Nationals Juan Soto: Is the youngster worth a waiver wire add?

The Nationals need a spark and have made the decision to recall prized prospect, Juan Soto. Is the youngster worth a waiver wire add?

The Nationals have struggled this season amid numerous injuries and underperformers. The team is looking everywhere for a spark, so after Howie Kendrick’s unfortunate Achilles injury, the team looked to the farm. They decided to promote one of their crown jewels, recalling Juan Soto from A ball.

But is the youngster worth a waiver wire add?

Juan Soto is only 19-years-old, yes you read that right, and has played more games at the Rookie ball level than at any level above it. His talent is just too hard to deny though, and the Nationals are turning to him as a hopeful lefty infusion in their lineup.

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Soto is about as polished as they come in terms of prospects can be at that age. Outside of speed, there is not one area that he lacks top-tier talent in. The scouting report on Soto is pretty unanimous. He generates a ton of torque in his swing showcasing a pure line drive stroke.

In terms of his power, he’s violent swing offers him the ability to muscle the ball out of any ballpark. Even though his swing speaks to a line drive approach, he will surely be a power threat as he grows into his frame. One of his best attributes though is his eye at the plate.

Over his minor league career, Soto has drawn 58 BB to only 66 K. He attacks the ball in the zone but knows what to lay off as well, an enviable trait for a kid. An astonishing stat from Soto while in the minors this season was that he drove in 51 runs over 39 games.

Over three stops at A, high-A, and AA ball in 2018, Soto posted a .356/14 HR/51 RBI/1.179 OPS line. It is hard to ignore a line like that and fantasy owners have to take notice as well.

In terms of his fantasy value, it boils down to two things. When everyone comes back from injury, will he stick, and can he hit enough to make that decision an easy one?

In terms of his bat, there is enough to like his profile to think that he can stick. He showed no obvious splits in the minors, and while major league pitching is certainly a far cry from what he saw in the minors, the plate approach is there to offset it.

Owners should not bank on a ton of power right away, but the XBH and OPS/RBI/AVG numbers should provide waiver wire value.

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Since it has been a few days since he was recalled Soto was snagged in a lot of leagues. Yet, he is still owned in under 60 percent of leagues across all fantasy platforms.

Do not let him slide on the waiver wire any longer.

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