Fantasy Baseball: 5 Late-Round Hitters With Power Upside
3. Tommy Joseph, Philadelphia Phillies
NFBC ADP: 213.87 | Hard-Hit Rate: 36.6% | Fly-Ball Rate: 45.1%
When looking for these late-round gems, it can help to zero in on guys who will play their home games in parks conducive to dingers. Few places are better than Citizens Bank Park, and Tommy Joseph has the profile to exploit it.
With Ryan Howard gone, Joseph is set to take the reins as the Philadelphia Phillies' every-day first baseman. In a 347-plate-appearance audition last year, Joseph smacked the ball with a 36.6% hard-hit rate and 45.1% fly-ball rate. That fly-ball rate ranked 16th of all players with at least 300 plate appearances, right behind Miguel Sano and Kris Bryant.
Outside of the ballpark, Joseph holds another advantage over Pederson and Castellanos: fewer strikeouts. Not only was his season-long mark of 21.6% lower than both of theirs, but Joseph's strikeout and walk numbers picked up big time after the All-Star break.
| Split | Walk Rate | Strikeout Rate |
|---|---|---|
| First Half | 3.7% | 24.7% |
| Second Half | 8.6% | 18.9% |
So, with Joseph you get a baller park, tons of loft, and an acceptable strikeout rate. He may not have the best surrounding lineup or eligibility beyond first base, but that's enough to warrant giving him more than a sniff.
