We have made it through another week of the MLB season and have some early results to overreact to. Based on their recent performances and a full-season outlook, I will break down some players to buy or sell in the coming weeks. Some are just hot streaks, and some are worth buying into, so we are here to help make the right decisions for your fantasy teams.
Let’s look at a handful of players you should buy high or sell low after Week 9.
Fantasy Baseball Players to Buy High & Sell Low
Buy High
Michael Conforto (OF – SF)
Michael Conforto appears to be healthy as he is mashing at the plate finally. This past week Conforto hit safely in six of seven games with three home runs and a stolen base while hitting .423. He barreled the ball 15% of the time with a 50% hard-hit rate. With contact quality like that, Conforto’s 94.4% Z-Contact goes a long way. Conforto is now hitting .279 in May with seven home runs while striking out less than 20% of the time. A big season could be ahead for Conforto.
Matt McLain (SS – CIN)
Matt McLain was crushing it in the Minors, and this past week he showcased those same skills in the Majors. McLain hit safely in all seven games this past week with three doubles, two home runs, a stolen base and a .484 batting average. In addition, McLain barreled the ball 12% of the time with a 40% hard-hit rate. McLain will play every day at shortstop for the Reds, which should go a long way in a great rookie season.
Francisco Alvarez (C – NYM)
Francisco Alvarez has finally become the regular catcher for the Mets, and he is thriving. This past week, Alvarez hit safely in all five games for a .400 batting average. In addition, Alvarez hit three home runs while striking out less than 15% of the time. He doesn’t strike out much, which bodes well for Alvarez as he had a 17.6% barrel rate and 52.9% hard-hit rate. Alvarez is turning into the player many thought he would be, and he can be a top-end fantasy catcher by the end of the season.
Joe Musgrove (SP – SD)
Joe Musgrove started the year on the IL and has been working back into form in his early starts. However, they have been rough and have left many fantasy managers questioning what to do with Musgrove. Well, his last start should make many feel at ease as Musgrove threw 6.1 innings while allowing one run and striking out six in the Bronx. Musgrove is a top-tier arm, and we are beginning to see that again. Buyback now before it’s too late.
Merrill Kelly (SP – ARI)
Merrill Kelly is amid a solid season, and this past week was no exception. Kelly threw 6.1 innings while allowing one run and striking out 10 versus the Red Sox. Kelly has a 2.83 ERA, 3.70 xFIP and 17.5% K-BB over 11 starts. Kelly has five quality starts and has thrown five or more innings in 10 starts. Kelly can eat up innings, and he’s getting strikeouts, making him very valuable for the rest of the season.
Sell Low
Anthony Volpe (SS – NYY)
After a highly-anticipated start to the season, Anthony Volpe has cooled down tremendously. This past week Volpe collected two singles for a .091 batting average while striking out 29.2% of the time. Volpe is now hitting .198 on the season with seven home runs and 13 stolen bases. The power and speed keep him around for now, but a trip to the Minors could be in the future as Oswald Peraza is heating up in Triple-A.
Josh Bell (1B – CLE)
It has been a horrible first season in Cleveland for Josh Bell, and this past week was no different. Bell collected three hits while hitting .150. He had a double with a .427 OPS and a 22.7% strikeout rate. Bell had a 6.7% barrel rate and a 60% ground ball rate, which continues to hamper his production. Bell is hitting .222 on the season with three home runs and a 58.8% groundball rate. Bell still hits the ball hard around 42% of the time, but all the ground balls will prevent Bell from reaching his full potential.
Brent Rooker (OF – OAK)
After being one of the hotter hitters in baseball, Brent Rooker has cooled off in a big way of late. This past week, Rooker collected three hits for a .125 batting average while striking out 42.3% of the time. In addition, Rooker had a 7.7% barrel rate and a 30.8% hard-hit rate to go with his .359 OPS. Rooker is now hitting .196 in May with two home runs and a 33.9% strikeout rate. Rooker may get hot again, but the slumps will be dramatic and are not worth holding onto.
Gavin Stone (SP – LAD)
There were high expectations for Gavin Stone entering the season, and when he finally got the call to the Bigs, people were quite excited. Unfortunately, stone made his second and third starts of the season this past week, which were disastrous. Stone threw six innings while allowing 12 runs, walking five and striking out four. He has looked overmatched and may be heading back to Triple-A sooner than later.
Brady Singer (SP – KC)
Brandy Singer has struggled tremendously this season; this past week was no exception. Singer made two starts, throwing 8.2 innings, allowing seven runs while walking seven, and striking out nine. In addition, Singer allowed a 10.7% barrel rate and 46.4% hard-hit rate while only forcing a 7.3% SwStr. It has been ugly all season for Singer, and it does not seem like it will get better soon.
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