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Welcome RotoBallers to the Week 14 edition of our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for hitters. These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are for the week of June 24 - June 30, looking at players below ~50% rostered on ESPN or Yahoo.
We'll be doing this points league roundup every week here at RotoBaller because we know points players get neglected and we're here to help. Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll make sure to highlight where players are the best and worst fits, with waiver wire targets being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems on ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, Fantrax, and NFBC.
Position eligibility is taken from Fantrax and players are grouped by their most valuable fantasy position, using a hierarchy of C > 2B > OF > 3B > 1B > SS. Stats and rankings are calculated using games through Saturday, June 22.
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Waiver Wire Caveats and APR Explanation
Roster% Thresholds
We use a combination of Roster% to assess who is in our target pool, relying mostly on Yahoo and ESPN. For some players, you'll notice a wide discrepancy between the two. This is because ESPN's Roster% is heavily weighted by points players, with guys who don't do well in their system (often because of an inflated K% but also sometimes, who really knows?) lagging behind the Yahoo Roster%. For this reason, you'll sometimes see players (especially early) who might make you question my sanity in including them in a waiver wire article but don't worry, it's just a necessary glitch for coverage purposes.
APR stands for "Average Platform Rank" and is the average hitter rank between the four major point platforms: ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, and Fantrax.
First Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Carlos Santana, MIN, 1B (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 15%) - Ignore point-deities at your own risk because Carlos Santana refuses to be put out to a mortal's pasture. Santana looked washed earlier in the year, averaging a 301 APR through the first four periods but since then has been one of fantasy's best low-key options. Since the start of Week 5 on April 22, Santana is slashing .279/.359/.536 over 206 PA, with 12 HR, 26 R, and 36 RBI. For those not wanting to math, that's a nearly 40-HR pace for the nearly 40-year-old Santana.
Nolan Schanuel, LAA, 1B (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 3%) - Like a low-budget Josh Bell, Schanuel's ceiling may not be as high as others but his consistency remains a calling card, driven by lots of PA, with a 17% K% and 9% BB%. With seven games on the schedule (one LHP) against the subpar staffs of Oakland and Detroit, Schanuel is again a good bet for a top-100 performance.
Ryan O'Hearn, BAL, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 45%, ESPN: 31%) - O'Hearn has dropped back below our Roster% threshold, just in time to capitalize on someone who is coming off of a 62 APR in Week 13, and now with a 106 APR for the year. There are two LHP on the schedule, against whom O'Hearn typically does not start, but that still leaves five games for him to do some damage in.
Next Choices
Josh Bell, MIA, 1B (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 29%) - How about that? Another top-100 week for Bell and his points-friendliness. That's three such performances in the past four periods for Bell but do be aware that the pitching schedule could make for some tough sledding in Week 14, with the Nationals scheduled for seven games on the road against the Royals and Phillies.
Ty France, SEA, 1B (Yahoo: 11%, ESPN: 7%) - France hasn't done anything of note since returning recently from the IL but don't forget how solid he was running prior to the injury, averaging an 86 APR over the previous four periods, with two top-60 periods.
Desperate Choices
Tyler Soderstrom, OAK, 1B (Yahoo: 42%, ESPN: 9%) - Soderstrom has been running hot since supplanting the recently DFA'd J.D. Davis, slashing .306/.382/.653, with 5 HR over 55 PA since becoming locked in at first base on June 8.
Michael Busch, CHC, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 19%) - Busch has posted a 64 APR so far in Week 13, his first return to the land of the top 75 since Week 4 but a 33% K% will continue to be difficult to outrun, even in leagues without a strikeout penalty. But he'll get seven games in Week 14 (with just one versus a leftie), with few of the pitching matchups lining up as that oppressive.
On the IL
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, CIN, 1B (fractured wrist - no timetable)
- Anthony Rizzo, NYY, 1B (fractured forearm - no timetable)
- Brandon Drury, LAA, 1B/2B (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- LaMonte Wade Jr., SF, 1B/OF (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- Kris Bryant, COL, 1B/OF (rib contusion - no timetable)
- Alex Kirilloff, MIN, 1B/OF (back discomfort - no timetable)
- Joey Gallo, WSH, 1B/OF (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Miguel Sano, LAA, 1B (knee discomfort - rehab assignment)
Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Joey Ortiz, MIL, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 48%, ESPN: 22%) - Ortiz only has an 189 APR in Week 13 but has three top-100 performances in the past six weeks, with two coming in the top 25.
Enmanuel Valdez, BOS, 2B (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 2%) - Since the start of June, Valdez is slashing .314/.397/.667 over 58 PA, with 4 HR, 10 R, 14 RBI, and 1 SB, with a .449 wOBA and 190 wRC+. Umm, yeah, that's pretty good. Valdez still won't start vs LHP but luckily for him (and his value), the Red Sox aren't scheduled to face any lefties in their six games.
Nick Gonzales, PIT, 2B (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 17%) - He's putting up a stinker in Week 13 but don't let one bad period get you down on what remains a super-friendly points profile.
Zack Gelof, OAK, 2B (Yahoo: 44%, ESPN: 13%) - Geloff waited until dropping below our Roster% to put up his best scoring period since Week 2, posting a 32 APR headed into today's games. And Oakland has some really shaky pitching on the upcoming schedule, with six games against the Angels and Diamondbacks (Canning, Anderson, Joyce, Henry, Cecconi, Pfaadt).
Next Choices
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TOR, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 7%) - Kiner-Falefa has slid over to playing shortstop every day since Bo Bichette's injury, not that IKF needed the IL trip to earn more PAs, as he's now started every game since May 19.
Brandon Lowe, TB, 2B (Yahoo: 26%, ESPN: 6%) - Shush it! We're still not saying anything about Lowe's recent success, as we don't want to unleash a new injury ghoul upon him...But he does now have three top-100 weeks in a row.
Luis Garcia, WSH, 2B (Yahoo: 17%, ESPN: 8%) - Garcia is up to a nearly 100 APR for the season and the left-hander is scheduled to face all RHP on the road against the Padres and Rays.
Desperate Choices
Davis Schneider, TOR, 2B/OF (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 19%) - Schneider has been playing more lately but with the recent call-up of Orelvis Martinez, his opportunities at second base may start to dry up, even as Toronto says they'll bring Martinez along slowly, having only started him once since arriving.
Miguel Rojas, LAD, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 14%, ESPN: 2%) - Don't get too excited because he's still Miguel Rojas but the Mookie Betts injury has opened up playing time for the near future (having started five of six games since Betts went down) and has always managed to compile his way to points (kind of) relevance as long as he's getting enough PAs to do so.
Ryan Bliss, SEA, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 0%) -
On the IL
- Jorge Polanco, SEA, 2B (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- Abraham Toro, OAK, 2B/3B (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Michael Massey, KC, 2B (strained back - rehab assignment)
- Brandon Drury, LAA, 1B/2B (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- Vaughn Grissom, BOS, 2B/SS (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Adael Amador, COL, 2B/SS (strained oblique - no timetable)
- Tommy Edman, STL, 2B/SS/OF (wrist surgery - no timetable)
- Ji Hwan Bae, PIT, 2B/OF (strained wrist - rehab assignment)
- Justin Foscue, TEX, 2B/OF (strained oblique - rehab assignment)
Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Joey Ortiz, MIL, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 48%, ESPN: 22%) - Ortiz only has an 189 APR in Week 13 but has three top-100 performances in the past six weeks, with two coming in the top 25.
Next Choices
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TOR, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 7%) - Kiner-Falefa has slid over to playing shortstop every day since Bo Bichette's injury, not that IKF needed the IL trip to earn more PAs, as he's now started every game since May 19.
Matt Vierling, DET, 3B/OF (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 12%) - Vierling laid a dud in Week 13 but will have seven games in Week 14, with four coming against a weak Angels staff.
Daniel Schneeman, CLE, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 1%) - Schneeman has now started seven of the last eight games, slashing .261/.346/.565, with 2 HR and a .390 wOBA. But even without a continued power burst, an 18% BB% for the year can keep him relevant under most scoring systems
Desperate Choices
Tyler Freeman, CLE, 3B/OF (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 14%) - Freeman has been quiet for a few weeks and while he does have seven games in Week 14, three will come against LHP - for the season, Freeman is slashing .182/.286/.364 over 71 PA, with just a .290 wOBA.
Michael Busch, CHC, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 19%) - Busch has posted a 64 APR so far in Week 13, his first return to the land of the top 75 since Week 4 but a 33% K% will continue to be difficult to outrun, even in leagues without a strikeout penalty. But he'll get seven games in Week 14 (with just one versus a leftie), with few of the pitching matchups lining up as that oppressive.
On the IL
- Abraham Toro, OAK, 2B/3B (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Anthony Rendon, LAA, 3B (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Yoan Moncada, CHW, 3B (strained groin - likely out until All-Star break)
- Jon Berti, NYY, 3B/SS (strained calf - no timetable)
Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
J.P. Crawford, SEA, SS (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 46%) - Oh, cool - we're still doing this. In Crawford's four full periods since returning from the IL, he has two top-60 performances and one in the top-25. Crawford remains a power-compiler who will improve most rosters, regardless of his low-budget Roster%.
Zach Neto, LAA, SS (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 8%) - Neto has put up a ho-hum 131 APR in Week 13 but has pretty much dominated point values (relatively speaking) since Week 5 - over the last nine periods, Neto has three weeks in the top-50, five in the top-75, and six in the top-100, with only a 207 APR in Week 10 being a big blemish.
Masyn Winn, STL, SS (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 12%) - Winn remains inconsistent but we can't just ignore that he now has four top-50 weeks in the past six scoring periods.
Next Choices
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TOR, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 7%) - Kiner-Falefa has slid over to playing shortstop every day since Bo Bichette's injury, not that IKF needed the IL trip to earn more PAs, as he's now started every game since May 19.
Daniel Schneeman, CLE, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 1%) - Schneeman has now started seven of the last eight games, slashing .261/.346/.565, with 2 HR and a .390 wOBA. But even without a continued power burst, an 18% BB% for the year can keep him relevant under most scoring systems
Desperate Choices
Ryan Bliss, SEA, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 0%) -
On the IL
- Vaughn Grissom, BOS, 2B/SS (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Javier Baez, DET, SS (back sprain - no timetable)
- Adael Amador, COL, 2B/SS (strained oblique - no timetable)
- Jon Berti, NYY, 3B/SS (strained calf - no timetable)
- Tommy Edman, STL, 2B/SS/OF (wrist surgery - no timetable)
Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Andy Pages, LAD, OF (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 12%) - Are you not enter-Paged! Pages now has four top-100 weeks in a row after posting another top-75 APR headed into Sunday's action. One more good week and he'll turn his page out of our Roster% threshold.
Alec Burleson, STL, OF (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 10%) - Burleson struggles vs LHP but will only face two of them in St. Louis's seven games.
Bryan De La Cruz, MIA, OF (Yahoo: 49%, ESPN: 21%) -
Ryan O'Hearn, BAL, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 45%, ESPN: 31%) - O'Hearn has dropped back below our Roster% threshold, just in time to capitalize on someone who is coming off of a 62 APR in Week 13, and now with a 106 APR for the year. There are two LHP on the schedule, against whom O'Hearn typically does not start, but that still leaves five games for him to do some damage in.
JJ Bleday, OAK, OF (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 25%) -
Next Choices
Tommy Pham, CHW, OF (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 4%) -
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TOR, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 7%) - Kiner-Falefa has slid over to playing shortstop every day since Bo Bichette's injury, not that IKF needed the IL trip to earn more PAs, as he's now started every game since May 19.
Matt Vierling, DET, 3B/OF (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 12%) - Vierling laid a dud in Week 13 but will have seven games in Week 14, with four coming against a weak Angels staff.
Jarred Kelenic, ATL, OF (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 8%) -
Jake Fraley, CIN, OF (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 2%) -
Desperate Choices
Tyler Freeman, CLE, 3B/OF (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 14%) - Freeman has been quiet for a few weeks and while he does have seven games in Week 14, three will come against LHP - for the season, Freeman is slashing .182/.286/.364 over 71 PA, with just a .290 wOBA.
Miguel Andujar, OAK, OF (Yahoo: 19%, ESPN: 8%) -
On the IL:
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- Kerry Carpenter, DET, OF (back inflammation - no timetable)
- Lars Nootbaar, STL, OF (strained oblique - no timetable)
- Esteury Ruiz, OAK, OF (strained wrist - no timetable)
- Tommy Edman, STL, 2B/SS/OF (wrist surgery - no timetable)
- LaMonte Wade Jr., SF, 1B/OF (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- Charlie Blackmon, COL, OF (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Mike Tauchman, CHC, OF (strained groin - no timetable)
- Kris Bryant, COL, 1B/OF (rib contusion - no timetable)
- Henry Davis, PIT, C/OF (concussion - no timetable)
- Alek Thomas, ARI, OF (strained hamstring - rehab assignment)
- Alex Kirilloff, MIN, 1B/OF (back discomfort - no timetable)
- Ji Hwan Bae, PIT, 2B/OF (sprained wrist - no timetable)
- Justin Foscue, TEX, 2B/OF (strained oblique - rehab assignment)
- Joey Gallo, WSH, 1B/OF (strained hamstring - no timetable)
- Mike Yastrzemski, SF, OF (strained oblique - no timetable)
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Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Patrick Bailey, SF, C (Yahoo: 24%, ESPN: 8%) - Bailey has been held back by injuries but when he's in, he hits and gets on base, now slashing .293/.365/.431 over 193 PA, with a 19% K% and 11% BB%. His playing time was sketchy for a bit but the Giants have finally figured out that Curt Casali isn't that great of an option, starting Bailey in nine of their last 11 contests.
Next Choices
Freddie Fermin, KC, C (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 1%) - Fermin is finishing his second top-80 performance in a row (and third in the past five periods) but the biggest reason he's playable is his recent uptick in playing time, starting six of the last seven and eight of the last 10. In Week 14, Fermin should again be starting and will get a bevy of good matchups, with a series against the hapless Miami rotation set to start the period.
Shea Langeliers, OAK, C (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 15%) - A .207 AVG and .259 OBP would be a points death-knell for many but Langeliers has hit for enough power to out-bomb his way past his ratio deficiencies. Langeliers now has 14 HR and 39 RBI over 249 PA and, like the rest of his Oakland brethren, will face some soft pitching in Week 14, courtesy of the Angels and Diamondbacks.
Desperate Choices
Ben Rorvedt, TB, C (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 0%) - Rorvedt is being carried by a .372 BABIP but has seen a big uptick in his recent playing time, having now started six of Tampa Bay's last seven games - over those 21 PA, Rorvedt has seven hits, with two home runs and two doubles. The Rays will get some juicy matchups at the end of the week, considering Patrick Corbin is involved, but starting the week off against Seattle's rotation will be far more difficult.
Mitch Garver, SEA, C(Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 12%) - That Mitch may have been so hot right now earlier but our best choice from last week laid some cold eggs in Week 13, currently running a 243 APR headed into Sunday's action. With no LHP on the menu in Week 14 and some tough pitching matchups coming from MIN/TB, this is a tough week to trust him to heat back up.
On the IL
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- Luis Campusano, SD, C (thumb contusion - no timetable)
- Elias Diaz, COL, C (strained calf - no timetable)
- Ivan Herrera, STL, C (back strain - no timetable)
- Henry Davis, PIT, C/OF (concussion - no timetable)
- Joey Bart, PIT, C (thumb sprain - rehab assignment)
- Tom Murphy, SF, C (sprained knee - no timetable)
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