Starlin Castro (2B/3B, MIA) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 21% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: I wrote a piece about Starlin Castro for our waiver wire stream last weekend. Seven days ago, I considered him a good guy to pick up in 14+ team leagues. Turns out he can't stop getting better and he's now someone to consider in 12+ team leagues, if not in any format. All of this for someone rostered on just 21% of all leagues!

There are some cases of players in the middle of a hot streak not worth considering. They lack a good, consistent history. That is not Castro's case, though. Castro is a career .280/.318/.409 hitter. This season he's slashing .262/285/.380 overall (not good), but his last two weeks have been incredible. Since August 8, he has played 13 games in four series, almost always batting fifth. In 55 PA, Castro has 20 hits for a .370 AVG to go with a .938 OPS. He has also hit two home runs and driven in 14 runs. There have only been three games in which Castro has been held hitless and in seven of the 13, he had an extra-base hit.

Although Castro's issues regarding plate discipline remain (one BB to 10 SO in August for a scary 0.10 BB/K ratio), he is hitting the ball better and harder than at any other point during the season. His BABIP of .385 calls for a little regression but his xwOBA is 15 points higher than his actual wOBA. Castro's xBA and xSLG perfectly align with his actual production. Castro might simply be in the midst of a hot streak, but it looks like this is his true level of play after a disastrous first half of the season. He is also playable at two infield positions, so I'd encourage you to pick him up from waivers for the final part of the season as a good utility player.