Brewers deal for Christian Yelich: Fantasy Fallout

By Brad Kelly | Jan 25, 2018

PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 24: Christian Yelich /

Christian Yelich has finally gotten his request and is now heading to the Brewers. What is the fantasy fallout of the deal?

Brewers receive: Christain Yelich

Marlins receive: OF Lewis Brinson, OF Monte Harrison. INF Isan Diaz, and RHP Jordan Yamamoto

The Marlins comical offseason continued this week as they have finally found a suitable package for Christian Yelich. Yelich made it no secret that he wanted out of Miami, who could blame him, yet it just further points to how dysfunctional the organization is. However, what is the fantasy fallout of the deal?

Yelich is coming off another solid season where he posted a .282/18 HR/81 RBI/16 SB/.807 OPS/ 100 R line over 695 at-bats. He will be entering his sixth season as a big leaguer in 2018, and over the last four years, he has played in no less than 126 games.

More from Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy wise, the move to the Brewers should help in a few areas. Yelich has amassed over 30 doubles the last four years, while seeing his HR numbers surge as well. Miller Park is one of the best hitter’s parks in the game, a far cry from Marlins Stadium.

He should have no issue reaching 20+ HR in his new home, but there is also the important speed element of his game as well. Craig Counsell is one of the most aggressive managers in the game when it comes to the basepaths, allowing Yelich a prime chance to reach the 20 HR/20 SB club in 2018.

Yelich has continually held a prime spot in the Marlins order since his debut, and that will not change in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, he will not have Dee Gordon, Giancarlo Stanton, nor Marcell Ozuna, around him in 2018.

But, the Marlins lineup is definitely deeper than what the Marlins had, so his chances at eclipsing 70+ RBI again are solid even at the expense of him not likely to hit the 100 R mark again. All things considered, Yelich’s values get a little boost and he stays a safe OF2 mid-rounder.

From the Marlins perspective, the haul they back for Yelich looks pretty good on paper. It is headlined by Lewis Brinson and Isan Diaz. Ironically enough, neither is a blue-chip and have been traded to Milwaukee over the two years.

Brinson was recently ranked as a top-10 overall prospect in the game and is easy to see why. Defensively, he can stick at the MLB level already. Like Yelich, he has 20/20 ability but lacks plate discipline. The Brewers gave him a taste of big league action in 2018, but he could only muster a .106/2 HR/3 RBI/.513 OPS line over 47 at-bats before being demoted.

The Marlins will be in the position to give him a full go in center in 2018 as they will, of course, be in a full-on rebuild. Fantasy wise, the jury is still out. He will be approaching 24-years-old, yet has struggled against big league pitching. He has the skill to be a late-round flier, but he is better left on the waiver wire until he can prove to make adjustments in the majors.

Isan Diaz was acquired in the Jean Segura deal from the D’Backs in 2016. He has spent the last two seasons in A-ball and has amassed 33 HR, 129 RBI, and 54 doubles over his last two campaigns. But, that success came with a few pitfalls.

Diaz saw his K rate rise, and his AVG cratered at .222 last season. He has the power to stick in the majors, yet will have to adjust. He is a name to watch down the road as he looks to the be the Marlins’ long-term hope at second base.

Monte Harrison is an intriguing member of the deal. After breaking his ankle and hamate bone during his first two pro seasons, he had a monster 2017 season at A-ball where he posted a .272/21 HR/67 RBI/27 SB/.832 OPS line. He did strike out 139 times to only 43 walks, but he is starting to solidify why he rated as the best raw athlete in the 2014 draft.

Now in Miami, Harrison is on the fast track to the bigs as he stays healthy and continues to develop. He is a dynasty league sleeper.

The last piece of the deal of the deal, Jordan Yamamoto, has quietly done well in the minors that last two seasons. He notched a 2.92 ERA/113 K/1.09 WHIP at A-ball last season.

He does not have blazing stuff, his fastball sits in the low-90s, yet his breaking ball took a big step forward after a mechanical adjustment. His changeup still needs work, and what is limiting him for now. Yet, it hard to argue that his mechanic improvement has served him well. He profiles as a backend starter or swingman for the Marlins.

Next: Cardinals Alex Reyes: Believing in the Hype?

At the end of the day, the Marlins received three high upside prospects for a talented, and projectable Yelich. The Brewers did well in dealing two prospects netted during their own rebuild process, and are shaping up to contend again in 2018 with Yelich leading the charge for the foreseeable future.

Home/Fantasy Baseball