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When putting together a position-based waiver wire column, the same names tend to pop back up. For example, Jorge Mateo. The speedy shortstop is here again this week, though in a different capacity. Mateo started the season "Watch List" section; now he's featured in the Shallow League pickups section as he is tied for the league lead with 10 stolen bases.
Speaking of repeat names, we won't cover Brendan Rodgers again this week, though his rostered percentage is still way too low. Colorado will play its next six games at home in Coors Field making Rodgers, and possibly his teammate below, a viable starter in fantasy for Week 6.
As a reminder, we'll be looking at pickups for shallow leagues (30-49% rostered) and deeper formats (10-29%), as well as highlighting players in the single-digits who deserve a spot on your watch list at the very least. These are your second base and shortstop fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 6 - May 16th through May 22nd.
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Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Jorge Mateo, 2B/SS/OF, Baltimore Orioles (36% rostered)
We touched on Mateo's speed in the intro, but that part of his game was never in question. His 100th-percentile sprint speed always made him an elite stolen base threat, if he could hit enough to earn everyday at-bats. Well, Mateo is currently riding a nine-game hit-streak and has slowly crept higher and higher in a scrappy O's batting order. He's clearly got the green light to run whenever he's on base and, given his hot bat, Mateo should be rostered in more fantasy leagues.
Update: Mateo left Sunday's game with an injury, but it's being reported as a shoulder contusion and he is day-to-day. It's a situation to monitor, but he may have avoided a more serious injury here.
Royce Lewis, SS, Minnesota Twins (21% rostered)
Lewis' rostered percentage makes him eligible for the "Deep League" section, but the top-prospect for the Twins has hit himself into fantasy relevance for any league. The former first overall pick has hits in six of his first seven games and launched his first homer on Friday night, a grand slam that left the bat at 105.1 MPH. Carlos Correa (finger) will come back at some point, but Lewis has hit himself into contention for playing time even when Minnesota is healthy.
Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Travis Demeritte, 2B/SS/OF, Atlanta Braves (4% rostered)
Demeritte is another scorching-hot bat as he's riding a five-game hit streak, only with a ton of auxiliary production. He homered on Thursday night, then followed that up with five hits and two walks in his next two games. The streak has Demeritte's batting average up over .300, but it's his robust .527 slugging percentage that raises his fantasy stock. With triple-eligibility, Demeritte is a solid hot-hand play for Week 6.
Jose Iglesias, 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies (7% rostered)
Iglesias hasn't been much of a fantasy asset in his 11 Major League seasons, but he's playing well for the Rockies ahead of a six-game week in the hitter's paradise known as Coors Field. Iglesias is batting .316 so far this year and it's rare to find batting average help on waivers. He makes a ton of contact and, as the weather warms up, he's a decent bet to keep his BA above .300.
Waiver Wire Watch List
Bryson Stott, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (3% rostered)
Stott has looked overmatched at times early in his big league career, but the Phillies' prospect has a solid minor league track record and is getting another stint in Philadelphia. The Philly defense has been dreadful this season, so if Stott's glove can get him in the lineup, he's worth a look in fantasy given his prospect pedigree.
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