Carson Kelly C CHC
Just like you figured: Carson Kelly kicking tail and taking names: .509 OBP and 6 bombs through 57 PAs. Great googly moogly! Let's look under the 30 year-old catcher's hood: 17% Barrel Rate, 63% Hard Hit Rate and 26% BB Rate. Ok, he doesn't officially qualify for these bleeding edge StatCast pools of red but it's nothing but good news. Can he keep crushing it? I personally don't believe it, but you'd be out of your mind to not ride the hottest catcher on the planet. In NL Only, just enjoy the kudos. In a mixed league, if you can get something insanely good, it might be your last chance to deal Kelly.
Ian Happ OF CHC
It's time for you to drop the old bias against the "boring" Cub outfielder. Happ is good, just gotta deal with it. But how good? HIs .352 OBP and xBA of .290 will keep the floor high and his 21% Chase Rate ensures good ABs and the sustainable 38% Sweet Spot means good contact keeps coming. In NL Only, Happ is OF steadiness sublime. If you need help in 5 OF Mixed Leagues, invest in Ian if he's still lingering on the waiver wire. Sure, it ain't exciting, but he'll keep your BA Happ-y.
Pete Crow-Armstrong OF CHC
Fantasy managers with the moxie to draft him earlier than their peers think PCA stands for: Please Continue Annihilation. Thus far, it's been everything they'd dreamed: speed, power and even batting average. But which of those three is sustainable? Speed, for certain, thanks to elite 29 MPH sprint speed and the unbeatable stat of youth and guaranteed playing time. However, his chase rate is extremely concerning at 38% and his barrels middling at 9%. But do these stats suggest bad things? I'd say quite the contrary. PCA has launched 5 HR with .339 OBP DESPITE the poor metrics. This will be a great case study to see if the StatCast era can be beat by pure physical talent. I say hold on and enjoy Pleasant Cruising Ahead for PCA.
Seiya Suzuki OF CHC
Despite a quick wrist scare, Suzuki is in on the Cub Crush party. He's got 6 dingers with a dandy .350 OBP. The 47% Sweet Spot Rate is the star of his show and a hefty 17% Barrel Rate is nothing to sniff at. Suzuki has a strong track record of hard contact and a keen eye, as his nifty 92 MPH average Exit Velocity and steady 23% Chase Rate point toward continued crushing for this Cubbie, as long as health permits.
Michael Bush 1B CHC
I mean, who DOESN'T have 5 HR for the Cubs in 2025? Along with the dingers, Busch is batting .302 with an OBP approaching .400. Is it real? Through 99 PAs, it's difficult to say, as his underlying metrics are a mixed bag. A sweet 40% Sweet Spot Rate and a 23% Chase Rate are the good news. The blue news is a meager 39% Hard Hit Rate and a Swiss cheesy 24% K Rate. His raw power appears real to eyeballs and he did hit 21 bombs with a reasonable .335 OBP in 567 PAs in 2024. Can this Cub keep crushing? Too soon to see, as Yoda says: "Difficult to see, always in motion is the future..."
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