Top Five Injured Players To Stash In Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 12

Welcome to our top fantasy baseball injury stashes for Week 12, looking at IL players as of June 16. Today's list of injured MLB players to consider stashing off the fantasy baseball waiver wire includes Harrison Bader, Jesse Winker, Ryan Mountcastle, Wade Miley, and Kenta Maeda.

In case you're not yet familiar, this list is a weekly article series that will highlight the top five hitters and pitchers to hold in your IL spots in re-draft fantasy baseball leagues. As players injured early in the season begin to make their way back to their respective teams, it's time to check who is coming back sooner than later.

These five players are rostered in less than 60% of leagues and have the opportunity to make an impact in fantasy the rest of the way. Make sure to check if these players are available to be picked up in your leagues!

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Harrison Bader - OF, New York Yankees

New York Yankees outfielder Harrison Bader made a name for himself this season among Yankees fans with his strong play and personality. The 29-year-old had some up-and-down seasons with the St Louis Cardinals, his best season being his last in 2021. Bader slashed .267/.324/.460 that season with 16 home runs. Bader also dramatically improved his K% to 21.2% after hovering around 30% in the three previous seasons.

This season, the former Cardinal appeared well on his way to matching the numbers from his best season before getting injured. Through 26 games, Bader slashed .267/.295/.511 with six home runs and six stolen bases. His K% was also down to only 13.7%. It is a small sample size, but it seems sustainable. The Yankees are constantly dealing with injuries and desperately need his bat. Bader's defensive prowess is another reason to be in the lineup most nights.

The Yankees' outfielder has been on his rehab assignment in Double-A and appears ready to rejoin the club during this series against the Red Sox in Boston. The Yankees outfielder could be a sneaky source of stolen bases while hitting for a decent average and power. Bader is 43% rostered in Yahoo and 18% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he's likely available in your league. He could be activated as soon as Friday, so pick him up if you need outfield help.

Jesse Winker - OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jesse Winker was off to a miserable start this season before hitting the injured list. Winker slashed .204/.313/.231 with zero home runs and the second-worst K% of his career, 24.4%. The 29-year-old put together some very productive seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, including an All-Star season as recently as 2021. Since then, Winker has been trying to recapture what made him such an impactful player.

Winker struggled last season in his stint with the Seattle Mariners, and it's not too hard to see why. The veteran outfielder spent the first five years of his career playing one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball, Great American Ballpark. Last year, he transitioned to one of the most pitcher-friendly venues and saw his production plummet. Winker is also an entirely different hitter depending on the pitcher he's facing. In his career, Winker is batting .282 against righties and .202 against lefties.

This season, Winker is back in a hitter-friendly environment with the opportunity to rediscover himself. He struggled to begin the year, but Winker has always been a streaky hitter, and it's possible he was having difficulty finding it. During his rehab assignment in Triple-A, he has three home runs in six games and appears ready to return to the club. Winker is 11% rostered in Yahoo and 7.7% rostered in ESPN, so scoop him up, and he might put up the type of numbers he did in a Reds uniform.

Ryan Mountcastle - 1B/DH, Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle has had an up-and-down year. The slugger has had stretches where he looks like one of the best hitters in baseball and other times it seems like he's standing in the box with a toothpick. One thing about Mountcastle is he barrels balls. The 26-year-old is in the 91st percentile for both Barrel% and xSLG.

In 2023, Mountcastle has slashed .227/.264/.421 with 11 home runs in 60 games. His walk rate is down, and he strikeouts out a ton, so everything looks terrible when Mounty is not hitting. His BABIP is sitting around 50 points lower than it usually is, indicating that he may have been unlucky, and his xBA is about 40 points higher than his actual batting average. If Mountcastle can bring his walk rate up to his career norms and continue hitting the ball this hard, good things will start happening for him.

The good news is Mountcastle is projected to spend the minimum amount of time on the injured list before returning. He is the lone exception to the 60% rule since he is 78% rostered in Yahoo and 68% rostered in ESPN leagues, but I wanted to bring him up because he has so much potential to perform better. He may be available on some wires or acquirable via trade. Fantasy managers should stash or trade for Mountcastle because he is a legitimate power threat. 

Wade Miley - SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Wade Miley is not exactly a pitcher anyone would feel very excited to roster, but he has been sneakily effective in the past. As recently as 2021, Miley put forth a good season, posting a 3.37 ERA over 163 innings. Since his first stint with the Brewers, Miley has constantly over-performed his expected stats, and there is no reason to believe he will stop now.

Through 41 2/3 innings this season, the southpaw has a 3.67 ERA with a 5.36 xFIP. His ERA will likely regress, but I'm not expecting anything drastic. Miley has made a living as a ground ball pitcher, with a GB% around 50% nearly his entire career, but he's pitching differently this season. Miley only has a 38.1% GB% in the eight starts he's made, while his FB% is way up to 47.8%. That's by far the highest FB% of his career, but his HR/FB is only 9.4%, so the long ball hasn't hurt him yet.

Miley was placed on the injured list on May 17, but he's scheduled to pitch on June 17, just a month after hitting the IL with a lat strain. The Pirates would usually be a soft landing, but they are currently above .500 and leading the NL Central. Miley is not a must-add starting pitcher, but he can be a serviceable streamer in a pinch. Miley has pitched five or more innings in seven of eight starts this season, so he could find some wins and quality starts.

Kenta Maeda - SP, Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kenta Maeda has been an effective pitcher in the past, posting a 3.48 ERA over 175 2/3 innings in his rookie season with the Dodgers. Maeda was already 28 when he began his professional career in the United States. The Japanese pitcher played professionally in Japan since 2008 before joining the Dodgers in 2016. In Los Angeles, he showcased his talent and joined the Minnesota Twins.

In his first season with the Twins, Maeda was masterful. In the shortened 2020 season, the veteran right-hander posted a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts with a 10.80 K/9 and a 49% ground ball rate. The Twins were able to unlock Maeda's full potential, and the future seemed bright. The following season, the Japanese pitcher regressed to a 4.66 ERA and 38.4% ground ball rate. Maeda has always dealt with injuries, but coming into this season, optimism surrounded his potential.

Maeda has made multiple solid rehab starts and appears ready to return to the Twins rotation within the next week or two. Maeda is 16% rostered in Yahoo and 2.5% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he is available in many places. Fantasy managers can stash Maeda and watch how he does in his first start back before activating him. He could be helpful but don't expect him to stay healthy for an extended time.

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