We are three weeks into the MLB season and beginning to get an idea of which teams will be leading the way. The Rays jumped off to one of the craziest starts the MLB has seen in some time (13-0) while there have also been some surprise strugglers (Phillies: 6-10, Astros: 8-9) out of the gate. In the same breath, this new version of the MLB has seen some unexpected players popping off relative to both their real-life expectations and fantasy ADPs.
Let’s take a look at some of these guys in this week’s version of “Depth Chart Review.”
Fantasy Baseball Depth Chart Review
Patrick Wisdom (3B – CHC)
Wisdom has quite rapidly earned his place amongst the Chicago starting lineup. The 31-year-old veteran had quietly defied expectations in the power department each of the last two seasons (53 combined homers), and now he finds himself atop the home run leaderboard early in the 2023 campaign. At this point in time, he has put to rest any idea of splitting time in the field, and he is the bona fide everyday starting third baseman for the Cubs.
In 2022, Wisdom ranked top-50 in the MLB in average exit velocity. He is off to a fantastic start in that category again in 2023, ranked in the top 97th percentile, while also topping the entire MLB in HardHit%. Oh, and he’s also currently in the midst of a four-game home run streak dating back to April 14th. It’s unlikely Wisdom is still hanging around on any waiver wires but if he is, he needs to be picked up and started in 100% of leagues while he continues to scorch.
Bryson Stott (2B – PHI)
A former first-round draft pick, Stott is taking off, and in glorious fashion. He was projected to bat late in the order for the Phillies in his sophomore season, relegating him to an undrafted status in most fantasy leagues. The 25-year-old has responded by forcing Phillies’ management to slide him up in the batting order, and he is now hitting leadoff for the big-league club.
Stott has at least one hit in each of the Phillies first 16 (!!) games this season, and he currently sits third in the MLB with 27 hits, good for a .380 batting average. The move to leadoff should do wonders for him going forward, as he will continue to bat ahead of the likes of Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. An ample amount of run-scoring opportunity is surely on the way for a guy that also has severely underrated sprint speed.
Sonny Gray (SP – MIN)
The Twins have a new ace, but it’s not the guy that most were expecting. Sure, Pablo Lopez has been pretty fantastic in his own right. However, we’re here to talk about the current MLB ERA leader.
Gray was expected to be the third guy up for the Twins this season, behind both Lopez and third-year man Joe Ryan. Now, truth be told, what we actually have here in Minnesota is the best trio of starting pitchers across the league, and that is why the Twins currently sit atop the AL Central. That wouldn’t be possible without the “old man” of this group.
Gray is off to a 2-0 start, built upon 17 total innings pitched with just a single earned run allowed over three starts. Two of those outings came against formidable foes in both the White Sox and the Astros in which Gray posted an 18:3 K:BB ratio overall. He is looking like a man reborn with his 0.53 ERA in the early going and he should have a fantastic opportunity to carry on these numbers his next few projected outings (@BOS, vs WSH, vs KCR).
A.J. Minter (RP – ATL)
With Raisel Iglesias starting the 2023 season on the IL, Minter has been the de facto closer for the Braves in the interim. He has responded by compiling four saves in the early going, and is tied for third across the MLB in that department.
Minter has been impressive by all accounts, and he has allowed just two runs across nine innings pitched while boasting an 8:2 K:BB ratio. He has certainly done enough to bear the question of if he should retain the closer position even once Iglesias is able to return. As of April 18th, it seems that there is still no clear timetable as to when that might be. Minter needs to be owned in all fantasy leagues until further notice.
Quick Hitter Notes:
- Tyler Freeman has been called up by the Guardians as Amed Rosario is dealing with a back issue. Freeman should make his season debut this week.
- The Brett Baty era may be among us. The 23-year-old phenom had been dicing up the minors prior to his Monday callup. He could become fantasy relevant quickly.
- Justin Verlander should be nearing a return in the next one to two weeks, though his pitch count could be monitored off the bat.
- Jorge Mateo has enough of a sample size to indicate that he will remain an important everyday piece in the Baltimore lineup. He’s currently slashing .372/.431/.651 with three homers and eight steals.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball season.
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