How long can managers trust Cedric Mullins?
NBC Sports EDGE's Colin Henderson analyzes Orioles OF Cedric Mullins' blazing start, but questions how long he can keep it up.
Video Transcript
COLIN HENDERSON: One of the year's least talked about early season surprises, Cedric Mullins has come out of the gate swinging a hot bat. Entering Monday, Mullins is slashing a robust .355, .412, .516, with one homer, four ribbies, and 8 runs scored.
Firmly entrenched in the lead-off spot in a top-heavy Baltimore lineup, Mullins has been and should continue to be a nice source of runs moving forward. He's 2 for 3 in stolen base attempts, and with a sprint speed in the 85th percentile, he should easily push the 20 stolen base mark by season's end.
His early season hitting has been a nice boost for fantasy owners who were quick to scoop him up. But don't go locking him into your lineups for the rest of the season just yet. Entering the year, Mullins was a career .225 hitter across 418 plate appearances. He was primarily known for his speed and his glove. He's currently sporting an insane .467 batting average on balls in play, so he's due for some major regression.
While the 26-year-old is certainly capable of putting up career highs across the board, he should be considered nothing more than a fringe starter in standard 12-team mixed leagues for now. Enjoy the hot bat, but once you start regressing to the mean, he can quickly rejoin waivers.
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