It’s been fun writing these waiver wire articles throughout the season, and I’m looking forward to the next few months. This is the time of the season when some fantasy managers begin to sleep drive, which means it’s time to indulge in the waiver wire. I’ve also seen some strange drops in cheats that are struggling, and that’s something to keep an eye on as well. Saving your priority for a drop rope or FAAB for those one or two scary drops can be the difference in your season, so just be careful with your FAAB going forward. With that in mind, let’s start by looking at this week’s catchers.
The stats and rankings below were updated on 5/8. All rostership percentages are at Yahoo.
Feel free to comment here or contact me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!
Also, check out my Streamers article coming out tomorrow.
THE CATCHERS
10/12 Team additions
Moises Ballesteros (CHC, 43% Rostership) – I had Ballesteros as one of my hosts in one of my articles last week, and it’s hard to believe he’s still sitting on so many waiver wire. The catcher has been one of Chicago’s best sluggers this season, posting a .280 AVG and .870 OPS. That’s not far from his .394 OBP and .868 OPS last season, which is why the Cubs put him in their two-hole. That’s a good position for the program, especially as it faces the back end of the Braves’ rotation and a surprising White Sox pitching staff this week.
Recommended FAAB %: 5%
QUICK HITS: Ryan Jeffers (MIN, 39% Rostership), Carter Jensen (KC, 35% Rostership), Drew Dingler (DET, 51% Rostership)
Deep League is Coming
Samuel Basallo (BAL, 28% Rostership) – Basallo was actually in the first article I wrote this season, and he continues to be overlooked on the waiver wire. It feels like people don’t realize that Basallo and Adley Rutschman are in the lineup together every day, and Basallo has gone fifth in almost every game. That in itself is a huge contradiction from a fantasy value perspective, but Basallo just hit baseballs. He has a .378 OBP and .981 OPS over his 20 outings while facing a Washington team this week that ranks 28th in ERA and 26th in WHIP.
Recommended FAAB %: 2-3%
QUICK HITS: JT Realmuto (PHI, 16% Rostership), Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 10% Rostership), Joe Mack (MIA, 2% Rostership)
THE INFIELDERS
10/12 Team additions
Casey Schmitt (1B/2B/3B, SF, 39% Rostership) – I have to be honest for a second. I hate to pick San Fran’s bats off the waiver wire or even draft them, but it’s impossible to ignore what Schmitt is doing right now. Schmitt has been an everyday hitter at second for the Giants, producing a .296 AVG and .883 OPS so far this season. His recent form is even more comical, registering a 1.086 OPS over his last 11 outings. That’s quite a run, especially since Schmitt is eligible for three positions at Yahoo. The schedule is the icing on the cake because San Fran is one of the only teams with seven games this week, including a series in Sacramento against the brutal A’s.
Recommended FAAB %: 2-3%
QUICK HITS: Brooks Lee (1B/2B/3B, MIN, 28% Rostership), Andrew Vaughn (1B, MIL, 32% Rostership), Masyn Winn (SS, STL, 42% Rostership)
Deep League is Coming
Sam Antonacci (2B/3B/OF, CWS, 11% Rostership) – There was a lot of hype surrounding Antonacci when he was promoted to the White Sox, but he was given the upper hand after a painful opening two weeks. It’s too early to give up on a guy like this because Antonacci had a .444 OBP and .861 OPS throughout his minor league career. That grounded ability looks even better as he had 60 steals in 153 career games. The ingredients are there for Antonacci to be a 50-stealer at this level, and we like what we’re seeing right now. He has a .455 OBP and .889 OPS over his last eight outings when he was moved to the leadoff spot earlier this week.
Recommended FAAB %: 3%
QUICK HITS: Nasim Nunez (WAS, SS, 11% Rostership), Jake Burger (TEX, 1B, 18% Rostership), Nathaniel Lowe (WAS, 1B, 8% Rostership)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team additions
Jorge Soler (LAA, 49% Rostership) – It sounds like Soler has been one of the best players in baseball for his entire career, and fantasy managers don’t care. He’s sitting on multiple waiver wires at the moment, despite posting a .342 OBP and .817 OPS. We’ve seen similar things from Soler in recent years, accumulating a .333 OBP and .812 OPS between 2019 and 2024. Los Angeles is keeping him in the bullpen because of those slugging numbers, and he’s got a .362 OBP and .912 OPS over the past two weeks.
Recommended FAAB %: 2-3%
QUICK HITS: Addison Barger (TOR, 29% Rostership), Adolis Garcia (PHI, 33% Rostership), Trent Grisham (NYY, 41% Rostership)
Deep League is Coming
Brandon Marsh (PHI, 24% Rostership) – Marsh was another player in my media article last week, and we’re flirting with a spot to follow with the way he’s playing right now. The season numbers speak for themselves, with Marsh maintaining a .333 AVG and .869 OPS. He also hit in 13 of his last 14 games, compiling a .431 AVG and 1.102 OPS during that span. The Phillies moved him up to fifth and sixth during that hot season and made him an everyday player, even for left fielders. Good luck getting numbers like those on the waiver wire, especially since the Phillies are turning their seasons around so quickly.
Recommended FAAB %: 1%
QUICK HITS: Matt Wallner (MIN, 6% Rostership), Trevor Larnach (MIN, 3% Rostership), JJ Bleday (CIN, 7% Rostership)
STARTING BEAMS
10/12 Team additions
Noah Schultz (CWS, 51% Rostership) – It’s been a tough month opening up for this high-profile prospect, but getting back some strings from waivers is a blessing. The 6’9″ southpaw has the makings of one of the best hitters in baseball, producing a 1.29 ERA and 0.43 WHIP in Triple-A prior to his call-up. He also had 254 strikeouts in 207 innings throughout his minor league career. A seven-run shot in his most recent start had fantasy managers running for the hills, but he had a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in four starts before that. Our favorite part about this is that with a home game against KC, the Royals are ranked 21st in xwOBA and 24th in runs scored.
Recommended FAAB %: 3-5%
Joey Cantillo (CLE, 36% Rostership) – There are a handful of organizations that seem to have good streaks no matter who’s there, and Cleveland is one of them. They found something with Cantillo, who compiled a 3.27 ERA and 1.29 WHIP since the start of last season. One of his biggest assets has been his ability to avoid hitting, allowing four runs or fewer in 20 of his 21 starts during that span. That’s a similar sequence, but we didn’t even discuss this week’s matchups. Cantillo has two home starts against the Angels and Reds, and LA ranks last in K’s. Not to mention, Cantillo has a 3.48 ERA and 1.21 WHIP at home since the start of last year.
Recommended FAAB %: 3%
QUICK HITS: Jeffrey Springs (ATH, 39% Rostership), Reid Detmers (LAA, 42% Rostership), Bailey Ober (MIN, 39% Rostership)
Deep League is Coming
Jared Jones (PIT, 28% Rostership) – Jones has been out for nearly the same month, but the Pirates forward is about to return. That makes him a worthy addition to the waiver wire because he showed some bad things before tearing his UCL. Jones had a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 in his rookie season. He also had a great start in his reassigned time, compiling a 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 in two starts. That means he should be back in about 2-3 weeks, and he’s a good candidate for your IL to see what he looks like when he finally does.
Recommended FAAB %: 3%
Brady Singer (CIN, 18% Rostership) – This is a risky recommendation, but Singer has been a reliable choice in the past. He had a 3.86 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over the past two seasons, despite posting a 5.63 ERA and 1.64 WHIP this year. Recent form makes him a difficult player to trust, but we like this two-start system. Singer has started against the Nationals and Guardian. Washington is expected to see some decline, as it ranks 16th in xwOBA, while Cleveland ranks 23rd in OBP and 24th in wOBA. Singer should be able to string together 10 strikeouts in this biweekly start and could be a tricky pick to provide decent peripherals, as his 4.58 xFIP shows some decline.
Recommended FAAB %: 1%
QUICK HITS: Robby Snelling (MIA, 21% Rostership), Christian Scott (NYM, 6% Rostership), Peter Lambert (HOU, 10% Rostership)
THE LIBERATORS
10/12 Team additions
Jacob Latz (TEX, 31% Rostership) – I actually thought this was Jakob Junis’ job a few weeks ago, but it looks like Latz now. The lefty has been the Rangers best reliever this season, posting a 0.96 ERA and 0.48 WHIP. Those ridiculous numbers have led to Latz picking up three saves in his last four games.
Recommended FAAB %: 5-10%
QUICK HITS: Lucas Erceg (KC, 58% Rostership), Jack Perkins (ATH, 28% Rostership)
Deep League is Coming
Rico Garcia (BAL, 24% Rostership) – Garcia quietly looks like one of baseball’s best. He was the setup man in Baltimore all year, averaging a 0.53 ERA, 0.41 WHIP and 10.1 K/9. The most important variable is that Ryan Helelsy is on the IL, which led to Garcia picking up the O’s first two saves since the injury.
Recommended FAAB %: 5-10%
QUICK HITS: Tony Santillan (CIN, 24% Rostership), Kirby Yates (LAA, 11% Rostership)
