In this article, we discuss the Week 6 Fantasy Baseball Surprise Players whose performances many fantasy owners may be missing if they are only reading the headlines from week to week. These are players that may be overachieving and may deserve more attention, or they could be players that are surprisingly underachieving. Fantasy owners are making moves every week and are always on the lookout for the free agent pickup that will carry them to the title. Additionally fantasy owners may be overlooking players that are currently in their lineups, yet they are not producing.
Sizzling
Aaron Hill, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hill was not on a lot of fantasy owner’s radars heading into 2015. After all, Hill only managed to compile 10 HR and 60 RBI through 541 AB in 2014, and was relegated at times to platoon work. As of May 1st this season, Hill has been one of the hottest hitters in Baseball batting .452 with 3 HR, and 9 RBI. As a bonus to fantasy owners, he qualifies in most leagues at 2B and 3B, which are considered to be two shallow positions in Fantasy Baseball. Hill is not a stranger to success in the majors; the 33 year old infielder was among the best fantasy 2Bs in 2012 with a .302 BA, 26 HR, 85 RBI, and 14 SB. This season, Hill’s BABIP of .308 is league average while he has maintained solid strikeout and contact rates. Although it is early in the 2015 season, Hill may be finally bouncing back to 2012 form.
Yasmani Grandal, C, Los Angeles Dodgers
Fantasy baseball players usually jump at the chance to acquire players that produce solid fantasy numbers at the catcher position, as they are usually a rare commodity. Since May 1st Yasmani Grandal has been on a tear, batting .486 over 35 AB while contributing 3 HR and 14 RBI. He is continuing to demonstrate patience at the plate with a 16.8% BB rate on the season, and posting a .421 OBP. Grandal has mainly been utilized against right handed pitching (.299 AVG this season), and is usually on the bench in favor of A.J. Ellis when lefties are on the mound as he has only managed 11 AB thus far this season. At 26 years old, fantasy owners may begin to consider Grandal a breakout candidate this season as he is surrounded by a strong lineup that will only improve if Yasiel Puig makes it back on the diamond. One has to be concerned that Grandal has a .371 BABIP this season, which means that a regression is likely looming.
Arctic
Adam Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles
After a huge April, Jones has quietly been absent since the calendar flipped to May. Since May 1st Jones is batting a chilling .234 with only 1 HR, 4 RBI, and 1R. His BB rate has been a poor 5.2% this season; however Jones has never demonstrating affinity for the free pass with a 4.4% BB rate for his career. The concern for Jones is that when he is not hitting, he simply does not produce in any capacity, which leads owners to accept minimal stats during cold spells like the one he is in right now. Obviously, Jones is one of the league’s most consistent hitters season after season, and his season to date numbers are still very strong with a .336 AVG and .942 OPS.
Hanley Ramirez, OF, Boston Red Sox
Ramirez made the move to Boston this year and was expected to take advantage of the wide open spaces of Fenway Park. In the month of April, he certainly did not disappoint has he proved to be one of the best fantasy players in the first month of the season. Ramirez closed out April with 10 HR, 22 RBI, and a .659 SLG. All signs were pointing to a monster season; however fantasy owners may be surprised by the performance this month. Since May 1st he has only managed 1 HR while scoring 5 R, and 2 RBI. Even with Ramirez’s off the charts performance in April he is only managing a .261 BABIP which is a likely indicator that Ramirez will bounce back very quickly and remain an elite fantasy producer in 2015.
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