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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Platoon Watch: Part-Time Outfielders Worth Rostering

Nick Ritrivi takes a look at some part-time outfielders who are worth rostering in fantasy baseball leagues for 2020. These players can be OF sleepers to monitor.

As we head into the 2020 season, it should be no surprise that the deepest position in fantasy baseball remains the outfield. If you are in shallow leagues, you need not worry about selecting an outfielder with question marks regarding playing time. But, if you are in a deep mixed league, an AL-only league, or an NL-only league, there is a good chance that at least one outfielder on your team, whether in your starting lineup or on your bench, will have some risk associated with playing time.

Today we look at some undervalued players in the outfield who you should still target in drafts despite playing time concerns. All four outfielders discussed are young players with high upside who have not yet carved out a full-time role on their respective teams.

Don't sleep on these players despite their unclear playing-time situations. None of these players will be part-time players for long.

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

 

Garrett Hampson (2B/OF, COL) – 175 ADP

Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder Garrett Hampson had a disappointing 2019 campaign. In 299 at-bats, he produced just a .247-8-27-40-15 line. Despite his struggles, the 25-year old appeared to figure things out late in the season after a stint in Triple-A. In September, Hampson hit .318 with five home runs and nine steals in just 88 at-bats.

Hampson’s history and metrics both suggest that his hot September was no fluke. In over 1,300 career minor league at-bats, Hampson hit for a career minor league average of .311. Additionally, Hampson is in the 99th percentile in MLB elite speed. Over the course of a full season, 30 stolen bases is a safe floor to expect for fantasy owners. With regard to Hampson’s power metrics, Hampson posted an exit velocity of 89.2 mph on FB/LD and a mere 3.7% barrel rate in 2019. Despite this modest power potential, a full season as a starter could still generate 10-15 HR in Coors Field for Hampson.

In 2019, Hampson saw time at second base, shortstop, left field and center field. It has already been reported that Hampson will likely break camp as the Rockies’ utility man in 2020. This position eligibility makes him an even more valuable fantasy commodity. Of course, given the depth of the Rockies’ roster, the big question is whether Hampson will generate enough at-bats to reach his fantasy potential. As it stands right now, Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon, Charlie Blackmon, and David Dahl are all blocking Hampson from a regular starting position.

Despite being blocked from a full-time role, given Hampson’s September and elite speed, Rockies manager Bud Black will find ways to get Hampson’s bat into the lineup. In addition, an injury to Story, Dickerson, Dahl, and/or McMahon would immediately throw Hampson into a starting role. Finally, the Rockies are on the verge of a rebuild, given the off-season chatter regarding dealing Nolan Arenado. Should the Rockies trade any of their current expensive starters, including Arenado or Blackmon, Hampson would likely benefit and move into a starting role somewhere on the diamond.

Should Hampson get a full-time role with the Rockies, he would easily outperform his current ADP. A safe floor for Hampson, in a full-time role, would be 10 HR, around 30 steals, with a batting average not far below .300. Accordingly, the returns on drafting Hampson in the middle-to-late rounds could be monumental for opportunistic owners, particularly given the current landscape where steals are a rare commodity.

 

Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU) – 147 ADP

Over a full season as a starting outfielder, Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker conservatively projects as a hitter with a floor of 20-20. Despite the lofty talent, Tucker faces uncertainty in terms of playing time heading into 2020. The Astros already have Michael Brantley in left field, George Springer in center field, and Yordan Alvarez slated to start at designated hitter. As a result, that leaves right field where Tucker will likely split time with Josh Reddick.

In 2019, Tucker hit 34 homers with 30 steals in 536 plate appearances at Triple-A. Once he was called up to Houston in September, Tucker batted .269 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 67 at-bats. Tucker, who has been one of the Astros' top prospects for the last few years, has a much higher ceiling than Reddick. By way of metrics, Tucker boasts an MLB career launch angle of 15.9 degrees, an MLB career overall exit velocity just under 92 mph and an MLB career hard-hit rate of 46.9%. That said, despite the talent and pedigree, Tucker’s inconsistency over the course of four brief MLB stints since 2018 has delayed his ascending into a regular outfield starting job.

Despite the likelihood of a platoon role with Reddick, at least to begin the season, Steamer still projects Tucker to get 396 at-bats and bat .247 with 21 HR, 62 RBI, and 15 SB. At his ADP of 147, this is a solid return on investment. If, however, Tucker can quickly wrestle the job away from Reddick permanently, he could far exceed his current ADP and produce 30 HR and more than 20 SB in a very potent lineup. Such production would be in line with comparatives produced by players taken around an ADP of, roughly, 39 per RotoBaller's Expected Draft Values.

Accordingly, although Tucker's cost is higher than other platoon outfielders discussed in this article, the return value on Tucker can potentially be massive. Additionally, even if Tucker remains relegated to a full-time split with Reddick for the entire season as a worst-case scenario, his current ADP will still likely be justified by his year-end numbers as projected by Steamer. He should certainly be rostered early in drafts in all mixed and AL-only leagues.

 

Trent Grisham (OF, SD) – 336 ADP

In 2019, San Diego Padres outfielder Trent Grisham had a somewhat disappointing MLB debut. He batted only .231 with six home runs, 24 RBI and one steal in 183 plate appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, before being called up by the Brewers late in the season, Grisham performed well over two minor league levels in 2019. In 236 Double-A at-bats, Grisham slashed .254/.371/.504 with 13 HR and, subsequently, in 158 Triple-A at-bats, Grisham slashed .381/.471/.776 with another 13 HR. His Double-A and Triple-A performances in 2019 restored some of the shine that Grisham had lost since being selected in the first round by the Brewers in 2015.

Heading into 2020, Grisham is now with the San Diego Padres thanks to an off-season trade that sent Luis Urias and Eric Lauer to the Brewers. Grisham finds himself, potentially, in a platoon role with Franchy Cordero and/or Wil Myers. That said, early rumblings out of the Padres spring camp indicate Grisham may be in line for the bulk of the playing time in center field. Additionally, the Myers trade rumors have not died down, despite spring training having had started weeks ago. With a foreseeable line to a full-time role in close proximity, either through winning the center field job outright, or a Myers trade, Grisham is a very tantalizing option at his current ADP of 336.

Grisham possesses a solid power and speed tool, exemplified by his 31 HR over three levels last season, and an MLB sprint speed which is in the top 93rd percentile. This makes Grisham a legitimate 20-15 threat when (not if) he lands a full-time role as the Padres starting center fielder. In addition, depending upon where the Padres bat Grisham in the lineup, those steal projections could rise. This spring, the Padres have been batting him leadoff. Additionally, in 30 of his 36 starts with the Brewers in 2019, Grisham hit leadoff. This is due, in part, to his upper-tier sprint speed, as well as his solid plate discipline, evidenced by a very low 2019 22% O-Swing rate and a 10.9% walk rate. As a regular leadoff hitter for San Diego, this would not only bolster Grisham’s steal totals but also bolster his run potential in that potent Padres lineup.

Grisham is certainly an outfielder that should be rostered in all deep mixed and NL-only formats. He should easily outperform his current ADP as an excellent value pick to round out outfields.

 

Dominic Smith (1B/OF, NYM) – 565 ADP

Of the outfielders discussed in this article, New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith is the riskiest to roster. Due to the depth of the New York Mets roster, Smith has no place for consistent playing time and is, therefore, off of radars in most mixed leagues as we head into 2020.

In 2019, in limited action due to injury, a brief stint at Triple-A, and a platoon role at the MLB level, Smith batted .282 with 11 HR and 25 RBI in 177 at-bats. Given his success in 2019, and pedigree as a 2013 first-round pick, the presumption was that the Mets were going to trade Smith in the off-season for additional pitching to replace the departed Zack Wheeler. Of course, as is typical with the Mets, they don’t usually make rational decisions and, as we head in 2020, Smith is somehow still with the team.

Looking at Smith’s metrics from 2019, his power was supported by a 14.8-degree launch angle and an exit velocity on FB/LD of 92 mph, slightly below that of Anthony Rizzo and Jeff McNeil. In a full season of at-bats, Smith would likely produce 20-25 HR, at least 65 RBI and an average around .260. While these aren’t eye-popping numbers, at an ADP of 565, the value of taking Smith with the last pick in deep mixed leagues, or late pick NL-Only leagues, would generate tremendous value should he land a full-time role.

Much like Hampson discussed above, the question is whether Smith will get enough playing time to achieve this fantasy potential. Smith enters 2020 on the short end of a timeshare in left field with Yoenis Cespedes and J.D. Davis. He is also the backup to Peter Alonso at first base. When not starting, Smith will be relegated to the bench awaiting pinch-hitting opportunities. For Smith, the road to playing time must necessarily be through a trade to a team in need of a first baseman or an injury to a Mets’ regular.

A trade of Smith at some point in 2020 is not only possible, but it is also likely. Several teams right now could use Smith as their starting first baseman. The Mets currently have Peter Alonso at first base and have also signed Matt Adams to a minor league contract. The Adams signing makes Smith expendable if Alonso gets injured. In addition, the Mets have Cespedes, Brandon Nimmo, Jake Marisnick and Michael Conforto in the outfield. Should the Mets find themselves in a pennant race later in the season, Smith becomes their most valuable and likely trade chip to address any roster deficiencies.

In addition, and sadly, an injury to a Mets regular in 2020 is also not only possible, but it is also likely. Given their recent injury histories, the chances of Cespedes or Robinson Cano making it through 2020 unscathed are slim. In the event of a Cespedes injury, Smith would see more playing time in left field. Should Cano go down, McNeil would shift over to second base, Davis would take third base, and Smith would, again, get more playing time in left field.

If Smith gets the at-bats this season, whether as a starting first baseman on another team or due to an injury to a starting Mets regular, he will far exceed his 565 ADP. As such, he worth a last roster spot gamble in deep mixed leagues. Patience, however, will be a virtue to those owners willing to spend an extremely late draft pick or waiver claim on Smith, since it will take time for Smith to ascend into a full-time role.

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jameson Williams

Lions Didn't Entertain Trade Offers For Jameson Williams
Dalton Rushing

Homers In Four-Hit Game
Qadir Ismail

Raiders Sign Qadir Ismail
New York Giants

Giants Plan To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux's Fifth-Year Option
Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Max Muncy

With A Pair Of Doubles Back At Triple-A
Michael Lorenzen

Tosses Quality Start
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
A.J. Puk

Likely To Miss Multiple Months
Marquis Grissom Jr.

Notches Fifth Save At Double-A
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Records Third Save
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders

Giants Trade Up For Jaxson Dart At No. 25
Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams Taken By Lions At No. 28 Overall
Shane Smith

Tosses Five Shutout Frames
Roman Anthony

With Home Run No. 5 On Thursday
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Go With Malaki Starks At No. 27 Overall In NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Takes Donovan Jackson No. 24 Overall
NFL

Rams Trade The 26th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Falcons
Andrés Muñoz

Andres Munoz Secures Ninth Save
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall

Matthew Golden Selected No. 23 Overall By Green Bay
NFL

Texans Trade The 25th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Giants
Jakob Marsee

Up To 18 Steals At Triple-A

Omarion Hampton Taken No. 22 Overall By Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Selects Derrick Harmon At No. 21 Overall
Denver Broncos

Broncos Build Secondary By Selecting Jahdae Barron At No. 20

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19
Jeff McNeil

Activated From Injured List
Brett Baty

Optioned To Minors
Zack Gelof

To Begin Rehab Assignment Next Week
Ryan Walker

Remains Giants Closer
Kumar Rocker

Heads To Injured List
Brent Rooker

Resting For First Time This Season
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Isaiah Stewart

Remains Out For Game 3
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Bryan Woo

Picks Up Third Win, Strikes Out Eight On Thursday
Cade Cavalli

Moving Rehab Assignment To Double-A
Paul DeJong

Having Surgery On His Nose
Royce Lewis

Starting His Rehab Assignment On Friday
Tyler O'Neill

Out On Thursday With Sore Neck
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Gabriel Landeskog

Delivers Six Hits In First Game Since 2022
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF