Tucker Barnhart (C, CIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ team leagues

OWNED IN: 6% of Fleaflicker leagues

ANALYSIS: Tucker Barnhart has made some sneaky and significant improvements at the plate in the 2016 season. In 2014 and 2015 Barnhart had combined for only 296 AB, and this year he has 304 already since he has stepped up in the wake of another devastating injury for Devin Mesoraco. He has a slash line of .260/.329/.398, seven HR, and 27 XBH. A big note with Barnhart is that he plays way better at home since he has a poor road OPS of .618 while his OPS at Great American Ballpark is .853. After a bad month of May when he had a poor OPS of .546, he has had three straight months of solid AB with consecutive OPS of .785, .731, and .897 this month. After a walk rate of just 6.2% through April and May his walk rate has jumped up to 10.5% since June. Barnhart has also added more pop at the plate since he had an XBH rate of 6.9% for the first two months and just two total HR until July. He now has an XBH rate of 9% and five HR in 119 AB from July to August. Barnhart isn't a sexy pickup, but his improvement in plate discipline and power hitting makes him a sneaky add at catcher.