Another exciting week of baseball down as we enter week three for most fantasy leagues. Some players are getting in a groove while others are feeling the inconsistencies of this odd season. If there is one thing to love about this odd season, it’s the large amount of players making their MLB debuts. The following players offer huge upside that you can add for free in your leagues.
All suggested players are owned in less than half of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Pitchers
Spencer Howard
Spencer Howard is the perfect guy to pick up and take advantage of the raw potential from a top prospect. Only owned in 33% of leagues, Howard made his MLB debut on Sunday for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, his debut was mediocre, allowing home runs to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman. However, his K/9 potential is insanely high given he can use his fastball and breaking ball as out pitches. In 2019, he limited his ERA in the minors to 2.03. The Phillies will look to rely on him to reduce their pitching struggles.
Merrill Kelly
The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly has quietly put together a quality start in all three of his appearances this year. He doesn’t have big strikeout potential but he has kept his ERA at 2.29. Furthermore, it is important to note that he has been able to go deep in games tossing at least six innings in every start. Currently, he is owned in 40% of fantasy baseball leagues. He is a consistent pitcher that provides low risk in the majority of his starts.
Hitters
Jo Adell
If the 21-year-old outfielder is still available in any of your leagues, pick him up now. The Los Angeles Angels top prospect has already earned an everyday role in the outfield. Consequently, his ownership is rising drastically up to 39% now. Jo Adell will have plenty of scoring opportunities batting behind Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Shohei Ohtani. He has elite potential with a high power/speed combination, which will result in ample fantasy opportunity.
Anthony Santander
Anthony Santander has been a highlight in lackluster Baltimore Orioles offense. He hits at the top of the lineup giving him many scoring chances. He’s got three home runs and 14 RBI so far this season. His ownership is up to 37%. His bat is heating up right now with seven hits in his last five games.
Deeper League Options
Zach Davies
San Diego Padres starter Zach Davies has been a great addition for his new team. Like Merrill Kelly, he’s more of a contact pitcher than a strikeout pitcher, but he has a high ground ball rate. Davies is an “out getter”, meaning he can consistently pitch deep into any given start. He is a great waiver option for any fantasy baseball league, and he is only owned in 12% of them overall. His ERA in 15 2/3 innings this year is 2.87.
Dominic Smith
Dominic Smith is a perfect deep league flyer with increased opportunity. Smith has become an everyday starter with the New York Mets since Yoenis Cespedes‘ decision to opt out. Owned in only 6% of leagues, he is one of few players available on waivers in deep leagues that gets multiple at bats everyday. In addition, he has 1B and OF eligibility giving your team some added roster flexibility.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
