Let’s be young in today’s pickup column, at least until the end.
Brooks Lee – rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues
Despite missing the first two months with a herniated disc in his back, Lee was already advocating for a call-up to Minnesota when Royce Lewis’ latest injury, a groin strain, necessitated his promotion this week. He’s hit .329/.394/.635 with seven home runs in 20 games since joining the St. Paul’s lineup, and is 3-for-6 with two RBI in two big league games.
Lee, the eighth overall pick in the 2022 draft, is a power hitter with increasing home run power. His exit velocities aren’t remarkable, but he is adept at pulling fly balls down the crease, particularly when he’s hitting right-handed. He struck out just 15 percent of the time in the minors, helping him maintain a strong .292 average. He’s not a great base stealer, but he runs well enough that it’s easy to imagine him becoming a quality No. 2 hitter in a major league lineup.
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While Lee is unable to remain with the Twins following Lewis’ return, he should have the opportunity if he is productive; the team has a lot of flexibility between second, third and DH. He’s definitely worth drafting now and seeing what happens long-term, especially with how the Twins are hitting as a team. Minnesota leads the majors with a .300 average and 157 runs scored over the past 30 days, so Lee could be a four-tier player even while batting in the bottom half of the lineup for now.
Cade Povich – rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues
With Cole Irvin being sent to the Orioles bullpen to make room for the returning Dean Kremer, it appears Povich will have a rotation spot in the near future. Maybe he will be hurt by an increase in the trade deadline, but maybe not, as long as he can get past Albert Suárez. Regardless, in the coming weeks it will be worth playing in mixed leagues.
Since being roughed up by Toronto in his big league debut a month ago, Povich has posted a 2.50 ERA in four starts, three of which were against some of the league’s best teams (he faced the Braves, Yankees, Guardians and Rangers). . He’s not missing hits like he did in the minors — his current 15% strikeout rate is less than half his 32% Triple-A mark this season — but there should be some additional skill there if he continues to increase his slider usage. . He’s also in a good spot as a left-handed pitcher at Camden Yards, although the stadium has been more lenient toward right-handed hitters this year than it initially was after the left-field fence was moved back.
Aided by one of the best teams in baseball supporting him, Povich just needs to be solid to provide utility in mixed leagues, and it seems like he should be that way. It’s possible he could return to Triple-A in a month, but until then he’s a good option.
Parker Meadows – listed in 3% of Yahoo leagues
It took two months, but Meadows is finally getting another chance in Detroit after hitting an impressive .298/.394/.511 with eight home runs and 19 steals in 47 games with Triple-A Toledo. That’s a big step up from last season’s .256/.337/.474 line, so hopefully it’s a sign that he’s more ready to face major league pitching this time around after a brutal April that saw him make 7 from 73 before being sent down.
Because of his plus speed, his decent pop, and the Tigers’ commitment to him at the starting position, Meadows was a popular fantasy pick early in the year. He didn’t project very well from an OPS standpoint and still doesn’t, but he realized that if he was close to being an average hitter, his glove would keep him in the lineup, and as long as he remained in the lineup, his basic ability was stolen. would ensure he offers some fantasy value. Unfortunately, all he did at the start of the season was attack and show up. He seems to have the strikeouts under control now; his Triple-A K rate is down 20% from last year. It will never work in his favor that he is a flyball hitter with average exit velocity numbers in a ballpark that really hurts his left hand strength.
Expectations for Meadows should be pretty tempered this time around, especially in terms of batting average. He could still reemerge as a leadoff option — he draws enough walks to be a viable option if he can hit .240 or better — but the Tigers will likely ease him into the bottom of the order for now. At this point, he’s probably just an option for teams needing steals in shallow mixed leagues. If he gets another chance at the starting position, he could be more useful.
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– Xavier Edwards probably isn’t a 10- or 12-team option yet, but he should hit for average and steal some bases after getting the call in place of Tim Anderson in Miami. The problem is that he’s unlikely to homer more than once or twice during the rest of the season, and he’s destined to be a problem in both runs and RBI when hitting in such a weak lineup.
– Anthony Rendon is nearly ready to return from a hamstring injury and is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues. He’ll get a prime spot in the Angels’ lineup and as much playing time as he can get, so there’s a good chance he’ll have something to offer in mixed leagues. Although he didn’t do much in 19 games before getting hurt in April, his contact numbers and exit velocity were quite encouraging.
