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| Lawrence Butler | OAK - OF | ||||||||||||
| Bats: L | Age: 24 | Mixed 5x5: $21 | AL 5x5: $23 | |||||||||||
| 2024: RF:123 | Mixed 2026: $22 | 2027: $23 | ||||||||||||
| Outlook: Butler made the leap from intriguing raw talent striking out nearly 30 percent of the time in the upper minors to a certifiable upper-echelon fantasy contributor in lightning-quick fashion last year, hitting .291 with 20 homers and 15 steals over his final 84 contests after being recalled on June 18 following a one-month exile to Triple-A Sacramento. The 24-year-old burgeoning fantasy stalwart’s emergence as the primary tablesetter for a rapidly-improving lineup took place after working with A’s director of hitting Darren Bush last summer to make a couple mechanical tweaks to his swing, most notably eliminating head movement to ensure that he stays back on the ball at the point of contact, which allows him to tap into his tremendous raw power with greater frequency. Butler is still going to strike out roughly 25 percent of the time, but near-elite batted ball metrics, including a 47.7 percent hard-hit rate, point to a rising star just beginning his takeoff sequence. The A’s obviously believe in his talent after reportedly agreeing to a seven-year, $65.5 million extension in early March. | |||||||||||||
