September looms and another wave of call-ups is imminent. It's time to take a chance on some players that may or may not see an extended look the rest of the way. If you're in a deeper league, you can afford to keep an eye on the transactions list on Thursday to see who is worth adding. NL-only owners, you may need to jump the gun on some players before your opponents do the same. No risk, no reward!
This list represents players who haven't yet garnered a great deal of attention in mixed-leagues, streaming options suitable only for deeper leagues, or category specialists who may fill a specific need on your NL-only roster. Fantasy owners needing help should be on the lookout for these potential additions in the coming week. The following players are owned in 25% or less of Fleaflicker leagues.
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Hitters
Scott Schebler (OF, CIN) - 12% owned - Early in the year, Schebler was expected to compete for playing time with fellow rookie Adam Duvall. We all see how that played out. Schebler has been an afterthought in Cincinnati, staying below .200 most of the year until last Monday. He broke out with a two HR, five RBI game against the D-backs, which could be overlooked as simply one big game. Then he went deep the very next day, giving him nine RBI within a week. He could be starting on a similar pace to Duvall, just much later in the season. He has the pedigree to be worth an OF spot in NL-only leagues and as a streaming option in mixed formats.
Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) - 10% owned - In spite of the fact he was on this list two weeks ago and is currently hitting .407 on the year, Bell is still barely owned. He has been productive in almost every Major League game he has played this season, so playing time shouldn't be an issue. The power hasn't been present lately, but he has at least chipped in four RBI in the past ten days. Bell has too much talent to ignore and should be given a chance even in deep mixed leagues.
Orlando Arcia (SS, MIL) - 6% owned - Arcia has been up for a while now, but is just starting to get comfortable at the plate. Sure, his .196 average stinks, but he is hitting .318/.375/.545 with one home run and five RBI over the last week. Don't expect a ton of speed, as he had just 15 SB in Triple-A this year, with a season high of 31 in A+ ball. Arcia is really known more for his glove, but if he keeps figuring out how to hit Major League pitching, he could be worth a MI spot in very deep leagues.
Asdrubal Cabrera (SS, NYM) - 17% owned - Cabrera continues his revival year with a recent hot streak. He has four homers in the past five days and has knocked in 10 RBI in the last 11 games. Cabrera is hitting .273 on the year, but is a scorching .447 over the last two weeks. Mets fans can be thankful that he is bringing the type of offense Jay Bruce was supposed to provide in New York, but hasn't.
Nick Williams (OF, PHI) - 0% owned - The Phillies have nothing to lose (except more games) by calling up their top prospects as September rolls around. They very well may give the call to Williams, even though he hasn't exactly lit up Triple-A this year with a .265/.294/.434 slash line and 12 HR in 472 at-bats. Williams has hit right around .300 most of his minor league career and has been a top 100 prospect for the last couple of years. As he nears his 23rd birthday, there is a lot of potential here to like.
Hunter Renfroe/Manuel Margot (OF, SD) - 1% owned - It's hard to talk about one without the other since both are top prospect outfielders for the same club. This is a 50/50 call, since it's impossible to predict what Padres GM A.J. Preller is thinking. It was thought these two might be called up sooner, but Preller declared that they might be more traditional September call-ups. Now, with the Padres season in the tank, but Triple-A El Paso in the playoff, it's not a guarantee either one will be promoted on September 1st. It's best to take a wait-and-see approach, but if you want to snag one, Renfroe seems to be more major-league ready with the bat at this point.
Pitchers
Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT) - 19% owned - Glasnow made his debut back on July 7th with the Bucs, but it didn't go so swimmingly. In two starts, Glasnow lasted a total of 8.1 innings and gave up six runs (five earned). He then landed on the DL with right shoulder discomfort. He appears ready for a comeback, however, and with Gerrit Cole on the shelf there is a spot open for him to recapture. The 6'8" righty was the #10 pre-season prospect according to MLB.com and should be an immediate add for NL-only managers or for deep leagues needing pitching help.
Lucas Giolito (SP, WAS) - 14% owned - The new rookie sheen has also worn off Giolito after a prior call-up gone awry. That doesn't change the fact he is one of the most talented arms in the minors and could rejoin the first place Nationals again. Giolito has a 5.63 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 16 innings of Major League work, but has done well in Triple-A with a 2.76 ERA and 35 K in 29.1 IP. Given the fact that Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross are injured and Reynaldo Lopez demoted, there is a very good chance Giolito gets another shot at the rotation. His talent is worth the waiver add.
Robert Stephenson (SP, CIN) - 2% owned - The Reds are going through young starting pitchers the way the Padres have gone through middle infielders this year. Stephenson has the stuff to make an impact if given the chance. He held his own over two big league starts in April, lasting seven innings and surrendering just one ER to the Rockies in his second outing. Although his minor league numbers have been less impressive, if he can cut down on his 4.2 BB/9, Stephenson could bring value in September.
Jose De Leon (SP, LAD) - 9% owned - I jumped the gun on this one already last week, so here's a reminder. De Leon is pretty good and he may be pitching for the contending Dodgers soon. He has proven all he can in the minors, with a 1.59 ERA, 33 strikeouts and only four walks in his last five starts (34 innings) for Triple-A Oklahoma City. With just 78 2/3 innings on his arm's odometer this year, De Leon is good to go for a September pennant run on a team desperate for healthy starters.
Josh Hader (SP, MIL) - 3% owned - Josh "Don't call me Bill" Hader seems to get more love on Reddit than he does from Major League scouts. The toolsy left-hander hasn't wowed with his performance in Triple-A this year, boasting a 5.18 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Playing in hitter-friendly Colorado Springs of the PCL could be partially to blame for his inflated ratios, as he has a career ERA of 2.94 in the minors. With an eye-catching 11.3 K/9 this season, Hader could be blowing away Major League hitters soon.
Jarred Cosart (SP, SD) - 6% owned - Cosart was an afterthought in the Andrew Cashner deal with Miami, as he struggled terribly to stay on the 25-man roster the past two seasons. Since moving to San Diego's rotation, Cosart has not allowed more than one ER in his last three starts and has 20 K in 25 IP with the Padres. Unfortunately, he has also given up 27 hits in that time and his WHIP is a fat 1.56. He gets a tasty match-up with the Braves next, which bodes well for his chances to keep succeeding. He is still a risky pick, but at just 26 he still has time to recapture his earlier career success.
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