Albert Pujols

Pillar, Duffy, Walker and more fantasy baseball surprises from June

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:35 p.m. ET

Ryan Fowler

Do you think the casual baseball fan could pick Nolan Arenado out of a lineup?

Well, the Rockies’ third baseman has the longest current hitting streak at 17 games and is tied for third in home runs (24) with Albert Pujols and Bryce Harper. Plus, on a fun personal note, I just sold an Arenado rookie card for 55 bucks.

Safe to say the above notations come as a surprise to many, but several players, ranked well-below Arenado when the season started, produced for fantasy baseball owners willing to shake the lightning in a bottle last month.

With a small minor league sample size and no games played at the Triple-A level (as if that matters anymore), it’s a little tricky to gauge Duffy’s future, but one thing is for sure we haven’t witnessed his speed yet. He swiped 20-or-more bases in both 2013 and 2014 and only has two steals this season.

June Stats: 68 AB / 8 SB / 13 R / .395 OBP

Analysis: Fantasy baseball lightning in a bottle personified? As this Fangraphs article notes, it took Hernandez five years to move past A-Ball. However, he’s banging the ball around and his 28 percent line drive rate in June ranked ninth among ALL (non-qualified included) second basemen. He stole 32 bases at Triple-A in 2013.

It’s amazing when the shiny new toy in the room isn’t a 22-year-old talented baseball player.

We’re spoiled, but that’s not a surprise.