Max Kepler (OF, MIN) - Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 27% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler has flown relatively under the fantasy radar this season, but the 25-year-old has made some encouraging signs of improvement. While Kepler had a less than inspiring week, hitting just .190 with a home run, the season long production and projection forward is worth discussing.

Kepler has made gains in almost every relevant hitting metric. His line of .264/.348/.488 is up from .243/.312/.425 in 2017, and his ISO of .224 is up from .182. Kepler has raised his hard hit percentage by 11% while making significantly more contact, and is walking nearly as often as he’s striking out. He is morphing himself into an OBP machine with above-average power, a truly valuable commodity in today’s game. The biggest hole in Kepler’s game continues to be a split heavily favoring working against left-handers, but he has made strides towards becoming more effective against right-handers.

Kepler brings significant upside to the lineup, with true 30 home run potential. He is also a lineup mainstay who figures to continue to receive the bulk of the work in right field. Kepler is an ideal candidate for the team in need of power and OBP, and if he is owned in your league, could be the kind of throw in to a trade that can swing the deal in your team’s favor.