X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Champ or Chump: Nacho Alvarez and Edouard Julien Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Edouard Julien - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Prospects, Draft Sleepers

Are recent call-ups Nacho Alvarez (Braves) and Edouard Julien (Twins) fantasy baseball sleepers, busts, or neither? Rick Lucks takes a deep dive into their 2024 fantasy baseball value in redraft leagues.

Injuries are unavoidable in professional sports, and fantasy managers are accustomed to scrambling for a replacement when a major player goes down. If there's a bright side, injuries often open up opportunities for intriguing players.

For instance, Ozzie Albies is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a wrist injury. The Braves are calling up their No. 5 prospect, 21-year-old Ignacio Alvarez, to fill in at second base. Similarly, Edouard Julien is getting another shot at regular playing time with Carlos Correa on the IL for Minnesota.

What do these players offer for fantasy managers? Let's find out!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Nacho Alvarez (SS, ATL) 4% Rostered

First things first: Alvarez goes by several different names. His real name is Ignacio, and he's sometimes listed as Ignacio Alvarez. Furthermore, some platforms list him as Nacho Alvarez Jr. or Ignacio Alvarez Jr.

Alvarez has some prospect pedigree, ranking fifth in Atlanta's system per both FanGraphs and MLB.com but not cracking the overall top 100 on either site. Here are his scouting reports:

Alvarez projects for a plus hit tool and could become an adequate fielder, but there's little power or speed for fantasy purposes. He wouldn't be exciting if these scouting reports told the whole story, but they don't. Alvarez's calling card is outstanding plate discipline, and his MiLB performance hints at a high baseball IQ.

Alvarez got his first extended taste of professional baseball at High-A (Rome) in 2023, slashing .284/.395/.391 with seven homers and 16 steals in 501 PAs. His advanced approach at the plate produced a 13.2% BB% and 17.4% K%, which would be incredible even if he wasn't 20 years old. Alvarez's 7.4% SwStr% supports his surface-level plate discipline, suggesting it's a real skill.

On the downside, Alvarez offered little power. His OBP exceeded his slugging percentage, and his 33.7% FB% was too low to hope for much pop. Furthermore, his 6.3% HR/FB suggests a swing change to add loft wouldn't accomplish much.

Alvarez isn't a fast runner, but he stole 16 bags in 21 attempts for a success rate of 76%. That might translate to a few steals at the highest level despite his lack of speed.

The Braves sent Alvarez to Double-A (Mississippi) to begin 2024, and he hit .265/.381/.312 with no homers and 16 steals in 202 PAs. His peripherals were largely the same. Alvarez's plate discipline was excellent with a 14.4% BB% and 18.8% K% backed by a 7.0% SwStr%. His 29.5% FB% wouldn't produce much power even if his HR/FB was greater than zero. He was only caught stealing once for a success rate of 94%.

The Braves decided he was ready for Triple-A (Gwinnett), and Alvarez proved them right with a .336/.432/.575 line with seven homers and five steals across 132 PAs. His 23.3% HR/FB was almost certainly the result of the hitter-happy Triple-A, and his 33% FB% was still fairly low. His .360 BABIP probably isn't sustainable, but Alvarez projects as a plus BABIP guy due to his low flyball profile.

Alvarez's plate discipline was intact against more advanced competition with a 12.9% BB% and 15.2% K% backed by a 5.3% SwStr% and 24.7% chase rate. He also went 5-for-7 on SB attempts for a success rate of 71%. Alvarez was young for the level, so any level of success is impressive.

Alvarez is expected to hit toward the bottom of Atlanta's lineup, but he projects as a perfect leadoff guy. Jarred Kelenic is currently the team's leadoff man, and he lacks an established track record and his .301 OBP isn't ideal in the role. If Alvarez usurps him, he would gain considerable OBP, batting average, and run upside.

Some may see Whit Merrifield's signing as an obstacle to Alvarez receiving regular playing time, but he's only hitting .199/.277/.295. He's hardly a must-start, and he'll probably see time in Atlanta's short-handed outfield rather than compete with Alvarez at 2B. Similarly, Albies' return is two months away in a best-case scenario, and Alvarez could slide over to shortstop if he's outhitting the struggling Orlando Arcia.

If you need power, Alvarez isn't for you. He probably won't steal a ton of bases either. However, he should have the plate discipline to help in OBP formats and he offers batting average and run upside. If you wish you rostered Spencer Horwitz, Alvarez is a Champ.

 

Edouard Julien (2B, MIN) 20% Rostered

Julien had a disappointing start to the year, hitting only .208/.315/.364 with seven homers and six steals over 200 PAs as a Twin. The Twins sent him back to Triple-A (St. Paul), where he hit .233/.400/.380 with five homers and four steals in 165 PAs.

Julien has mastered the minor leagues, so he probably won't learn anything more on the farm. We explored Julien's MiLB exploits in this column last year. Here, we're going to look at two indicators suggesting Julien could be primed for a big second half.

First, strikeouts have been a huge issue. Julien's 33.5% K% is awful, and his 29.3% K% at Triple-A isn't much better. However, Julien doesn't deserve all of these strikeouts.

His 10.6% SwStr% is better than the league average, and he seldom chases out of the zone with a 17% chase rate. Julien has a 13% BB% despite his struggles, so he hasn't lost his elite eye. His 36.7% Swing% is probably a little too passive, but this isn't a profile that should be striking out a third of the time. Fewer strikeouts should boost his average and OBP moving forward.

Second, Julien's contact quality has improved compared to 2023. His average airborne exit velocity is up a tick and a half from 94.3 mph to 95.8 mph. Better yet, his FB% has increased from 23.9% in 2023 to 36.8% this year. Julien has a 0% IFFB% both years, so all of his flies have a chance to do damage. His rate of Brls/BBE is down slightly (11.3% vs. 13.1%), but hitting more flies harder should improve his barrel rate.

Julien hasn't been good this year, but all of the pieces are here for a tremendous fantasy asset. His plate discipline is excellent, his power is improving, and he's a perfect 10-for-10 on SB attempts this year between the majors and minors. Julien is a Champ for any roster searching for upside.

 



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Julius Randle

Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Dorian Finney-Smith

Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Kevin Porter Jr.

Declining Player Option
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Garrett Temple

Returning to Toronto
Nicolas Batum

Declines Player Option
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Keon Johnson

Gets Team Option Picked Up
Rayan Rupert

Staying in Portland
Jonathan Kuminga

Recieves Qualifying Offer
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Sam Merrill

Sticking with Cavaliers
Davion Mitchell

Staying in Miami
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Cody Ware

Rarely Enough Attrition at Atlanta for Cody Ware to Seriously Contend
Ryan Blaney

Is Always Strong at Atlanta
Joey Logano

Wins Pole, Looking for Third Atlanta Win
Isaac Okoro

on the Move to Chicago
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Lonzo Ball

Traded to Cleveland
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
José Berríos

Jose Berrios Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Fourth Win
Nick Martinez

Flirts With No-Hitter, Settles for Win
Gary Sánchez

Gary Sanchez Homers, Reaches Five Times in Onslaught
Trea Turner

Blasts Two Homers, Steals Base
Los Angeles Angels

Ron Washington to Remain on Medical Leave for Rest of the Season
Jeremy Peña

Imaging Negative on Jeremy Pena's Ribs on Friday
Spencer Steer

Slugs Three Home Runs in Win
Ace Bailey

to Report to Utah on Saturday
Justin Edwards

Sixers Agree on a New Contract
Naz Reid

Agrees to a New Contract with Minnesota
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Jae'Sean Tate

Rockets Want to Bring Back Jae'Sean Tate
Jihaad Campbell

to Begin at Inside Linebacker
Josh Conerly Jr.

to Play Right Tackle for Now
Tyleik Williams

Expected to Fill Big Role Right Away
Malaki Starks

Should Make an Immediate Impact
James Pearce Jr.

Impressing the Falcons
Jaxson Dart

has "Excellent" Spring
Donovan Jackson

has Inside Track on Starting Job
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
SJ

Sharks Buying Out Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Jamie Benn

Stays in Dallas on One-Year Deal
Reilly Smith

Signs New One-Year Deal with Vegas
Michael Kesselring

Traded to Sabres
Josh Doan

Moves to Buffalo
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
Eric Cole

Hoping for Better Times at Rocket Classic
Beau Hossler

Searching for Form at Rocket Classic
PGA

Byeong Hun An in Good Form Heading into Rocket Classic
Cameron Young

Looking For Redemption and Possible First Career Victory in Detroit
Collin Morikawa

is The Headliner This Week in Detroit For Good Reason
Si Woo Kim

Back in Competition After Last Week's Withdrawal
PGA

Alex Noren Finishes Tied For 30th at Travelers Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF