By all indications MLB is supplying a baseball that is producing enhanced fly ball distance for this shortened season, as was the case in 2019. We saw plenty of hitters enjoy career years with that boost. The Fly Index metric Brian Creagh in 2019, I developed showed how those guys put more air under their balls in play. Let's examine some of the players who looked better than ever squeezing distance into their big flys. 

Here are some of the more notable jumps broken out.

  • The Twins had plenty of guys crush the juiced ball in 2019. It’s hard to argue anyone benefited more than these two. Garver has generally been priced out of my range by Sano is getting close to being a value for me.

  • The Royals offense benefits plenty from Soler power. He finally had the breakout fantasy managers had been hunting for years. There’s no reason to believe he doesn’t repeat that success with the same ball.

  • Yet another awaited break out here. Bell is one of the lone bright spots for a talent challenged Pirates team. That concerns me more than some of the other names here.

  • Schwarbs quietly had an excellent 2019 after many folks had written him off. That power first approach is still tantalizing to roster. The Cubs are in an odd spot with some big names around him that have repeatedly underwhelmed. 

These are guys to keep a close eye on for the sprint season. There are always multiple factors in a breakout but their Fly Index jumps are certainly part of it. Look for a good deal on them in DFS and the season-long trade market.