2022 Fantasy Baseball Outfielders: Will Luis Robert Get To 30 Home Runs?
Everyone digs the long ball. It’s what puts fans in the seats, gives baseball franchises their televisions deals, and makes players millions and millions of dollars. For the 2022 fantasy baseball season, we love the long ball too. Always have, always will. Who could be the next Cedric Mullins about to embark on their breakout campaign? Looking at the outfield position specifically, who is going to hit the long ball a lot this year? 30 times specifically. That’s what we’re looking at here. Fantasy baseball outfielders that will hit 30 home runs for the first time in their career.
Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox (ADP - 15.95, OF7)
If there’s a “chalk pick” or a pick that is easy to make, it’s likely Luis Robert. Over 124 games spread across two seasons, Robert has belted 24 home runs and has a .512 SLG%. All of his numbers suggest over 162 games, he’s going to be a 30 home run guy.
He has a career 39% flyball rate and hits a home run 16.3% of the time he hits the ball in the air. Talking about some batted ball numbers, Robert’s xSLG% in 2021 checked in at a robust .537, which would have checked in as the seventh-best amongst ALL outfielders, behind names such as Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, etc.
Health needs to be on the White Sox outfielder’s side, but if we get 150 games out of Robert he may be one of the very few players across baseball that could get us 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases. 2022 will the year of Luis Robert.
Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs (ADP - 204.26, OF54)
At-bats and opportunity haven’t always been in Ian Happ’s favor, but after his best season since his rookie season from 2017, he’s poised for all the at-bats he can handle in ‘22. Happ has always flashed big power despite limited big league exposure. He has a career .467 SLG% and in three of his five seasons that he’s appeared in the majors in, he’s put up a slugging percentage of at least .505.
Happ is projected to hit in the heart of the Cubs order and with Seiya Suzuki signing with his team, he actually has some protection hitting behind him. Happ has twice topped 20+ home runs and plays his home games in a home run centric park. According to Baseball Savant’s ballpark data, Wrigley Field was the sixth best park for home runs in 2021.
Happ was significantly better against right-handed pitching last year and was a different player in the second half. If he irons out his approach against southpaws and puts together two halves, not just one, 30 is well within the reach of Happ if he approaches 600 at-bats.
Sleeper
Jesús Sánchez, Miami Marlins (ADP - 230.69, OF60)
Last year, who thought Cedric Mullins was going to bust out and hit 30 home runs for the Orioles? How about Max Kepler hitting 36 home runs back in ‘19 for the Twins? Jesús Sánchez is my Mullins and Kepler for 2022 and he should be yours too. Let’s talk about why he has a legitimate chance for 30 homers.
When you watch Sanchez swing the bat and make contact, the power absolutely jumps off the page. In 64 games last year, Sanchez belted 14 home runs, posting a .238 ISO, and .489 SLG%.
The addition of the universal designated hitter is going to do wonders for Sanchez and realistically should keep him on the field and in the box far more often than not. The Marlins depth isn’t too great either as it stands, their bench consists of Jon Berti and Delino DeShields as a non-roster invitee.
2021 was the year Sanchez’s power was on full display and whether it was the .652 SLG% at Triple-A or the 14 home runs in 62 Major League games, he’s here to stay and the middle of that Marlins lineup is about to have some serious thump.
Sources: Fangraphs, Baseball Savant, NFC
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