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Baseball season is officially in full swing. If you have an interest or a need in tweaking with your team, then you have come to the right place. This FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups series will be looking at Week 14-- June 24 through June 30 -- and will point out free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
Baseball is a long season, and your FAAB budget has to last you an awfully long time. For the next 11 weeks, we must carefully place bids and target players who will fill holes on our team. Pay close attention to this in category leagues and spend big on a player if you need a specific category filled urgently.
Below are a few players with ownership percentages under 50% in Yahoo leagues that could benefit your roster and provide you with an added boost in several categories. I will also include what percentage of your FAAB budget you should look to spend on each player. Let’s get started!
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DJ Herz, SP, Washington Nationals
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <3%
Washington Nationals starting pitching prospect DJ Herz, a promising young southpaw, was recently promoted to the major league roster to fill an empty spot in the rotation. As he begins to settle in at the major league level, there is a good feeling that he could be a long-term solution in the nation’s capital.
In his first two starts, he allowed six runs across 8 ⅓ innings with eight punchouts. In his third outing, however, Hertz tossed six one-hit frames and struck out 13.
DJ Herz, 11th, 12th & 13th Ks. 😳
Thru 6. pic.twitter.com/iisAoc1iQJ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 15, 2024
His underlying metrics are strong, with a 2.09 xERA, .175 xBA, and a 36.8% whiff rate, which suggest he could see more successful outings in the coming weeks. With Trevor Williams (elbow) and Josiah Gray (elbow) sidelined, Hertz could earn a permanent spot in this rotation.
Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Atlanta Braves
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
Another young arm in this week’s column, Schwellenbach, who is considered the No. 3 prospect in Atlanta on MLB Pipeline, has started to build his confidence at the major league level. He earned his first career win on Tuesday evening, showcasing his potential with six innings of one-run ball, three hits, two walks, and a season-high seven strikeouts.
Thoughts on the Atlanta Braves’ #3 prospect Spencer Schwellenbach’s MLB debut?
5 IP | 5 H | 3 R | 1 BB | 5 SO#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/ITS7d5t7yn
— Leslie Mines (@LeslieMinesIII) May 30, 2024
The right-hander has now gone at least six innings in his past two starts and has not allowed more than two runs in each of his past two. In addition, he currently holds a near-perfect 1.6% barrel rate, which suggests that he does very well in limiting hard contact, a sign of his strong potential. Unlike Herz, Schwellenbach has a much more secure role in the Braves rotation going forward as his teammate, Hurston Waldrep (elbow), went on the 15-day injured list earlier this week.
Max Meyer, SP, Miami Marlins
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: >10%
Miami Marlins prospect Max Meyer opened the season on the major league roster and was a popular waiver target in the first few weeks of the season. However, he was later optioned to Triple-A with concerns regarding his innings limit.
Marlins manager Skip Schumaker recently told the media that Meyer should be on his way back to the majors “soon,” so now might be the time to grab Meyer if he was dropped in your league.
The Miami system's second-ranked prospect was sharp in his three starts in April, with a 2.12 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 3:14 BB:K ratio. He struggled since returning to Triple-A but that should not be a concern.
Max Meyer held his own today against one of the best lineups in baseball.
6 IP 6 H 1 R 0 BB 7 K
Induced 23 whiffs🔥 and 36 CSW%Former top Marlins prospect should be owned everywhere!
pic.twitter.com/ptPazKzMmq— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) April 13, 2024
Add Meyer where he is available and expect him to remain on the major league roster for the foreseeable future.
Miles Mikolas, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
35% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% in points leagues, <5% in roto leagues
Miles Mikolas has quietly been on a nice run and is worth looking into in points leagues and if you need some improvement in your WHIP ratio. Since May 12, the 35-year-old holds a 3.72 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 7:21 BB:K ratio in 29 innings.
While his K rate is very low, he showcases great command with a 4.4% walk rate, which is why his WHIP is so low. Mikolas is a great addition in points leagues due to how deep he pitches into games. He is also worth a look in roto leagues if you need a stable arm to improve your ratios.
Ben Rice, C/1B, New York Yankees
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% if needing a second catcher, <2% for others
New York Yankees catching/first-base prospect Ben Rice was promoted to the major leagues after Anthony Rizzo (arm) was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Rice performed well in Triple-A before being promoted with a .333/.440/.619 line with three home runs and 19 RBI.
The young backstop is unlikely to see time behind the dish, but his ability to play first base makes him worth a look, as he should be in the lineup quite often, at least in the short term.
Welcome to the Rice Age 🍚
Congrats on your first knock in The Show, Ben 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WcE61tC6pm
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 19, 2024
Rice has started three times in the past four games, including making two starts against southpaws, which is a good sign for a left-handed bat. Grab Rice if you need a second catcher or help at first base.
Orelvis Martinez, 2B/SS/3B, Toronto Blue Jays
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Orelvis Martinez was also promoted to the big leagues and will replace Bo Bichette (calf), who was placed on the injured list. However, unlike Rice, Martinez may have a limited opportunity in the majors, as Bichette is only expected to be sidelined for a minimum stint.
Nonetheless, the No. 2 prospect in the Toronto system is worth adding. He performed quite well at Triple-A this season, with a .260/.343/.523 line and 16 long balls in 63 games.
DJ LeMahieu, 1B/2B/3B, New York Yankees
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <2%
The 35-year-old infielder returned from the injured list on May 28 to make his season debut. While he has been in and out of the starting lineup at least once a week since returning, with Anthony Rizzo’s extended injury, the veteran could find himself in a full-time role once again.
In his first 16 games, he has been disappointed with a .176/.283/.176 line, but I trust him to get himself back on track. He usually has a batting average in the .260s and double-digit home runs.
In addition, playing in one of the best lineups in baseball should provide him with several opportunities to rack up counting stats. Grab LeMahieu if you lack a corner infielder in deeper leagues and need a boost to your counting stats and batting average.
Zach Neto, SS, Los Angeles Angels
30% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Since getting off to a slow start in April with a .239/.286/.380 slash line, the 22-year-old shortstop has begun to perform exceptionally well and is now moving into “must-roster” territory.
From May 1, the former 13th overall pick holds a .271/.316/.500 line with eight home runs and five swiped bags.
Zach Neto puts the Angels within one! pic.twitter.com/VW3IU2I3Sy
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 9, 2024
Neto is a solid middle infield option in all 12-team leagues. He should provide a stable batting average and a good chance to finish with a 20/20 season, which makes him a solid five-category contributor.
JJ Bleday, OF, Oakland Athletics
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% if needing an outfielder, <3% for others
The Athletics outfielder has been on a nice run over the past week and is worth a look in five-outfielder leagues. From June 11 to June 18, the Vanderbilt product holds a .519/.581/.778 line with four doubles.
He also has a strong 10.6% walk rate and 18.5% K rate, which is a bonus in points leagues. Bleday consistently bats in the two-hole in the Oakland lineup and should provide a solid batting average with decent power. He is a solid option in deeper leagues.
Miguel Rojas, 2B/SS/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <4%
With superstar Mookie Betts (wrist) on the injured list and expected to miss at least six weeks, Miguel Rojas is now slated as the everyday shortstop in Los Angeles. Rojas has played in 44 games this season and holds a strong .291 AVG with a .336 OBP and .453 SLG. He has hit three home runs, swiped three bags, and held an 8:11 BB:K ratio.
Even though Rojas bats toward the back end of the lineup, he is worth a look if you need a shortstop in deeper leagues, as he should provide a stable batting average with great counting stats and a decent combination of power and speed for the next month.
Brandon Lowe, 2B, Tampa Bay Rays
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: 15% if needing MI, <10% for others
After missing most of April and May with an oblique injury, the power-hitting second baseman has begun to settle back in and is worth adding in all leagues. Since June 1, the 29-year-old has held a .286/.364/.551 slash line with four home runs, 12 RBI, and a 5:14 BB:K ratio.
Brandon Lowe is the #walkoff hero with a 3-run blast! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/qwGey2IJMV
— MLB (@MLB) June 12, 2024
While he has not registered enough plate appearances to be qualified, he holds a stellar 13.5% barrel rate and 44.6% hard-hit rate, placing him near the top among all hitters. While Lowe only occasionally plays against left-handed pitchers, he is worth adding as he will provide a strong power output at the keystone and should have several RBI opportunities batting in the top half of the Rays lineup.
Noelvi Marte, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: >15%
This may be your last chance to acquire Marte. Marte was a popular breakout pick entering the draft season but was handed an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension. However, he could return as early as next week.
Marte is included here because he possesses five-category potential, as he hit three home runs and swiped six bags with a .316 AVG across 35 games in the major leagues last summer. As we approach his return date, his FAAB price will continue to rise. He is now a must-stash player; after this week, his FAAB price will skyrocket. It is hard to find a player with Marte’s upside on the waiver wire this late into the season.
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