When is Joey Loperfido Getting Called Up? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook

Immense struggles for Jose Abreu this season led to the promotion of Astros outfield prospect Joey Loperfido on April 30, a big league debut that lasted until May 26 when the 25-year-old was optioned back to Triple-A Sugar Land. Loperfido's debut went well as he hit .333 with a double, a homer, a stolen base, and an .817 OPS across 43 trips to the plate. At the same time, he also punched out in a whopping 39.5% of his plate appearances and his .103 isolated power disappointed in a miniature sample.

However, a big season so far at Triple-A has Astros fans and fantasy managers alike clamoring for a second promotion, especially with Chas McCormick also struggling mightily at the plate as an outfielder in an everyday role. Despite a slow return to the minors, Loperfido's offensive potential would be a welcomed addition to the 27-34 Astros, even if the offense has been far from the problem.

Let's check in on the slugger's prospect status, when he could potentially return to the big leagues, and his fantasy outlook for the 2024 campaign.

Joey Loperfido Prospect Update for Fantasy Baseball

With a sixth-ranked .325 wOBA, the Astros' surprisingly poor season cannot be put on the offense. At the same time, with McCormick struggling (his 51 wRC+ represents offensive production 49% below the league average) and superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker still under evaluation after taking a foul ball off the leg on Monday, there appears to be a reasonable opening for Loperfido's big league return.

Now, he hasn't exactly helped his cause since being sent back to the minors as he is hitting just .208 without a homer in his five games back with Sugar Land. Additionally, he still sports a bloated 31.5% punchout rate at Triple-A this season, certainly not a new development given his minor league track record of high strikeout numbers. His 13 long balls, seven stolen bases, and 1.000 OPS with Sugar Land deservedly get the headlines but this is a player not without his flaws.

Even with a propensity for the swing-and-miss, Loperfido's bat has largely demolished minor league pitching. It likely doesn't serve him well to spend much more time at Triple-A in his age-25 season, especially with the big club looking to get anything and everything it can to get its season pointed in the proper direction.

Joey Loperfido Outlook for Fantasy Baseball

What can fantasy managers expect from Loperfido this season and beyond? Well, the profile is fairly clear at this point: plenty of raw power, excellent speed for a power hitter, and likely a whole bunch of strikeouts. However, Loperfido's ability to draw walks helps mitigate the strikeout issues as he has walked in a superb 12.5% of his plate appearances in the minors this season.

A player who boasts light-tower power in combination with speed and an advanced ability to draw free passes is a player any and all fantasy managers should covet. After all, the Astros sit with an 18.1% K% on the season, good for the best mark in baseball as they're annually one of the most difficult teams to strike out. Perhaps some of those tendencies can rub off on the young Loperfido.

Loperfido remains a redraft target while dynasty managers should absolutely continue to stash the slugger in any and all formats.

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