Batting Average Props Odds and Predictions for Individual Players

We have looked at Major League Baseball individual player total props for pitcher wins and for saves . We have looked at them for home runs. And for RBIs. The last of the big categories to check out is batting average. And when we look at the options available, the guys who stand out run the full range - from incredible youngsters to older guys who haven't given up their game just yet. Here's a look at the odds from BetOnline:

Andrew McCutchen, Philadelphia - .260: McCutchen joins his fourth team since the end of 2017. He was mostly underwhelming, but consistent, last year, hitting .255 in 130 games in San Francisco and .253 in 25 games with the Yankees. He never really seemed settled in last year, though, and he wasn't on a great team in San Francisco. He now has the stability of a fat contract in Philadelphia, and he is in a lineup in which he can be protected. I expect a better year from him - more like the .279 he hit in Pittsburgh in 2017. He's back in the division he knows best, which will help as well. I like the over. Quite a lot.

Christian Yelich, Milwaukee - .300: I am skeptical about the defending MVP. Highly skeptical. His numbers jumped substantially last year in his first year in Milwaukee after wasting away in Miami. But now he has to sustain it while all eyes are on him. I never trust a veteran who sees such a massive boost, and I'm not going to start here. Under.

Robinson Cano, New York Mets - .300: The under is very heavily favored at -150, so the only way this is interesting is if we can justify the over at +120. I'm not convinced. On the positive side, he hit .303 last season and .317 after returning from suspension. And that 80-game suspension means he minimized the wear and tear from the season. But he is 36 years old, he's playing in the NL for the first time, and he didn't hit .300 for three years before last year. There is a very good reason why the under is so popular.

Juan Soto, Washington - .290: The runner-up for rookie of the year didn't even turn 20 until a month after the season ended. Hitting .292 with generally strong numbers is impressive for any rookie, never mind a teenager. But bettors are skeptical that he can maintain it - the under is at -149, with the over at +110. I think the over is justified here. He holds a bigger role on the team with Harper gone, and he'll be able to settle in right out of the gate this year instead of having to start in the minor leagues.

Dee Gordon, Seattle - .270: Dee Gordon is somehow only 30 years old. It feels like he has always been in the league. This number feels a little aggressive. He hit .268 last year and in 2016, so he came close. And he hit .308 in between. Last year was his first year in the AL, so he should be more comfortable this year. And he certainly isn't going to feel a lot of pressure - the Mariners sold off most every other piece of value and are fully committed to a rebuild. I lean solidly over here.

Joey Votto, Cincinnati - .300: Votto is 35-years-old, but he is a Canadian so he's hardy. He is a career .311 hitter, but at .284 last year he fell below .300 for the first time since 2008, with the exception of a 2014 season just ripped apart by injuries. So, is he fading with age? Or was last year just an issue. As much as I hate to say it, the under feels like the right side here.

Mookie Betts, Boston - .302: Last year he hit a gaudy .346 as a 25-year-old to win the MVP. The year before he hit just .264 while driving in 22 more runs. We know he'll be productive, but will he do it while hitting for average? It feels like a certainty he will take a step back on this front from last year. But how far? I lean slightly over but wouldn't bet this one ahead of some of the others.

Ronald Acuna, Atlanta - .295: Last year's NL rookie of the year comes back at 21 to show what he can do now. And I expect a whole lot from him - the guy is a freak. He hit .336 in August and .303 in September last year, so as he got more comfortable, he got more dangerous. I am looking for him to be a ,300 hitter this year, so the over is the play.

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