Whit Merrifield (2B/OF, KC) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 41% Fleaflicker

ANALYSIS: To call Whit Merrifield a pleasant surprise would be an enormous understatement. The 27-year-old utility man has filled in at second and third base, as well as in the outfield, and has impressed to the tune of a .320/.336/.461 line. He has also added two homers and four steals through his first 128 major-league at-bats. To go from not being one of the Royals’ top 30 prospects to one of the most productive players on a team that just won the World Series is remarkable. Merrifield swiped 138 bases in the minors, but hit just .274 throughout his first six and a half years in professional baseball. As a rookie, 37.5% of his batted balls have been considered hard-hit, and 25.7% have been line drives. He also holds an 84.7% contact rate and just a 7.8% swinging strike rate. There is no guarantee that Merrifield will continue to have profound success at the major-league level, but as long as he is playing every day and hitting, he should owned in just about all leagues.