Pavin Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith is expected to open the campaign in a platoon role at the designated hitter spot. Being a left-handed bat, Smith should see a majority of the starts. Joc Pederson occupied this role last season but departed in free agency to sign with Texas. When facing a right-handed pitcher last season, the 29-year-old posted a strong .282/.356/.564 slash line with eight home runs and nine doubles. He held a solid 15:27 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Smith generated a stellar .293 xBA and a .395 xwOBA. Right-handed bat Randal Grichuk will likely slot in on the short side of this platoon. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Smith's status during spring training, as he could also see occasional starts in the outfield and first base. Even though he will likely be in a platoon role, given his impressive splits, he does carry value in deeper formats.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith and the team have settled on a $1.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The 28-year-old performed well over his 60-game stint in the majors last summer. Smith held a .270/.348/.547 slash line with 11 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBI, and one stolen base. He generated a strong .395 xwOBA, .529 xSLG, and a 14.7% barrel rate. He also held a solid 19.6% strikeout rate and an 11.4% walk rate. Fantasy managers should expect the Virginia product to be the primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching this season with Joc Pederson now in Texas. Smith will be worth targeting in deeper formats, as he hit right-handed pitching very well last summer and would carry solid upside, even in a platoon role.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/first baseman Pavin Smith had a game to remember on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three homers and eight RBI in a 12-6 win over the Houston Astros. Smith did all of his damage in the first five innings, hitting a three-run homer in the 2nd, a grand slam in the third, and a solo shot in the fifth. The monster game brings the 28-year-old up to a .270 AVG and .905 OPS in 89 at-bats this season. Those numbers aren't too shabby, but the lefty hasn't been able to get into the starting lineup consistently and has spent most of his time in the minors. With a game like this, maybe the D-Backs will get him in the lineup more often. Still, it's hard to trust that one game will change things, so he isn't of much value in fantasy.