Fantasy Baseball Debate: Derek Fisher or Bradley Zimmer?

There are a lot of talent in the minor leagues. Some will have fantasy baseball value in the future. Two up for debate are Derek Fisher and Bradley Zimmer.

The baseball world is getting younger and younger. With teams rebuilding and looking towards the future, we are seeing more prospects getting the call. Some sooner than wanted, but injuries and team position change plans. This creates more players for the fantasy baseball pool in both re-draft and keeper leagues.

Two players with small sample sizes in the majors, one smaller than the other, are Derek Fisher and Bradley Zimmer. Looking at their past in the minors and the recent performance with their MLB team, which one should you target for the rest of the season?

Zimmer got the call on May 16 once Abraham Almonte landed on the disabled list. It was reported that Almonte could be out three to five weeks, giving Zimmer an extended time with the Cleveland Indians roster.

So far, in 24 games, Zimmer is hitting well. He has a .262 average with four home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs. He also has a 21:8 K:BB ratio with a .342 on-base percentage.

More from FanSided

Zimmer has been spread out throughout the Indians lineup. He has two games hitting sixth, three at seventh, seven at eighth, two at ninth but his most recent game, Zimmer was the leadoff hitter.

In the minors, Zimmer showed some power. He had a high of 16 home runs in 2015 between High-A and Double-A.

In a full season, he could hit double-digit home runs, but I wouldn’t expect anything more than 20. Zimmer will likely be an average guy with some pop in the bottom of the Indians lineup.

Fisher, with just one major league game under his belt, is already getting a lot of hype in the fantasy baseball community. His ESPN ownership is up 7.9 percent over the last week. After his first game, I think those people made the right move. Fisher went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

Fisher put up great numbers in Triple-A this season. In 275 plate appearances, he hit .335/.401/.608 with 16 home runs, 45 RBI and 42 runs. He also walked 25 times with 53 walks. The speed is something that separates him from Zimmer. Fisher stole 13 bases on 23 attempts. We hope for a better percentage, but the fact that he’s running is a good thing.

Both players have carved out a role for themselves on their respective teams. Zimmer has a spot as long as Almonte is out. Michael Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall are doing well in their roles.

Fisher was called up because Josh Reddick is on the seven-day concussion DL and Nori Aoki has just one home run with a .279 average in a part-time role with Marwin Gonzalez. If Fisher can hit like he did in the minors, he’ll take over that job sooner rather than later.

Next: What to make of Buck Farmer?

Both Zimmer and Fisher are widely available on the waiver wire. Zimmer is owned in just 12.3 percent of ESPN while Fisher’s ownership is at 8.5 percent. In deeper leagues, both are viable outfield options. In standard leagues, I would take a flyer on Fisher over Zimmer based on the potential and five-category help.

Home/Fantasy Baseball