New Studs on the Block takes a look at players ready to make the leap from "possibly productive fantasy player" to "must-have fantasy stud." This is not a "you've never heard of this dude, but ... " series -- these should be names you already know.Coming into the season, Fantasy FanHouse loved Pablo Sandoval. He was dubbed a breakout candidate and tabbed as someone who would become a stud during the season. Well, here we are. This week's New Stud on the Block is Mr. Sandoval. He should never be on the bench or waiver wire in any format. He's just too valuable a commodity.
The 22-year-old Venezuelan is currently hitting .338 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI. He's even stolen 2 bases. If he's not already eligible at catcher, keep an eye on those games. He's caught three times this season.
Sandoval has been pretty hot recently, but that doesn't tell the whole tale. In fact, he's been one of the best hitters in baseball for a most of the season. After a slow start that saw his batting average dip to .179, things have picked up and not slowed down. After 11 games he was hitting only .195, but since then he's been raking -- to the tune of .368. All 8 of his home runs and all but one of his 33 RBI occurred in those last 52 games.
His best work has come recently, though, as his confidence grows. In his last 16 games, Sandoval is hitting .448 with an astounding 1.308 OPS. The power stroke especially has come around in this recent development, as 5 of his 8 homers came during this hot streak and his slugging percentage has increased nearly 100 points in June.
While his development has been pretty fast, it's not from out of nowhere. Sandoval destroyed minor league pitching last season (.350, 20 homers, 96 RBI in only 112 games). He's a career .303 minor league hitter, and has been in the Giants organization since he was 17.
Considering the fact that Sandoval is 5-foot-11, 245 pounds, one would expect the power stroke will continue to develop as he becomes more acclimated as a major league hitter.
The sky is the limit. Enjoy his growth in your fantasy lineup, because he is a stud for the foreseeable future.
