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As the calendar turns to July, there are some players on crazy hot streaks. A few of them are to be somewhat expected, such as the power surge that Aaron Judge is currently on.
However, what about players without such impressive historical statistics? Should fantasy managers add them and try to take advantage of their hot streak, or is it too late to jump on board?
Let’s dive into some potential Fantasy Frauds and discuss if they will be able to continue their current level of success.
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Andrew Vaughn, Chicago White Sox (1B)
The White Sox have scored the fewest runs in baseball, so there isn’t a lot to like about their lineup. One of their few bright spots of late has been Vaughn, who is 33-for-98 (.337) with six home runs over his last 25 games. During that span, he produced just a 17.1 percent strikeout rate. That’s a noteworthy improvement over his career 20.2 percent strikeout rate.
going, going, VAUGHN!!
The White Sox cut the lead in half, thanks to Andrew Vaughn pic.twitter.com/AazKPZqEOM
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) June 30, 2024
Even with his hot streak, Vaughn has a .151 ISO and a .304 wOBA for the season. His 8.7 percent barrel rate and 43.0 percent hard-hit rate are right in line with his career marks. For his career, he has a .162 ISO and a .316 wOBA.
For fantasy managers who have been hit hard by injuries, it’s not a bad idea to add Vaughn. However, be ready to cut bait quickly when he starts to cool off. Considering that he hits in such a bad lineup, his opportunities to both score and drive in runs are already limited. When he cools off, things could get ugly.
Kyle Higashioka, San Diego Padres (C)
Higashioka was one of the players that the Padres landed in the deal that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees. He didn’t play much to begin the season, but Luis Campusano (thumb) landing on the injured list has opened up added playing time for him. That has helped Higashioka hit 14-for-51 (.275) with eight home runs over his last 17 games.
When he was a member of the Yankees, Higashioka flashed power when given playing time. He hit exactly 10 home runs in each of the last three seasons, despite not having more than 260 plate appearances in any of them. For his career, he has a .199 ISO. This season, he now has a .327 ISO.
Kyle Higashioka, THE GRAND SLAM STROKA! pic.twitter.com/YVDt5zR5oC
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2024
The major downside with Higashioka is that he is batting .204 with a 32.0 percent strikeout rate this season. For his career, he has hit .209 with a .282 wOBA and a 27.0 percent strikeout rate. Finding viable fantasy options at catcher isn’t always easy, but even with his recent power surge, Higashioka should only be considered in two-catcher formats.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Toronto Blue Jays (2B, 3B, SS, OF)
Kiner-Falefa had his 13-game hitting streak snapped Sunday. During his streak, he hit 21-for-48 (.438) with three home runs. One of the crazier parts of that streak is that he didn’t draw a single walk. He was hit by a pitch five times, though.
Kiner-Falefa might not draw a lot of walks, but that doesn’t mean that he’s a free-swinger. He has a 13.2 percent strikeout rate this season and a 15.3 percent strikeout rate for his career. He enters Monday hitting .292 with a .333 wOBA, both of which are on pace to be the best marks of his career.
What’s concerning with the supporting stats for Kiner-Falefa is that he only has a 2.2 percent barrel rate and a 25.8 percent hard-hit rate this season. Still, he has somehow managed a .316 BABIP. He only has three stolen bases and has never hit more than eight home runs in a season during his career. His multi-position eligibility on most sites makes Kiner-Falefa intriguing, but he’s only worth considering in 12-team or deeper leagues.
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