Deeper Hitter Pickups for Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire Report for Week 14

We’re coming up on Week 14 of the fantasy baseball season. The season seems to enter a slight lull in June, but you can't afford to rest now. Fantasy baseball necessitates hyper-vigilance, especially in deeper leagues where the waiver wires are quickly stripped of talent. This weekly article will outline the upcoming schedule, two-start pitchers, and a few waiver targets rostered in less than 5% of leagues.

It’s good practice to maximize at-bats and starts. A quick look at upcoming schedules for the 14th week of the MLB season could end up giving you the edge in this week’s play. There are plenty of two-start pitchers this week who should end up providing great value.

This article will discuss some deeper-league fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 14, June 26 through July 2. While the season may have settled in, the waiver wires are still hot. Rostered percentages can change quickly. So be quick to check your leagues for their availability. Key point -- this list will focus on rostered players in less than 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Fantasy Baseball Schedule Outlook

This week has some great schedules to target for fantasy. There are finally no teams with five games on their schedule. Six teams have a full slate of games this week, so there are a couple of players who will provide extra at-bats this week.

In this week’s weather report: rain is moving across the Eastern seaboard in the first half of the week, making a few postponements possible. With temperatures reaching a whopping 112 degrees in Texas/Arizona this week, rare heat-related cancellations are on the table.

• Seven Games - CWS, DET, LAA, TEX, MIL, NYM
• Six Games - WAS, PHI, CLE, COL, HOU, TOR, CIN, SEA, OAK, TB, ARZ, ATL, NYY, BOS, KC, MIN, MIA, PIT, SD, SF, BAL, CHC, LAD, STL

Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers

With the season settled in, there are starting pitchers of varying quality in this week’s two-start list. For more insight, check out my article on this week’s two-start pitcher streamers.

• Colin Rea (@ NYM, @ PIT)
• Andrew Heaney (vs. DET, vs. HOU)
• Dylan Cease (@ LAA, @ OAK)
• Justin Verlander (vs. MIL, vs. SF)
• Matthew Boyd (@ TEX, @ COL)
• Sonny Gray (@ ATL, @ BAL)
• Kyle Bradish (vs. CIN, vs. MIN)
• Sandy Alcantara (@ BOS, @ ATL)
• Spencer Strider (vs. MIN, vs. MIA)
• Julio Teheran (@ NYM, @ PIT)
• Rich Hill (vs. SD, vs. MIL)
• Trevor Williams (@ SEA, @ PHI)
• Ranger Suarez (@ CHC, vs. WAS)
• Garrett Whitlock (vs. MIA, @ TOR)
• Kevin Gausman (vs. SF, vs. BOS)
• Yu Darvish (@ PIT, @ CIN)
• Brandon Williamson (@ BAL, vs. SD)
• Clayton Kershaw (@ COL, @ KC)
• Brady Singer (vs. CLE, vs. LAD)
• Matthew Liberatore (vs. HOU, vs. NYY)
• Gavin Williams (@ KC, @ CHC)
• Jameson Taillon (vs. PHI, vs. CLE)
• Framber Valdez (@ STL, @ TEX)
• Martin Perez (vs. DET, vs. HOU)
• Connor Seabold (vs. LAD, vs. DET)
• Michael Kopech (@ LAA, @ OAK)
• Paul Blackburn (vs. NYY, vs. CWS)
• Zac Gallen (vs. TB, @ LAA)
• Jaime Barria (vs. CWS, vs. ARZ)
• Taj Bradley (@ ARZ, @ SEA)
• Luis Castillo (vs. WAS, vs. TB)

Deeper Infield Waiver Wire Pickups

Connor Wong (C), Boston Red Sox - 3% Rostered

Connor Wong must love those New England lobster rolls.

The Red Sox catcher holds a .858 OPS at home, compared to an unsightly .581 OPS in road games. To put that in perspective, Connor Wong in Fenway is a top-four catcher in the entire league (only Will Smith, Sean Murphy, and Patrick Bailey have an OPS greater than .858 with at least 90 plate appearances).

Outside of a series in Toronto next week, the Red Sox will be at home until the All-Star break. With a significant chunk of playing time secured, the 27-year-old should put up big numbers over these next few weeks.

Andy Ibanez (1B/2B/3B/OF), Detroit Tigers - 4% Rostered

Andy Ibanez just does not quit.

Many figured his 10-game hitless streak in late May would be the nail in the coffin for the 30-year-old, but he's unexpectedly back in business. In his last 11 games, he is slashing .444/.487/.778 with two home runs, three RBI, and eight runs. With this recent hot stretch, Ibanez has regained regular playing time.

As the utility man for a Tigers team with plenty of holes, Andy Ibanez will see an abnormally high amount of starts. Roster him in deeper leagues, but put him on the chopping block if he gets cold.

Nick Madrigal (2B/3B), Chicago Cubs - 1% Rostered

While a .625 OPS does not look pretty, it'd be wise not to write of Nick Madrigal just yet. His stat line is tanked by a terrible May in which he held a horrific .469 OPS. But a demotion to Triple-A may have recentered Madrigal, with a solid .721 OPS since his recall on June 9.

While he won't provide any power production, his four stolen bases in the past week should make his embarrassing lack of power tolerable.

Deeper Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups

Trent Grisham (OF), San Diego Padres - 3% Rostered

Just thinking about Trent Grisham in fantasy baseball can give you a migraine. The 26-year-old would be incredibly productive in deep leagues if only he could bat over the Mendoza line. You may think that would only happen in a dream world, but my friends, dreams come true.

Since May 28, Grisham is slashing .268/.350/.394 with a home run, five RBI, and five stolen bases in 22 games. In that stretch, he has a 50% hard-hit rate and upped his batting average from .188 to .210.

Grisham finally crossing the Mendoza line opens a world of possibilities in fantasy baseball for the everyday outfielder. With Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto batting right behind him, the speedy Grisham can produce in the runs department while pulling his weight in other categories.

Billy McKinney (OF), New York Yankees - 2% Rostered

With Aaron Judge's torn toe ligament expected to sideline him longer than previously expected, Billy McKinney will get an extended run as a regular outfielder.

He's been incredible in place of Judge, slashing .319/.347/.617 with three home runs, six RBI, and six runs in 14 games since his call-up on June 8. McKinney sports impressive advanced numbers, with a 17.1% barrel rate, 46.3% hard-hit rate, 46.3% sweet-spot rate, and 12.2% strikeout rate. At just 2% rostered, McKinney is currently a steal in deeper leagues.

Kerry Carpenter (OF), Detroit Tigers - 4% Rostered

Last week's edition outlined how Kerry Carpenter would provide immense fantasy value if some of his many barrels and hard hits went over the fence. He's belted two home runs since that article.

He also continued his hot streak, now slashing .356/.375/.556 through 14 games this June. With that, he's upped his 2023 OPS to .817. With increased power production now a reality, it won't be long before he becomes rostered in shallower leagues. If Kerry Carpenter is still available, run to grab him off your waiver wires.

Dominic Canzone (OF), Arizona Diamondbacks - 0% Rostered

Dominic Canzone is a murderer of baseballs.

The Diamondbacks prospect is one of the hottest hitters in the minors this season. In June, he's slashing .460/.507/.857 with five home runs, 23 RBI, and 19 runs in 17 games with Triple-A Reno.

With left-handed outfielder/DH Pavin Smith struggling in June with a pitiful .153/.296/.254 line in 18 games, the left-handed Canzone should be promoted to the majors very soon.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers