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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Hot September Hitters Ready to Break Out in 2019

Shohei Ohtani Batting

September can be a weird month for fantasy baseball. More often than not there are only a handful of owners really fully focused at that stage. Unfortunately by that stage of the season no matter what your league rules at least a couple of owners will be out of contention and their focus will have drifted elsewhere. Even for those who are still in contention, September can end up being somewhat of a forgotten month in the fantasy baseball realm. With the football season starting and many actual baseball teams having no hopes of the playoffs, impressive finishes to the season can be completely forgotten by many. However, identifying who finished the season strong and trying to identify potential reasons why they did could give a big leg up in 2019.

A good example is at this time last year the talk was about Tim Anderson and his superb stolen base numbers in September of 2017. Owners who took note of that finish and drafted Anderson a little higher than others might expect were rewarded with a strong start to the season. Unfortunately, due to injury and general lack of ambition in Chicago that form did not carry on through the season. However, in other circumstances, Anderson may have been a valuable performer last year, and by utilizing the stats from 2018 fantasy players would have been able to identify that. Naturally, you are working with small sample sizes and a six-month break since that performance, but there are reasons to believe those performances could be indicative of success in the following season.

Let's take a look at some September 2018 success stories who could be in line for a breakout year in 2019.

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

 

Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - ADP: 175.38

In the space of a couple of months at the end of 2018, Luke Voit went from a fading first base prospect with a mediocre short first stint in the majors to a legitimate starting MLB first baseman. His late-season hot streak started in August, where he hit four home runs with a .333 batting average in 49 plate appearances. It then continued into September where he hit an impressive 10 home runs and maintained that .333 batting average through another 99 PA. Can he carry over that form into 2019?

Of course, it is extremely unlikely that Voit carries on in exactly the vein he finished 2018. Continuing to have a 40.5% HR/FB rate and a .350 ISO would be expecting a lot, to say the least. Especially given he never had that impressive of a power profile in the minors. However, there is a reason for optimism. Voit does not qualify for the Statcast leaderboards due to his relative lack of PA, but if he did he would have placed joint eighth in average exit velocity, matching the output of J.D. Martinez. Additionally, if we just look at his average exit velocity on fly balls and line drives, he would also have ranked 21st, this time right behind J.D. Martinez.

Those exit velocity numbers demonstrate that Voit is a legitimate power threat in 2019. If he is the everyday first baseman in New York, 30 home runs are extremely possible. Additionally, his expected batting average last season was .296, demonstrating that while that .333 mark from last season may not be repeated he is unlikely to suddenly bottom out with a batting average in the low .200s. Finally, there has also been a suggestion from his manager, Aaron Boone, that he could hit clean up to start the season. If he is hitting in that spot all season then he has the potential to put up a combined 200 runs and RBI in 2019.

 

Shohei Ohtani (DH, LAA) - ADP: 186.31

You could legitimately make a case that Ohtani really broke out last year when he hit 22 home runs in just 367 PA. However, his draft day value is massively undervalued compared to the results he could give you in 2019. This was emphasized by a strong September finish in which he hit seven home runs and had a .310 batting average. To some extent, the September performance was just an extension of a strong August, but it outlined his potential to be a 30-plus home run hitter in 2019.

Over the course of the entire season, Ohtani ranked third in average exit velocity on fly balls and line drives at 97.8 mph. If we narrow it down to just fly balls and line drives in the month of September, the average velocity jumps to 99 mph. It wouldn't move him up the leader board but it groups him more tightly with the likes of Joey Gallo and Giancarlo Stanton, while separating him from the rest of the pack.

The most interesting thing about Ohtani's September performance is actually that both of his home runs against left-handed pitchers came in that month. In addition, he hit for a season-best .297 batting average against left-handed pitchers in September. That flash of success against left-handed pitchers suggests there is potential for Ohtani to become an everyday DH in 2019. If that happens then 35-40 home runs at a more than reasonable batting average in the .270-.280 region is more than possible. In addition, when he is in the lineup he will likely hit in the middle of the Angels lineup so could contribute around 180 combined runs and RBI in 2019. Ohtani could be an absolute steal in 2019 if he can repeat his September success against left-handed hitters and stay healthy enough to stick in the lineup.

 

Stephen Piscotty (OF, OAK) - ADP: 152.99

2018 was a mixed year for Piscotty. On one hand, he lost his mother to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in May but it was also the best season in his major league career. In all, Piscotty hit 27 home runs with a .267 batting average in 605 PA. However, the month where it all really clicked was September, when he had eight home runs and returned a .310 batting average in 99 PA. In separate months in 2018, Piscotty either hit eight home runs or hit for a .300 batting average, but September was the first time in 2018 that he put it all together.

September, saw Piscotty produce an average exit velocity above his yearly average, on both all batted ball event and specifically on fly balls and line drives. Even so, the value is nothing to get excited about as even the increased number would have only just put Piscotty slightly inside the top 100 for average exit velocity on the year. However, the most interesting thing from a fantasy point of view is the .300-plus batting average that Piscotty returned in September. Intriguingly, his expected batting average for that period was .490 so his final numbers may actually have been slightly shortchanged compared to the contact he was making.

At age 28, Piscotty is now in the prime years for a baseball player. Additionally, he will be able to focus all of his attention on his on-field performance. Piscotty has demonstrated the ability to hit 25-30 home runs and flashed the potential at the end of last season to have a batting average closer to .300 than he produced in 2018. At his current ADP, Piscotty could be a wonderful bargain this season.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Mark Andrews17 mins ago

Ravens Expect Mark Andrews Back In 2025
Lamar Jackson22 mins ago

Ravens Have Had Early Extension Talks With Lamar Jackson
Christopher Bell53 mins ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott1 hour ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson1 hour ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron2 hours ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Nick Kurtz2 hours ago

Enjoying Hot Start At Triple-A
Joey Logano2 hours ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Coby Mayo2 hours ago

Goes Deep On Sunday
Chase Dollander2 hours ago

Strikes Out Five In Triple-A Debut
Dylan Carlson2 hours ago

Colton Cowser Placed On 10-Day Injured List, Dylan Carlson Recalled
Julio Rodríguez2 hours ago

Julio Rodriguez Goes Yard On Sunday
Tyler Reddick2 hours ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Brandon Sproat2 hours ago

Stumbles In Season Debut
Roman Anthony3 hours ago

Goes Deep Twice On Sunday
Chris Bassitt3 hours ago

Excellent On Sunday Against The Orioles
Bryan Woo3 hours ago

Records His First Win On Sunday
JP Sears3 hours ago

Fans Seven In His First Start Of The Year
Kyle Manzardo3 hours ago

Goes Deep Again
Joseph Woll6 hours ago

Stands Tall On Sunday
UTA6 hours ago

Alex Kerfoot Leads The Way In Sunday's Victory
Tristan Jarry6 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Ottawa On Sunday
Sebastian Aho6 hours ago

Busy In Sunday's Victory
Anze Kopitar6 hours ago

Tallies Three Helpers On Sunday
Troy Terry6 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Denny Hamlin7 hours ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs8 hours ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain8 hours ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe8 hours ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones8 hours ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Tanner Bibee14 hours ago

Throws 5 2/3 Shutout Frames
Daniel Schneemann14 hours ago

Homers, Draws Three Walks
Wilyer Abreu15 hours ago

Draws Three Walks
Aaron Judge15 hours ago

Goes Deep Again
Isaiah Hartenstein15 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Jaylin Williams15 hours ago

Could Miss Monday's Game
Jazz Chisholm Jr.15 hours ago

Jazz Chisholm Blasts Two More Homers
Chet Holmgren15 hours ago

Uncertain For Monday
Jonathan India15 hours ago

Hit In Head By Pitch
Jonathan Kuminga15 hours ago

Won't Return On Sunday
LeBron James15 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up Monday
Zach Wilson17 hours ago

Still Views Himself As A Starter
New York Giants17 hours ago

Victor Dimukeje Signs With Giants
Dallas Cowboys17 hours ago

Brian Schottenheimer Optimistic About Deal With Micah Parsons
Tyler Soderstrom18 hours ago

Hits Another Homer
Luke Jackson18 hours ago

Records Second Save
Jacob deGrom18 hours ago

Throws Five Scoreless Innings
Nathaniel Lowe18 hours ago

Collects Three Hits
Lane Hutson19 hours ago

Continues Special Campaign With Hat Trick Of Assists
Trae Young19 hours ago

Playing Versus Milwaukee
Anfernee Simons19 hours ago

Cleared For Action Versus The Knicks
Giannis Antetokounmpo19 hours ago

Available On Sunday Night
Nick Suzuki19 hours ago

Notches Three Points In Sunday's Win
Robby Fabbri19 hours ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Jacob Trouba19 hours ago

Could Be An Option Sunday
Jalen Brunson19 hours ago

Cleared For Basketball Activities
Jordan Staal19 hours ago

Will Not Play On Sunday
Jerami Grant20 hours ago

Out Again On Sunday
Evgeni Malkin20 hours ago

Out Against Senators
Tobias Harris20 hours ago

Probable Versus Minnesota
Justin Fields20 hours ago

Aaron Glenn Thinks Justin Fields Is Ready To Break Out
Dennis Schröder20 hours ago

Dennis Schroder Expected To Face The Timberwolves
Cade Cunningham20 hours ago

Doubtful For Sunday Night
Mark Williams20 hours ago

Ruled Out Versus The Pels
Dak Prescott21 hours ago

"Doing Great" In Rehab From Hamstring Surgery
Jacksonville Jaguars21 hours ago

Fred Johnson Signs With Jacksonville
Tennessee Titans21 hours ago

Titans Still Entertaining Calls For No. 1 Overall Pick
Karel Vejmelka22 hours ago

Makes 17th Consecutive Start Sunday
Arvid Soderblom22 hours ago

Tries To End Four-Game Skid Sunday
Alec Martinez22 hours ago

Misses Fourth Consecutive Game
Robert Bortuzzo22 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Olli Määttä22 hours ago

Olli Maatta Considered A Game-Time Call Sunday
Logan Thompson23 hours ago

Starts Against Sabres Sunday
Rasmus Dahlin23 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Cameron Payne23 hours ago

Ruled Out On Sunday
Miles McBride23 hours ago

Remains Out On Sunday
Scoot Henderson23 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Brandon Aiyuk23 hours ago

Deadline Coming For Brandon Aiyuk
Anfernee Simons23 hours ago

May Miss Sunday's Game
Ty Jerome24 hours ago

Out Again On Sunday
Kawhi Leonard24 hours ago

Sitting On Sunday Afternoon
Josh Berry1 day ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano1 day ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Leads The Way In Return
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin1 day ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Austin Cindric1 day ago

Martinsville Is Austin Cindric's Best Short Track
Kyle Busch1 day ago

Short-Track Performance At Richard Childress Racing Is Pretty Dire
Brad Keselowski1 day ago

If Brad Keselowski Has Any Speed Whatsoever, He's A Killer DFS Option
Dereck Lively II2 days ago

Ruled Out Versus Chicago
Chicago Bears2 days ago

Doug Kramer Jr. Re-Signs With Chicago
Washington Commanders2 days ago

Foster Sarell Inks One-Year Contract With Washington
Miami Dolphins2 days ago

Willie Gay Jr. Heading To Miami
Seattle Seahawks2 days ago

D'Anthony Bell Signs With Seattle
Houston Texans2 days ago

Texans Sign E.J. Speed To One-Year Deal
Buffalo Bills2 days ago

Bills, Christian Benford Reach Agreement On Four-Year Extension
Detroit Lions3 days ago

Lions Re-Sign Kayode Awosika
Irvin Charles3 days ago

Jets Re-Sign Irvin Charles
Green Bay Packers3 days ago

Kristian Welch Signs With Green Bay
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Jeremiah Moon Heading To Pittsburgh
Teagan Quitoriano3 days ago

Falcons Sign Teagan Quitoriano
Steve Erceg3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres3 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum3 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira3 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
David Martinez3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas3 days ago

Set To Open Up UFC Mexico City Main Card
Ronaldo Rodríguez3 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Jhonattan Vegas5 days ago

Not A Good Play At Houston Open
Gary Woodland5 days ago

A Dark-Horse Candidate At Houston Open
Nick Taylor5 days ago

Keep An Eye On Nick Taylor At Houston Open
Mackenzie Hughes5 days ago

Avoid Mackenzie Hughes At Houston Open
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looking To Rebound At Houston Open
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Returns To Houston Looking For Year's First Victory
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Making Additional Start At Houston Open To Prepare For Augusta
Doug Ghim5 days ago

Looking For Iron Form In Houston
Aaron Rai5 days ago

Keep An Eye On Aaron Rai At Houston Open
Si Woo Kim5 days ago

Looks To Build On Recent History At Memorial Park
Harry Hall5 days ago

Looking For Consistency At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Harris English5 days ago

Looking To Build Off Solid Finish At The PLAYERS
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

A Risky Option At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Alex Smalley6 days ago

A Strong Play At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Michael Kim6 days ago

Bounces Back At Valspar Championship
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Looking For Bounce-Back Performance At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Austin Eckroat6 days ago

A Player To Avoid At Texas Children's Houston Open
PGA6 days ago

Nico Echavarria A Volatile Option At Texas Children's Houston Open
Joe Highsmith6 days ago

Continues Post-Win Success And Is Looking For More In Houston
Adam Hadwin6 days ago

Far From Good Form As He Heads To Texas
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

HuThe NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]