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Welcome back, RotoBallers, to Week 12 of the MLB season and another edition of our second base and shortstop waiver wire pickups article. We are almost halfway through June, and the All-Star break is about a month away. It's time to start searching the waiver and picking up players who can help improve your roster.
Many prospects were called up this week, including Colorado Rockies second baseman/shortstop Adael Amador. With Brendan Rodgers placed on the injured list, Amador should see a clear path to playing time, which is a must-add in all league formats. Other notable performances in the middle infield include David Schneider, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Jonathan India.
As a reminder, we'll be looking at pickups for shallow leagues (30-49% rostered) and deeper formats (10-29%) and highlighting players in the single digits who deserve a spot on your watch list at the very least. These are your second base and shortstop fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 12 -- June 10 through June 16.
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Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Ceddanne Rafaela, SS/OF, Boston Red Sox (45% rostered)
Rafaela is starting to heat up at the plate by hitting .429 (6-for-14) with four RBI and a run scored over his last three games. Overall, the 23-year-old is slashing .216/.244/.369 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, 29 runs, and eight stolen bases over 236 plate appearances in 2024. He has wheels, as his sprint speed is in the 92nd percentile per Baseball Savant, and he stole 37 bases between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023.
Ceddanne Rafaela had a stellar night at the plate tonight.
He had four hits in six at-bats and drove in four runs. pic.twitter.com/8zGb65jYev
— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) June 7, 2024
Rafaela is improving at the plate, and with his superb defense, he should be in the lineup daily. While his overall stats are nothing to write home about, Rafaela has the upside to hit 20 homers and steal 40 bases, making a terrific add in all league formats if you need the middle infield help with the added position eligibility of outfield to boot.
Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals (34% rostered)
Winn carried over his scorching hot May (slashed .309/.330/.469) into June. The 22-year-old is hitting .286 (8-for-28) with a home run, three RBI, and six runs across seven games. Over his last 25 games, Winn is slashing .344/.378/.522 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 12 runs, and three stolen bases. While he doesn't hit for much power, he makes good contact, as evidenced by his .285 xBA, which is in the 89th percentile.
Masyn Winn deserves more love for his excellent rookie season. Hitting .311 w/.360 OBP and strong contact(83.7% overall/86.5% zone). His sweet-spot% of 40.8% is 92nd percentile. Power metrics are bland, but LAs could lead to 10-12 HR. Could produce similar to 2023 Nico Hoerner. pic.twitter.com/Nc3mMMck3k
— Chris Clegg (@RotoClegg) June 7, 2024
Winn is a former top prospect who can rack up stolen bases. His sprint speed is in the 88th percentile. Fantasy managers are looking for a middle infield option who can hit for average steal bases; Winn is the player you want to add, but overall, he is a solid addition in most leagues while he continues to swing a hot bat.
Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Adael Amador, 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies (3% rostered)
The Colorado Rockies placed Brendan Rodgers on the injured list Saturday and called up top prospect Adael Amador. The 21-year-old was recalled from Double-A Hartford after slashing .194/.337/.329 over 208 plate appearances in Double-A. He struggled earlier in the season but has been on a tear recently, hitting .326 (14-for-43) with six home runs, 14 RBI, and six stolen bases over his last nine games.
One of the hottest hitters in the Minors is about to make his big league debut for the #Rockies.
Here's what to expect from MLB's No. 32 prospect Adael Amador: https://t.co/yrWYPOS16o pic.twitter.com/QI1CW5KL6y
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 9, 2024
Amador is MLB's No. 32 prospect per MLB Pipeline and is an advanced hitter for his age (20). His bat should fit nicely in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks on Coors Field. The Rockies have a 10-game homestand coming up, and Amador should see an uptick in at-bats with Rodgers sidelined. Hopefully, Amador will wield a hot bat heading into the big leagues. Hopefully, he can carry that momentum into an everyday MLB role and help fantasy managers with his power/speed combination.
J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners (28% rostered)
Crawford has been red hot since the calendar flipped to June. He has collected a hit in six of his last seven games while slashing .233/.303/.500 with two home runs, six RBI, and four runs scored over his previous 33 plate appearances. He hits at the top of the order and is a reliable source for runs scored with some pop. Crawford hit 19 homers and scored 94 runs for the Mariners in 2023.
☝️ pitch, ☝️ @jp_crawford blast 💥 pic.twitter.com/FgZG5qOdNI
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 8, 2024
Crawford missed time earlier with an oblique injury but appeared fully recovered from the injury. The 29-year-old gets on base, evidenced by his 10.6% BB rate. While he doesn't provide much in steals, Crawford is heating up and can be used as a streamer in most leagues while wielding a hot bat.
Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)
David Hamilton, SS, Boston Red Sox (7% rostered)
Hamilton is starting to heat up at the plate, slashing .313/.353/.375 with an RBI, three runs, and five stolen bases over his last five games. The 26-year-old has blazing speed, as he already has 12 stolen bases through 40 games. Hamilton leads all AL rookies in stolen bases, and his sprint speed is in the 91st percentile, according to Baseball Savant.
#RedSox David Hamilton might be in for a larger role with the injuries piling up in Boston
He didn’t start yesterday (vs LHP) but the injury to Tyler O’Neill brought him in and he proceeded to steal back to back bases his first time on base. Now 11 for 12 on SBs this year
Worst… pic.twitter.com/T50Jbcn9o7
— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) June 8, 2024
With all the injuries to Boston's outfield, Hamilton could be in for a more significant role as Ceddanne Rafaela is needed at shortstop. Hamilton should see an uptick in at-bats despite hitting in the bottom of the order. Fantasy managers searching for speed and need a quick plug-and-play at middle infield can add Hamilton in deep leagues.
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