Max Kepler (OF, MIN) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 21% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler has one of the strangest profiles in baseball. He continues to be very effective against left-handed pitching, but struggles against the strong side put him at risk of losing at-bats to one of the Twins’ very talented hitters in the minors. All that said, Kepler is a potent power bat that has improved his approach at the plate dramatically, posting an 11% walk rate and just a 15.4% strikeout rate.

What is most odd about Kep is his consistently low BABIP, .263 for his career and just .246 this season so far. For a guy who has dropped his groundball rate from 42.8% a year ago to 38.5% in 2018, raised his flyball rate from 39.5% to 45%, and has a HR/FB rate of just 8.5% despite an ISO of .174 and good hard hit rates, 10 home runs and a .228/.312/.402 line seem low. The 25-year-old looks like he is either just missing or getting incredibly unlucky.

If you are hungry for some buy-low pop that could pay dividends in the second half and cost you basically nothing, Kep might be your answer.