Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton just continues to hit…

And hit…

And hit…

The talk is running rampant as to exactly when he is going to make his Major League debut for the Florida Marlins, but at this point we all know that it’s going to be soon.  Just look at his Double-A numbers through Saturday if you need any proof:

166 At Bats
.307 Batting Average (51 Hits)
18 Home Runs
47 RBI
34 Runs
1 Stolen Bases
.442 On Base Percentage
.711 Slugging Percentage
.327 Batting Average on Balls in Play

We’ve already discussed how his arrival could effect the rest of the Marlins outfield (click here to view). No matter what they do with everyone else, we all know that if he’s brought to the majors it isn’t going to be to sit on the bench.

His average is buoyed by the number of home runs he’s hit. If those decrease (as you would expect upon being recalled), the average is going to drop due to more balls put into play. It may not be a significant drop, but it’s certainly there.

The other thing to look at is the strikeouts. At Double-A he’s struck out 28.3 percent of the time. Assuming that number increases, and you have to think that it will, his average is going to decrease.

Let’s look at his average, if he can maintain the BABIP, under the following circumstances:

• The same 166 AB
• HR drop to 10
• K percent increases to 30.7 percent

That would bring an average of .265, certainly usable, but at the same time not all that impressive. That’s probably a fair assumption for him, at 20-years-old and making this type of jump. The average isn’t likely to kill you, but it’s not going to be elite either.

The power, however, is every bit for real. This season he’s posted a 49.1 percent fly ball rate, and for his minor league career he’s at 45.1 percent. Over his minor league career he’s hit 86 HR in just 1,169 AB (a home run every 13.6 AB). Drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft, he hit 39 HR in his first full season of professional baseball. 

That’s where his value lies, and if you are in need of power in any format, stashing him away now would be your best bet. In most leagues, finding power like his on the waiver wire at this point in the season just doesn’t happen. 

My guess is you have a marginal guy sitting on your bench who you never intend to use. Why not ditch him for a player who has a chance to be a tremendous asset from this point forward? He’s coming up soon, so make the move before it’s too late. At worst he’s Jack Cust-esque, but that’s unlikely. He has the potential to be a must use in all formats, and pretty quickly too.

What are your thoughts on Stanton? Is he worth owning in all formats? If you’ve picked him up, who have you dropped to get him?

Make sure to check out other recent Scouting Reports:

• Brett Cecil
• Jason Donald
• John Ely
• Jonathan Lucroy
• Andres Torres

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