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We are not deep into the 2024 MLB action, but it's never too early to submit waiver claims. This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 5 -- April 22 through April 28. It still might be premature to give up on the struggling players who excited you during the draft. However, trading in some of your end-of-the-bench slots for players with more promising ceilings can be crucial to fantasy baseball success in the long run.
As the sample size becomes more substantial, we can start making informed decisions on the legitimacy of 2024 player performance. This article will highlight the guys who are trending upward and those whose standing with their team has changed significantly for one reason or another. At this stage, plenty remains speculative, but it's better to get out in front of the trends.
The names in this article are in order of percentage rostered and are not indicative of a confidence ranking. In the first few weeks, rostered percentages can change quickly. So be quick to check your leagues for their availability.
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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox (48% Rostered)
It seems Eloy Jimenez can never manage to stay healthy. The 27-year-old has missed roughly half of the possible games played over the past three seasons. Following another IL stint to begin the 2024 campaign, Jimenez is finally back in the lineup. Of course, there is no guarantee that Jimenez will not wind up on the shelf again, but as long as he is out there, it is worth chasing his prolific ceiling.
Last season, Jimenez posted a respectable .272/.317/.441 slash line, 18 home runs, and a 105 wRC+. It was an inconsistent performance at the plate, but the previous season gave us a more complete representation of what he can produce. In 2022, Jimenez slashed .295/.358/.500 with 16 home runs and a 143 wRC+ across only 84 appearances. That success included a .512 xSLG, 14.7% barrel rate, 54.9% hard-hit rate, and a .365 xwOBA. Reputation is a heavy-handed part of Jimenez's fantasy appeal, though it's important to remember he is still young and can absolutely bounce back in a significant way.
Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles (41% Rostered)
Ryan O'Hearn was featured on this list last week, sitting in the single-digit ownership range at the time. His popularity has shot up in the time since, and the opportunity to scoop him up is growing scarce. If you hope to roster O'Hearn, we may be approaching the last call in many leagues.
Ryan O'Hearn has homered in three straight games! pic.twitter.com/cdRXbG8iRX
— MLB (@MLB) April 17, 2024
O'Hearn is red hot at the dish right now. He sports a strong .288/.351/.596 slash line with four home runs and a 201 wRC+. The surface stats are enticing, though the underlying metrics are downright elite. O'Hearn's success includes eye-popping numbers, like a .531 xwOBA, .824 xSLG, 93.7 mph average exit velocity, 16.7% barrel rate, and a 47.6% sweet spot rate. It's altogether unsustainable, but there is no reason to believe O'Hearn will not continue producing.
Amed Rosario, Tampa Bay Rays (33% Rostered)
With seemingly very little acclaim, Amed Rosario is among the league's streaking hitters right now. The 28-year-old is slashing .333/.343/.515 with two home runs, two stolen bases, and a 159 wRC+. Normally known for his speed, Rosario has demonstrated a surprisingly well-rounded production at the plate.
As unexpected as Rosario's surface numbers are, the advanced metrics are even more attention-grabbing. He sports a .294 xBA alongside a similarly impressive .454 xSLG, 49.1% hard-hit rate, 9.4% barrel rate, and a 37.7% sweet spot rate. It is too early to tell if this is sustainable for Rosario, but if power-hitting is now part of his repertoire, he will absolutely be a coveted fantasy asset.
Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers (17% Rostered)
Andy Pages is among the more exciting prospect call-ups early on in 2024. The 23-year-old was scorching hot in Triple-A to start the season, generating a .371/.452/.694 slash line with five home runs and an 181 wRC+ over 15 games played. Pages is the third-ranked prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system and the No. 93 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. His appeal is underscored by outstanding 60-grade power.
One pitch, one hit. Welcome to The Show, Andy Pages! pic.twitter.com/XuEel0695J
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 17, 2024
A concern with Pages is the unknown surrounding his playing time in the majors. The depth of the Dodgers lineup is well known, creating a competitive environment for at-bats. At the very least, Pages will be deployed against left-handed pitching, but he has started three of his first four games in the majors, signaling that he may not simply be a specialist.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Brenton Doyle, Colorado Rockies (10% Rostered)
Brenton Doyle has been among the few bright spots in a struggling Colorado Rockies lineup. Through 19 games, the 26-year-old owns a .286/.324/.486 slash line with three home runs. Doyle has just one stolen base so far in 2024 but swiped 22 bags in 126 games last season and should expect to see an uptick in that department.
While Doyle's underlying numbers are not incredibly impressive overall, some metrics do stand out, including a 39.6% sweet spot rate and a 45.8% hard-hit rate. Plus, running incredibly fast and playing half his games at Coors Field can compensate considerably.
LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants (8% Rostered)
LaMonte Wade Jr. is, unfortunately, a casualty of the notoriously strict San Francisco Giants hitters platoon. Still, he gets the strong side of the platoon and will see at-bats on most days. Wade is certainly making the most of his opportunities, generating an outstanding .370/.474/.500 slash line with a 176 wRC+.
Wade's advanced metrics certainly support his success. Those numbers include a .430 xwOBA, .529 xSLG, 91.1 mph average exit velocity, 12.5% barrel rate, and a 50% hard-hit rate. With the way Wade is striking the ball, we should expect a little more than the one-home-run output he has managed thus far, but Oracle Park is famously stingy on left-handed power production.
Lawrence Butler, Oakland Athletics (1% Rostered)
Digging into the deepest depths of the waiver wire, we find Lawrence Butler. He hasn't accomplished much yet at the major league level, but he might be a breakout waiting to happen. The surface stats are not pretty. Butler carries a .185/.290/.296 slash line with one home run through 19 games played. Still, he is only 23 years old and coming off an impressive minor league campaign in 2023 where he posted a .825 OPS with 15 home runs and 21 stolen bases over only 89 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.
Further, Butler may not be struggling as much as we think. His batted-ball metrics are surprisingly fantastic. Those numbers include a .289 xBA, .588 xSLG, 93.9 mph average exit velocity, 15.8% barrel rate, and a 50% hard-hit rate. Butler also showcases mature plate discipline, owning a 21.8% chase rate and an impressive 13.3% walk rate. The only apparent hole in his offensive approach is a 37.4% whiff rate. Long story short, don't be surprised if Butler catches fire in the near future.
More Players to Consider
- Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins (47% rostered)
- Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies (36% rostered)
- Mitch Haniger, Seattle Mariners (31% rostered)
- Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers (25% rostered)
- Nelson Velazquez, Kansas City Royals (19% rostered)
- Alex Kirilloff, Minnesota Twins (13% rostered)
More Deep-League Players to Consider
- Mark Canha, Detroit Tigers (9% rostered)
- Harold Ramirez, Tampa Bay Rays (7% rostered)
- Edward Olivares, Pittsburgh Pirates (6% rostered)
- Harrison Bader, New York Mets (4% rostered)
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