WAF 212 - Barrel Rate Standouts & Surprises

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) break down early-season barrel rate trends now that batted ball data has begun to stabilize. They revisit last year’s approach—starting with barrel rate and layering in supporting metrics like pull air%, hard-hit rates, and plate skills—to identify 2026 standouts, underperformers, and year-to-year improvers. The episode focuses on hitters making meaningful skill changes (stance, swing decisions, contact quality), and what those changes might mean for fantasy value going forward. Intro -- 0:00 Michael Harris II — 9:10 Sal Stewart — 15:45 Kevin McGonigle — 21:00 Dillon Dingler — 27:20 Carlos Cortes — 32:00 Casey Schmitt — 41:35 Christian Walker James Wood — 54:30 Mike Trout — 58:32 Spencer Steer — 59:50 Heliot Ramos — 1:04:15 Angel Martinez — 1:07:15 Join Our Discord & Support The Show: PL+ | PL Pro - Get 15% off Yearly with code PODCASTProud member of the Pitcher List Fantasy Baseball Podcast Network Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.