Bryan Fitzgerald
Below are my early thoughts on the FAAB landscape for hitters for Week 14. There are plenty of seven-game weeks, making streaming a touch easier than its been. Players are grouped by Middle Infield, Corner Infield, Outfield/UT, and Catcher, and broken down by 15-team and 12-team league recommendations. Only players owned less than 80% in the Main Event are listed for 15-team leagues. Players owned less than 80% in the Online Championship are included for 12-team lists.
Recommendations for how valuable the player may be for their scoring periods over the next two weeks are ordered by: Great Start, Solid Start, Possible Start, Likely Bench, and Definite Bench.
Players currently in AAA or on the IL are mostly not included, however, I added players on the IL or on rehab assignment that may be activated ahead of Week 14. Those players are marked with an asterisk and their start/sit recommendations are based on the assumption that they would be up before the start of Week 14.
Everyone is listed by order of preference, but keep in mind these are as of today and news, playing time, and injuries over the weekend will likely shift preferences, as will team needs.
| Corner Infield -15-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | ME % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Week 14 M-Th | Week 14 F-Su | |
| Lenyn Sosa | CWS | 3B,2B | 72 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Tyler Black | MLW | 3B | 26 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Great Start | Possible Start | |
| Michael Toglia | COL | OF,1B | 77 | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Great Start | Solid Start | |
| Josh Rojas | SEA | 2B,3B | 63 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Likely Bench | Possible Start | |
| Corner Infield – 12-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | OC % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Wk 15 M-Th | Wk 15 F-Su | |
| Michael Busch | CHC | 1B,3B | 70 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Jose Miranda | MIN | 3B | 50 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Colt Keith | DET | 2B,3B | 78 | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Possible Start | Definite Bench | |
| Luke Raley | SEA | OF/1B | 73 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Likely Bench | Solid Start | |
| Brandon Drury | LAA | 1B/2B | 21 | Solid Start | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Likely Bench | |
| Tyler Soderstrom | OAK | 1B | 30 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
Michael Busch – A strong-side platoon bat, he gets 6/7 vs RHP next week. He’s cut his K rate to 25% in June while still mashing the ball (13% barrel rate on the season). More HR could be coming, as his 8% HR/FB rate this month should move back up toward his 15% career rate.
Jose Miranda – This is a skills-over-role bet if you need CI help. He’s really come around in his third year, lifting the ball more (46% fly ball rate) while making more contact (82% contact) and hitting it hard (8% barrel rate, 39% hard hit). He’s potentially a .260+ bat with decent power, with Baldelli sporadically playing him being his biggest obstacle.
Colt Keith – A decent pickup in 12-teamers with CI/MI eligibility and the ability to make contact and drive the ball – 8% barrel rate, 36% hard hit rate, 90% zone contact. He’s also chipped in 4 SB so far. He’s tough to start this coming week as he mostly sits vs LHP and DET gets 3/6 vs lefties.
Luke Raley – A decent 12-team streamer with 6/6 vs RHP next week, then 5/6 vs righties in Week 15. A streaky power hitter who can steal bases (BATX: 24 HR, 15 SB, .227 BA per 600), he’s ripping RHP this season – .264 BA, 123 wRC+, .196 ISO.
Brandon Drury – He’s done nothing this season (.168 BA, 1 HR in 116 PA), but should play everyday, has a seven-game week, is MI/CI eligible, and still has power upside (BATX: .248 BA, 23 HR, per 600 PA).
Tyler Soderstrom – He’s worth an add for those in need of corner power in 12-teamers to see if he can maintain his recent gains at the plate, as he’s cut his swing-and-miss while maintaining elite hard hit skills. Last three weeks: 24-12% K-BB, 12% SwStr, 17% barrel rate, 93 mph average EV. With Seth Brown gone, he’s getting all the playing time at 1B vs RHP.
Lenyn Sosa – He’s starting everyday and has a nice seven-game week coming including with three at home vs COL F-Su. Since he was called back up on May 31 – 50% hard hit, 8% barrel rate, 112 wRC+, 2 HR, 2 SB. Check his usage over the weekend to be sure he’s still getting the everyday at-bats at 3B.
Tyler Black – The skills are perfect for 5×5 roto (9 HR, 11 SB, .275/.374/.483 in AAA) but the Brewers are a headache with playing time and could easily send him back down to AAA at any moment. Monitor his usage and performance over the weekend. He seems to have a good runway over Jake Bauers right now. MIL has a fantastic Week 15 M-Th stream at COL.
Michael Toglia – You have to sit him M-Th (two games at HOU), but then he gets COL’s incredible schedule over the next two weeks: three at CWS F-Su in Week 14, seven at home in Coors in Week 15, then four at CIN to open Week 16. He’s also been hitting well in June (116 wRC+) though some of that is aided by a .367 BABIP.
Josh Rojas – A 15-team streamer for MI or CI help. He’s a league-average hitter (career 96 wRC+) who can steal a bit (6 SB this season), hits RHP well (132 wRC+ vs RHP in 2024), and gets 6/6 vs RHP in Week 14.
| Middle Infield – 15-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | ME % | Wk 14 M-Th | Week 14 F-Su | Week 15 M-Th | Week 15 F-Su | |
| Brendan Rodgers | COL | 2B | 79 | Definite Bench | Possible Start | Great Start | Solid Start | |
| Enmanuel Valdez | BOS | 2B | 53 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Definite Bench | Likely Bench | |
| Lenyn Sosa | CWS | 3B,2B | 72 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Josh Rojas | SEA | 2B,3B | 63 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Likely Bench | Possible Start | |
| Brett Wisely | SF | SS,2B | 35 | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Definite Bench | Possible Start | |
| Tim Anderson | MIA | SS | 19 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Middle Infield – 12-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | OC % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Wk 15 M-Th | Wk 15 F-Su | |
| Brendan Rodgers | COL | 2B | 17 | Definite Bench | Possible Start | Great Start | Solid Start | |
| *Jorge Polanco | SEA | 2B | 24 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Colt Keith | DET | 2B,3B | 78 | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Possible Start | Definite Bench | |
| *Michael Massey | KC | 2B | 17 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Brandon Drury | LAA | 1B/2B | 21 | Solid Start | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Likely Bench | |
| Paul DeJong | CWS | SS | 57 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
Brendan Rodgers – He’s off the IL and COL has one of the best stretches of schedules for any offense all season coming up starting next Friday (see Toglias’s write-up in the CI section). He’s a solid, low-end RoS MI add in 15-teamers, where you can stream him out on weeks he’s away from Coors, and a nice 12-team streamer for the next few weeks.
Jorge Polanco – He should be back from the IL anyday and is one of the few widely available 12-team league MIs with decent projections. BATX: 22 HR, 7 SB, .235 BA. He’s not the same player he was a few years ago, but is still useful.
Colt Keith – See CI section.
Michael Massey – Massey is on this list because he is out on his rehab assignment and could be back before the start of KC’s seven-game Week 14. He’s a strong-side platoon bat, and before his back injury had started to put together a solid season – .275 xBA, 8% barrel rate, 6 HR. He pulls the ball a ton (career 52% pull rate) and could play at a 20 HR/5 SB pace with a .250+ BA RoS.
Brandon Drury – See CI section.
Paul DeJong – Nothing exciting here. Just an everyday bat capable of slamming HR (14 this season) on a seven-game week. Capable 12-team streamer.
Enmanuel Valdez – Sign me up in 15-teamers for 6/6 vs RHP in BOS next week for a strong-side platoon bat with a 12% barrel rate and 45% hard hit rate. Over the past three weeks, he’s also posted much better plate skills (5% SwStr, 87% contact). He is a sit Week 15, however, with BOS drawing 4/6 vs LHP.
Josh Rojas – See CI section.
Brett Wisely – He may be one of SF’s best hitters. He can rip it (43% hard hit rate, 12% barrel rate, 90 mph average EV) has shown he can make a lot of contact (93% zone contact) and had a 15-14% K-BB% in AAA this year. He’s also leading off against RHP. The issue is he’s strictly a strong-side platoon bat at the moment and SF has no upcoming M-Th or F-Su scoring periods over the next two weeks where they get more than two RHPs. That could change, and this is the MI bet if you’re looking for skills over upcoming streaming schedules.
Tim Anderson – He’s playing everyday, has a seven-game week, and is hitting .302 in June, albeit with a .444 BABIP. $1 filer if you really need an MI stream.
| Outfield/UT – 15-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | ME % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | |
| Pete Crow-Armstrong | CHC | OF | 79 | Great Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| *Garrett Mitchell | MLW | OF | 49 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Great Start | Definite Bench | |
| Michael Toglia | COL | OF,1B | 77 | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Great Start | Solid Start | |
| Mickey Moniak | LAA | OF | 19 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | |
| Hunter Goodman | COL | OF | 47 | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Dominic Canzone | SEA | OF | 19 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | |
| Lawrence Butler | OAK | OF | 0 | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | |
| Outfield/UT – 12-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | OC % | Wk 14 M-Th | Week 14 F-Su | Week 15 M-Th | Week 15 F-Su | |
| Joc Pederson | ARZ | OF | 72 | Solid Start | Definite Bench | Likely Bench | Solid Start | |
| *Eloy Jimenez | CWS | UT | 55 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Jo Adell | LAA | OF | 71 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Jesus Sanchez | MIA | OF | 3 | Possible Start | Definite Bench | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Will Benson | CIN | OF | 84 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Likely Bench | Likely Bench | |
| Luke Raley | SEA | OF/1B | 73 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Likely Bench | Solid Start | |
Joc Pederson – If you need power and OF help in a 12-teamer, Pederson should be a must add. The strong-side platoon bat’s per 600 PA projection is nearly identical to his teammate Christian Walker’s. BATX per 600 PA – 79R, 26 HR, 88 RBI, 4 SB, .252 BA. Just know he’s more of an OF6/UT as you have to sub him out in LHP-heavy scoring periods, like next weekend’s F-Su vs 2 LHP against OAK.
Eloy Jimenez – He’s included here, as he should come off the IL soon and could be activated before a nice seven-game week. I have no faith he’ll stay upright for long, but he should produce while healthy (BATX – .266 BA, 24 HR per 600 PA).
Jo Adell – He’s been useless in June (11 wRC+, 1 HR, 1 SB, .118 BA), but much of that is due to a .179 BABIP this month. He’s a streaky player who gets seven games next week, is playing everyday, and is as good a bet for a few HRs and SBs as you’ll find on 12-team league wires.
Jesus Sanchez – If still available in any 15-teamer, I’d prioritize him and I also think he makes for a decent, cheap add in 12-teamers if you need to speculate on a power-hitting OF. His power hasn’t materialized (6 HR) but he’s destroying the ball. His 94 mph average EV is good for the 98th percentile in MLB, along with a 116 max EV and 54% hard hit (95th percentile). He has the lowest K rate of his career (23%) although his K-BB in June is 32-2%. Still, there are not many bats like this on the wire. If he can tweak his approach and raise his 13% HR/FB rate (19% for his career), he could have a big second half. He’s also chipped in 6 SB already.
Will Benson – He’s been terrible (89 wRC+, 40-11% K-BB), but the strong-side platoon bat gets 3/4 vs RHP in Great American Ballpark M-Th. He’s a decent bet to pop a HR or SB (8 HR, 9 SB this season).
Pete Crow-Armstrong – With Mike Tauchman on the IL, PCA should get all the starts vs RHP and possibly even some against LHP. The Cubs get 6/7 vs RHP next week, with four games at SF, who’s allowed the most SB in MLB. He’s still chasing too much and not making good contact (38% chase rate, 4% barrel rate, 25% hard hit rate), but he’s running more than half the time he gets to first and should pop a few SB next week.
Garrett Mitchell – I’m adding Mitchell to this list, as he’s been on his rehab assignment for nearly two weeks and could get the call soon. The start/sit recommendations are based on if he’s up. I don’t see why he couldn’t take Sal Frelick’s job as a strong-side platoon outfielder. Mitchell has a ton of swing-and-miss (career 38% K, 14% SwStr) but if he can cut down on that he could be a solid power/speed threat – career 112 max EV, 11% barrel rate, and 9 SB in 47 games in MLB. With the way the Brewers are running, I’d take a stab on him if I need speed in the OF.
Michael Toglia – See CI section
Mickey Moniak – LAA gets 4/4 vs RHP M-Th next week and he’s started against the last eight vs RHP. He’s quietly been pretty damn good in June, as he’s been more disciplined at the plate – 115 wRC+, 24-10% K-BB, .244 BA, 77% contact, 12% SwStrk. He projects as useful for 15-team leagues when playing – BATX: 22 HR, 12 SB, .232 BA per 600 PA. He has the skill set to hit HR (111 max EV, 47% FB rate, 44% pull rate) and if he continues to draw more walks, will be a threat to steal more bases as well.
Hunter Goodman – This is a pure speculative add to see what the hell happens with his playing time and if he can somehow get catcher eligibility and regular at-bats in a mess of a COL lineup. The power upside is massive (114 max EV in MLB this season, 23% barrel rate in AAA). He needs five more games at C to be eligible there, which seems marginally possible before Elias Diaz comes back. With Charlie Blackmon on the IL, this could be his time to string together some playing time.
Dominic Canzone – In 15-teamers, he’s a decent stream with 6/6 vs RHP on deck in Week 14. He’s always had the ability to crush the ball (career 12% barrel rate, 111 max EV, 90 mph average EV, 43% hard hit), he’s playing everyday vs RHP, and since the calendar flipped to June he’s striking out less (24% K) while drawing more walks (16% BB).
Lawrence Butler – He’s going to be at the very end of my 15-team bid strings, if on them at all, but I still love his power/speed combo to materialize if he ever cuts down on his swing-and-miss (113 max EV, career 41% hard hit rate, 21 SB in 89 minor league games last season). He should be getting everyday at-bats vs RHP for the time being.
| Catcher – 15-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | ME % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Week 15 M-Th | Week 15 F-Su | ||
| Ben Rice | NYY | 0 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Solid Start | ||
| Freddy Fermin | KC | 79 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | ||
| Miguel Amaya | CHC | 30 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | ||
| Catcher – 12-Team Leagues | ||||||||
| Name | Team | Pos | OC % | Wk 14 M-Th | Wk 14 F-Su | Week 14 M-Th | Week 14 F-Su | |
| Korey Lee | CWS | C | 74 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | |
| Ben Rice | NYY | C | 0 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Solid Start | |
Korey Lee – Solid C2 grab if available in a 12-teamer with a seven-game week on tap and nice production thus far – .244/.285/.381, 6 HR, 5 SB, 8% barrel rate, 38% hard hit.
Ben Rice – A catcher with the potential for near everyday at-bats at a non-catching position is always a unique opportunity to bet on. If you need a second catcher, I think you have to put a competitive bid in to see what happens. He’s mashed at every level with great plate skills. His overall line in 224 minor league games – .284/.397/.523 (.920 OPS) and 25 SB along with 47 HR. He should have a decent leash on an audition at 1B unless the Yankees trade for a 1B. That pretty much every rookie hitter has really struggled their first go-round in MLB this season gives me some pause.
Freddy Fermin – KC has a seven-game week and he has a surprisingly solid overall line (123 wRC+, .303/.352/.447).
Miguel Amaya – In the wasteland that is the 15-team catcher FAAB pool, he at least has some talent – 111 max EV, 6% career barrel rate, .246/.348/.390 career line in the minors. With Yan Gomes gone, he may sneak in a few more starts and has a seven-game week coming up.
