To make sure we nail down $1 players I will be going off of the National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) average auction values (AAV) since March 1st. I will only choose players acquired for $1 in drafts over this span. This article will be for those who play in deeper formats. Below you will find one $1 player per position.
- Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings
- Fantasy Baseball Research & Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Average Draft Position (ADP)
- Fantasy Baseball News
$1 Players to Target in Salary Cap (Auction) Drafts
Alejandro Kirk (C – TOR)
This is probably the first time Alejandro Kirk has truly entered the year as the guy. He is the starting catcher with no real competition around him. Kirk also entered camp in the best shape of his life.
He is hitting the ball well so far in spring training, starting with the regulars every game and batting around seventh in the order. In Kirk, you are getting strong playing time, plate appearances and someone who could be an asset in batting average. He is best served as a starting catcher in deeper formats like two-catcher leagues or AL-Only formats.
Tyler Soderstrom (1B – ATH)
Tyler Soderstrom’s power is undeniable. However, there are some swing-and-miss concerns. Soderstrom could sneakily gain catcher eligibility in the first few months of the year, so that adds to his appeal. There are talks of him getting run as the backup catcher and we are seeing him play a bit of catcher in spring.
Soderstrom is expected to bat in the middle of the order and play, at least, on the strong side of a platoon. A glimpse of the power upside was shown in his call-up last year. In 61 games last season, his barrel rate (14.6%) and hard-hit rate (48.9%) were top-tier. This is a skillset worth considering based on where he is going in drafts.
Kristian Campbell (2B – BOS)
For a dollar, you cannot take a better shot than Kristian Campbell. He has had a slow start to spring but the team loves him. They are letting him get reps in the outfield and at second base. They already announced Masataka Yoshida will begin the year on the injured list (IL).
Rafael Devers is set to be the designated hitter initially while Alex Bregman plays at third. This would leave second base open for Campbell to run with this final week or so of spring training. He is a top prospect in the organization and overall has a very fantasy-friendly skillset. He showed us as much in the Minors last year. His stats between AA and AAA:
- 20 home runs
- 24 stolen bases
- 14.3% walk rate
- 19.9% strikeout rate
- .330/.439/.558 triple-slash line
- 46.2% hard-hit rate
Trevor Story (SS – BOS)
Boston has a ton of upside for fantasy and Trevor Story has plenty of it. However, injuries are a big concern. He has struggled to stay on the field since signing with Boston. When healthy, though, he does flash the power and speed. He returned from a devastating injury late last year and finished very strong, hitting .276/.360/.434 with a 121 wRC+, two home runs and five stolen bases.
This came over just 72 plate appearances, so the sample is small, but the power and speed were both there to finish the year, which is important to see. Story is currently healthy, projected to bat fourth in an improved lineup and provides power and speed upside. Just know the batting average could be a drag, so you need to build for that. Otherwise, he is worthy of your attention.
Joey Ortiz (3B, SS – MIL)
Joey Ortiz is a high-floor producer. He makes a ton of contact, has plus speed and is set to be the everyday shortstop for the Brewers. He can and likely will bounce around the infield as needed, but should gain eligibility at shortstop or second base, at the very least. Ortiz can hit a few home runs, steal a few bases and chip away at all the categories. The ceiling is not great but the floor feels safe.
Matt Wallner (OF – MIN)
Matt Wallner is the new Joey Gallo. It is a cheap and lazy comp but it does fit. Wallner hits the ball as hard as anyone but strikes out a ton. If he played enough this year he could lead the league in home runs and strikeouts, which wouldn’t surprise many. Gallo has a career 34.5% strikeout rate, which will always limit his batting average potential.
Hitting the ball as hard as he does (career 17.2% barrel rate and 50.9% hard-hit rate) can help the batting average on balls in play (BABIP) a bit. One thing that stands out is he is projected to lead off for the Twins, so that path to added plate appearances is very appealing. Just be aware of the potential for high highs and low lows.
Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL)
Brandon Woodruff is a big gamble. He is about to make his spring debut, so maybe we will get some insight into his potential, but we do not know what to expect. Woodruff was a former ace and the Brewers could use him this year.
This pick is betting on Woodruff’s track record and the potential for a strong bounceback with barely a price tag attached to him. There is just so much unknown surrounding him. If it does not work out you can simply drop him to the waiver wire and move on.
Kirby Yates (RP – LAD)
We all know Tanner Scott is expected to get most of the save opportunities for the Dodgers. This is the only reason you can even get Kirby Yates for $1. With that said, Yates should easily be in the mix and will grab a few saves himself.
The Dodgers project to be the winningest team in baseball. That should lead to a ton of save opportunities. It seems unlikely Yates will lead the team in save opportunities, but the fact you are getting maybe half of a closer’s worth of production (or potential for such production) for a dollar is well worth the shot at cost.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn