Zach McKinstry

Zach McKinstry

29-Year-Old ShortstopSS
Detroit Tigers
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Across five MLB seasons, McKinstry has pretty much settled in as a light-hitting utility player known primarily for his defensive abilities. The 29-year-old batted .286 across a small sample of four games as a rookie with the Dodgers back in 2020, but he's batted .231 or worse in each of his seasons since then. He's also never reached double figures in home runs, as he topped out at nine long balls two years ago with Detroit, when he had a career-best 464 at-bats. McKinstry's value from a real-life perspective comes from his versatility. He appeared at every infield position except for first base last season and also saw time in the corner outfield spots. That makes McKinstry a useful MLB bench player, but it doesn't translate to fantasy impact. Heading into 2025, McKinstry should once again be a utility option who has some flashes of offensive ability but no real consistent value in most fantasy leagues. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#429
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $1.65 million contract with the Tigers in November of 2024.
Taking seat against lefty
SSDetroit Tigers
March 27, 2025
McKinstry isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Dodgers.
ANALYSIS
Left-hander Blake Snell will draw the start for Los Angeles on Thursday, so the lefty-hitting McKinstry will begin Opening Day on the bench. Andy Ibanez will draw the start at third base instead and bat leadoff.
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Batting Stats
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2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
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2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2023
 
 
+11%
OPS vs RHP
2025
 
 
+333%
OPS vs LHP
2024
 
 
+69%
OPS vs RHP
2023
Even Split
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2023vs Left .584 82 10 0 7 2 .203 .309 .275
Since 2023vs Right .648 768 84 13 51 30 .227 .293 .355
2025vs Left 2.167 3 1 0 0 0 .500 .667 1.500
2025vs Right .500 4 1 0 0 0 .000 .500 .000
2024vs Left .379 33 3 0 4 0 .133 .212 .167
2024vs Right .640 292 29 4 19 16 .225 .284 .356
2023vs Left .653 46 6 0 3 2 .243 .356 .297
2023vs Right .653 472 54 9 32 14 .230 .297 .356
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2023
 
 
+17%
OPS at Home
2025
 
 
-100%
OPS on Road
2024
 
 
+11%
OPS at Home
2023
 
 
+23%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2023Home .694 419 50 7 33 16 .242 .313 .380
Since 2023Away .593 431 44 6 25 16 .208 .277 .316
2025Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025Away 1.321 7 2 0 0 0 .250 .571 .750
2024Home .647 156 16 1 9 8 .234 .288 .359
2024Away .582 169 16 3 14 8 .197 .266 .316
2023Home .722 263 34 6 24 8 .247 .328 .394
2023Away .585 255 26 3 11 8 .215 .276 .309
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Zach McKinstry compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.00
 
BB Rate
50.0%
 
K Rate
0.0%
 
BABIP
1.000
 
ISO
2.000
 
AVG
1.000
 
OBP
1.000
 
SLG
3.000
 
OPS
4.000
 
wOBA
1.155
 
Exit Velocity
0.0 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
100.0%
 
Barrels/PA
0.0%
 
Expected BA
.000
 
Expected SLG
.000
 
Sprint Speed
0.0 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
0.0%
 
Line Drive %
100.0%
 
Fly Ball %
0.0%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Zach McKinstry See More
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184 days ago
Todd Zola examines strategies for the Underdog postseason contest, and notes that while Shoehi Ohtani may be the best player, you may not want to take him first overall.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2021
2020
McKinstry saw his most consistent MLB playing time yet in 2023, though he remained a limited offensive player. The 28-year-old batted just .231 with a .653 OPS across 148 games. He didn't provide much in the way of counting stats either with only nine home runs, 35 RBI and 60 runs scored, though at least he managed 16 stolen bases in 22 attempts. McKinstry's best attribute remained his versatility, as he appeared at every defensive position except for catcher and first base in his first season with the Tigers. At this point in his career, McKinstry profiles as a prototypical utility player who can provide solid defense across the diamond but doesn't offer much at the plate. That makes him a more valuable real-life player than fantasy asset, so managers don't need to have McKinstry on the radar outside of deeper formats. He can at least be a bargain bin dart throw for DFS players.
After beginning his career with two seasons and change in a Dodgers uniform, McKinstry finished 2022 with the Cubs after a midseason trade from Los Angeles. He showed good defensive versatility by appearing at five different positions, though he continued to do very little at the plate. He slashed .199/.273/.361 and contributed five home runs across 57 games. While those numbers don't jump off the page, McKinstry was at least able to record a career-high seven stolen bases on seven attempts. Heading into his age-28 season, McKinstry looks like a backup to Nick Madrigal and Nico Hoerner up the middle, and he could see some time in the outfield as well. His uncertain playing time and probable low batting average limits his appeal, though McKinstry could have a little value in deeper leagues if he somehow sees an expanded role and also continues to steal bases at a regular clip.
McKinstry came out of nowhere to appear on the Dodgers' radar by logging a 177 wRC+ in his first Triple-A stint in 2019. The 25-year-old followed with a strong spring training last season, logging a 1.314 OPS and drilling three homers over 31 plate appearances. Simply receiving a big-league call-up was an against-the-odds achievement in itself -- McKinstry was a slap-hitting 33rd-round pick in the 2016 first-year playoff draft -- and he ran with the opportunity, collecting a pair of hits in seven at-bats. McKinstry's minor-league track record reveals favorable walk and strikeout rates, which often translates to similar characteristics in the majors. The big question is whether the power that began to emerge in 2019 will continue to blossom as McKinstry further evolves as a hitter. If so, his ability to play all over the field could help McKinstry fill the type of super-utility role the Dodgers tend to covet.
He doesn't have much pedigree (33rd-round pick in 2016), but McKinstry earned a spot on the Dodgers' 40-man roster with a breakout 2019 at Double-A and Triple-A. He had excelled at some previous stops but was old for those levels, so his production didn't really register. However, he was 26% better than the average Texas League hitter and used the juiced ball and hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League to log a 177 wRC+ after his promotion. His strikeout rate was below 20% at both stops, and he utilized an all-fields line drive and flyball-oriented approach. McKinstry played double-digit games at second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield, which is critical, as he will probably have to break in as a super-utility option. He hits left-handed but had reverse splits last year (.873 OPS vs. RHP, .924 OPS vs. LHP). McKinstry has a chance to hit for a high average with 20-homer pop.
More Fantasy News
Set for strong-side platoon at 3B
SSDetroit Tigers
March 17, 2025
McKinstry is expected to open the season in the long side of a platoon at third base with Andy Ibanez, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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Platoon possibility at short?
SSDetroit Tigers
March 3, 2025
McKinstry is a candidate to serve in a platoon along with Javier Baez at shortstop to begin the regular season, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Agrees to deal with Detroit
SSDetroit Tigers
November 22, 2024
The Tigers and McKinstry avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.65 million contract Friday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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Tallies three hits in loss
SSDetroit Tigers
August 29, 2024
McKinstry went 3-for-4 with a double in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Angels.
ANALYSIS
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Smacks fourth home run
SSDetroit Tigers
August 24, 2024
McKinstry went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 13-4 win against the White Sox.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Clearer path to roster spot
SSDetroit Tigers
February 28, 2025
Evan Woodbery of MLive.com expected McKinstry to make Detroit's Opening Day roster in the wake of Matt Vierling's strained rotator cuff muscle.
ANALYSIS
McKinstry and the Tigers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.65 million contract in November, but the utility player wasn't a sure thing to make the season-opening roster. That may have changed with Vierling set to begin the year on the IL, and Parker Meadows also dealing with a bicep issue. The 29-year-old McKinstry saw action in 118 regular-season games last year and had a .614 OPS with four homers and 16 steals.
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