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Kolten Wong 2022 Player Outlook: Fantasy Value Underrated Despite Career Season
3 years agoOn paper, Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Kolten Wong had one of, if not his best offensive campaign. He hit .272 with 14 HRs, 12 SBs, 70 runs, and 50 RBI in 116 games, good value for where he was being selected. His ADP hasn't shifted much this season, though, going around 198th overall. Part of that is thanks to his underlying numbers. His 34.7% hard-hit rate and 47.7 GB% didn't do him any favors, leading to a .247 xBA that was far from matching his actual mark. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him hit above .270 again, considering he's outpaced his xBA by at least 25 points for the past five seasons, and his .305 BABIP was around his career norm. Wong posted career highs in most Statcast metrics, including Barrel%, sweet spot rate, and xHRs. He isn't the fastest, but Milwaukee has swiped the 11th most bases since 2019, and he's stolen 17 bags in his last 169 games with below-average speed. Wong isn't a huge power threat, given his 5.5 Barrel%, but he'll continue to benefit from playing his home games at American Family Field. The Brewers don't have the strongest lineup, but assuming he leads off again, we could see a run total just below his 162 game pace of 98 from last season. All told, Wong could contribute a bit in every category and may have a greater impact than the more one-dimensional Eduardo Escobar and Ryan McMahon, the former going 11 picks ahead of Wong and the latter 22.
