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The weather is heating up across Major League Baseball and fantasy managers should, by now, have a firm grasp of where they're at in their quest for a championship.
Of course, that doesn't mean we take our feet off the gas. No doubt there are players that will make a fantasy impact still waiting in the wings ready for their opportunity and a subsequent breakout. Does Giants shortstop Marco Luciano fall into that category? What about Cubs infielder Luis Vazquez? After all, both youngsters don't have much of a sample size to go on.
Let's dive in and see if Luciano or Vazquez have the ability to be fantasy-relevant in Week 11 and beyond!
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Marco Luciano (SS, SF) - 2% Rostered
With long-time Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford departing for the Cardinals in free agency and fellow veteran Nick Ahmed residing on the injured list, Luciano was inserted into the lineup nearly every day from May 14 to May 29. In that brief time, the 22-year-old hit a hefty .375 with a pair of doubles and six runs scored across a 27-plate-appearance sample.
At the same time, he has also walked in a quality 11.1% of his plate appearances (12.5% for his 24-game career) while limiting his strikeouts to only 18.5% of his plate appearances, compared to a bloated 37.8% clip in a small 14-game sample in from 2023. The downside comes in the form of zero barrels in 19 batted balls on the season and a .474 BABIP that has nowhere to go but south in a hurry. Give him credit for a .352 xwOBA, however, even if it's miles below his .429 wOBA.
Marco Luciano knocks in a key insurance run 💪 pic.twitter.com/ILenSqaXqT
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 18, 2024
What does all this mean? At this point, at this level, it's unclear. Seventy-two big-league trips to the plate is hardly a sample size worth considering and it's worth noting that Luciano hit a lukewarm .266 with just one homer and a trio of stolen bags in 34 Triple-A games before his second big-league promotion.
Unfortunately, the youngster has hit the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, halting what was a white-hot start on the surface. Given the likelihood of significant batted-ball regression and a lack of power so far in the 2024 season, Luciano is a chump for the short term. Dynasty managers should keep an eye on his development to see if he can continue to get solid playing time upon his return from the IL.
Luis Vazquez (2B/SS, CHC) - 0% Rostered
If you think Luciano owns a small big-league sample, how about two games and one plate appearance for Cubs infielder Luis Vazquez?
Indeed, Vazquez spent about a week in the big leagues with the Cubs but made just one trip to the plate while also making an appearance as a pinch-runner on May 30 (and scored his first career run) before being optioned back to Triple-A Iowa.
Luis Vázquez scores from second on an infield single in the 10th! pic.twitter.com/yzAEGpY4AT
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 29, 2024
Known more for his leather than his lumber, Vazquez has hit .255 with three homers and a .737 OPS across 40 games in the hitter-friendly International League this season and has a lengthy history of underwhelming offensive output throughout his minor-league tenure. At 24 years of age, one can't help but wonder whether Vazquez's bat will ever come around.
Vazquez isn't about to usurp Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, or Christopher Morel in the Cubs' infield anytime soon and his scarce usage in his big-league debut is surely a sign of his value to the Cubs at the time being. At this juncture, Vazquez is a full-blown fantasy chump with more value as a seldomly-used big-leaguer with a quality glove in his future.
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