RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~280
CURRENT ADP: ~298 overall
ANALYSIS: Kole Calhoun hit .232/.325/.467 with 33 HR over 632 PAs for the Angels in 2019 before signing with Arizona as a free agent. Thirty-three bombs are nothing to sneeze at, and his peripherals suggest that his power uptick was real. Calhoun's 22.9% HR/FB last season was a career-best, significantly higher than his career rate of 14.4%. However, all of his peripheral stats suggest that he legitimately hit the ball harder last year. His average airborne exit velocity reached 95 mph for the first time, continuing a three-year trend of increasing every season. Likewise, his rate of Brls/BBE crossed into double digits at 11.2%.
Using Baseball Prospectus's ballpark factors, we see that Anaheim (110 HR factor) is a much better park for left-handed power than Arizona (96). This could prevent him from eclipsing 30 HR again, but his improved contact quality should land him comfortably in the 25-30 range. While Calhoun is still unlikely to post a league-average BABIP, Baseball Savant's expected metrics feel that Calhoun underperformed relative to his contact quality in 2019, giving him an xBA of .247 and xSLG of .477.
Roster Resource currently projects Calhoun to hit sixth in Arizona's lineup, but he should have an opportunity to earn his way to a better spot once the season begins. The 32-year-old was not a fluke last season, nor would it be surprising if he comes close to a repeat and turns a handsome fantasy profit in 2020.
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