“Plant Your Flag” – Catchers & Infielders

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  • By SportsEthos Staff

    Last Updated on February 17, 2025 4:30 pm by André Lemos | Published: February 5, 2025

    If you’ve never heard it used in a fantasy sense, to “plant your flag” in a player basically means that said player is your guy. Someone who you will reach for in standard drafts, overpay for in auctions and offer up whatever it takes in a trade. Plant your flag players are players that you are fully backing and expect big things out of and you’ll defend them until your last breath goes out.

    So we reached out to each of the baseball contributors to get their plant your flag guys. Today we are sharing their catchers and infielders, tomorrow we’ll share their outfielders and then on Friday their pitchers, both starters and relievers.

    Jeff Clowers – @ethosjeff on Twitter

    Nolan Gorman – 2B, STL – If you follow my work specifically, you know I’m a total sucker for post-hype prospects. In fact, I basically wrote a whole article about it! Gorman is a prime example, as not only did he enter The Show as a highly rated prospect (58th per FanGraphs), he actually provided excellent value across his first two seasons in 2022 and 2023, smashing 41 long balls in just 208 games played – good for 6th among all primary second basemen and only 14 off the leader (Marcus Semien) despite having half as many plate appearances over that time.

    Compare that stretch to the same from a well-regarded, universal top-five fantasy option at the keystone.

    Games Home Runs Stolen Bases .ISO .wOBA wRC+
    Nolan Gorman 208 41 8 .222 .333 113
    Ozzie Albies 212 41 16 .212 .343 116

    That’s shockingly similar, even though we often think of Albies being able to provide even more on the basepaths.

    What that chart doesn’t show however, is the difference in plate discipline. Gorman struggles at much higher level when it comes to not punching out, with his power stroke coming at the cost of a 32.3% strikeout rate, highest among any second baseman with as many plate appearances by a significant margin, with Taylor Walls well below him in second place carrying a 26.0% strikeout percentage. Those issues ballooned even further in 2024, with Gorman actually leading with a first-percentile K% at 37.6% while whiffing at an almost identical rate (38.7%; first-percentile). It almost literally can’t get worse than that.

    Despite the struggles with contact though, Gorman was still to exhibit some elite traits that portend future success, particularly in the power departments. He was among the top four-percent of hitters when it came to finding the sweet spot of launch angles to create home runs (40.3%) and the top two-percent of all hitters when it comes to Barrel% (16.7%), both of which are among the most reliable when it comes to predicting power.

    Though more in the “above-average” range than elite, Gorman also put forth strong showings in xSLG (68th percentile) and Bat Speed (70th percentile) so there is really only one area of improvement to focus his attention on here, although it’s certainly a critical one.

    Playing time may be a bit of a concern until the long-awaited Nolan Arenado trade is consummated as this town (St. Louis) ain’t big enough for the two of ‘em, so the showdown for playing time at the hot corner will be worth watching. For what it’s worth, Gorman has apparently been working on swing changes with new Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown throughout the offseason and General Manager John Mozeliak has stated in interviews that Gorman is someone he is hoping to get 600 at-bats next season. With a clear runway and regained confidence in his swing, Gorman might once again challenge for 30+ home runs – just be cautious of the batting average drag. Gorman could end up as this generation’s Dan Uggla.

    Christopher Morel – 2B/3B, TBR – I’ve clearly got a type, don’t I? 


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    February 5, 2025, 11:00 am