UTHorsey
Pacific Northwest Vol
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2009
- Messages
- 1,851
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- 115
J.P. was listed as the #3 fantasy prospect player by ESPN.
Jeremy Hellickson, Freddie Freeman check in as the top fantasy prospects for 2011 - Fantasy Baseball - ESPN
3. J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays: The 25-year-old Arencibia hit .301 with 32 homers and a .986 OPS in just 412 Triple-A at-bats last season. Granted, he played his home games in a hitter-friendly park -- and a hitter-friendly league -- but Arencibia has always had plus power. He drew just 44 walks compared to 215 strikeouts in 976 combined at-bats in 2008 and 2009, but he also hit 48 homers. His on-base percentage is likely never going to be high in the big leagues, and his strikeout rate will be high, but fantasy owners are always looking for good power numbers from the catcher position, and this dead-pull hitter with a tendency to overswing can certainly supply that. The Jays plan to give him a chance to take the job and run with it despite some deficiencies defensively, and he has the capability to put up a 20-homer season right now if you can live with his low batting average and on-base percentage. Given that just four catchers managed to reach the 20-homer mark last season, that pop definitely gives him fantasy value.
Jeremy Hellickson, Freddie Freeman check in as the top fantasy prospects for 2011 - Fantasy Baseball - ESPN
3. J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays: The 25-year-old Arencibia hit .301 with 32 homers and a .986 OPS in just 412 Triple-A at-bats last season. Granted, he played his home games in a hitter-friendly park -- and a hitter-friendly league -- but Arencibia has always had plus power. He drew just 44 walks compared to 215 strikeouts in 976 combined at-bats in 2008 and 2009, but he also hit 48 homers. His on-base percentage is likely never going to be high in the big leagues, and his strikeout rate will be high, but fantasy owners are always looking for good power numbers from the catcher position, and this dead-pull hitter with a tendency to overswing can certainly supply that. The Jays plan to give him a chance to take the job and run with it despite some deficiencies defensively, and he has the capability to put up a 20-homer season right now if you can live with his low batting average and on-base percentage. Given that just four catchers managed to reach the 20-homer mark last season, that pop definitely gives him fantasy value.
