Bryan Reynolds (OF, PIT) - Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups

4 years ago by Doug Goldring

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ANALYSIS: Bryan Reynolds burst onto the scene in 2019, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting while slashing .314/.377/.503. He carried high expectations into 2020, but his numbers plummeted across the board in the shortened season. A .231 BABIP was likely partially to blame, but a .278 wOBA and 27.4 percent strikeout rate make it clear that Reynolds was simply not the player he'd been the year prior.

The early weeks of 2021 have been kinder to Reynolds. Through 55 plate appearances, Reynolds is slashing .275/.327/.373, which isn't going to blow anyone away, but is markedly better than his 2020 numbers. His xBA, xwOBA, and xSLG sit in the 78th, 67th, and 69th percentiles respectively, suggesting that his slash line should hold steady or improve. While his ISO for 2021 is a lowly .098 with only three extra-base hits so far, his 62nd percentile xISO implies Reynold's power output should pick up.

Reynolds is a reliable contributor. He's not going to hit twenty home runs, or steal many bases (despite his excellent sprint speed,) but he also won't lose you any categories. He'll also have plenty of opportunities, having batted in the third spot of the batting order for every game but one to start the year. This puts him in prime position to both score and drive in plenty of runs. There's value in safety and compiling plate appearances. Reynolds is a safe fantasy asset.

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