Fantasy Baseball 2021: Sleeper Hitters and Pitchers for MLB Week 19

Josiah Gray came to the Washington Nationals with plenty of hype because of his status as a top prospect within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Gray was going to fill a role in the Washington rotation after the Max Scherzer-Trea Turner deal, but no one expected to see 10 strikeouts in his second start. 

Gray's impressive outing against Atlanta put him on the list of players who can contribute down the stretch run of the fantasy baseball regular season. 

Two starts with two earned runs is still a sample size for the pitcher in his new home, but the numbers may be promising enough to add him to the back end of your rotation now. 

The same could be said for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell, who is making a case to be a consistent fantasy producer. Adell will not be the first name off the waiver wire, but his returns since the All-Star break could make you think about adding him as a depth piece.

If Gray turns in one or two more strong starts, he will go from sleeper addition to must-add player off the waiver wire. 

The 23-year-old right-hander caught our attention with a 10-strikeout performance against Atlanta on Saturday. He allowed one earned run on four hits in that contest. 

In his first Washington start, Gray produced a pair of punchouts versus the Philadelphia Phillies, but his earned run concession was still low. He let up a single earned run on four hits. 

Gray's upcoming schedule is difficult, and that may turn away some fantasy baseball players interested in adding his services. 

If Gray makes his next start on regular rest, he will face Atlanta once again this weekend. A matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers on extra rest should follow. 

Washington has two days off next week and a two-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays stuck in between them. If Gray starts versus Atlanta, he will get the ball next at American Family Field at the start of a nine-game road trip.

Gray's next start against Atlanta will be the ultimate test of what he can do at the major-league level. He needs to mix up his pitches to keep the Atlanta batters off balance. Atlanta comes in with an advantage since it saw Gray on Saturday, but if he avoids a ton of earned runs, it will show a step in his development against familiar foes. 

For now, Gray needs to be on your radar. If his next couple of starts go as well as Saturday's appearance, he could go from sleeper to must-have September addition. 

There could be some hesitancy to add Adell because of how poorly he performed in his first shot at the majors last season. 

In 2020, Adell hit .161 with a .478 OPS over 38 games. The good news for the outfield prospect is he has already improved some of his numbers in a short stint with the Los Angeles Angels. 

In seven games, Adell has a .718 OPS, .259 batting average, four doubles and 11 total bases. 

Adell has two multi-hit performances in the last week. He returned to the majors by going 3-for-4 with three RBI on August 3 versus the Texas Rangers. 

Adell should be a mainstay in the Angels lineup for the rest of the season. The American League West side needs to generate some power behind Shohei Ohtani and Justin Upton.

The home runs have not come for Adell yet, but he is putting the ball in play on a consistent basis. He struck out eight times in 27 at-bats. 

If Adell continues to reach base, he should be viewed as a nice piece to add to outfield depth as teams look to make the fantasy playoffs. 

Cal Quantrill has quietly put together a solid run of starts inside the Cleveland rotation.

The right-hander's best start to date came on Friday, when he struck out 10 Detroit Tigers over seven scoreless innings. 

Quantrill has not allowed multiple earned runs in a start since July 10 versus the Kansas City Royals. Since then, he has pitched well against the Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Detroit. 

Quantrill is worth an addition to the back end of your rotation because he has thrown well against some of the better teams in the majors.

He has 16 strikeouts in two August starts, and he has at least five punchouts in four of his last five trips to the mound. 

If anything, you should ride the hot hand while Quantrill still has it. His numbers might drop a bit, but until they do, you can at least take advantage of his hot streak before it ends.