Tommy Medica (1B/OF-SD): Tommy Medica went 2 for 5 with 1 run and 1 RBI to spark the Padres to victory. Those scouts and evaluators who worried about his long swing looked at his power numbers in the minors--19 in high A in 2012 and 18 in AA in 2013--and pointed to favorable hitting environments as the culprit. But in his brief stints the past two season in the majors, all Medica has done is hit. While the contact and walk rates are below average at 77% and 6% respectively, Medica continues to post solid linedrive and HR/FB rates and is making subtle adjustments against Major League pitching. With the Padres giving him a long look for the remainder of 2014, I like him as an add in all but the shallowest of formats and see him as a potential keeper in deeper ones.
Julio Teheran (SP-ATL): Julio Teheran struggled yet again on the road, this time allowing 6 earned runs across 6 innings in Seattle. The righty allowed 9 hits and 2 walks while punching out 5. Teheran has been Jeckyl and Hyde depending on the venue as 70-point inflated wOBA on the road demonstrates. Teheran has complained of the humidity on the west coast, which he has said prohibits him from gripping his breaking pitches. Whatever the case may be, in order for him to take the next step to fantasy ace in 2015, he'll have to figure his road issues out. For now, monitor the matchups closely.
Steven Souza (OF-WAS): The recently promoted Steven Souza pinch hit and went 0 for 1 in this the beginning of his 2nd stint with the Nationals. Souza has really accelerated in his development the past two seasons in the upper minors, posting a .953 OPS with 15 homers and 20 steals in 77 AA games last season and a 1.036 OPS with 18 homers and 24 steals in 91 AAA games in 2014. After fighting issues with his makeup, culminating with a positive 2010 drug test for a stimulant and subsequent 50 game suspension, Souza has turned his career around and has made himself into what I believe is one of the game's most underrated prospects.
Jeff Locke (SP-PIT): Jeff Locke tossed 7 quality innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 0 walks. The lefty struck out 7 Marlins en route to his 3rd win of the season. Locke looks like a changed man since fall from all-star back to the minors, and his 3.78 ERA/3.49 xFIP indicates his resurgence isn't being fueled by good fortune. The improved control (4% BB-rate) and ability to entice batters to chase (5% increase in chase rate) are behind the improvement. According to Brooks, Locke has almost completely abandoned his 4-seamer in favor of more 2-seamers, and as long as he can continue to throw them for strikes to set up his offspeed pitches, he'll be a useful back-end option in the majority of formats.
Christian Yelich (OF-MIA): Christian Yelich provided the lone spark for the Marlins, hitting a 2-run homer off of Jeff Jocke. The blast was his 9th of the season. In looking at Yelich's peripherals, I see a developing superstar on the cusp of greatness. Yelich is progressing in all of the key areas you want to see, increasing his contact rate, lowering his chase and swinging strike rates, and improving against lefties. The sophomore has also upped his ISO by 30 points and his flyball rate by 4%, movement that suggestions more power is on the horizon. The development process is rarely linear, but if Yelich continues to head in this direction, he could be a draft day steal next season.
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