Norichika Aoki is finally getting some valuable playing time in the Brewers outfield and he is as advertised.
Analysis: With Nyjer Morgan hitting just .233 on the year and only four extra base hits to his credit, Norichika Aoki has played very well in center and right field for the Brew Crew. Aoki actually has seven more extra base hits and five more RBI than Morgan in nineteen less at-bats. Aoki is a former three time Central League batting champ in the NPB, so his .289 batting average thus far should come as no surprise. His tools do resemble Ichiro’s a bit but he does not run as much as Ichiro.
Aoki is available in ninety-nine percent of leagues and if you are in a deeper league an outfielder with his upside can be hard to come by. It still may take a few more months before Aoki is fully acclimated to MLB pitching but you have to like his small sample size thus far. Expect a batting average in the .280-.300 range, five more home runs and ten more stolen bases if he continues to get consistent playing time.