2027 Sleepers To Watch Down The Stretch v1.1
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2027 Sleepers to Watch Down the Stretch
I hope you have already secured a bye in your playoffs and you are well on your way to winning your league. If you have, then you should be focusing on your championship efforts.
However, if you are turning your eyes towards the 2027 season, assuming there isn't a lockout (writer inconsolably sobs), then you should continue reading this article. In this series, I will highlight a new player each week who could win you your 2026 league AND your 2027 league.
Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics
First on the list is Henry Bolte, rookie center fielder for the Athletics. Coming into this season, Bolte was ranked as the Athletics' fifth-best prospect and was known for flashing elite athleticism.
Through his first 78 games, the 23-year-old has slashed .258/.335/.353/.688 with five home runs, 22 RBI, 27 Runs, and 14 Steals.
Bolte's athleticism is undeniable. He has 100th-percentile sprint speed and 87th-percentile arm strength. Bolte would also rank in the 96th percentile for bat speed if he qualified with enough plate appearances.
Two Strike Struggles
Bolte has struggled against MLB-level pitchers this year. He is striking out at a 28.3% rate and is walking at a 7% clip. These struggles are typical for a young athlete still adjusting to the major league level.
However, Bolte has been incredible early in counts and when he gets ahead. In the first pitch of plate appearances, he is facing fastballs 63% of the time and is mashing them at a .557 xSLG. Compare that number to his fastball xSLG in 0-2 counts (.059 xSLG), 1-2 counts (.071 xSLG), 2-2 counts (.091 xSLG), and 3-2 counts (.150 xSLG).
This tells us that Bolte is excellent at hitting fastballs when he knows they are coming but struggles against them when he is off-balance or behind in the count. This is a typical struggle for young hitters and can be overcome with experience and an understanding of count leverage. The more time that Bolte gets in the majors, the more likely he is to get ahead earlier in counts and force pitchers into fastball counts.
Power Potential
As I mentioned earlier, Bolte has shown elite bat speed that has translated into exit velocity. Bolte ranks in the 81st percentile of average exit velo at 91.1 MPH. He has shown elite max exit velocities, ranking in the 92nd percentile at 113.6 MPH.
The problem has not been Bolte's ability to hit the ball hard. The problem has been his ability to lift the ball. He ranks in the 1st percentile for LA Sweet-Spot%, and he sports a 62.6% ground ball rate. This issue is more worrisome than all of Bolte's other red flags.
Learning to lift the ball requires players to change years of habits, which is very difficult to do and even harder to predict. Vladimir Guerrero JR is the poster boy for players who demonstrate elite exit velos but don't lift the ball. As a result, Vlad's power numbers have varied greatly from year to year. In years that he elevates the ball, he's had elite home run numbers. In years that he doesn't elevate the ball, he has had good but not elite home run numbers.
Vlad's 2024 Savant Page when he hit 30 home runs:
Vlad's 2025 Savant Page when he hit 23 home runs:
The biggest difference between these two years is his ability to lift the ball consistently.
Typically, players work on things like launch angle, count leverage, and strike zone knowledge during the off-season, when they can focus on those specific areas. I would be surprised if Bolte makes large strides in these areas in the rest of the 2026 season, but I'm not ruling it out.
Outlook Moving Forward
Bolte has all the potential to be a 5-category contributor in fantasy baseball. We've covered the areas he can improve on; now we need to watch him closely and look for progress.
Bolte is locked in next year for 10 home runs and at least 25 steals. If he can make a few tweaks to his swing, he could hit well over 20 home runs.
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