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The first full baseball weekend is underway, and if you already have an interest in tweaking your team, then you came to the right place. This fantasy baseball FAAB waiver wire pickups series will be looking at Week 2 -- April 1 through April 7 -- and will point out what free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate to them.
Baseball is a long season, and your FAAB budget has to last you an awfully long time. For the next 26 weeks, we must carefully place bids and target players who will fill holes in our team. Pay close attention to this in category leagues and spend big on a player if you need a specific category filled urgently.
Below are a few players with roster percentages under 50% in most Yahoo leagues that could benefit rosters and provide you with an added boost in several categories. I will also include what percentage of your FAAB budget you should look to spend on each player. However, it is important to not get too excited over a small sample size. Let’s get it started!
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Kevin Ginkel, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
50+% rostered
FAAB Bid: 7% (and more if you are desperate for saves)
With Paul Sewald's placement on the injured list, Kevin Ginkel is in line to receive most, if not all, of the save attempts in the desert for the foreseeable future. Ginkel posted a strong 2.48 ERA and .98 WHIP across 65.1 innings last season.
The Diamondbacks, who just signed Jordan Montgomery, have their eyes set on returning to the World Series this season. Ginkel should be given ample opportunities to pick up saves while Sewald is out, which will make him a must-add this week. There can be an outcome where Ginkel can tally close to double-digit saves if everything goes his way.
Jack Flaherty, SP, Detroit Tigers
47% rostered
FAAB Bid: 3-5%
The former St. Louis Cardinal has been making headlines this spring. The right-handed pitcher capped off a strong final week in Jupiter, Florida, with an impressive eight-strikeout performance. The 28-year-old posted an overall 2.95 ERA with 26 punchouts over 18 ⅓ innings.
It appears as if Fetters magic has already worked on Jack Flaherty, he ends spring training with a 2.95 ERA in 18.1 innings. Flaherty also struck out 26 batters (12.76 K/9) ‼️
Vintage Flaherty + Cy Skubal would be an elite top of the rotation pic.twitter.com/Qo0KG1SNuV
— T’s Tigers (@TannersTigers) March 24, 2024
While it may be hard to trust him, Flaherty has suffered numerous injuries the past few seasons and has not been at his best in almost three years. However, he is showing signs of great progress in his new home in Detroit.
If you are worried about your current rotation, Flaherty might be an option for your team. He is slated to have a position in the rotation for the foreseeable future and has shown flashes of returning to his former self, making him an intriguing starting pitcher to target.
Victor Scott II, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
44% rostered
FAAB Bid: 5%
Victor Scott II is slated to be the starting center fielder on Opening Day in St. Louis due to the injuries of Lars Nootbaar, Dylan Carlson, and Tommy Edman. Scott played excellent throughout spring training and earned his spot on the roster. However, I am concerned that his playing time may be limited once the other St. Louis outfielders return.
In the meantime, while he is in the lineup, he is currently one of the best speed options on the market. The former West Virginia Mountaineer swiped an eye-catching 94 bags in the minors last season. Even if Scott only has a starting role throughout the first month, I would not be surprised to see Scott lead the majors in stolen bases during that time, making him a great rental option in rotisserie leagues. If Scott’s bat can play up in the majors, he may have a longer leash on playing time.
If you need speed, do not be afraid to pay up this week for Scott, as he already swiped his first bag on Opening Day.
Victor Scott II easily steals his first big league bag. He stole 94!!! last year 👀 pic.twitter.com/8PN73BcpWF
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) March 28, 2024
Garrett Crochet, SP/RP, Chicago White Sox
36% rostered
FAAB Bid: 10%
Crochet was named the White Sox’s Opening Day starter and put on a show. The southpaw threw six innings of one-run ball with five hits and eight punchouts. His fastball averaged 97.6 mph with a max velocity of 99.8 and generated 11 swings and misses on 87 pitches. The velocity and ability to miss bats are very promising and make Crochet almost a must-add in all formats.
Garrett Crochet completely shoved 😤
6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
87 pitches - 61 strikes (11 swinging) pic.twitter.com/b7smcpDlqE
— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) March 28, 2024
The left-handed pitcher will generate a high number of punchouts and should be a target for teams lacking in that category. He would be a great complement to teams that have starting pitchers who can eat innings but have low strikeout numbers, like Logan Webb or Logan Gilbert. While Crochet will struggle to find wins, he will be a valuable fantasy contributor based on his swing-and-miss potential, making him one of the most valuable assets currently on your league’s waiver wire.
Below are two names I wrote about last week. While they are significantly more rostered this week, they are still worth checking your league’s waiver wire for.
Griffin Jax, RP, Minnesota Twins
60% Rostered
FAAB Bid: 6-8% (and more if you are desperate for saves)
Griffin Jax from Minnesota is also a name to target, but more for shallow leagues, as he is now just under 60% rostered. He secured a save on Opening Day, signifying his role in the Minnesota bullpen, and should be a must-add for teams lacking saves. The 29-year-old has a path to be the primary closer on one of the better teams in the American League for the foreseeable future as Jhoan Duran recovers from a right oblique strain.
Jackson Merrill, SS/OF*, San Diego Padres
40% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Later this week, Jackson Merrill should play enough games this weekend to qualify for outfielder eligibility, making him extremely valuable in five-outfielder leagues. Grab him before your league mates notice! The 12th overall prospect in baseball, Merrill won the center field job in San Diego thanks to a dominant spring training performance. In the Cactus League, the shortstop-turned-center fielder posted a .351 AVG with two long balls.
While he will only be eligible as a shortstop in most formats this week, by the end of the second week, he should be eligible as an outfielder on all platforms, making him well worth the investment in five outfielder leagues. The 20-year-old looked very good in his major league debut in Korea. He went 2-for-5 with a double in his second game and hit three balls with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph in the opener. He followed that up with drawing a walk and a run on Thursday.
He will not blow you away with power, but he will be valuable in improving your team’s batting average and could fill a fifth outfielder spot on your roster.
It is important not to overreact to the opening week of games but also to not be too pessimistic. Garrett Crochet has elite strikeout potential that should not be overlooked. Griffin Jax and Kevin Ginkel have a stranglehold on a closing role on two great teams, and Victor Scott II may swipe double-digit bags in one week. Get ahead of your league mates and prevent them from getting these significant boosts to their lacking categories.
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