On Monday, the Mariners promoted prospect Nick Franklin from Triple-A Tacoma to replace Dustin Ackley at second base, which can only be an improvement for Fantasy owners. Of course, by the time the Mariners made the switch, most had already given up on Ackley, his ownership rate dropping to about 40 percent.
So then, how many owners will actually benefit form this move?
Franklin is a legit prospect, but at age 22, he's hardly a finished product. His numbers at Tacoma, while impressive in terms of contact rate and plate discipline, were lacking in other areas. Four home runs in 142 at-bats are just par for the course in the heavy-hitting Pacific Coast League and especially disappointing for a player whose home run totals were lacking each of the last two seasons.
Naturally, if you need a shortstop or second baseman -- and many teams do -- Franklin is well worth your while, but if not, I'm thinking he's unlikely to perform well enough to establish much trade value. I'm expecting more along the lines of a Neil Walker than an Ian Kinsler.