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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 17-- July 15 through July 21 -- and will point out free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
We made it to the All-Star Break! For the next eight weeks, we must place bids and target players who will fill the holes in our team. Pay close attention to this in category leagues and spend big on a player if you need a specific category filled urgently as you are running out of time.
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. This week we have a few prospects that have burst onto the scene and could become must-adds by next week. 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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Kyle Higashioka, C, San Diego Padres
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% if needing a second catcher, <2% for others
While it looked like Higashioka was only seen as a temporary option at catcher in San Diego with Luis Campusano on the injured list, Higashioka has still seen plenty of starts despite Campusano’s return.
The hottest hitter in baseball: Kyle Higashioka pic.twitter.com/1brPZUVIWy
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) June 29, 2024
Since June 24, he has held a .343/.378/.800 line with five long balls and 13 RBI in just 10 games. He should be rostered in all two-catcher formats and could be worth monitoring in one-catcher leagues.
Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7% if needing power, <1% for others
Over the past two weeks, Tellez, has shown a significant improvement at the plate, heating up after hitting under .200 through the first two months of the season. This recent surge shows that his power potential is still there and his slump is behind him.
That's 💯 career home runs for Mr. Rowdy Tellez 👏 pic.twitter.com/kQKgdh3G5J
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 10, 2024
In his past 13 games, Tellez has posted a .366/.409/.805 line with six long balls, 12 RBI, and a 3:7 BB:K ratio.
If you are in need of power at your corner infield spot, Tellez could be a great option.
Colt Keith, 2B/3B, Detroit Tigers
35% rostered
FAAB Bid: >13%
A repeated name on this column who has been riding a seven-game hitting streak from July 3 - July 9. In this span, he has gone deep four times.
Since June 12, he has posted a stellar .312 AVG and has clearly put his slow start behind him. He should be rostered in all leagues going forward.
In addition, Keith likely has both 2B and 3B eligibility in your league, which makes a viable asset in your infield.
Jhonkensy Noel, 1B/3B/OF, Cleveland Guardians
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <3%
The outfield/first base prospect made his major league debut in the last week of June and has been able to hold his own in the major leagues.
Jhonkensy Noel is big and strong and has homered in every Major League at bat he has had.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/6RqDc0QjHc
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 26, 2024
Through his first 10 games, he sits with a .250/.313/.607 line with an eye-catching three home runs. He always finished his seasons in the minor leagues with right around 20 long balls which could suggest Noel is a safe bet for power in the second half.
Angel Martinez, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Cleveland Guardians
8% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
The 22-year-old utility man is yet another Cleveland prospect who recently made his major league debut and, like Noel, has looked quite comfortable.
In his first eight games, he has posted a .346/.500/.538 line with nine hits, two doubles, and one long ball.
Martinez's versatility is a key asset. During his short stint, he has started at second base, third base, shortstop, and all three positions in the outfield, suggesting he could always have a spot in the starting nine because of this defensive flexibility.
Lars Nootbaar, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12% if needing an outfielder, <7% for others
The 26-year-old returned from his almost two-month stint on the injured list on Monday, July 8. While he has posted a disappointing .234/.335/.400 line this season; last summer, he held a solid .261 AVG with 14 round-trippers and 11 stolen bases.
Nootbaar should reclaim everyday duties in right field and should be able to finish the season with at least double-digit home runs and steals. His underlying metrics suggest he got unlucky in the early part of this season, as he sits with a .366 xwOBA and .273 xBA, which means he could be in for a big second half.
First HR since returning from the IL Monday for Lars Nootbaar. pic.twitter.com/ath9m7fUYy
— Cardinals Dude (@Turn2Dude) July 11, 2024
The 26-year-old should be rostered in all five outfielder leagues and could become usable in shallow leagues once he settles in.
Rece Hinds, OF, Cincinnati Reds
30% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12% if needing an outfielder, <7% for others
In his first two major league games. Rece Hinds has made headlines by tallying five hits, including two home runs, two doubles, and one triple.
While the sample size is minimal, it could be wise to ride out the hot hand until he fizzles out.
At Triple-A this season, he held a .216/.290/.409 line, so the batting average should drop over time, but he has shown flashes of power.
Do not overpay, but if you are looking for upside, Hinds is worth adding.
Hunter Bigge, RP, Chicago Cubs
1% rostered
FAAB Bid: <1% if needing saves
Did the Cubs just promote their new closer? Hunter Bigge made his major league debut on July 9 and was immediately inserted into the ninth inning. While the Cubs had a sizable lead, it was worth paying attention to as Hector Neris still saw ninth-inning opportunities even if the Cubs had been up big.
Hunter Bigge, 100mph ⛽️
If you don't know, now you know. pic.twitter.com/VXgPXUzCOL
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 10, 2024
Bigge retired all three batters and tallied on a punch out. At Triple-A Iowa this summer, he held a 0.77 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and tallied six saves across 11 games. If the Cubs can continue to claw back into the Wild Card race, Bigge could become a strong option for saves.
Get him cheap now!
Christian Scott, SP, New York Mets
35% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Scott made his second start since returning from Triple-A and tossed five ⅔ innings of two-run ball. He only struck out three. After the game, Scott spoke to the media and expressed that his workload will be managed throughout the season.
While he has not been as dominant as he was in Triple-A, he is still serviceable in deeper leagues and is worth adding, even if he only goes five innings every start.
Yilber Diaz, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
The Diamondback's pitching prospect performed exceptionally well in the major league debut on Monday, July 8, against the Braves.
He tossed six innings of one-run ball and struck out five, allowing just four hits and one walk.
Through 22 innings at Triple-A, he struck out 28 batters and 69 in just 48 Double-A innings.
The strikeout potential is there, and with the injuries plaguing the Arizona rotation, Diaz could remain with the Snakes for the remainder of the summer.
Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Rounding out this list is one of the most frustrating players you could have rostered over the previous few seasons.
At times, Cabrera has looked like a budding superstar but, unfortunately, has been bitten by the injury bug too many times to count.
Edward Cabrera, Filthy 93mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/x9wcZQNQ2W
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 7, 2024
However, he is healthy now, and that alone makes him worth adding. In his most recent start since returning from the injured list, he lasted three ⅔ innings and struck out four. He might have gone deeper, but the Marlins may have wanted to ease him back into action.
He has consistently averaged over a strikeout per inning and could become a must-add player after his next handful of starts. Get ahead of your league mates and secure a high-upside starting pitcher.
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