Michael Brantley News

Michael Brantley

33-Year-Old OutfielderOF

Houston Astros

2019 Stats

AVG

.311

RBI

2020 Projections

AVG

RBI

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2020 Fantasy Outlook

Brantley continued his comeback from a lost 2016 season, and had his best season in the second half of the decade as a piece of the potent Houston lineup. One point is all that has separated Brantley from hitting .300 in three consecutive seasons, and couple that with a decent walk rate and you also get a strong on-base percentage. He does not steal bases any longer, but that is the only area where he is not at least a solid producer in the stat line. Last year was the second consecutive season where Brantley was able to get back over the 600 plate appearance mark, thus further putting the health concerns in the rearview mirror. Look for more of the same in 2020 as Brantley's floor is as high as the risk is low with his overall profile. The ceiling may be low, but boring still wins championships. It would be nice if Brantley could play more DH, but the presence of Yordan Alvarez will not allow it. Read Past Outlooks

RANKS

#130

ADP

Overall

Dynasty

Add To Watchlist

League Majors

Bats L

Throws L

40 Man Yes

Height 6'2"

Weight 209

DOB 5/15/1987

Born Bellevue, WA

College None

Drafted 7th Rd 2005 MIL

Secure in left field

OFHouston Astros

March 22, 2020

Brantley hit .316 (6-for-19) with a home run, a double, three walks, four RBI and three runs scored over eight Grapefruit League games.

ANALYSIS
The health concerns of 2016 and 2017, when Brantley played a combined 101 games, have been mostly put to rest as he recorded a second straight season of more than 600 plate appearances in 2019. The 32-year-old outfielder picked up this spring where he left off last season, when he hit .311/.372/.503 while launching a career-high 22 home runs. He'll be the Astros' starting left fielder in 2020 while slotting into the top half of the batting order where the potent Houston lineup gives him ample opportunity to score and drive in runs.

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Batting Stats

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2019

2018

2017

2019 MLB Game Log

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2018 MLB Game Log

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2017 MLB Game Log

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Minor League Game Log

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Batting Order Slot Breakdown

vs Right-Handed Pitchers

vs RHP

vs Left-Handed Pitchers

vs LHP

Left/Right Batting Splits

Since 2017

+27%

OPS vs RHP

2019

+25%

OPS vs RHP

2018

+30%

OPS vs RHP

2017

+23%

OPS vs RHP

	OPS	PA	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Since 2017vs Left	.708	480	51	8	55	11	.282	.333	.375
Since 2017vs Right	.898	1162	173	40	163	15	.318	.379	.519
2019vs Left	.740	184	17	3	22	1	.282	.353	.387
2019vs Right	.928	453	71	19	68	2	.323	.380	.549
2018vs Left	.684	169	20	3	16	5	.277	.320	.365
2018vs Right	.889	461	69	14	60	7	.321	.380	.509
2017vs Left	.696	127	14	2	17	5	.288	.323	.373
2017vs Right	.857	248	33	7	35	6	.305	.375	.482
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Home/Away Batting Splits

Since 2017

+10%

OPS at Home

2019

+2%

OPS at Home

2018

+14%

OPS at Home

2017

+23%

OPS at Home

	OPS	PA	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Since 2017Home	.882	851	136	27	128	15	.322	.378	.504
Since 2017Away	.799	791	88	21	90	11	.292	.353	.446
2019Home	.884	309	53	12	41	0	.312	.375	.509
2019Away	.866	328	35	10	49	3	.311	.369	.497
2018Home	.886	328	53	9	51	11	.333	.379	.507
2018Away	.774	302	36	8	25	1	.281	.348	.426
2017Home	.871	214	30	6	36	4	.319	.379	.492
2017Away	.710	161	17	3	16	7	.272	.329	.381
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Stat Review

How does Michael Brantley compare to other hitters?

This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.

BB/K
Walk to strikeout ratio
BB Rate
The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
K Rate
The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
BABIP
Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
ISO
Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
AVG
Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
OBP
On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
SLG
Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
OPS
On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
wOBA
Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
Exit Velocity
The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
Hard Hit Rate
A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
Barrels/PA
The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.

BB/K

0.77

BB Rate

8.0%

K Rate

10.4%

BABIP

.320

ISO

.191

AVG

.311

OBP

.372

SLG

.503

OPS

.875

wOBA

.380

Exit Velocity

88.9 mph

Hard Hit Rate

41.8%

Barrels/PA

4.3%

Advanced Batting Stats

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Additional Stats

Games By Position

Defensive Stats

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Batted Ball Stats

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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2006

It was a long road back for Brantley, who battled injuries the prior few seasons, most notably missing nearly all of 2016 following shoulder surgery. However, last season he nearly matched his 2014/2015 form, back when he helped win fantasy championships for a lot of folks. He lacked a little power and saw a modest drop in steals, but Brantley is now on the other side of 30 years old so that's understandable. Heading his skill set is a tiny 9.5 K%, second lowest in the league among qualified hitters. He cracked 17 homers, his second most ever, fueling a .160 ISO, behind only the levels attained in 2014 and 2015. Brantley ran less, but a 12-for-15 stolen-base success rate shows the cagey vet still know when to pick his spots. Home venue is less important for a contact-driven hitter like Brantley, so while he landed in a pitcher's park in Houston, that shouldn't affect baseline expectations much. The injury risk will be baked in. Don't hesitate to invest.

No one is shocked Brantley only played 90 games last season. However, it is surprising the reason was a pair of right ankle injuries, the last sending him to the DL on Aug. 9. He returned for the last two games of the regular season plus three playoff tilts. Once the Tribe was eliminated, Brantley had surgery to stabilize the ligaments in his right ankle with an estimated return coinciding with the beginning of spring training. When healthy, Brantley was productive, but he fell a little short of 2014-15 levels with a .299/.357/.444 slash line. He may have been playing hurt most of the season. Even so, Brantley popped nine homers and was 11-for-12 stealing bases, providing hope he can run effectively when healthy. Still just 30 years old, Brantley remains a health liability, but the chance for double-digit homers and steals in a solid lineup with a plus average is worth the risk, especially with an injury discount.

Brantley's 2016 season should serve as a cautionary tale for injury optimists. The initial hope for Brantley, who was coming off shoulder surgery, was that he might be ready following a brief, backdated DL stint. Unfortunately, his timetable was pushed back to late April, and Brantley only played in 11 games upon his return before he landed right back on the shelf. From there, reports of incremental progress would trickle in, leading many owners to hold tight. However, he experienced several more setbacks and never ended up returning to action. Brantley underwent another shoulder procedure in August, with his rehab projected at four months. There was some fear that his recovery could actually push well into 2017, but the Indians say he should be good to go for spring training. Brantley began taking dry swings right around the end of the calendar year.

Doctor Smooth wasn't in his best form in 2015, but he was still very good. A balky back limited him early in the season, and the discomfort lingered until near the end of July. Once the back got in order, Brantley was operating with surgical precision at the plate and ended the season with a .332/.383/.549 line over his final 200 plate appearances. He has always been a high-contact hitter, but reached a new level in 2015 when he walked more times than he struck out, which helped him keep his OBP above .375 for a second consecutive season — a feat only five other players have accomplished. Despite being on base so often, he didn't score 70 runs or steal 20 bases due to his back issues in the first half of the season. There has been some uncertainty regarding his timetable for a return from offseason shoulder surgery, and 2014 may forever represent his upside.

Arguably the biggest breakout player of 2014, Brantley doubled his power output and was a 20-20 player for the Indians en route to finishing third in the AL MVP voting. Prior to last season, Brantley had never slugged above .402 as a big league player, which will undoubtedly lead to questions about his ability to sustain his new level of production. Handling fastballs better than he did in the past, Brantley's HR/FB rate climbed from 6.8% in 2013 to 12.7% last season. That he was able to significantly increase his home-run production without selling out in his approach bodes well for his chances of another strong season in 2015 (his strikeout rate was a career-best 8.3%). Even if he's more likely to hit .300 with 15 homers and 15 steals than repeat the .327 average with another 20-20 effort, Brantley has all of the tools necessary to remain a steady five category player in the heart of the Cleveland lineup.

Brantley enjoyed a breakout season in 2013, with career highs in runs (66), homers (10), RBI (73) and steals (17). His ability to at least tread water against southpaws (.276/.325/.339) keeps him out of a platoon situation, which certainly helps his counting stats. Brantley will turn 27 in May, but there are no signs of additional power on the horizon, as his three-year ISO has ranged from .112 to .118, with very little fluctuation, and he hits a steady supply of balls on the ground (47.0 percent groundball rate in 2013). He'll be back as the team's everyday left fielder, barring a major offseason addition.

Brantley enjoyed his finest season since breaking into the big leagues, hitting .288 with 60 RBI and 12 steals in a full-time role for the Indians. He'll be back in a full-time role again for 2013 and figures to post similar numbers though there could be some upside to be found in the stolen-base department. In terms of power, it seems unlikely that he will provide much more than 10-12 long balls at his peak, as his ISO (.114) last season was right in line with 2011 and at the high end of his range during his stops in the minor leagues.

Brantley's season was cut short by a wrist injury in August that eventually required surgery, but he is expected to make a full recovery. He's not a huge fantasy contributor in any single category but chips in some value in most categories in nearly all formats. Of some concern is that his contact rate slipped from 87 to 83 percent last season, while his career struggles against lefties (.230/.294/.278) may ultimately lead him to sit depending on the composition of the Cleveland bench. Entering his age-25 season, he's a good bet to improve on last year's totals in what will be just his second full season in the majors, so look for Brantley to slot in as Cleveland's leadoff hitter and regular left fielder if Grady Sizemore is healthy enough to play center.

Brantley got off to a slow start, was demoted to Triple-A Columbus, hurt his shoulder upon his recall, got demoted to Triple-A again, and was called back up again only to deal with ankle and hamstring injuries in August and September in a whirlwind season for the 23-year-old. He did hit .284 with 10 steals after his second promotion from Triple-A after a dismal showing (.118 average) in the season's first half even though the underlying skill set didn't appear to change much thanks to a near 200-point jump in his batting average on balls in play. He's the Indians' everyday left fielder and likely leadoff hitter heading into spring training and he offers you speed on the basepaths, but limited power.

Brantley parlayed an injury to Grady Sizemore and the Indians' woeful season into a nice audition in September that saw him hit .313 with four steals for the Tribe as the team's everyday leadoff hitter down the stretch. He has nice instincts on the basepaths (46 steals in 51 tries at Triple-A last year) and a solid approach (59 walks and just 48 strikeouts in 457 at-bats at Triple-A) for a leadoff hitter but has to develop some power or pitchers will just pound the strike zone on him without fear. He's been one of the younger players at each of his minor league stops but a .369 career slugging percentage just isn't going to cut it. He'll have a chance to win an everyday role with the Indians this spring, especially with the talk of moving Sizemore down to the middle of the order.

Brantley, who was acquired as part of the package for CC Sabathia, hit .319 and swiped 27 bases as a 21-year old in his first full season at Double-A. He's got an excellent batting eye but will need to develop some more power as he matures or advanced pitchers will simply pound the strike zone against him as he moves up the minor league chain. There's certainly room on his frame (6'2") for some additional pop but we'll see if it ever develops.

Michael Brantley is the son of former major league outfielder Mickey Brantley. Michael has speed and good on-base skills, but not much in the way of power.

More Fantasy News

Goes yard Friday

OFHouston Astros

February 29, 2020

Brantely went 1-for-2 with a walk, a home run and two runs scored in Friday's game against the Marlins.