapia has much more to prove before roto players can gain more solid confidence in him. The lure of his speed and playing in Colorado regularly still gives him some appeal, but the metrics don’t point to him blossoming soon. The Rockies outfield is also crowded, and there is the possibility of a platoon in left field with Ian Desmond. Tapia has an ADP of 515.08, and is worth a very late flier, but he has to build more on his Minor League promise to stick with both the Rockies and your fantasy team.
