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Fantasy Baseball 2019 Player Comparison: Harper or Davis

By Bill Pivetz

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Khris Davis #2 of the Oakland Athletics hits a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Khris Davis #2 of the Oakland Athletics hits a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The outfield player pool can help your fantasy baseball team in all categories. For power, do you want Bryce Harper or Khris Davis?

With 90 starting outfielders, there is a wide variety of talent you can draft to your fantasy baseball team. Whether it’s contact, power or speed, you can find an outfielder to contribute in all rounds of the draft. In this post, I will be comparing two power-hitting outfielders, Bryce Harper and Khris Davis, and which one you should draft to your team.

Harper made his MLB debut at the age of 19 in 2012 (damn, I’m old) and was an instant star. He hit .270 with 22 home runs, 59 RBIs, 98 runs and 18 steals over 139 games. Harper would then play in 118 and 100 games in his next two seasons, hitting a combined 33 home runs and .274 and .273 in those two years.

His 2015 season was the season we’ve compared his recent performances to. In 153 games, Harper hit a career-high .330 with 42 home runs, 99 RBIs and 172 hits with 118 runs. He won the NL MVP award at 22 years old.

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The following season would be a disappointment with a .243 average. He bounced back in 2017 with a .319 average and 29 home runs. Harper hit 34 homers and 100 RBIs with a .249 average last season. He struck out a career-high 169 times but he did walk a career-high 130 times.

Harper will now play with the Phillies for the next 13 seasons. I don’t think there’s much of a fantasy boost from the move. Nationals Park was as hitter-friendly as Citizens Bank Park. The lineups are very close. Harper will have to face the trio of Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg.

His roller-coaster stats do not lead to confident projections. The power will be there but the batting average is the biggest question mark. I think he’ll hit 35 home runs, 100 RBIs, 96 runs and a .268 average. He’s a top-10 outfielder and a second-round pick.

Davis has been one of the most consistent outfielders over the last four seasons. He’s hit .247 in four straight years while playing a different number of games each time. That’s amazing.

In those four years, Davis has hit 27, 42, 43 and 48 home runs. He also has at least 102 RBIs in his last three seasons. The Oakland A’s haven’t had the best lineup but Davis has decent hitters in front and behind him to help with his counting stats.

The pitching in the AL West isn’t the best. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are the top two pitchers. The Angels and Rangers are mixing and matching with veterans. The Mariners have brought in some international talent but have dealt with a ridiculous number of injuries to their staff.

Globe Life Park, Angel Stadium and Minute Maid Park ranked in the top 12 in home runs last season, according to ESPN Park Factors. Davis should have no problem hitting another 40 home runs. I just hope he hits .247 again, as unlikely, or likely, as it may be. FantasyPros projects him for a .246 average with 41 home runs, 110 RBIs and 91 runs.

According to FantasyPros, Harper has a 15.0 ADP, middle of the second round, while Davis is being drafted at the beginning of the fifth round with a 41.4 ADP.

dark. Next. Fantasy Baseball 2019: 5 Late-Draft Relief Pitchers

Davis leads with more home runs and RBIs. Harper will have a higher batting average. It all depends on what your team’s needs are in each round.

Assuming you draft a high-average fantasy baseball hitter with your first pick, you can take an ace pitcher in the second and wait for Davis in the fifth. That’s something I’d like to see play out in a mock draft.

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