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We're roughly at the halfway mark on the 2018 season. It seems like just yesterday we were drafting Jonathan Schoop in the top 50 and excitedly investing in a breakout for Jorge Polanco. As always, much has changed in a few short months. But you know what hasn't?
Every Sunday until the end of the season, we'll look at the best middle infielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. These are based on standard 5x5 scoring; adjust accordingly for your specific setup.
Let’s get to it. Below are your second base and shortstop waiver wire targets for Week 14.
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Week 14 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets
Jurickson Profar, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Texas Rangers (45% owned)
It’s come a few years later than most fantasy owners had hoped, but Profar has finally emerged as a contributor at 25 years old. The former top prospect’s struggles with injury and ineffectiveness are well-documented. He’s managed to stay healthy this year and has hit .241/.325/.438 with eight home runs, six stolen bases, and 86 R+BI. If he can pull the batting average up a bit – and Statcast data suggests that’s a distinct possibility – Profar’s counting stats and positional flexibility make him a valuable core performer in almost any format.
Kike Hernandez, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (40% owned)
The Dodgers’ super-utility man homered on Saturday night, giving him 14 on the season. Six of those have come in the last 15 days, and Hernandez also hit a respectable .263 during the month of June. He accomplished this primarily by lopping double digits off his strikeout rate. That, taken in concert with a bump in his walk rate, could suggest that the 26-year-old is making strides at the plate. His power surge certainly scans as legitimate, with his Barrel% and launch angle at career highs. His ownership rate has skyrocketed in recent days, so now might be your last chance to grab him.
Ketel Marte, 2B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (28% owned)
Marte’s overall line, at .245/.298/.413 with middling counting stats, isn’t impressive. That’s because he entered June barely hitting above the Mendoza line and with a .580 OPS. With a two-hit effort on Saturday, Marte closed the books on a June that saw him slash .304/.350/.630 with five home runs and 39 R+BI. He went hitless in just three games during the month, and in the process has seen some at-bats in the fifth spot of the Diamondbacks order recently.
Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Chicago Cubs (23% owned)
On Saturday, Zobrist reached base in four of his five trips to the plate, with a pair of singles and a pair of walks. That quintessentially Zobrist performance pushed his season line to .297/.394/.439. The counting stats are modest, but that may change if the veteran continues to bat in the three-hole as he has been lately. Regardless, the 37-year-old is exactly the type of boring old guy you’ll often find on successful fantasy squads. If nothing else, most of us could use a boost to the ol’ batting average in the current environment.
Matt Duffy, 2B/3B, Tampa Bay Rays (19% owned)
Speaking of batting average boosts, how about Duffy? With three hits on Saturday (his 10th multi-hit game in June), the Rays’ infielder is now hitting .324/.367/.433 on the season. As with Zobrist, the counting stats won’t blow your hair back – though Duffy is a bit more of a help to those in need of steals, with six in nine tries – but there’s value in a guy who can counterbalance your low-average sluggers while offering eligibility at multiple positions.
