BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~210s
CURRENT ADP: ~235 overall
ANALYSIS: The most coveted type of player in fantasy baseball is the batter who can hit home runs, steal bases, and hit for contact. This is why Los Angeles Angels’ outfield prospect, 20-year-old Jo Adell, is an intriguing sleeper for the 2020 season. Adell is a five-tool player who combines power and speed with contact ability. He is considered one of the top prospects in baseball, with FanGraphs ranking him #4 on their recent Top-100 list.
Adell’s impressive skill set and prospect pedigree come with a 235.70 ADP in NFBC leagues. This is a cheap price for an exciting hitter who figures to be up with the Angels relatively early in the season. Baseball Savant describes Adell as a hitter with the ability to “drive the ball to all fields,” whose speed will help with stealing bases and playing strong defense in the outfield.
The Angels are poised to have a potent lineup, headlined by Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. They will have a full season of Shohei Ohtani (who is expected to begin pitching around mid-May), as well as a return to health for Justin Upton. Once Adell is up with the big club, he has the opportunity to be mentored by Trout and Upton, two outfielders who have experience adapting to the big leagues as hyped top prospects.
Adell is currently being drafted behind outfielders like Lorenzo Cain, Joc Pederson, and Adam Eaton. At this stage of the draft, it’s prudent to swing for the fences and invest in high upside players, so Adell is definitely the superior option. A 20/20 season is absolutely within the realm of possibility for the young Angels outfielder.
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