5 Essential Fantasy Baseball Pickups: Friedl, Vaughn, Hamilton, and Thorpe
Sportsgrid Staff
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OF TJ Friedl, Reds (63% Rostered)
TJ Friedl broke out in 2023 with an impressive .819 OPS, hitting 18 homers and stealing 27 bases over 138 games. His follow-up season has been limited to 18 games due to two IL stints, but he’s heating up this month.
In his first 10 games of June, Friedl has a .265/.405/.559 slash line, three homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs, and three steals. He’s making contact 83.3% of the time and has a 24.0% line drive rate.
If Friedl is available on your waiver wire, add him now regardless of your league’s depth.
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SP Drew Thorpe, White Sox (26% Rostered)
Drew Thorpe, acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade, made his MLB debut on Tuesday night in Seattle. Despite never pitching above Double-A, Thorpe impressed, using his diverse repertoire and standout changeup to limit the Mariners to two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings.
Thorpe's role in the White Sox rotation is still to be determined, but he’s expected to get more opportunities to prove himself against MLB hitters this year. He’s a valuable stash in all formats.
For all your MLB deep dives check out our friends at Just Baseball.
2B/SS David Hamilton, Red Sox (26% Rostered)
David Hamilton continues to impress for the Red Sox, particularly with his speed on the bases. Recently, he has surprised with overall production, not just stolen bases.
Hamilton has had five two-hit games out of his last six, including two homers and three doubles. He has stolen four bases in this period, bringing his season total to 13. Since becoming a regular in mid-May, Hamilton is batting .347. Although his .442 BABIP is unsustainable, his current fantasy value is undeniable.
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1B Andrew Vaughn, White Sox (26% Rostered)
Andrew Vaughn smashed his seventh home run of the season and third in six games on Tuesday night in Seattle. The line drive left his bat at 109 mph, showcasing his power during an 11-game hitting streak that started on May 27. During this streak, Vaughn is hitting .364 with a .636 SLG and six extra-base hits in 46 plate appearances. He boasts a 50.0% HardHit% and a 26.5% line drive rate.
Vaughn's hot streak might cool down, but fantasy managers should enjoy the ride while it lasts.
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SP Ben Lively, Guardians (50% Rostered)
Ben Lively exited his last start in Miami after just 65 pitches over five shutout innings due to some "tightness," but he’s set for his next start in Toronto this weekend.
Lively has been excellent this season with a 2.59 ERA and a 6-2 record over 10 starts. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any outing and has pitched at least five innings in all but one start. His 21.8% K% is decent, and he has been controlling his walks with only three issued in his last 23.1 innings. Over his last four starts, Lively has a 1.93 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts.
OF TJ Friedl, Reds (63% Rostered)
TJ Friedl broke out in 2023 with an impressive .819 OPS, hitting 18 homers and stealing 27 bases over 138 games. His follow-up season has been limited to 18 games due to two IL stints, but he’s heating up this month.
In his first 10 games of June, Friedl has a .265/.405/.559 slash line, three homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs, and three steals. He’s making contact 83.3% of the time and has a 24.0% line drive rate.
If Friedl is available on your waiver wire, add him now regardless of your league’s depth.
Swing for the Fences with SportsGrid’s free daily MLB Game Picks and MLB Prop Picks.
SP Drew Thorpe, White Sox (26% Rostered)
Drew Thorpe, acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade, made his MLB debut on Tuesday night in Seattle. Despite never pitching above Double-A, Thorpe impressed, using his diverse repertoire and standout changeup to limit the Mariners to two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings.
Thorpe's role in the White Sox rotation is still to be determined, but he’s expected to get more opportunities to prove himself against MLB hitters this year. He’s a valuable stash in all formats.
For all your MLB deep dives check out our friends at Just Baseball.
