Jose Miranda (3B, MIN) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 20% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: After appearing in 125 games for the Minnesota Twins in 2022, Jose Miranda was surprisingly designated for assignment in early May in favor of former first overall pick Royce Lewis at third base. With Byron Buxton stuck at designated hitter (Twins effort to keep him healthy), and Donovan Solano and Alex Kirilloff splitting time at first base, Miranda was pushed out due to his slow start with his bat and struggles on defense.

In just 34 starts in 2023, Miranda made five errors at the hot corner. Lewis has made three errors of his own this year, but his .326 batting average and high prospect pedigree led to the Twins commitment to him prior to his oblique strain earlier this month. As a result, Miranda has re-entered the mix, starting at third base in three straight games post-Lewis.

The 25-year-old made his debut in 2022 as a gap-to-gap contact pro with above-average home run power to supplement. His .268/.325/.426 slash line was fine, but his sub-20% strikeout rate and home run spurts made the Twins and fantasy owners alike very excited for what was to come.

Miranda appeared to be the perfect designated hitter replacement for Nelson Cruz, assuming he could improve his average closer to .300 and get his home run place closer to 25. However, the Buxton DH experiment paired with defensive struggled forced Minnesota's hand earlier than they would've liked in 2023.

Now back in the majors, at least until Lewis can return from injury, Miranda should have everyday at-bats at third base with a chance to prove he belongs. While he didn't mash in the minors during this time away like fantasy managers would've liked, it's easy to see the massive potential when you watch Miranda's approach at the plate. If the Puerto Rico native is still available on your waivers and you are looking for upside hitters who could take another year to fully develop, there aren't many better buy-low options available on the free agent market these days than Jose Miranda.

Keep in mind that the Buxton experiment is not exactly going as planned, as both Buxton and his center field replacement, Michael A Taylor, are struggling at the dish. If the Twins decide to move Buxton back to his natural defensive position, playing time for Miranda becomes almost guaranteed for the rest of this year.

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