Ronny Simon: Hard-Hit Surge Makes the Pirates Utilityman Worth Your Attention
Ronny Simon is barreling everything right now. Over his last 24 plate appearances, the Pittsburgh utility man is posting a 75% hard-hit rate with a 101.2 mph average exit velocity — numbers that demand attention even in a 26-PA sample. He's slashing at a .348 AVG with a .337 wOBA over the past seven days, and he's doing it while striking out just 4.2% of the time. At 0% rostered, nobody owns him. That could be about to change.
The Rolling Window Tell
Here's what makes this interesting: Simon's 7-day and 14-day splits tell a story of rapid quality escalation. His 14-day hard-hit rate sits at 37.5% with a 90.2 mph exit velocity — perfectly fine but unremarkable. But zoom into the last seven days and those numbers explode to 75% and 101.2 mph. That's a massive jump in barrel quality over a compressed window, suggesting either a mechanical adjustment or an approach change that's unlocking real power. His contact quality isn't a mirage of bloop singles — he's driving the ball.
The plate discipline profile adds intrigue. A 3.8% strikeout rate over 26 PA is almost absurdly low. He's making contact on nearly everything, and a 7.7% walk rate over the 14-day window shows he's not just hacking. He's seeing the ball, laying off pitches, and punishing mistakes when he swings.
The Opportunity Is Real
Playing time was the question mark, but it's trending in the right direction. Simon has logged 24 PA in the last seven days across consistent starts, and CBS Sports reports he's handling a regular role, starting at designated hitter and batting sixth. For a player with 2B and OF eligibility, that kind of lineup security — even if it's day-to-day — opens the fantasy calculus.
FantasyPros notes Simon's strong Triple-A pedigree, and Pittsburgh clearly sees something in him to keep running him out there. His five-game log shows remarkable consistency: multi-hit performances in three of his last five games, with at least one hit in every contest. Add in a stolen base and you've got category contributions beyond just average.
WaiverScout Was Already Watching
We first flagged Simon on August 8 as a deprioritize — the underlying numbers didn't yet support a move. But the signal has shifted. That initial flag meant our algorithm was tracking him, and the hard-hit quality surge over the past week is exactly the kind of inflection point that moves a player from noise to signal. The data changed, and so does the classification.
The Caveats
Let's be clear: 26 plate appearances is not a foundation for bold roster moves. This is an early signal, and early signals can evaporate. The zero home runs limit his ceiling in standard formats for now, and it's fair to wonder whether the hard-hit spike is sustainable or a hot-streak artifact. If you need immediate production from your 2B or OF slot, players like Jose Altuve or Ceddanne Rafaela offer more certainty. Simon isn't replacing established assets.
Verdict: Watch
Ronny Simon is a Watch. The exit velocity spike, elite contact rates, and growing playing time could be the early signs of a legitimate fantasy contributor emerging. He's not a must-add yet — the sample is simply too thin to act aggressively. But at 0% rostered with no ownership velocity, this is a zero-cost monitoring opportunity. Add him to your watchlist now. If the hard-hit quality holds over another 30-40 PA and the Pirates keep penciling him into the lineup, this becomes an add conversation fast. WaiverScout is tracking it — you should be too.