RADIO
As we settle into the 2024 baseball season we can see certain trends forming. No, we're not going to talk pitcher injuries in this space, this column is reserved for middle infielders. Specifically, players that are criminally under rostered in fantasy.
Some of the names in this space have been listed here before, but as long as they remain under 70% rostered, I'll keep pounding the drum to add guys like Orlando Arcia and Blaze Alexander. Variety is the spice of life, however, and we of course have newcomers listed as well who could provide a boost at 2B or SS.
As a reminder, we'll be looking at pickups for shallow leagues (30-49% rostered) and deeper formats (10-29%), as well as 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 6 -- April 29 through May 5.
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Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Orlando Arcia, SS, Atlanta Braves (29% rostered)
The Atlanta Braves average six runs-per-game which is the best in baseball. Its everyday shortstop remains only 29% rostered in fantasy. Something doesn't add ups here. Arcia's appeal in fantasy is more than just the juggernaut lineup he's apart of though; the 29-year-old may just be amidst a breakout season.
Through 24 games, Arcia is batting .311 with two homers, 12 runs, and nine RBI. It's still early in the season, but his rate stats are currently career highs as he's sporting a .340 on-base percentage and a hefty .478 slugging percentage. Best of all, he's also got a career-high 42.9% hard-hit rate and his 89.6 MPH average exit velocity is a full mile-per-hour above league average.
Arcia is set up nicely to have a huge season in Atlanta which is one of the best hitter's ballparks in the summer months when the humidity makes the ball fly out of Truist Park. His roster rate in fantasy should be tripled.
Blaze Alexander, 2B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (29% rostered)
For the first time this season, we're moving Alexander up to the "Shallow League" section because his roster rate is already up 20% over last week... and the guy can flat-out hit. The 24-year-old rookie is rocking a .544 slugging percentage and his .401 wOBA ranks in the 91st percentile in all of baseball.
Toss in three home runs -- all of which were over 105 MPH off the bat -- and it's a wonder why Arizona messes around with starting Jace Peterson at shortstop over Alexander sometimes. Yes, defense matters at shortstop, and Alexander has made his share of errors. The good news, however, is Alexander started at DH twice last week, so perhaps the Diamondbacks are starting to see the obvious.
Alexander needs to be in the lineup and as long as he's in the Arizona lineup, he needs to be in fantasy lineups.
The D-Backs are averaging 7.0 runs per game when Blaze Alexander starts and 3.6 runs per game when he doesn’t
— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) April 20, 2024
Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Luis Garcia, 2B, Washington Nationals (21% rostered)
It feels like Luis Garcia has been around forever, but that's because he made his MLB debut at just 20 years old. As expected, a player that young thrown into the fire against MLB pitching experienced some growing pains, but here in 2024, he's showing signs of a breakout campaign. Fantasy managers would be kicking down the door to add a 23-year-old former prospect with the numbers Garcia has put up this season.
He's batting a cool .308 and is riding an eight-game hit streak heading into action this weekend. He's also stolen five bases without being caught. As for his batted-ball metrics? Those are pristine as well as he's got a 91st percentile hard-hit rate and an 88th percentile expected slugging percentage.
Josh Smith, SS/3B, Texas Rangers (14% rostered)
Josh Smith has deep-league appeal across the board in fantasy, but he should be rostered in any points format as his plate discipline has been elite thus far. The guy simply doesn't swing and miss as he ranks in the top-15% in baseball in both K-rate and whiff-rate, while also being above average in walk rate.
He's got an elite 93% contact rate on pitches in the strike zone and plays for one of the best lineups in baseball. He finally got on the board last week with his first career home run and should continue to post fantasy-friendly stats starting every day for Texas.
Smitty's scorching! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KGTqhy66iA
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 25, 2024
Waiver Wire Watch List
Joey Ortiz, 2B/3B, Milwaukee Brewers (3% rostered)
Milwaukee prospect Joey Ortiz has got off to a slow start this season, but he had a huge game last Friday as he delivered a homer, four RBI, and a walk-off hit versus the Yankees. He also had a sturdy minor league track record as a prospect in the Baltimore farm system and was a key piece for the Brewers in the trade that sent Corbin Burnes to the Orioles.
Last season in Triple-A, Ortiz slashed .321/.378/.507 with nine homers and 11 steals across 88 games. He's getting plenty of at-bats in Milwaukee and if he starts to pick things up with the bat could have deep-league appeal in fantasy.
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