Ben Rice, C, New York Yankees
Rice came in for a pinch-hit AB in today's game and swatted a solo homer. Rice is now slashing .342/.490/.763. He's doing some irrationally good things right now, including a 74% hard hit rate, 23% walk rate, and .601 xwOBACON. Those rates are unsustainable, but they further prove that Rice's abilities are no fluke. This is an elite catcher. He's still struggling against lefties (.522 OPS), so it remains to be seen if he'll get a full slate of work. Much like today, Rice won't start against most lefties it seems, but the moment he gets a pinch hit AB against a righty reliever, he'll come in. He's a star, we just need more volume.
Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles
Rutschman went 3-5 with 2 2B's. Rutschman is now slashing .303/.395/.485 on the season. The once highly heralded prospect was an offensive weapon earlier in his career, but had a down 2024 and 2025. Even if we don't see much juice from him in 2026, he still has some very intriguing hitterish elements. His 10% whiff rate and 14.7% walk rate would represent career bests. His underlying figures tell a mixed tale about his ability to create impact. The 4% barrel rate and 30% LASS are career lows, but his 52% hard hit rate, 17 LA, and 92 EV are all career highs. Given the lack of depth at catcher, Rutschman is worth keeping an eye on.
Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves
Baldwin went 2-5 with 2 R, 2B, RBI, and K on one hard hit ball. I'm absolutely loving what I'm seeing from Baldwin. His .486 xwOBACON, 16% barrel rate, 41% LASS, and 18% pull air make for a deadly combination. This is an absolute complete hitter. He is batting second in the lineup with Ronald Acuna in front of him and Matt Olson behind him, giving him plenty of R/RBI opportunities. The lefty isn't displaying a split disadvantage right now, as his OPS is over 1.000 against either handedness. Buy high before the price gets out of hand.
Other Notes...
Bryce Harper, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Harper went 2-4 with a R, 2B, RBI, and K on two hard hit balls. He has a hit in four straight games after starting off the season a bit slow. There are actually some exciting elements to what Harper is displaying right now that are keeping me intrigued the rest of the season. His 42% LASS would be a career high, and is well above big league average. His 13.5% K rate would be the lowest of his career, and his .520 xSLG would be his highest since 2023. If you drafted him, you're going to get what you paid for, but there's a sliver of chance you might actually get more this year.
Kris Bubic, SP, Kansas City Royals
Bubic went 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 11 K. He allowed six hard hit balls. Bubic was very affordable in drafts this year. His late season injury scared many away from someone who was a serious performer all year long. Bubic is getting whiffs at 38% right now. His 4.09 xERA is high, much higher than the 2.67 and 2.55 rates he posted the past two years, but I believe it will come down. Bubic's 13.6% walk rate is uncharacteristic. He's never walked over 10.7% of batters in his career. Bubic is a performer who doesn't come with name-brand capital, so you might be able to pry him away for a reasonable price.
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