As the season progresses, it becomes simultaneously easier and harder to mine the waiver wire for production. It’s more difficult in the sense that top performers have mostly been plucked away already, but easier to find players whose early struggles have obscured recent success.
The usual caveats about sample size and arbitrary endpoints aside, using splits can help you identify players who belong not on the wire, but on your roster. Here are a few corner infielders who fit the bill.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.
Week 8 Corner Infield Waiver Wire Targets
Brett Lawrie, 3B, Chicago White Sox (46 percent)
Though both Lawrie and his team have cooled in recent days, he remains a solid fantasy asset in many formats. Assuming he can avoid the disabled list for a second consecutive season, he’s on pace to set career bests in most categories. Walks don’t count for much on their own if you aren’t in an OBP or points league, but Lawrie’s already earned 23 free passes. That’s five fewer than last season in 400 fewer plate appearances and just 10 short of his career high. Lawrie is also eligible at second base, where his .793 OPS ranks ninth among qualified hitters.
Jake Lamb, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks (29 percent)
Lamb might be the most underappreciated player in fantasy baseball right now He’s hitting a robust .272/.353/.517 with six homers, two steals, and 44 R+RBI. Those numbers have been enough to put him in the top 10 third basemen in the Yahoo game, ahead of bigger names like Kyle Seager, Adrian Beltre, and Evan Longoria. Yet he’s available in over 70 percent of leagues and his ownership rate has yet to surpass the 40 percent mark. It’s time to quit ignoring this guy.
Justin Bour, 1B, Miami Marlins (23 percent)
Bour has picked up right where he left off last season, when he emerged from the Quad-A pile to hit 23 homers in just 445 plate appearances. He currently sports a solid .254/.331/.516 line with nine homers. Five of those bombs have come in the past two weeks, helping him to a .922 OPS for the month of May. He and Marcell Ozuna are keeping the Miami offense afloat right now as Giancarlo Stanton struggles to make contact.
Aaron Hill, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers (9 percent)
You’re forgiven if you didn’t realize Aaron Hill was still playing in the majors. After an auspicious start to his tenure with the Diamondbacks, Hill hit just .238/.290/.359 over the past two seasons. Entering his age-34 season, it seemed unlikely that he would regain any fantasy relevance. His full season numbers aren’t overly impressive, but Hill has been useful over the last month: .301/.384/.479 with three homers and 23 R+RBI. He profiles better at second base, his original position, but can be slotted into as a corner infielder in a pinch.
Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Indians (8 percent)
Ramirez got some attention as a deep sleeper entering last season, but stumbled out of the gate and eventually lost his job to Francisco Lindor. He’s been a pleasant surprise for the Tribe this year, though. Splitting time between third and left field, Ramirez has hit .293/.343/.439 with three homers, a pair of stolen bases, and 35 R+RBI in 37 games. He also retains eligibility at both middle infield positions, making him a helpful piece in leagues with larger rosters.
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