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We’re now midway through June and are coming up on the halfway point of the fantasy baseball season. We’ve noticed hitting begin to improve over the last couple of weeks now that the weather is getting warmer. This could end up depressing the value of pitchers throughout the rest of the year, especially those who are prone to contact or fly balls. This also means that hitters who are coming off injury or have high expected stats but lower production make great buy-low candidates. Hard-throwing pitchers with lower WHIPs and higher ERAs from poor luck, along with those who have much higher expected stats than their production, still make great buy candidates despite the warmer weather.
Let’s take a look at one hitter in particular who looks like an excellent buy-low candidate right now: Corey Seager.
Corey Seager (SS – TEX)
“Corey Seager has 12 home runs, so he might not be the most obvious buy-low candidate. But he’s batting just .218 with a .285 OBP and .686 OPS, so the manager rostering him is likely frustrated. There are indications that his numbers are going to normalize, however. The -.088 difference between his wOBA and xwOBA is the largest number in baseball among qualified hitters. That, combined with his .220 BABIP, indicates that the quality of contact is there and that regression (it’s a good thing in this scenario) is coming. Seager won’t be an extreme buy-low because of the decent power numbers, but a frustrated fantasy manager could be willing to move on for a package centered around pitching help like Jeffrey Springs, Adam Wainwright and the speculative saves of someone like Tanner Houck.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
“His 12 home runs on the season have helped avoid a complete fantasy collapse, but Corey Seager’s 2022 campaign has left plenty to be desired. The Texas Rangers have committed to him for the long run, but his .222 batting average must be worrisome. Why, then, should we target him? Essentially all of Seager’s “expected” statistics are positive compared to his current pace, where his batting average is almost certainly going to rise dramatically over the coming months. The best part of acquiring Seager is that the shortstop position is quite deep, where a fantasy manager probably would accept moving him for a mid-range starting pitcher.”
– Mario Mergola (Sporfolio)
“With Marcus Semien finally heating up, I’m hoping that Corey Seager’s managers have reached peak disappointment with the Rangers’ other major free-agent acquisition. Seager’s Statcast page looks pretty red for a guy slashing .221/.286/.403, and I’m particularly interested in his xSLG of .569, which sits 166 points higher than his current number. I’m OK giving up a pitcher like Tony Gonsolin or Chris Bassitt for the forthcoming positive regression of the 28-year-old middle infielder, especially given the injuries I’ve incurred at that position. ”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)
Be sure to check out the other Buy Low and Sell High candidates from our featured pros:
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