When I put together my lineups for both of Saturday’s slates, I noticed I had an easier time finding cheaper hitters than more expensive guys. I would be fine playing Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, but for the most part, I am content to spend less on my hitters and spend the savings on pitchers rather than pay for too many stud hitters.

One programming note before we get to the position-by-position breakdown: The Blue Jays-Rays game is not offered on FantasyAces Saturday. It is included on the early slates for DraftKings and FanDuel, so I have included those players in this hitting coach, but they are not available on FantasyAces. Also, Cubs-Braves has been rained out, so be sure to get those players out of your lineups.

CATCHER

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Stephen VogtOAKLCHOUChris DevenskiR0.260.340.440.250.30.450.33300035004200
Yadier MolinaSTLRCWSHJoe RossR0.270.310.350.330.420.440.38310032004200
J.T. RealmutoMIARCMILChase AndersonR0.260.290.410.280.30.420.32260033004100
Welington CastilloARIRCCOLChris RusinL0.170.240.360.290.350.560.39350038004800
Salvador PerezKCRCSEAWade MileyL0.260.280.430.250.290.530.35330028004400

EARLY

You can believe in Chris Devenski if you want, but I would much rather trust Stephen Vogt and his .353 wOBA against righties last season.

Yadier Molina hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, as he currently has a 10-game hitting streak. Molina has a 1.182 OPS at home this season.

LATE

J.T. Realmuto is 10-for-19 with two home runs over the last week.

I often recommend Welington Castillo, especially against lefties, but it definitely helps that he is 12-for-26 with three home runs over the Diamondbacks’ current eight-game home stand.

Salvador Perez is 5-for-6 with a home run against Wade Miley, and he is a nice value on DraftKings.

FIRST BASE

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Victor MartinezDETBDHMINTyler DuffeyR0.250.30.370.320.390.630.39300036004700
Lucas DudaNYML1BSFMatt CainR0.240.350.490.240.270.440.31330040004800
Justin SmoakTORB1BTBChris ArcherR0.230.30.470.210.410.240.33210027004000
Pedro AlvarezBALL1BCWSMat LatosR0.240.320.470.180.310.250.26280034004150
Chris DavisBALL1BCWSMat LatosR0.260.360.560.220.340.490.37410048005450
Joey VottoCINL1BPITFrancisco LirianoL0.310.460.540.240.330.330.27320035005000
John JasoPITL1BCINAlfredo SimonR0.290.380.460.320.380.420.36310033004500

EARLY

Victor Martinez is on fire right now, going 11-for23 with three home runs over his last six games. Martinez has just seven strikeouts in 80 plate appearances this season, making him one of the safest DFS plays available.

I much prefer Victor Martinez for cash games, but in a GPP, or as part of a stack, Lucas Duda is interesting. Duda already has four home runs on the young season.

Justin Smoak is dirt cheap, he will probably bat sixth, and he is inexplicably 6-for-19 in his career against Chris Archer. He is your best bet if you want to go cheap at first base in the early slate, and I doubt many people will play him.

LATE

Pedro Alvarez is 8-for-29 with two home runs against Mat Latos, and he has gone 2-for-3 in each of his last two starts. If you can afford a bit more, Chris Davis is 8-for-29 with two home runs over the last week and he has seven home runs on the season.

Joey Votto is 8-for-19 over the last week. Votto is notorious for drawing walks, and Francisco Liriano has allowed 17 walks in 21 1/3 innings this season.

Stop me if you have heard this before: John Jaso is pretty cheap, he kills righties, and he is leading off in a good lineup against a weak right-hander.

SECOND BASE

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Jed LowrieOAKB2BHOUChris DevenskiR0.220.310.40.310.350.360.33280032003950
Neil WalkerNYMB2BSFMatt CainR0.270.330.430.310.330.640.41380040005000
Kelby TomlinsonSFR3BNYMJacob deGromR0.30.360.40.160.20.160.15220025003800
Starlin CastroNYYRSSBOSRick PorcelloR0.270.30.380.30.350.490.35300032004600
Johnny GiavotellaLAAR2BTEXDerek HollandL0.270.320.380.20.210.280.21230031003500
Brandon PhillipsCINR2BPITFrancisco LirianoL0.290.330.40.290.320.440.35260030004300

EARLY

Neil Walker’s price may never be so high again this season, but he continues to mash the ball—he is 8-for-23 with three homers over the last week—and Matt Cain is really, really terrible.

Jed Lowrie is 9-for-22 over the last week, and he is certainly capable of taking advantage of a nice matchup with Chris Devenski.

Kelby Tomlinson has an excellent chance to start, and possibly even bat second if Joe Panik sits. If he plays he is worth considering despite a tough matchup.

LATE

Brandon Phillips is 11-for-36 against Francisco Liriano, and while Liriano has struggled this season, Phillips is off to a nice start.

Johnny Giavotella batted second the last time the Angels faced a lefty, and while he is probably worth playing against Derek Holland no matter his spot in the lineup, I would love him batting ahead of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

Starlin Castro has four multi-hit games in his last five starts, and Castro has tended to be a pretty streaky hitter in recent seasons.

THIRD BASE

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Nick CastellanosDETR3BMINTyler DuffeyR0.260.30.420.360.370.570.37300032004600
David WrightNYMR3BSFMatt CainR0.290.380.430.240.350.420.33270039004700
Evan LongoriaTBR3BTORJ.A. HappL0.270.330.440.230.260.40.29280041005000
Martin PradoMIAR3BMILChase AndersonR0.290.340.390.40.430.490.38290037004150
Brandon DruryARIR3BCOLChris RusinL0.210.250.380.30.310.560.39270031003600
Maikel FrancoPHIR3BCLETrevor BauerR0.280.340.50.280.330.490.36350036005150

EARLY

If you are looking for a cheaper way to get some exposure to Tyler Duffey, Nick Castellanos is your best bet. He is 9-for-24 over the last week, which certainly doesn’t hurt.

David Wright is 11-for-28 in his career against Matt Cain, just in case you needed another reason to play him against Cain and his 6.43 ERA.

Evan Longoria is 8-for-21 against J.A. Happ, and he has always crushed lefties.

 

LATE

I don’t understand while Maikel Franco is so cheap, especially on DraftKings? Is he so different from guys like Todd Frazier or Adrian Beltre who cost a lot more? I don’t think so, and I love Franco’s chances to take Trevor Bauer deep.

Martin Prado may be the safest third base play of the day as he is 12-for-22 over his current five-game hitting streak.

Brandon Drury batted second the last time the Diamondbacks faced a lefty, and he is a great play if he bats second again. Drury has a .361 wOBA against lefties in his career.

SHORTSTOP

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Danny EspinosaWSHB2BSTLJaime GarciaL0.240.310.410.190.320.260.23210025003800
Asdrubal CabreraNYMBSSSFMatt CainR0.270.320.430.310.370.420.34270033004350
Jordy MercerPITRSSCINAlfredo SimonR0.240.290.320.320.390.420.34310032004400
Zack CozartCINRSSPITFrancisco LirianoL0.260.310.460.370.370.570.42340036004350
Ketel MarteSEABSSKCYordano VenturaR0.280.350.40.280.310.320.29290032003500

EARLY

Danny Espinosa is 6-for-13 against Jaime Garcia, and there is no arguing with his price.

While I like Espinosa, there is no doubt Asdrubal Cabrera is far safer despite not costing that much more. Cabrera is 7-for-23 over the last week

LATE

Zack Cozart is 8-for-22 over the last seven days, and he has value as the lead-off batter against the struggling Francisco Liriano.

Jordy Mercer is 8-for-23 over the last seven days and 7-for-22 in his career against Alfredo Simon.

Ketel Marte is 10-for-24 over the last week and 3-for-3 against Yordano Ventura.

OUTFIELD

     Prob Pit 2015  2016      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsAVGOBPSLGAVGOBPSLGwOBAFDDKAces
Danny SantanaMINBSSDETJordan ZimmermannR0.220.240.290.350.350.410.35260023004050
Stephen PiscottySTLRLFWSHJoe RossR0.310.360.490.30.370.520.39350040004700
Evan GattisHOURDHOAKJesse HahnR0.250.290.460.260.270.420.25250038004450
Josh ReddickOAKLRFHOUChris DevenskiR0.270.330.450.270.350.460.34340040004350
Curtis GrandersonNYMLRFSFMatt CainR0.260.360.460.240.350.480.36370045004500
Michael ConfortoNYMLLFSFMatt CainR0.270.340.510.340.430.610.44390036004800
Steve PearceTBR2BTORJ.A. HappL0.220.290.420.280.360.390.34240029004300
Nolan ReimoldBALRRFCWSMat LatosR0.250.340.390.360.390.740.43240030003800
Starling MartePITRLFCINAlfredo SimonR0.290.340.440.330.370.530.39420047005400
Odubel HerreraPHILCFCLETrevor BauerR0.30.340.420.30.460.420.39360034004400
Giancarlo StantonMIARRFMILChase AndersonR0.270.350.610.250.350.560.39480053005350
Ian DesmondTEXRLFLAAMatt ShoemakerR0.230.290.380.230.320.380.3310042004500
Gerardo ParraCOLLLFARIZack GreinkeR0.330.370.520.290.310.460.32340032005000
Lorenzo CainKCRCFSEAWade MileyL0.310.360.480.220.30.30.26320039004700
Alex GordonKCLLFSEAWade MileyL0.270.380.430.210.320.330.3260032004450

EARLY

Danny Santana has been great since returning from a hamstring injury, going 8-for-17 with at least one hit in each of his four games. He has led off three consecutive games, and he is still quite cheap, especially on DraftKings.

Stephen Piscotty is 10-for-22 over his current five-game hitting streak, and he is a likely candidate to tag Joe Ross for his first home runs of the season.

Evan Gattis is 7-for-17 over his current four-game hitting streak, and he is a fantastic play on FanDuel where he is dirt-cheap and eligible at catcher.

Josh Reddick Is 9-for-24 with a home run and two stolen bases over the last week. He had a .356 wOBA against righties last season.

Steve Pearce is 8-for-22 with three home runs against J.A. Happ. Steven Souza and Brandon Guyer are worth considering as well, especially depending on how the batting order shakes out.

As you may have noticed, I am expecting big things from the Mets’ lineup against Matt Cain. That begins with Curtis Granderson, though Michael Conforto is ridiculously cheap on DraftKings and is 11-for-22 over the last week.

LATE

Nolan Reimold has two hits in each of his last two games, and the price is right to see if he can stay hot against Mat Latos.

Starling Marte is 10-for-28 against Alfredo Simon and, coincidentally, 10-for-28 over the last week.

I don’t expect Odubel Herrera’s ridiculous 23 percent walk rate to hold up much longer, but he will probably walk at least once against Trevor Bauer and his 10.7 percent career walk rate. For good measure, Herrera is 9-for-20 over the last week.

Giancarlo Stanton has a home run in four of his last five games while Chase Anderson has surrendered three home runs over his last two starts.

Ian Desmond is 9-for-20 with two home runs and three stolen bases over the last seven days.

Gerardo Parra’s price is still down on FanDuel and especially DraftKings, but he is 12-for-26 with eight RBI over his current five-game hitting streak. Perhaps more importantly, Parra is 9-for-29 in his career against Zack Greinke.

I don’t believe at all in Wade Miley, and I do believe in Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon, despite their struggles this season. They had a .959 and .817 OPS respectively against left-handed pitchers last season, and they are hard to pass up at such little cost.