Wil Myers: Fantasy Baseball First Half Most Valuable Hitter

Wil Myers is having the season many experts and fantasy owners were expecting him to have years ago. Based on his ADP, he is my first half MVP for hitters.

The San Diego Padres signed the former 2013 American League Rookie of the Year last year. In his first season, he was a bit of a disappointment. However, this season is the breakout season we all expect him to have. Wil Myers is living up to his potential with a ridiculous first half.

With fantasy owners not too high on him after his poor 2015 season, Myers fell a bit in drafts. He had an ADP of 212.6 (22nd round) in ESPN leagues. That’s about the place where you draft a backup position player or take a flyer on someone you hope (and in this case it paid off) breaks out.

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Now before you get on my case, these MVP articles will not include players that were drafted early and are performing. They were drafted high for a reason.

So, sorry to the Madison Bumgarner or Jose Altuve fans. And the same applies to the 25th round picks that are no longer on your team.

Wil Myers has played in 87 games this season, one shy of his career high, and missed just two games. In those games, he has 97 hits, 19 home runs, 60 RBI, 15 steals and a .286 average. He is the No. 10 player and No. 7 hitter on the Player Rater.

These are just remarkable numbers. In 87 games with the Rays in 2014, he had six home runs, 35 RBI and a .222 average with six steals. He finished as the No. 240 hitter on the Player Rater. Hence why he was drafted in the last five rounds in most drafts this season.

While the teams are completely different, the name is the same. He lowered his strikeout rate and maintain a nine percent walk rate between 2014 and 2016. He also lowered his ground ball and rose his line drive rates between last and this season.

Myers could finish with 40 home runs, 100 RBI and 30 steals with a .285 average. That could easily place him in the top 15 among hitters and an early round draft pick entering next season. For a 22nd-round pick, you could do a lot worse.

Next: Luis Valbuena: Waiver Wire Add

Wil Myers is owned in 93.3 percent of leagues. He ended the first half on a bit of a down note, 2-for-17 in his last four games, but I can give him a reprieve after his good performance. If you own him, it will be hard to trade him. If you need a pitcher or want to bolster another offensive position, you should be able to get a good haul for him.

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Wil Myers: First Half Most Valuable Hitter

By Bill Pivetz | Jul 11, 2016

Wil Myers is having the season many experts and fantasy owners were expecting him to have years ago. Based on his ADP, he is my first half MVP for hitters.