Zach McKinstry (2B/SS/3B/OF - DET) - McKinstry has emerged as Detroit's leadoff hitter over the last few weeks, reaching base 27 times over 12 straight starts. He's hitting 296/412/448 for the year, the exit velocity has jumped up into the average category, he's running more (10 steals already), he's cut his swinging strike rate for the third straight season (all the way down to 6.7% on the strength of a much improved chase rate).....this all looks pretty darn good. I know it's not a great offense, but they're climbing out of the bottom tier into the "below-average tier" it seems to me, and McKinstry has been a big part of that. Throw in the fact that he's logged time everywhere but C, 1B, and CF thus far, and you have a player that is very much piquing my interest. I think he should be owned right now in all formats. The power ceiling is probably only average, but everything else looks better than that, and the positional flexibility is the icing on the cake. Also, lest you think there's been a lot of luck involved, the Statcast expected data has him with a .307 AVG and .502 SLG.
Ryan Noda (1B - OAK) - Noda homered for the 2nd straight day on Monday, giving him a 241/400/467 line through 51 G in his rookie season. The 27 year old is a TTO type of player for sure, with the high pull rate and poor contact ability that we associate with low batting averages, but there's definitely power here (92.4 EV and 42% FB rate), and he'll obviously walk as well so the OBP is solid. The supporting cast is pretty awful, so he's a deep-league play only, but I think what we've seen, if anything, is less power than he should be providing given how he's hitting the ball. 20-25 HRs and a solid OBP (but a low AVG and iffy counting stats) should be expected.
Alex Kiriloff (1B/OF - MIN) - Kiriloff reached base 5 times on Monday, tallying 2 singles and 3 walks in the 7-5 extra-inning win over Houston. Kiriloff has made a lot of progress in terms of plate discipline and contact ability over the past few years, but the projected power really hasn't been evident much at all at the major league level. His maximum exit velocities are well below average, and his average EVs have dipped below average in 2022 and 2023 as well. He has shown some pop in a couple of minor league spots over the years, but he looks much more like a guy that can become a solid on-base threat with possibly 15-20 HRs than a true power hitter. He is just 25, so perhaps there will be a bit more, but I don't see the ceiling here that many others have forecast. He's a fringe player in standard formats for me, although he would be bumped up to "regular" status for any league that values OBP.
Tyler Wells (SP - BAL) - Wells was very solid in a losing effort on Monday, giving up 4 hits and a run to the Guardians in 6 innings of work, fanning 7 without walking a man. There's definitely a mixed bag here for Wells, as after 18 swinging strikes today on 101 pitches he has continued to improve the swinging strike rate from last year, the velocity is improved from earlier this year, and his control is fantastic. On the downside, Monday was just the 3rd of his 11 outings in which he allowed an exit velocity under 90, and he's been pretty awful on the road. The combination of a high launch angle and high exit velo definitely leads to a rough floor, but he's been good enough that I'd consider him a solid streamer when at home and against power-challenged offenses. With a June schedule of: @SF, KC, @CUB, SEA, CIN, Wells certainly looks like a player that could offer some value over the next 4-5 weeks, with only the Cubs start (weather-dependent) giving me pause.
Griffin Canning (SP - LAA) - That's two straight QS for Canning, who looked brilliant at times on Monday in a 6 IP, 3 ER, 9 K performance against the White Sox. His changeup was better than I've ever seen it I think, helping him ring up 20 swinging strikes in just 87 pitches (9 on the change), but he also allowed a 95 mph average EV. He has plenty of upside with this velocity bump that he's showing in his return from injury, but the floor here isn't great, especially with a difficult June schedule on the horizon. I like him in deeper leagues, but I think he's still just a streamer in standard formats, and the next bunch of starts are mostly no-go's for me.
