David Fletcher

Fletcher has almost no power and below-average speed, so his usefulness in fantasy has always been tied to hitting above Mike Trout and other run-producers while serving as a batting-average stabilizer. Neither of those things came to fruition last year, as the utility man hit a career-worst .255 and was slotted at the bottom of the lineup about as often as he batted leadoff. Fletcher still stood as one of the league's top contact hitters -- among players with 200 or more plate appearances, his 7% strikeout rate was the lowest -- but he also had the worst hard-hit rate at a paltry 7.4% and didn't register a single barrel all season. At 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Fletcher isn't going to suddenly develop into a power hitter, but he could stand to add some strength in order to better capitalize on the many balls he puts in play. Working on his body could also help him better avoid getting hurt, as Fletcher missed over 100 games with a variety of injuries last season. He's expected to remain a starter in 2023, though it's uncertain where he'll hit in the order. Even if he turns his batting average back around, Fletcher is a frustrating player to roster in fantasy due to his lack of counting stats. He'll likely go undrafted in 12-team leagues and be late-round filler in deeper ones.

Fletcher is a prime example of a player that has a contact-heavy approach but doesn't have strong plate discipline. Overall, he got more aggressive at the plate in 2021, recording a career-high 46.3 percent overall swing rate as compared to his previous high of 40.2 percent. That isn't necessarily a good thing for a player that lacks power. Though his contact rates didn't suffer, Fletcher's OBP tumbled to a career-low .297 and his wOBA similarly fell to a terrible .273 mark. In its simplest form, he failed to log above fourth percentile marks in average exit velocity, xWOBA and xSLG, while also posting a 38th percentile chase rate. Though Fletcher remained an everyday player and regularly hit first or second in the Angels' lineup, he closed the campaign by hitting ninth. He isn't likely to lose a starting role unless Los Angeles makes significant upgrades across their infield this offseason, but his already minimal value would take a hit the more he moves down the order.

Fletcher's Statcast numbers are extreme. Last season, he ranked dead last among qualified MLB hitters in both barrel rate (0.5%) and hard-hit rate (17.8%), resulting in a paltry .106 ISO. What he lacked in power, however, was balanced by an elite 10.9 K% (fifth-best among qualified hitters). The end result was a career-best .319/.376/.425 slash line and an unquestioned everyday role in the Angels' lineup. If he had even moderate power or speed, Fletcher would likely go within the top five rounds in mixed-league fantasy drafts. Instead, he's a batting-average booster with added value due to his eligibility at multiple positions. His role as the Angels' leadoff hitter ahead of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon could lead to plenty of runs, but Fletcher remains a late-round pick in most formats due to the complete absence of homers and steals.

Fletcher made the most of his first full season in the majors, ranking 22nd in baseball with 173 hits and ninth with a .299 xBA. The 25-year-old excelled by playing to his strengths; he possesses little power (.094 ISO) and moderate speed, so he focused on driving the ball to all fields, posting the highest line-drive rate (32.6%) in the big leagues. Fletcher also established himself as one of baseball's best contact hitters, ranking first with a 91.1% contact rate and third with a 9.8 K%. Furthermore, Fletcher's versatility was a major asset as he played five different positions and hit in seven different batting-order slots last season. All of this makes him immensely important to the Angels, but real-life value doesn't always translate to the fantasy realm. Such is the case with Fletcher, who should hit for solid average but doesn't provide enough counting stats to be of much use in mixed leagues.

After hitting .350 in 58 games to open the season with Triple-A Salt Lake, Fletcher earned his first big-league callup in mid-June and quickly settled into an everyday role. He didn't do a lot to excite fantasy owners -- his middling performance was right in line with his prospect reports. He demonstrated good contact ability (11.1 K%) and strong defense at both second and third base, but he'll need to tap into more power if he's to be anything more than a glove-first, slap-hitting utility man long term. Fletcher managed a .209 ISO with Salt Lake prior to his promotion but posted just a .088 ISO in the big leagues, a mark which lined up well with his numbers from previous seasons. He has dual eligibility and a little speed, but those aren't strong enough selling points in mixed leagues.