All Kyle Schwarber has done at every stop of his professional career is hit, and hit a ton, and that held true in his brief major-league cameo earlier in the season. The 22-year-old had a home run and a triple among his eight hits over six games, as he went 8 for 22 before being sent down for what everyone could see was just a temporary return to the minors.
His time might be now, and it might be for good this time. Miguel Montero went on the disabled list with a thumb injury that MLB.com reports could keep him out up to six weeks, and Schwarber got the call to take his place on the roster. With rosters set to expand in six and half weeks, that timeline could line up perfectly for Schwarber to spend the rest of the season in the majors. So, should Fantasy owners rush out to pick him up?
Absolutely.
Maybe if Montero's injury was only expected to keep him on the DL for the minimum amount of time, it might make sense to pass on Schwarber. But with this reported timetable, there is no reason not to add Schwarber.
Schwarber has now played 147 games in his minor-league career, essentially a full season, and his numbers are pretty astounding. He is hitting .333/.429/.613 with 34 home runs and 35 doubles in that span, and has the underlying ability to back it up. Schwarber is made in the big, beefy power-hitting mold, he hasn't needed to sell out to create it in the minors, posting a solid 20.8 percent strikeout rate and a 1.5:1 K:BB ratio. He has even held his own against lefties, posting a .976 OPS against them last year and then a .962 mark this season.
Catcher eligible players who can swing the bat like him don't come around often, and that bat should be enough to keep him in the lineup more often than not. Schwarber is flanked by a pair of right-handed hitting catchers in David Ross and Taylor Teagarden, but it would make sense for Schwarber to at least start playing everyday against right-handed pitchers -- why call him up if not to play him? Schwarber has experience playing the outfield, though they unfortunately have just one series remaining in the season at an AL park, so DH opportunities will be limited.
Unless Corey Seager unexpectedly gets the call soon, Schwarber is probably the last impact bat left in the minors this season, so if you've been saving a top waiver-wire priority on someone, now is the time to use it. A catcher with 30-homer potential is valuable enough, let alone one who might just hit .290 to go along with it. This might be your last, best chance to really get a big-time player on waivers, so swing for the fences.
