It’s Thursday. You know what that means.
Each and every week during the fantasy baseball season, we’ll be doing a stock report, looking at the players who are improving their value on a week-to-week basis.
If there are players you want me to dive into, feel free to tag me on Twitter @MichaelWaterloo.
Now, without any further ado, let’s get to it.
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Fantasy Baseball Stock Report
Stock Up
Elly De La Cruz (SS, 3B – CIN)
I wrote about him last week. I wrote about him yesterday. And I will write about him today, too.
The stock report isn’t just about who is playing well or not so well, but it’s also about perception. Right now, I’m struggling to find anyone who has a higher perceived value than Elly De La Cruz does.
His first batted ball was 112 off the bat – a pitch that was four feet high. He’s going to strike out a ton – I have him for 31K% – but the rest of the profile is insane. The best time to trade a prospect is the day they were called up. The next best time is when they first do something in the Big Leagues.
In dynasty? I’d need a top-25 return to consider moving him. In redraft, make me an offer, and I will likely flip him.
Stock Down
Casey Schmitt (3B, 2B, SS – SF)
That was fun while it lasted. OK, I’m picking at nits here, as Casey Schmitt can still be serviceable moving forward. But he’s been struggling lately, with just two hits – a single and a double – in his last 20 plate appearances.
I think he can be a fine corner infielder for fantasy, but I don’t know he will do enough to matter in standard leagues as a starter. It seems like Yahoo managers agree, as he’s one of the most-dropped players over the last few days.
Stock Up
We seem to be disappointed by Daulton Varsho, and I’m not really sure why.
It seems like Rob Silver, friend of the program, agrees.
Dalton Varsho’s ranks amongst ‘catchers’:
Plate appearances – 2nd
HRs – 2nd (tied)
SBs – 2nd
Runs – 2nd (tied)
RBIs – 8th (tied)The odds are very good if he stays healthy, he ends the year as the most valuable fantasy catcher. https://t.co/46sO9GmWgX
– Rob Silver (@RobSilver) June 7, 2023
Moreover, Varsho is slashing .271/.306/.542 with a sub-10K% and a 132 wRC+ since May 22. During that stretch, he has five home runs and 21 runs+RBIs.
Stock Down
I updated my rankings at The Athletic this week, and I caught some heat for where I had Harris. It’s weird. I avoided him at all costs in draft season because I don’t draft second-year players who I feel overachieved in their rookie year.
I expected him to be a little better moving forward, but I think the reader was right. I was far too kind. There are few signs that he will turn it around anytime soon. He’s only 22, and it’s hard to gauge just what his value is moving forward in redraft and dynasty.
Stock Up
J.D. Martinez has been on one lately, as he has six home runs in his last eight games. That’s pretty, pretty good, and it’s helped raise his season-long slash line to .277/.314/.633.
He’s been a forgotten man in Los Angeles. While he’ll still strike out a ton and walk a little, his quality of contact metrics look like the Martinez of old.
Stock Down
There’s real-life bad, and then there’s fantasy bad. Anthony Volpe has been more of the former than the latter, but it’s really the stolen bases that are saving him so far.
He does have the nine home runs – three of which were hit to the little league porch in right field in New York – but the high strikeout rate paired with the limited quality of contact numbers gives me concern about the rookie.
Again, like Harris, he’s only 22. However, he’s absolutely crushing you outside of the 14 stolen bases.
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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.
