Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers - First Base (1B)

Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, KC) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 18)

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: 24-year-old first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino came into the Kansas City Royals organization via the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft from Old Dominion University--far from the definition of "fanfare." However, after just three seasons and 898 AB in the minor leagues […]

1B/3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Fantasy Baseball Week 3

Welcome back to another edition of first base and third base fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups. It’s crazy to think we’re already on Week Three of the season! For those who are not familiar, each week at RotoBaller we publish a waiver wire article for each position. This article will look at corner infield options, […]

Keston Hiura (1B, MIL) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 375 CURRENT ADP: ~435 overall ANALYSIS: The massive struggles of Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Keston Hiura have been well documented. After bursting onto the scene in 2019 with 19 home runs, 49 RBI, and a .303/.368/.570 slash in just 348 plate appearances, Hiura has been absolutely putrid. In 2019, Hiura […]

Bobby Dalbec (1B, BOS) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~200 pick CURRENT ADP: ~221 overall ANALYSIS: Bobby Dalbec will get every opportunity to be the Boston Red Sox starting first baseman in 2022 after his strong finish last season. Dalbec might be just holding the spot warm for elite prospect Triston Casas, who hit .284 with 13 homers in 77 Double-A […]

Josh Bell (1B, WAS) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 105 CURRENT ADP: ~121 overall ANALYSIS: As many as 31 players are projected by Steamer to reach more HRs than Bell next year (32+). I said players, not first basemen. First basemen: six of them, all with ridiculous strikeout projections that come out at an average of 151+ per man, a […]

Nathaniel Lowe (1B, TEX) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 190 CURRENT ADP: ~237 overall ANALYSIS: I promise this isn’t because Lowe went a perfect 8-for-8 on stolen-base attempts in 2021. It’s neat, but please don’t pencil those again! Anyhow, Lowe should be a beneficiary of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien hitting up top, with a chance at 100 RBI near the heart of […]

Frank Schwindel (1B, CHC) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 190 CURRENT ADP: ~226 overall ANALYSIS: During the month of September, Schwindel produced a 160 wRC+ and a 1.2 fWAR across 134 plate appearances. The plate appearances are just as noteworthy as the production. Schwindel, 29, had seen a total of 15 career plate appearances prior to 2021. However, he […]

Jesus Aguilar (1B, MIA) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 260 CURRENT ADP: ~285 overall ANALYSIS: Aguilar built off his success in the shortened season and enjoyed another strong campaign in his first full year with the Marlins. The slugger hit 23 doubles and 22 homers while posting a .788 OPS. He also recorded a .329 OBP and struck out […]

Brandon Belt (1B, SF) - 2022 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 195 CURRENT ADP: ~223 overall ANALYSIS: Over the last two seasons, Belt's barrel rate has spiked to near 17% in both seasons and his hard-hit rates are at career highs. That's part of the reason Belt hit 29 home runs in just 97 games last year and has 38 home […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 120 CURRENT ADP: ~143 overall ANALYSIS: It had been more than a decade--a decade as in like 10+ years!--since Votto lastly put up a Swing% above 43% (43.9 percent last year) as that had not been witnessed by any pair of eyes since the year 2010 when he went for […]

Rhys Hoskins (1B, PHI) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 110 CURRENT ADP: ~128 overall ANALYSIS: After seeing a lot of success early in his career, Rhys Hoskins has fallen off in the minds of many. Digging into the numbers was interesting, as outside of a few outlier stats (.226 AVG in 2019 for example), he hasn’t been that much […]

Jeimer Candelario (1B/3B, DET) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ROSTERED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: A glance at Jeimer Candelario's full-season numbers wouldn't suggest that he's a guy you need to run to the waiver wire for, but he's just outside the top 75 players in 5x5 over the past month. The 27-year-old has hit .272 with six home […]

LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF, SFG) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Giants schedule sets up perfectly for Wade Jr., who bats left-handed. San Francisco not only plays seven games but they'll face six right-handed starters and just one lefty. Wade Jr. and Darin Ruf, who's having an incredible season, have been platooning […]

Brandon Belt (1B/OF, SFG) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Brandon Belt has had an interesting 2021 season. He got off to a sluggish start following offseason heel surgery and a battle with COVID-19. He then dealt with an oblique strain in late May, which required a stint on the injured […]

Connor Joe (1B/OF, COL) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's rare to find a player like Joe on the waiver wire this late into the year. He's a leadoff man, who hits in a potent offense, and possesses even splits against right-handed and left-handed pitching. He's been readily available on […]

LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF, SFG) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 12% of leagues ANALYSIS: Streaming Wade Jr. has been fairly straightforward this season. Whenever San Francisco is facing a right-handed starting pitcher, he's in their lineup and should be in yours, too. The 27-year-old first baseman/outfielder is slashing .267/.336/.556 with 17 home runs, 42 RBI, […]

Yoshi Tsutsugo (1B/3B/OF, PIT) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Anytime you suit up for three teams in a single season, it's safe to say things haven't gone according to plan. Unable to find opportunities at the MLB level with either of the current pennant holders in Tampa Bay and Los Angeles, Yoshi Tsutsugo […]

Miguel Sano (1B/3B, MIN) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 10+ teams ROSTERED IN: 46% of leagues ANALYSIS: Miguel Sano's last seven games are a microcosm of his season, and his entire career for that matter. He's put up an ugly .214 batting average and .290 OBP with 10 strikeouts over 28 at-bats. However, he also slugged .571 with […]

Christian Walker (1B, ARI) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's been a disappointing season for Walker from the get-go so he'd been off the fantasy radar all year. He's never really been able to get going at the plate, struggling with injuries and inconsistency. He battled a nagging oblique injury […]

Frank Schwindel (1B/OF, CHC) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Cubs' roster teardown at the trade deadline opened up a lot of opportunities for new blood, and they've had a few bright spots emerge in the wake of that carnage. Frank Schwindel is one such player. The 29-year-old journeyman had only gotten 15 […]

Tyler Stephenson (C/1B, CIN) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Early in the campaign the Reds boasted a pair of bona fide potential MVP contenders in Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker, but as the seasoned pushed deeper into summer, it became clear that a pair of NL ROY contenders had also emerged […]

Connor Joe (1B/OF, COL) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: Joe has been called up, optioned, and recalled on three separate occasions this season through no fault of his own. He's been a productive player in his limited at-bats this year but has often been the odd man out when the Rockies […]

Brandon Belt (1B/OF, SFG) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 10+ teams ROSTERED IN: 47% of leagues ANALYSIS: Belt has put together a solid season so far but has dealt with a few nagging injuries that have limited him to just 61 games played. He's slashing .255/.360/.552 with 15 home runs, 35 RBI, 36 runs scored, and three stolen […]

Aledmys Diaz (1B/2B/3B/OF, HOU) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Diaz missed nearly two months of action with a fractured hand from early June to late July. He's been raking since rejoining the team, slashing .339/.362/.589 with five doubles, three home runs, and 14 RBI over 13 games. He's been hitting […]

Asdrubal Cabrera (1B/2B/3B, ARI) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cabrera has quietly been raking since rejoining the D-Backs back on July 24. He missed a little under three weeks with a right hamstring strain but is slashing .303/.425/.515 with four doubles, one home run, nine RBI, and a 9:7 K/BB […]

Nate Lowe (1B, TEX) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 10+ teams ROSTERED IN: 45% of leagues ANALYSIS: You remember Nate Lowe, don't you? He was leading all of baseball in RBI way back in early April. Well, he's predictably slowed down since then but he still could be of some use as a streamer next week. The 26-year-old […]

Patrick Wisdom (1B/3B, CHC) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Wisdom burst onto the scene following his call-up in late May. He swatted nine home runs over his first 20 games but then promptly hit the skids, going yard just twice over the next 21 contests. It's largely gone under the […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 46% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, his .268 average is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days of hitting 25 homers […]

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CWS) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 41% of leagues ANALYSIS: Like many young players, Vaughn had some trouble getting going when he broke camp with the White Sox. He was a hot commodity in leagues that drafted closer to the start of the season, but his .255 average with just one […]

Yandy Diaz (1B/3B, TB) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: Diaz has been on a tear since the calendar flipped to July, slashing .389/.450/.750 with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, seven RBI, and eight runs scored over 36 at-bats. The 29-year-old infielder was slugging .291 over his first 182 […]

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CWS) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: Like many young players, Vaughn had some trouble getting going when he broke camp with the White Sox. He was a hot commodity in leagues that drafted closer to the start of the season, but his .255 average with just one […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's surprising to see Votto is still available in 68% of Yahoo! leagues considering how he's performed recently. He fractured his thumb back in early May and missed over a month but has been locked in since coming off the IL back […]

Joc Pederson (1B/OF, ATL) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 10+ teams ROSTERED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pederson seems to like his new digs now that he's with the Braves. His numbers looked better before his disappointing 0-for-5 performance in Thursday's win over the Phillies so he's now slashing .227/.261/.364 with a double, a home run, and four […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, his .266 average is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days of hitting 25 homers […]

Joc Pederson (1B/OF, ATL) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 37% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Braves wasted no time when Ronald Acuna Jr. went down to acquire a replacement. They didn't feel like they had a suitable one on the roster for their impending playoff run, so they sent Bryce Ball to the Cubs for […]

Gavin Sheets (1B, CWS) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Sheets hit the ground running with two homers and eight RBI in his first four major league games. He cooled off considerably afterwards, reaching a point by the All-Star break where he was dropped in most leagues where he was picked […]

Jace Peterson (1B/2B/3B/OF, MIL) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: The multi-position eligibility, especially in leagues with shallow benches, is intoxicating isn't it? A look as the surface suggests nothing special about Peterson. The .254 average is, well, average. Four homers and 21 RBI is below average. Peterson has made a […]

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CWS) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 37% of leagues ANALYSIS: Like many young players, Vaughn had some trouble getting going when he broke camp with the White Sox. He was a hot commodity in leagues that drafted closer to the start of the season, but his .255 average with just one […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, his .262 average is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days of hitting 25 homers […]

Ty France (1B/2B/3B, SEA) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 44% of leagues ANALYSIS: The positional eligibility alone is fantasy gold, but what if a guy is hitting .277 while providing that? Not only that, but he is batting cleanup in an improving lineup. You probably want to know what you're going to have to […]

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CWS) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 33% of leagues ANALYSIS: We've recommended Vaughn as a streamer in the past and we're going back to the well this week. The 23-year-old was on fire before the All-Star break, slashing a monstrous .395/.417/.744 with three doubles, four home runs, and nine RBI with 10 runs over […]

Alex Kirilloff (1B/OF, MIN) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kirilloff was one of the first high-profile prospects to be called up to the majors back in mid-April and predictably received a lot of attention. He struggled to hit with much consistency over his first 12 games but did swat four homers before hitting […]

Alex Kiriloff (1B/OF, MIN) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: We all know the struggles Kiriloff had getting going this year. He went hitless in his first 15 at-bats before finally picking up his first major league hit on April 26. He slugged his first (and second) career homer on April […]

Garrett Cooper (1B/OF, MIA) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cooper enjoyed moderate success in his first full season in 2019 and was solid in the shortened 2020 season. Cooper was a popular sleeper in the later rounds of standard drafts, but a miserable April in which he hit just .197  […]

Andrew Vaughn (1B/OF, CHW) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: In the final game of the season's first half, Andrew Vaughn homered twice and plated four runs. The rookie has shaken off a slow start and begun tapping into the immense potential that led the White Sox to hand him a spot on the big […]

Jace Peterson (1B/2B/3B/OF, MIL) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 12+ teams ROSTERED IN: 43% of leagues ANALYSIS: The multi-position eligibility, especially in leagues with shallow benches, is intoxicating isn't it? A look as the surface suggests nothing special about Peterson. The .255 average is, well, average. Four homers and 20 RBI is below average. Peterson has made a […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 36% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, his .257 average in the first half is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days […]

Bobby Bradley (1B, CLE) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: Bradley struggled in his September call-up in 2019 and didn't play last year due to the pandemic. Cleveland started him at AAA Columbus this year to get his footing back under him. After hitting just .196 in 26 games, he got […]

Gavin Sheets (1B, CWS) - Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in leagues of 14+ teams ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Sheets is hitting .296 with a pair of homers and eight RBI in his first eight major league games. It's about time to take notice. The White Sox sure have. Sheets has been batting second in the order against right-handed pitchers […]

Joey Votto (1B, CIN) - Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues ROSTERED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, Votto is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days of hitting 25 homers and driving […]