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So the good men and women at Baseball Prospectus have found that walk rates are stable for hitters after only 120 PA. I’ve increased the number of minimum PA to 160 to give us a more manageable and more stable list to look at. These players are likely all owned, or on your fantasy radar in medium to deep leagues, but there are definitely some surprises. While the old adage “a walk is a good as a hit” may be true in real baseball, it’s ignored by many fantasy leagues that still use batting average as the hitting ratio. I am not an advocate of this, the list below can be used to the benefit of all my fellow OBP players/e-friends. Since the K% threshold has been passed, I will be giving you the players K-rates as well. Enjoy!
|
Rank |
Player |
PA |
BB% |
K% |
BB/K |
|
1 |
Bryce Harper |
187 |
20.90% |
23.00% |
0.91 |
|
2 |
Jose Bautista |
165 |
18.80% |
19.40% |
0.97 |
|
3 |
Carlos Santana |
175 |
18.30% |
16.60% |
1.1 |
|
4 |
Joc Pederson |
174 |
17.80% |
30.50% |
0.58 |
|
5 |
George Springer |
169 |
16.60% |
28.40% |
0.58 |
|
6 |
Paul Goldschmidt |
185 |
15.70% |
21.10% |
0.74 |
|
7 |
Mark Teixeira |
173 |
15.60% |
12.10% |
1.29 |
|
8 |
Matt Holliday |
173 |
15.60% |
16.80% |
0.93 |
|
9 |
Miguel Cabrera |
195 |
15.40% |
16.90% |
0.91 |
|
10 |
Joey Votto |
180 |
13.30% |
20.60% |
0.65 |
|
11 |
Curtis Granderson |
180 |
13.30% |
22.80% |
0.59 |
|
12 |
Chris Carter |
171 |
12.90% |
36.30% |
0.35 |
|
13 |
Jay Bruce |
164 |
12.80% |
26.20% |
0.49 |
|
14 |
Adam Lind |
166 |
12.70% |
22.30% |
0.57 |
|
15 |
Nick Markakis |
183 |
12.60% |
14.80% |
0.85 |
|
16 |
Anthony Rizzo |
193 |
12.40% |
10.90% |
1.14 |
|
17 |
Michael Brantley |
161 |
12.40% |
5.60% |
2.22 |
|
18 |
Steven Souza |
171 |
12.30% |
38.00% |
0.32 |
|
19 |
Evan Longoria |
181 |
12.20% |
18.80% |
0.65 |
|
20 |
David Ortiz |
173 |
12.10% |
17.30% |
0.7 |
|
21 |
Alex Rodriguez |
166 |
12.00% |
24.10% |
0.5 |
|
22 |
Trevor Plouffe |
168 |
11.90% |
20.20% |
0.59 |
|
23 |
Giancarlo Stanton |
194 |
11.90% |
30.40% |
0.39 |
|
24 |
Mike Trout |
189 |
11.60% |
20.60% |
0.56 |
|
25 |
Dexter Fowler |
189 |
11.60% |
20.10% |
0.58 |
|
26 |
Jacoby Ellsbury |
170 |
11.20% |
13.50% |
0.83 |
|
27 |
Edwin Encarnacion |
191 |
11.00% |
20.40% |
0.54 |
|
28 |
Ian Kinsler |
201 |
10.90% |
12.40% |
0.88 |
|
29 |
Adrian Gonzalez |
174 |
10.90% |
14.90% |
0.73 |
|
30 |
Buster Posey |
178 |
10.70% |
9.00% |
1.19 |
|
31 |
Dustin Pedroia |
197 |
10.70% |
12.70% |
0.84 |
|
32 |
Andrew McCutchen |
181 |
10.50% |
14.40% |
0.73 |
|
33 |
Lucas Duda |
182 |
10.40% |
22.50% |
0.46 |
|
34 |
Josh Reddick |
166 |
10.20% |
10.80% |
0.94 |
|
35 |
Nori Aoki |
187 |
10.20% |
7.50% |
1.36 |
|
36 |
Ryan Braun |
169 |
10.10% |
19.50% |
0.52 |
|
37 |
Matt Carpenter |
179 |
10.10% |
18.40% |
0.55 |
|
38 |
Eric Hosmer |
189 |
10.10% |
18.00% |
0.56 |
|
39 |
Brian Dozier |
191 |
9.90% |
19.90% |
0.5 |
|
40 |
Todd Frazier |
182 |
9.90% |
18.10% |
0.55 |
|
41 |
Russell Martin |
162 |
9.90% |
21.60% |
0.46 |
|
42 |
Freddie Freeman |
184 |
9.80% |
21.20% |
0.46 |
|
43 |
Chris Davis |
166 |
9.60% |
37.30% |
0.26 |
|
44 |
Jimmy Rollins |
177 |
9.60% |
16.40% |
0.59 |
|
45 |
Logan Morrison |
167 |
9.60% |
13.80% |
0.7 |
|
46 |
Brett Gardner |
161 |
9.30% |
17.40% |
0.54 |
|
47 |
Alex Gordon |
162 |
9.30% |
21.00% |
0.44 |
|
48 |
Manny Machado |
174 |
9.20% |
17.80% |
0.52 |
|
49 |
Joe Panik |
174 |
9.20% |
12.10% |
0.76 |
|
50 |
Marcell Ozuna |
178 |
9.00% |
21.30% |
0.42 |
|
51 |
Logan Forsythe |
170 |
8.80% |
14.10% |
0.63 |
|
52 |
Marlon Byrd |
160 |
8.80% |
26.90% |
0.33 |
|
53 |
Jhonny Peralta |
183 |
8.70% |
18.00% |
0.48 |
|
54 |
Gregory Polanco |
164 |
8.50% |
23.20% |
0.37 |
|
55 |
Brandon Crawford |
165 |
8.50% |
18.20% |
0.47 |
|
56 |
Jason Kipnis |
203 |
8.40% |
12.80% |
0.65 |
|
57 |
Joe Mauer |
180 |
8.30% |
17.80% |
0.47 |
|
58 |
Nelson Cruz |
182 |
8.20% |
23.10% |
0.36 |
|
59 |
Shin-Soo Choo |
171 |
8.20% |
26.30% |
0.31 |
|
60 |
J.D. Martinez |
184 |
8.20% |
29.30% |
0.28 |
|
61 |
Ryan Zimmerman |
184 |
8.20% |
15.80% |
0.52 |
|
62 |
Josh Donaldson |
198 |
8.10% |
19.20% |
0.42 |
|
63 |
Elvis Andrus |
198 |
8.10% |
13.60% |
0.59 |
|
64 |
Jorge Soler |
187 |
8.00% |
32.10% |
0.25 |
|
65 |
Justin Upton |
178 |
7.90% |
24.70% |
0.32 |
|
66 |
Kolten Wong |
179 |
7.80% |
15.60% |
0.5 |
|
67 |
Michael Cuddyer |
168 |
7.70% |
23.20% |
0.33 |
|
68 |
Yunel Escobar |
171 |
7.60% |
12.30% |
0.62 |
|
69 |
Kendrys Morales |
186 |
7.50% |
14.50% |
0.52 |
|
70 |
Yadier Molina |
160 |
7.50% |
12.50% |
0.6 |
|
71 |
Howie Kendrick |
178 |
7.30% |
16.30% |
0.45 |
|
72 |
Torii Hunter |
167 |
7.20% |
19.20% |
0.38 |
|
73 |
Freddy Galvis |
167 |
7.20% |
12.60% |
0.57 |
|
74 |
Mookie Betts |
195 |
7.20% |
12.30% |
0.58 |
|
75 |
Jose Altuve |
198 |
7.10% |
9.60% |
0.74 |
|
76 |
Luis Valbuena |
171 |
7.00% |
23.40% |
0.3 |
|
77 |
Kole Calhoun |
172 |
7.00% |
20.90% |
0.33 |
|
78 |
Daniel Murphy |
174 |
6.90% |
8.00% |
0.86 |
|
79 |
Nick Castellanos |
176 |
6.80% |
25.00% |
0.27 |
|
80 |
Adam Eaton |
163 |
6.70% |
16.00% |
0.42 |
|
81 |
Marcus Semien |
193 |
6.70% |
19.70% |
0.34 |
|
82 |
Jason Heyward |
164 |
6.70% |
19.50% |
0.34 |
|
83 |
Melky Cabrera |
179 |
6.70% |
7.80% |
0.86 |
|
84 |
Asdrubal Cabrera |
170 |
6.50% |
25.30% |
0.26 |
|
85 |
Prince Fielder |
194 |
6.20% |
11.90% |
0.52 |
|
86 |
Billy Butler |
194 |
6.20% |
16.00% |
0.39 |
|
87 |
Andrelton Simmons |
179 |
6.10% |
7.80% |
0.79 |
|
88 |
Charlie Blackmon |
181 |
6.10% |
21.00% |
0.29 |
|
89 |
Billy Hamilton |
168 |
6.00% |
17.30% |
0.34 |
|
90 |
Albert Pujols |
170 |
5.90% |
12.40% |
0.48 |
|
91 |
Neil Walker |
170 |
5.90% |
17.60% |
0.33 |
|
92 |
Chase Headley |
170 |
5.90% |
21.80% |
0.27 |
|
93 |
Kyle Seager |
171 |
5.80% |
11.70% |
0.5 |
|
94 |
Ian Desmond |
189 |
5.80% |
24.90% |
0.23 |
|
95 |
Jose Abreu |
172 |
5.80% |
19.80% |
0.29 |
|
96 |
A.J. Pollock |
172 |
5.80% |
16.30% |
0.36 |
|
97 |
Ben Revere |
183 |
5.50% |
8.20% |
0.67 |
|
98 |
Hanley Ramirez |
166 |
5.40% |
15.10% |
0.36 |
|
99 |
Robinson Cano |
186 |
5.40% |
16.70% |
0.32 |
|
100 |
Lorenzo Cain |
170 |
5.30% |
18.20% |
0.29 |
|
101 |
Starling Marte |
173 |
5.20% |
26.00% |
0.2 |
|
102 |
Dee Gordon |
195 |
5.10% |
13.30% |
0.38 |
|
103 |
David Freese |
176 |
5.10% |
21.60% |
0.24 |
|
104 |
Ryan Howard |
160 |
5.00% |
26.90% |
0.19 |
|
105 |
Erick Aybar |
180 |
5.00% |
13.90% |
0.36 |
|
106 |
Nolan Arenado |
165 |
4.80% |
12.70% |
0.38 |
|
107 |
Mike Moustakas |
176 |
4.50% |
9.10% |
0.5 |
|
108 |
Kevin Pillar |
183 |
4.40% |
16.90% |
0.26 |
|
109 |
Yoenis Cespedes |
184 |
4.30% |
23.40% |
0.19 |
|
110 |
Derek Norris |
163 |
4.30% |
19.60% |
0.22 |
|
111 |
Evan Gattis |
163 |
4.30% |
23.30% |
0.18 |
|
112 |
Matt Kemp |
187 |
4.30% |
20.30% |
0.21 |
|
113 |
Juan Lagares |
168 |
4.20% |
20.20% |
0.21 |
|
114 |
Adrian Beltre |
193 |
4.10% |
10.40% |
0.4 |
|
115 |
Odubel Herrera |
171 |
4.10% |
25.70% |
0.16 |
|
116 |
Adam Jones |
175 |
4.00% |
11.40% |
0.35 |
|
117 |
Angel Pagan |
176 |
4.00% |
14.80% |
0.27 |
|
118 |
Adeiny Hechavarria |
177 |
4.00% |
16.40% |
0.24 |
|
119 |
Starlin Castro |
186 |
3.80% |
19.40% |
0.19 |
|
120 |
Martin Prado |
192 |
3.60% |
13.50% |
0.27 |
|
121 |
Brett Lawrie |
176 |
3.40% |
27.30% |
0.13 |
|
122 |
Ender Inciarte |
179 |
3.40% |
11.20% |
0.3 |
|
123 |
Alexei Ramirez |
160 |
2.50% |
13.10% |
0.19 |
|
124 |
Josh Harrison |
167 |
2.40% |
14.40% |
0.17 |
If you aren’t a fan of Bryce Harper, you probably shouldn’t read my work anymore, because its all but guaranteed he’s getting his credit where credit is due in all of my pieces. But lets look at a few standout players on this list.
Bryce Harper, OF, Was
Bryce Harper is the number one fantasy player, and the number one real player. His incredible approach paired with top of the line talent has morphed into a fantasy superstar. There is literally nothing any pitcher can do to stop him right now. I would trade any player in baseball for him.
Joc Pederson, OF, LAD
The new kid on the block has an amazing walk rate to start the season. He has been a walker for his whole professional career, so I don’t expect this to stop anytime soon. My only issue is that with the significant swing and miss portion of his game, pitchers will stop nibbling and force him to put more balls in play. We’ve yet to see if this will result in 30 bombs, or 200 Ks, but I’d bet on the first option.
Dee Gordon, 2B, Mia
I’m not sure if this is a hole in his game, because he’s making so much contact when he swings, regardless of if the pitch is in the zone or out. If his babip can stat in the stratosphere we may have a batting title contender, his line drive percentage and hard hit rates are both above what we’d come to previously expect from Gordon so maybe he’s turned the corner and is a reliable player with the bat.
Michael Brantley, OF, Cle
Can everyone please go to #17 on this list and acknowledge what Brantley is doing so far. This is how you truly maximize your potential.
Brett Lawrie, 3B, Oak
Still stinks.
If there is anyone else you'd like to hear about, feel free to ask in the comments section below.