2K20: Kevin Newman

[onejayhawk]

I'm glad I have him for two more years. As a rookie, he's in the race for the batting crown. Currently he's .317/.362/.448 in almost 500 PA, 10 HR, 15 SB. Add that to age 26, 2B/SS in all formats, with 3B in some (6 g, 3 GS). The preseason Fangraphs write up posed him as a potential deep league value pick. He has been much better than that.

What expectations for 2020? What sort of position and draft ranking will he draw? Will he be undervalued in ADP or pricey?

J

[harmon]

An absolute gem on a train wreck of a team.

In 2020 he should see modest bumps in HR and SB. I'd expect about 3 to 5 more in each. A .300 average is within reach as well making him a very solid MI option.

I think he'll be underrated for ADP probably by at least a round.

[Judge Jude]

.289 xBA, so similar to teammate Reynolds.

don't buy his 2019 AVG - but don't assume either is a fluke.

good chance that both are AVG boosts in 2020.

[onejayhawk]

I was going to mention Reynolds as the other gem in the wreck.

I gather Newman is much better defensively at 2B. Is it just the throwing arm?

J

[joncarlos]

Steamer 577 PA, 283/329/401, 9 HR, 54 RBI, 63 R, 18 SB. But he will probably hit leadoff or 2nd for the Bucs and I think he crushes that runs projection. Not that his OBP or 5.3% walk rate belong at the top of the lineup, but this is the team of Omar Moreno. Newman had 4 walks in 40 PA hitting 8th so his walk rate might be even worse than expected if you exclude those walks or devalue them a bit. Still, I like him as a guy who might slide under the radar and give you good late-round counting stats. Especially if Reynolds turns out to be a fluke, there's no one else to hit at the top of the lineup.. but odds are that Reynolds/Newman hit 1-2 most of the time.

[onejayhawk]

Nice. He's all I have at 2B, whereas I have three candidates at SS. This way even MI is covered.

J