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OWNED IN: 22 percent of Fleaflicker leagues
ANALYSIS: Entering 2016, Joe Mauer was an afterthought for most fantasy owners. He’d lost his catcher eligibility, and his batting average fell from .324 to .277 and .265 over the past three seasons. Combined with his always modest power, advancing age, and the plethora of superior options at first base, it’s no wonder he went undrafted in most formats.
The veteran has enjoyed something of a renaissance through the season’s first month, though. He’s not jacking homers every other night or anything like that, but he’s back to hitting for average, walking a ton, and hardly ever striking out. The peripherals all support this resurgence, too. His Hard% is the highest it’s been since 2013, and his swing and contact rates are in line with peak Mauer. The Twins have struggled to score runs thus far, but with Byung-ho Park and Miguel Sano turning the corner and Trevor Plouffe set to return soon, Mauer could see plenty of run production opportunities in the three-hole.
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