Eric Cross' Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups - Hitters and Pitchers (March 31 - April 6)

We're only a few days into the 2025 regular season, but fantasy leagues are already chaotic. Injuries are popping up left and right, which is causing managers to rush to the waiver wire to add replacements or add a player off to a hot start. This week's waiver wire report is a good one for those of you needing a first baseman or just a power boost in general.

The players below are all under 40 percent rostered on Yahoo! leagues. Some of them might already be rostered in your leagues, but if they're available, I'd recommend giving them a look to see if they could be good fits for your fantasy teams.

Last week's recommendations were Kristian Campbell (BOS), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (CIN), Wilyer Abreu (BOS), Jacob Wilson (ATH), Hayden Birdsong (SFG), Reese Olson (DET), Jeffrey Springs (ATH), and Mike Clevinger (CHW).

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Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers

28% Rostered on Yahoo!

Just when we thought we were out, Spencer Torkelson pulls us back in. I've admittedly never been the biggest Torkelson guy around, but I also didn't believe that last season was who he was and that we'd never hear from him again in the fantasy world. Torkelson had an impressive showing in spring training, smacking five home runs in 55 plate appearances with a .340/.389/.680 slash line and has five walks and four hits in his first three regular season games, including a double and a home run.

Spencer Torkelson gets a run back for the @Tigers! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/DhxsDabZYL

— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2025

Even during his struggles last season, Torkelson's metrics were better than you'd think. He posted an 86.2 percent zone and 75.9 percent overall contact rate last season, along with an 89 mph AVG EV and 39.7 percent hard-hit rate. One area for Torkelson that has always been on the higher end is his strikeout rate, but he's kept that from ever rising over the 30 percent mark so far.

Given his blend of contact and power, I wouldn't rule out a .250+/25+ type of season here in 2025.

Tyler Soderstrom, 1B, Athletics

33% Rostered on Yahoo!

The Athletics' lineup saw Brent Rooker take a step forward and Lawrence Butler emerge last season. Is Tyler Soderstrom gearing up to join them? Despite the underwhelming .233/.315/.429, it was actually a sneaky decent season for Soderstrom in 2024.

In 213 plate appearances, he hit nine home runs with a 14.6 percent barrel rate, 91.9 mph AVG EV, and a 49.6 percent hard-hit rate. He did this while having a respectable 84 percent zone and 72 percent overall contact rate.

Soderstrom has picked up hits in his first three games of the 2025 season, including two multi-hit games and a two-homer performance on Opening Day. Four of Soderstrom's seven batted balls have been hard-hit so far, and he has a 97.3 mph AVG EV.

Yes, it's just three games, but Soderstrom has shown a solid blend of contact and power for most of his professional career and should get plenty of run in the Athletics lineup this season.

Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians

28% Rostered on Yahoo!

Could we be looking at a breakout season for Kyle Manzardo? I'm not going to declare a breakout after two games, but one of the concerns for Manzardo entering the season was whether or not he would play regularly this season.

Well, through the first two games of the season, Manzardo has started both games at the DH spot, and one was even against one of the toughest left-handed pitchers in the game in Cole Ragans.

Manzardo has reached base six times in those first two games with a double, triple, home run, and three walks while only striking out in one of his nine plate appearances. In his limited time with Cleveland last season, Manzardo posted a respectable 9.5 percent barrel rate, 89.1 mph AVG EV, and a 40 percent hard-hit rate while having an 84.1 percent zone contact rate and 73.4 percent overall contact rate.

The one area I'd like to see him improve, however, is against breaking balls. Manzardo handled fastballs and offspeed well last season, but hit just .113 with a .170 SLG against breaking pitches. As long as Cleveland continues to run him out there regularly, Manzardo could wind up as a top-15 first base value at the end of the season.

Otto Lopez, 2B/SS, Miami Marlins

24% Rostered on Yahoo!

There's not much excitement surrounding this Miami squad, but Otto Lopez can provide sneaky and steady fantasy value for your fantasy teams this season. In 434 plate appearances last season, Lopez swiped 20 bags with six home runs and a .270/.313/.377 slash line. Lopez had an 86th percentile sprint speed and was only caught on four of his 24 attempts.

That speed, along with his dual 2B/SS eligibility, is why you want Lopez on your teams this season, as a 30-40 steal season is within reach with a full season of playing time.

Lopez should be able to provide a decent average as well. In 2024, Lopez finished with an 88.6 percent zone and 80.1 percent overall contact rate while only striking out 17.3 percent of the time. The quality of contact metrics wasn't terrible either, with an 88 mph AVG EV and 38.9 percent hard-hit rate. Overall, it shouldn't surprise anyone if Lopez puts together a .270/10/30 type of season in 2025 and finishes as a top-15 player at a weak second base position.

Lars Nootbaar, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

21% Rostered on Yahoo!

In St. Louis' first two games, Lars Nootbaar has slotted into the leadoff spot and reached base in six of his nine plate appearances. It's just two games, but Nootbaar has done a bit of everything so far, picking up four hits, a walk, a HBP, and his first home run of the season.

Five of Nootbaar's seven batted balls have been hard-hit, and his AVG EV sits at a whopping 101.8 mph so far. Again, we can't overreact about two games, but there's always been a lot to like within Nootbaar's profile.

Lars Nootbaar golfs one out 🏌 #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/V8BKf23cXR

— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025

In 405 plate appearances last season, Nootbaar had a 9.9 percent barrel rate, 91.8 mph AVG EV, and a 49.5 percent hard-hit rate, but a higher 51.6 percent ground-ball rate limited him to only 12 home runs. Nootbaar also ran an 88.5 percent zone and 84 percent overall contact rate with a better-than-league-average 12.8 percent walk rate and 19.5 percent strikeout rate.

Outside of speed, everywhere you look is above-average for Nootbaar offensively, and a top-100 overall season in 2025 isn't out of the question.

Sean Burke, SP, Chicago White Sox

16% Rostered on Yahoo!

Sean Burke is a pitcher I was hyping up all preseason as a late-round flier in redraft leagues and a great value target in dynasty formats. In 2024, Burke tossed 19 innings for the White Sox, posting a 1.42 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and striking out 22.

He's off to a strong start to the 2025 season as well, tossing six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Opening Day.

A higher strikeout rate has followed Burke around for his entire professional career, with a 29.1 percent strikeout rate in 233 1/3 career innings. But many have been off of Burke due to the 5.05 ERA and 12.5 percent walk rate that he also had in the minors.

Yes, the walk rate still concerns me a bit, but Burke can miss bats at a high clip and will get plenty of run in the White Sox rotation this season. Even if he's more of a 4.25 ERA and 1.25 WHIP type, Burke's strikeout rate will provide value to fantasy teams moving forward.

Jose Soriano, SP, Los Angeles Angels

26% Rostered on Yahoo!

Yes, it was only one start against the White Sox, but Jose Soriano is an arm to consider adding this week in redraft leagues. The 26-year-old right-hander tossed 113 innings for the Angels last season and put together a solid 3.42 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. In his 2025 debut against the White Sox, Soriano had seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Even with his success last season, Soriano was a bit limited for fantasy purposes given his lackluster 20.7 percent strikeout rate. I'm banking on that rate increasing in 2025, but only if Soriano goes to his secondary offerings a bit more.

José Soriano, Wicked 85mph Knuckle Curve. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/1mfltyTgtu

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 29, 2025

Soriano's 96-98 mph sinker helped him generate a 60.1 percent ground-ball rate in 2024, but he also had a 40.2 percent whiff rate on his knuckle curve, 32.9 percent on his splitter, and 46.3 percent on his slider. The problem is that those last two offerings combined for just a 13.6 percent usage rate in 2024.

If Soriano goes to those a bit more in 2025, we could see an uptick in his strikeout rate.

Seth Halvorsen, RP, Colorado Rockies

13% Rostered on Yahoo!

A Colorado pitcher? Yes, even in Colorado, we can find pitchers to pick up every now and then, especially when that pitcher is the most talented one on the roster and should lead the Rockies in saves this season.

Halvorsen picked up the save on Saturday, retiring all four batters he faced with one strikeout. In 12 appearances last season, Halvorsen had a stellar 1.46 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with two walks and 13 strikeouts.

In 2024, Halvorsen used a four-seamer, slider, and splitter, and has added a sinker this season. Both his 4-seamer and sinker average over 99 mph, with the slider and splitter both in the 91 mph range. Halvorsen's slider averaged 91.2 mph on Saturday after averaging 88.9 mph last season.

Halvorsen is easily the best arm in Colorado's pen, and I believe he'll get 20-25 saves this season and provide back-end RP2 value.

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