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Welcome back, RotoBallers! This article will discuss our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 19, July 29 through August 4. With the second half well underway, it's now time to prepare our rosters for a playoff push. It's not too late to turn your season around, but we must increase the urgency and aggressiveness as crunch time approaches.
Roster spots and playing time are changing league-wide every day. Fantasy managers better be ready to stay on their feet all summer long and adapt to evolving situations. This article will highlight the guys deserving of more attention this week, including some names that may have fallen out of favor following early season hype.
The names in this article are in order of rostered percentage and are not indicative of a confidence ranking. Rostered percentages can change quickly, so check your leagues for availability.
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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles (39% Rostered)
There is an ongoing battle for playing time in the Baltimore Orioles outfield, but based on this past week, Colton Cowser appears to be emerging as the preferred option over Heston Kjerstad. He's made the most of his playing time, too, hitting safely in seven consecutive games, including two home runs and three multi-hit performances during that span. Overall, Cowser is up to a strong .769 OPS with 14 home runs and a 119 wRC+ in 2024.
Colton Cowser. Utterly CRUSHED. pic.twitter.com/jPVnE7zA9E
— MLB (@MLB) July 25, 2024
Looking under the hood, Cowser's underlying numbers suggest he's deserving of remarkably better results than what we've seen on the surface. His impressive batted-ball metrics include a .487 xSLG, 14.3% barrel rate, 48.1% hard-hit rate, and a 91 MPH average exit velocity. Cowser's 29.2% strikeout rate is far from ideal, though he makes up for it with outstanding pitch selection, as evidenced by his 23.8% chase rate and 9.7% walk rate.
Juan Yepez, Washington Nationals (36% Rostered)
Juan Yepez was featured on this list last week, yet was rostered in fewer than 10% of leagues. In the time since he has emerged as one of fantasy baseball's fastest risers and as one of the Washington Nationals' core offensive contributors. Following his debut with the team on July 5, the 26-year-old has hit safely in 16 of 17 total games played, including seven multi-hit performances. Overall, that brings Yepez to a fantastic .375/.423/.609 slash line with a 186 wRC+.
While Yepez shouldn't be expected to continue operating as a borderline .400 hitter, it is reasonable to suspect he will continue to be a worthwhile producer. He demonstrated flashes of his offensive prowess during previous major league stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, though he failed to maintain consistent playing time. Regardless, Yepez has showcased prolific power-hitting upside in the minor leagues, and it would not be surprising if that translated to the majors.
Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies (29% Rostered)
Although his fantasy value is at odds with his real-life impact, Michael Toglia has been another popular pickup recently. His profile features glaring downsides in his .211 batting average and 31.7% strikeout rate, mixed with tremendous upside. Through 58 games played this season, Toglia is slugging .492 with 16 home runs. There is a ceiling worth chasing.
Looking deeper at Toglia's advanced numbers, there is reason to believe he is a strong candidate for positive regression. The strikeout rate shows no signs of slowing down; however, Toglia's .246 xBA and .350 xwOBA suggest he is a much more well-rounded hitter than the surface stats tell us. Additionally, Toglia's batted-ball metrics are outstanding, including a .522 xSLG, 16.7% barrel rate, 92.5 MPH average exit velocity, and a 53% hard-hit rate.
Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox (16% Rostered)
Wilyer Abreu was one of the trendier pickups in the early part of the 2024 campaign. However, after spending the majority of June on the injured list, he is an overlooked fantasy asset right now. Overall, Abreu is slashing .266/.330/.477 with eight home runs and a 119 wRC+. He frequently sits against left-handed pitching, but Abreu still features in the starting lineup on most days out of a strong-side platoon role.
Taking a deeper look at Abreu's advanced metrics, there is plenty to be encouraged by. The numbers don't suggest he will develop into a .300 hitter any time soon, but they do go a long way toward legitimizing his power output. Abreu's impressive batted-ball metrics include a 50.6% hard-hit rate, an 11.5% barrel rate, and a 91.1 MPH average exit velocity.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Victor Robles, Seattle Mariners (10% Rostered)
In a somewhat surprising development, Victor Robles has emerged as one of the most consequential hitters in a struggling Seattle Mariners offense. With J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodriguez both landing on the injured list and Ty France designated for assignment, Robles has assumed a new role atop the Mariner's batting order. He is making the most of his new opportunity, slashing .364/.444/.564 with two home runs and eight stolen bases across 29 games since joining Seattle.
HOLY VICTOR ROBLES.
8-0 MARINERS pic.twitter.com/90tWxFEtz7
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONTap) July 27, 2024
2024 has all the optics of a breakout season for the 27-year-old, and the advanced metrics support Robles' recent run of success. As a jumping-off point, he sports an outstanding .374 xwOBA alongside similarly fantastic numbers, such as a .491 xSLG and a 13.8% barrel rate. Based on his track record, it's unlikely that Robles will emerge as an exceptional power-hitter, but he is striking the ball better than he ever has before. Further, Robles is a constant stolen base threat, and as long as he continues to get on base at an elite clip, there should be plenty of opportunities.
LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants (8% Rostered)
He receives very little acclaim for it, but LaMonte Wade Jr. has enjoyed a fantastic 2024 campaign. Despite playing in a ballpark that is notoriously brutal on left-handed hitters, he sports an outstanding .822 OPS this season with a 141 wRC+. Wade's playing time is limited somewhat by a strong-side platoon designation, but the results are consistent and worthwhile when he is in the lineup.
If you take a look at Wade's advanced metrics, you'd think he was an All-Star caliber hitter. He carries an elite .386 xwOBA alongside similarly tremendous batted-ball metrics like a .292 xBA, .463 xSLG, 91 MPH average exit velocity, and a 9.4% barrel rate. Don't be surprised if Wade catches fire at some point in the second half.
Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins (4% Rostered)
Jesus Sanchez has become a fixture on this list lately, despite still barely garnering any attention. Overall, he owns a decent, yet underwhelming .242/.292/.414 slash line with 12 home runs and seven stolen bases. That includes a horrible 35.6% chase rate alongside a mediocre 5.5% walk rate. If you can overlook the results, Sanchez may secretly be a hidden gem waiting to break out.
Sanchez's underlying numbers truly defy his results. He has crushed the ball in 2024, generating a phenomenal .501 xSLG, .268 xBA, 12.5% barrel rate, 52.7% hard-hit rate, and a 93.4 MPH average exit velocity. Further, Sanchez does not strike out at an exceptional rate and, more than anything else, appears to be the recipient of very bad luck. If he continues striking the ball like he has, Sanchez is a sneaky pick for a second-half breakout.
More Players to Consider
- Bryan De La Cruz, Miami Marlins (50% rostered)
- Jarred Kelenic, Atlanta Braves (43% rostered)
- Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles (43% rostered)
- Masataka Yoshida, Boston Red Sox (42% rostered)
- Lars Nootbaar, St. Louis Cardinals (28% rostered)
- Joc Pederson, Arizona Diamondbacks (26% rostered)
- Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies (21% rostered)
- Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers (15% rostered)
- Harrison Bader, New York Mets (12% rostered)
More Deep-League Players to Consider
- Wenceel Perez, Detroit Tigers (10% rostered)
- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (8% rostered)
- Jake Meyers, Houston Astros (7% rostered)
- Justyn-Henry Malloy, Detroit Tigers (4% rostered)
- Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants (3% rostered)
- Will Brennan, Cleveland Guardians (1% rostered)
- Trevor Larnach, Minnesota Twins (1% rostered)
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