Editor’s Note: Now, all our premium tools for Fantasy, DFS and Betting are included in one subscription at one low price. Customers can subscribe to NBC Sports EDGE+ monthly ($9.99) or save 20% on an annual subscription ($95.88). And don’t forget to use promo code SAVE10 to get 10% off. Click here to learn more!
Adalberto Mondesi vs. Anthony Rendon
Mondesi
Ah, Mondesi. Fantasy baseball’s unicorn. I’ll never quit you. While he’s not for the risk-averse drafter, Mondesi possess an easy first round ceiling -- perhaps as high as the number one player overall -- provided that he can simply stay on the field for the duration of a major league season. That task though, has proven to be extremely challenging for him. He managed to stay healthy during the truncated 2020 season, but aside from that he has spent significant time on the injured list in each and every season -- logging a total of just 136 plate appearances in 2021. Over the last four seasons, his 162-game average looks like a ridiculous .261 average, 94 runs, 21 homers, 83 RBI and 68 stolen bases. And those were his age 22-25 seasons. Yowza. He also set career highs in launch angle, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, average exit velocity and max exit velocity during the 2021 season. Even if he only winds up playing half of a season, he’ll still be a major difference maker -- especially in stolen bases. Rendon, who had been a bastion of good health for most of his career, played in just 58 games in 2021 due to knee, triceps, hamstring and hip injuries. He also struggled while in the lineup, slashing just .240/.329/.382 with six homers and 34 RBI in 249 plate appearances. Rendon should deliver plenty of counting stats hitting in the middle of the Angels lineup, and he’s a career .287 hitter so I’m a believer in the batting average bouncing back to be a major plus. He’s not a huge power guy though -- as he’s only hit more than 25 home runs once in his career. He also doesn’t run, as he hasn’t even attempted a single stolen base during his two seasons with the Angels. If you’re looking for solid four category production with very little risk, Rendon is your man. I’d rather roll the dice with the game-changing upside on Mondesi. – Dave Shovein (@DaveShovein)
Rendon
While no one will dispute that Mondesi very well might win the stolen base crown this year, and may do so by a large margin, I’d much rather put my faith in an Rendon bounce-back in 2022.It was not too long ago that Rendon was an elite provider in 4 categories, hitting .319 with 34 homers, 126 RBIs with 117 runs back in 2019. Since then he had a “down” year with a .915 OPS in the shortened 2020 season, and hit the IL three different times last year, playing in only 58 games. Prior to his injury riddled 2021 season, he had been the banner of health, so I’m not taking too much stock in the “injury concern” column. He played in an average of 146 games from 2016-2019 and only missed two games in 2020. In a line-up that consists of Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Jared Walsh, Rendon should have plenty of line-up protection and run scoring opportunities; and could easily pop back into the top 5 at the position despite being drafted outside of that group. Meanwhile Mondesi has legitimate injury concerns. He has yet to play in more than 103 games in a season and only played in 35 games last year. His speed skill set is truly elite, but his bat has never shown any level of consistency. Consistently in the bottom 15% of the league in strikeout percentage, walk percentage, whiff percentage and expected batting average, Mondesi looks more and more like a one-trick pony, albeit a fast one. If I’m backing a horse, give me Rendon. - Colin Henderson (@ColDontLie)
The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
