Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups For Fantasy Baseball - Week 20

August 6, 2023

Kevin Hickey's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for outfielders and Week 20 of the 2023 MLB season. Consider adding and streaming these free agent hitters.

This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 20 – August 7 through August 13. Whether your team is derailed by injuries or you’re simply ready to give up on your draft day darlings, navigating the waiver wire will be crucial to finding long-term success in fantasy baseball. 

As we move through the season, trends fluctuate, and we must learn to react on the fly. When it comes to hot streaks, you have to act fast, or you may miss out. This set of outfield-eligible players may not all have the longest track records, or their success could be considered unsustainable. However, you have to take risks early in the season in order to uncover your breakout stars. It will already be too late if you wait until these names are established. 

Names listed are in order of roster percentage, not confidence ranking. Position eligibility and roster percentage are based on Yahoo!, so check your leagues for availability! 

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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues

Jack Suwinski, Pittsburgh Pirates - 35% Rostered

Suwinski has come a long way this season. What started off as a strong-side platoon role in the middle-back part of the Pirates' batting order has blossomed into an everyday playing spot. Overall, Suwinski sports an impressive .817 OPS with 21 home runs. He's emerged as a core producer in the Pittsburgh offense, and the recent departure of Carlos Santana further cements Suwinski's importance to the team. 

While Suwinski's .218 batting average isn't much to look at, his comprehensive approach at the plate is effective. He's absolutely crushing the ball this season to the tune of a .502 xSLG, 18.1% barrel rate, 92 MPH average exit velocity, and 48.9% hard-hit rate. Suwinski also compensates for his low batting average with an elite 14.2% walk rate.

Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels - 35% Rostered

Factoring in that Rengifo is eligible at four different positions, he's certainly worth roster consideration. Overall, he carries a middling .230/.318/.397 slash line and 11 home runs, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Rengifo has been one of the league's better hitters recently and has been elevated into the leadoff spot for the Angels.

Since the beginning of July, Rengifo has posted a fantastic 169 wRC+. That includes a .618 slugging percentage, .416 wOBA, .326 ISO, and seven home runs. Rengifo is on fire at the plate and should be viewed as a worthwhile fantasy asset, at least for streaming purposes.

Willi Castro, Minnesota Twins - 22% Rostered

Castro's hitting numbers really aren't all that impressive. He carries a .246/.332/.369 slash line with only five home runs. We can't expect him to suddenly start mashing, either. Castro fulfills a very specific need in fantasy. If you're looking to bolster your team's stolen base output, then this is the guy you want. Through 94 games, Castro has accrued 28 stolen bases on 32 attempts.

His rate of theft is increasing in pace, too, swiping nine bags in 17 games since the All-Star break. The key consideration here is that Castro has clawed his way into an everyday playing role. He's also a switch-hitter, making him immune to Minnesota's notoriously strict platoons. Byron Buxton recently landed on the injured list, further paving Castro's path to regular playing time.

Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles - 12% Rostered

In a sharp contradiction to Willi Castro, Ryan O'Hearn is crushing the ball this season. Through 65 games, he boasts an impressive .306/.344/.513 slash line with nine home runs and a 133 wRC+. O'Hearn's main drawback is that he's stuck in a strong-side platoon with Ryan Mountcastle. Still, he's in the lineup more often than not and making the most of his opportunities.

Looking under the hood, O'Hearn's advanced numbers appear just as good as the surface stats. He carries a strong .478 xSLG, 10.8% barrel rate, 92.3 MPH average exit velocity, and 54.1% hard-hit rate. O'Hearn has gotten it done at the plate all season long, and there's nothing here to suggest he can't keep it up.

Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues

Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins - 6% Rostered

It took some time for Wallner to earn a role on the Twins' major-league roster, but his recent performance appears to be solidifying him. Through 28 games, Wallner carries a respectable .247/.375/.534 slash line with six home runs. That follows a 67-game stretch in Triple-A, where he posted a .927 OPS. There's a legitimate upside to rostering Wallner, and the recent success may only be the jumping-off point.

Though the sample size is still relatively small, Wallner's underlying numbers are encouraging. He boasts a .595 xSLG, 17% barrel rate, 48.9% hard-hit rate, 91 MPH average exit velocity, and .416 xwOBA. It's hard to envision Wallner's fantasy ownership staying in the single digits if he keeps this up.

Kerry Carpenter, Detroit Tigers - 6% Rostered

Carpenter is one of the most reliable producers you can find at this low ownership. The Tigers' offense is largely underwhelming, but Carpenter bats clean-up and has solidified an everyday playing role. He carries a solid .252/.317/.450 slash line with 11 home runs through 66 games.

Carpenter's surface stats are good enough to justify fantasy consideration, but the underlying numbers suggest some positive regression in his future. He sports a .467 xSLG, 10.4% barrel rate, 45% hard-hit rate, 90.2 MPH average exit velocity, and .342 xwOBA. He's above average in most batted-ball metrics, and it feels like there's a ceiling yet to be realized with Carpenter.

Cade Marlowe, Seattle Mariners - 3% Rostered

Marlowe was a pretty under-the-radar call-up two weeks ago, but there's enough to sink our teeth into here. Through his first 13 MLB games, Marlowe is slashing .313/.421/.625 with two home runs and a pair of stolen bases. He's also in the Mariners' lineup most days with Jarred Kelenic on the injured list and AJ Pollock shipped off to San Francisco.

Though Marlowe only ranks as the No. 16 prospect in Seattle's farm system, he does have a remarkable minor-league track record. In 2021, Marlowe won the Ken Griffey Jr. Minor League Hitter of the Year Award following a 29-home run and 34-stolen base output. 2022 was another successful campaign for him, posting 23 home runs and 42 stolen bases across 133 games between Double-A and Triple-A. There's not a lot of hype surrounding Marlowe, but don't be afraid to buy low on his potential.

More Players To Consider

• Bryan De La Cruz, Marlins - 47% rostered
• Leody Taveras, Rangers - 39% rostered
• Luke Raley, Rays - 39% rostered
• Sal Frelick, Brewers - 32% rostered
• Eddie Rosario, Braves - 12% rostered
• Tommy Pham, Diamondbacks - 12% rostered

More Deep-League Players To Consider

• Max Kepler, Twins - 9% rostered
• Trent Grisham, Padres - 7% rostered
• Joey Wiemer, Brewers - 4% rostered
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yankees - 3% rostered
• Jesus Sanchez, Marlins - 2% rostered

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