Sleeper Spotlight: Could The Newly Acquired Jett Bandy Hold Fantasy Appeal?

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

The Brewers and Angels completed an interesting trade earlier in the week, though it’s not one that’s going to blow anyone away:

The Angels Receive – Martin Maldonado (C) & Drew Gagnon (RHP)
The Brewers Receive – Jett Bandy (C)

Bandy is the biggest name involved, as he has a chance to step into the Brewers’ starting catcher role (all that stands in his way is Andrew Susac).  While he struggled in 231 PA for the Angels last season, hitting .234 with 8 HR, there appeared to be upside in his average:

• Line Drive Rate – 20.6%
• BABIP – .246
• Strikeout Rate – 16.5%

Of course his plate discipline doesn’t quite support that type of strikeout rate (10.9% O-Swing%, 39.5% O-Swing%), though he did hit .286 at Triple-A over parts of three seasons.  He spent the most time there in 2015 (344 PA), and he posted an 18.3% strikeout rate.  That’s certainly promising and leads you to believe that there’s potential development in his future.

You could make the argument that he was swinging for the fences, however, considering his 52.0% fly ball rate in ’16.  Over the course of his minor league career he posted a 0.71 GO/AO (0.53 in the Majors), so there certainly is reason to believe that his fly ball rate isn’t going to fall significantly.  That’s not going to help his average potential, but for his home run totals isn’t not necessarily a bad thing.

He’s also shown a little bit of power as he’s worked his way up the ladder.  Granted 11 HR in ’15 in the PCL isn’t going to blow you away, but he did have 13 HR in 93 games at Double-A the year before.  We also can’t ignore his 8 HR in 70 games for the Angels, courtesy of a realistic 8.8% HR/FB.  Moving to Milwaukee, and the hitter friendly Miller Park, the potential for 15 HR with regular playing time is there.

So, at the end of the day he has the potential to be your prototypical low-to-mid average catcher with some power.  That’s not a bad thing, though it isn’t sexy either.  At the end of the day it makes him an intriguing flier for those in two-catcher formats if nothing else, and a player to monitor in deeper single-catcher formats just in case.

Sources – MILB.com, Fangraphs, Baseball Reference

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