Pavin the Piper
Pavin Smith (ARI): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
Pavin Smith has been thriving as a platoon bat with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and last night was no exception as he hit a pair of home runs against the White Sox right-handed pitching. In fact, all eight of Smith’s home runs this season have come against righties, alongside a .282/.391/.506 triple slash, and a 148 wRC+. His decision-making at the plate truly is his best trait, as his 108 Decision Value+ has fueled a 107 Process+.
There are better platoon bats out there, possibly even in this article, but playing in the heart of a red-hot D-backs lineup, Pavin Smith is looking like a quality outfielder/corner infielder for your deep leagues.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Monday:
Cal Raleigh (SEA): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Cal Raleigh’s historic season continued with his 32nd home run of 2025. The 28-year-old catcher is not only locked in a tight race with Aaron Judge for the AL MVP, but through 75 games, sits three homers ahead of Judge’s own AL-record-breaking pace in 2022. At this point, it isn’t a question of “Will Raleigh write his name in the record books?”, it’s a question of “How many more records will he break?”
Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL): 2-5, HR, R, RBI, SB.
Acuña picked up his first “Combo Meal” of the season last night. So far in June, he’s put up a .408/.523/.704 triple slash with six homers and three steals. His .479 BABIP suggests that maybe he won’t quite finish with that high of a stat line, but his 2025 performance should put to bed any concerns about his return from injury. It’s full steam ahead for Acuña.
Zach Neto (LAA): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB.
Zach Neto opened the game last night with a first-pitch 104.4 mph blast and completed the “Combo Meal” later in the eighth inning. This season, Neto has quietly emerged as a top-10 shortstop and the Angels’ top (healthy) bat. Neto’s 92.0 mph average exit velocity, 14.9% barrel rate, and 48.6% hard hit rate are all elite marks that should allow him to put up another 20+ HR, 30+ SB campaign.
Alec Burleson (STL): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The St. Louis Cardinals stayed hot last night with a win over the Cubs, and a big part of their recent success has been the resurgence of Alec Burleson in the lineup. In the fifth inning, Burleson drilled a 101.5 mph bomb that would’ve left all 30 ballparks to put this game away for the Cards. He has been mashing in June with five homers, a .364/.386/.610/.996 slashline, and a 174 wRC+. Don’t think this is just a hot streak either, as he has a .343 BABIP and 114 Process+ over that stretch. Burleson may not get as much attention as some of the other names mentioned here, but as long as he has a regular spot in this offense, he shouldn’t be overlooked.
Luke Raley (SEA): 1-2, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Luke Raley has come back from the IL with a vengeance, which is fair since it was a baseball that injured him in the first place. In his first three games back, Raley has gone 5-for-9 with a homer, two runs, and five RBI. After being hit by a pitch in the second inning, Raley sought revenge in the third with a 109.6 mph homer. Not exactly fair since it was a different ball than the one that hit him. Still, Raley is one of the best platoon bats in the game, and it’s great to see him back doing what he does best.
Nick Gonzales (PIT): 5-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI.
Nick Gonzales is another player to keep a close eye on now that he’s healthy. Gonzales fractured his ankle while running the bases after hitting an Opening Day home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates (very on brand with how their season’s been going). Since his return, he’s looked sharp with a .319/.351/.458 triple slash and a 121 wRC+. The skeptics will point to the fact that he has only hit one home run over that stretch, but power was never the selling point here, as Gonzales hits for contact more than he hits for power. Think the aforementioned Alec Burleson, but with 2B eligibility.
