Brandon Drury (2B) - Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 15% of Yahoo leagues

ANALYSIS: Brandon Drury looks primed to take advantage of the “pinstripe bounce” during the 2018 season following a move from Arizona to the Bronx. Flying under the radar in 2017, Drury posted the 13th-best slugging percentage (.447) and fourth-best doubles total (37) of second basemen with a minimum of 200 ABs. The concerning number for fantasy owners is that Drury only homered once every 34 ABs, but that can mostly be attributed to his 50.1 GB% and 48.8 GB% in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Why then is there room for value with this player only owned in 15% of leagues? Two words: Craig Wallenbrach. Working with names like Chris Taylor and JD Martinez Wallenbrach tends to help players get more lift, and therefore more HRs. Drury already sits at a modest 12.9% HR/FB rate from last year, which means that some extra loft turns some of that double power into bombs. In four games so far, Drury has already seen his FB% increase from 29.4% to 36.4%, meaning the angle is trending in the right direction.