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We'll be doing this roundup of points leagues every week here at RotoBaller, with waiver wire targets and streaming pitchers being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems of ESPN, Yahoo!, CBS, and Fantrax.
Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll make sure to highlight where players are the best and worst fits. We know points league players get neglected and we're here to help.
These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are for the week of June 20th - June 26th, looking at players below ~50% rostered for ESPN, Yahoo!, or Fantrax. Position eligibility is taken from Fantrax and players are grouped by their most valuable fantasy position, using a hierarchy of: C > 2B > OF > 3B > 1B > SS. Stats and rankings for charts are calculated using games through Friday, June 17.
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Know Your Scoring System
You know what I'm going to say, right? You must account for, as precisely as possible, how a player performs under your particular scoring system. Don't be fooled into believing you can just make rough adjustments in your head, bumping up guys with high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates. Every point, in every category, counts.
For example, ESPN and Fantrax are virtually identical in their scoring for hitters and roster size. The only difference is that stolen bases are worth one more point on Fantrax and ESPN subtracts one point per strikeout. That's the difference between Trea Turner being a top-five hitter versus a top-25 hitter.
If your league uses standard settings, then great! Turn to page 94 and you can skip ahead to the leaderboards. If you play with custom settings, it'll still be fine. Go back to page 43 and look below at the scoring systems of the four major platforms. I bet there's a chance that you'll find that your league's scoring is very similar to one of the four (well, not Yahoo!'s), even if it's not the platform you actually play on.
You'll likely find a suitable mirror to your own system if you look above. While every point counts, as long as they aren't seismic changes you can get away with some "close enough" calls. IE. You're probably fine if everything is the same except for HBP (or something similar).
Week 11: Waiver Wire Leaderboards
All charts are updated prior to Thursday's games, on stats and ownerships, and clicking on a chart will open a new page with a magnified version. Players on overall leaderboards are ordered according to their current Roster% on Yahoo.
*APR = Average Platform Ranking - the average platform ranking between ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Fantrax (standard point settings)
The 14-Day Leaderboard, Presented by Hansel
These players are so hot right now. Here are the players on the wire who are running inside the top-100 of APR over the past two weeks:
Overall Leaderboards
First Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Christian Walker, ARI - I'd like to welcome everyone back to your weekly rant on Christian Walker, who still hasn't broken our ~50% Roster% barrier. Walker keeps doing Walker things, still rolling a platinum points profile with a 20.5% K% and 11.2% BB%, still posting a top-50 APR. Granted, Walker has a mediocre 128 APR over the past two weeks but this is a good example of how fickle two-week ranks can be - if you look at the window from one day earlier, Walker had a 77 APR for the previous two weeks. Walker now has 16 HR on the season and a .329 wOBA backed by a .410 xwOBA says better things are still on the way.
For context, there are only 21 players (min 150 PA) that have over a .400 xwOBA in 2022 - and the list is a who's who:
Next Choices
Nathaniel Lowe, TEX - Lowe (and Texas) continues to hit, posting a .406 wOBA (.414 xwOBA) over the past two weeks, with a 58 APR. But even over the recent hot streak, his above-average K% and below-average BB% continue to keep his per-PA scoring in check, running rates that are below average on leagues that punish strikeouts.
Luke Voit, SD - Voit has come alive recently, hitting four home runs over the past two weeks and collecting 17 RBI. But even with a 28 APR over that time, the 37.5% K% and 4.7% BB% should be a reminder of how league-specific his value is going to be.
Brandon Belt, SF - Belt has only just returned but do keep him on your radar as the veteran was one of my favorites coming into this season (and much like Walker this year, was one of my Joey Vott0-esque all-stars that I spent every week begging people to pick up). Because much like Votto, Belt realized some legitimate skill changes based on big-time exit velocities and a new commitment to power.
Desperate Choices
Ji-Man Choi, TB - I love Ji-Man Choi SZN. Partly because I know it won't last but also because savvy points players know that they can get a lot of use out of him before he inevitably cools off from his yearly hot streak. Choi has a 99 APR over the past two weeks but a .396 wOBA backed by a .343 xwOBA makes it seem like time is running out.
Carlos Santana, KC - You're probably in dire straits if a Santana pickup is needed. I'm sorry for your loss(es). I'd have more sympathy but right now I need to get back to my multiple draft-and-hold teams in two-catcher leagues where my only healthy catcher is Austin Hedges.
On the IL
Edwin Rios, LAD (strained hamstring)
Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Brendan Donovan, STL - St. Louis has continued their daily commitment to the rookie, with Donovan starting every day somewhere, whether at first, second, third, or in the outfield. Donovan has a 21 APR over the last two weeks and his slightly above-average scoring rates are compounded by the piles of PAs he's been collecting. And things keep looking up on that front, as he's now batted first or second for the past four games. If he sticks up there, not only will the extra PAs be a boon but hitting in front of the red-hot Paul Goldschmidt generally isn't a bad thing.
Next Choices
Luis Garcia, WSH - My, oh my, is the Luis Garcia experience finally starting to activate? I've long loved the hit tool and took his prior mediocre performances at the big leagues with a large grain of salt, as Garcia is still just barely 22 years old. IE. Hitting in the big leagues is really, really hard, especially when you're not even old enough to buy beer yet - which is what Garcia was during his two partial years in 2020-2021. Slashing .343/.357/.493 over 70 PA, with a 20.0% K%, Garcia is points-gold waiting to happen.
Jon Berti, MIA - Run, Jon, run. With Miami wrecked by injuries and COVID (with the brothers Jesus hitting the list on Friday), Berti continues to start and won't stop running. After stealing three more bases in his past two games, Berti now has 15 SB on the year and 11 SB in the month of June. But that won't matter much if you use something close to ESPN's standard settings, as their 1 pt per SB gives him just a 120 APR over the last two weeks, compared to a 64 APR on CBS. Like a bizzaro Luke Voit, Berti's value is very platform-specific.
Desperate Choices
Josh Rojas, ARI - Remember all the hype after Rojas hit three home runs last month? Since then, he's slashing .235/.300/.346 over 91 PA, with 1 HR. He does have a double-digit walk rate and below-average K% but Rojas's per-PA scoring rates say he continues to be a low-budget compiler with mediocre results that are predicated on a lot of PAs. But the eligibility for four positions is helpful, especially for those who will get depressed once they see the SS section.
Bryson Stott, PHI - Stott is finally starting to shake off some rookie rust and has hit admirably since sliding into an everyday role after Jean Segura hit the IL at the start of June. He only has a .222 AVG since June 1 but 4 HR and a 19.0% K% have helped carry him to an 87 APR over the past two weeks. And like Rojas, Stott and his SS-eligibility could be a welcome relief for those needing help there.
Jace Peterson, MIL - Peterson still doesn't play vs LHP but that won't matter much this week with the Brewers scheduled to face just one lefty in their seven games against the Cardinals and Blue Jays.
On the IL
- Joey Wendle, MIA (strained hamstring)
- David Fletcher, LAA (abductor surgery)
- Nick Madrigal, CHC (strained groin)
- Garrett Hampson, COL (COVID-IL)
- Kevin Newman, PIT (strained groin)
Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Jake Burger, CHW - Even going 0-for-6 in his past two games, Burger continues to smash the month of June, slashing .326/.283/.721 over 47 PA, with 4 HR, 10 R, and 10 RBI. And whether it's at DH or 3B, he's starting every day, making him an easy first choice if you're cold at the hot corner.
Next Choices
Gio Urshela, MIN - Urshela has been ice cold the last week, going 3-for-24 and slashing .130/.167/.174, with just a .156 wOBA. But playing every day with an elite strikeout rate keeps him as a viable band-aid under most scoring formats.
Yandy Diaz, TB - I dream of a day where Yandy's elite plate discipline makes him a starter-quality points player but until he figures out how to consistently elevate the ball (2.2-degree average launch angle) he'll continue to have a fill-in's upside.
Evan Longoria, SF - Between performance and injury issues, Longoria has yet to earn his way back into an everyday role with the platoon-happy Giants. Until he does, there isn't much reason to roster him unless you're in a deep league.
Maikel Franco, WSH - If you're looking for someone that will play every day, Franco is your guy. For most everything else, he's probably not.
Desperate Choices
Alec Bohm, PHI - Bohm's 128 APR is still mediocre but there are positive signs, with his basement-level .283 wOBA for the season being backed by an xwOBA that's 70-points higher. But right now, his biggest value-add continues to be a pile of PAs and a low K-rate.
Bobby Dalbec, BOS - Dalbec has been better, slashing .294/.306/.559 over his past 10 games with only a 27.8% K%. But he's still not back to being an everyday starter and how Boston thinks of his long-term value can probably best be summed up by, "we'd rather play Francy Cordero".
On the IL
- Jeimer Candelario, DET (Shoulder subluxation)
- Brian Anderson, MIA (back spasms)
- Miguel Sano, MIN (knee surgery - torn meniscus)
Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Our shortstop section continues to have a dearth of good options and none of them should be considered your Best choice. Go back up to second base and find someone there.
Next Choices
See: Choices, Best
Desperate Choices
Miguel Rojas, MIA
Elvis Andrus, OAK
Didi Gregorius, PHI
All of the above are gross --- he said wistfully, thinking of all of his 15-team leagues where injuries have forced him to continue starting Miguel Rojas. Sigh.
On the IL
- Nick Ahmed, ARI (shoulder soreness)
Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups
With multiple big-name catchers hitting the IL, things have gotten real dicey, real fast. Good luck?
Best Choices
Jonah Heim, TEX - He's not a world-beater but Heim should still be rostered in most leagues, particularly considering the tsunami of catcher injuries that have hit fantasy over the past two weeks.
Christian Bethancourt, OAK - Bethancourt's boom stick continues to keep him in the lineup, as the guy who's been out of MLB since 2017 has now started eight games in a row, whether at first base, DH, or behind the dish. Over that period, he's slashing .344/.344/.719 over 32 PA, with 3 HR and a .452 wOBA. Yes, I'm still talking about Christian Bethancourt.
Next Choices
Jose Trevino, NYY - Trevino has supplanted Kyle Higashioka as New York's "starting" catcher but he's still mostly a part-timer. But hey, at least he rarely strikes out, I guess?
Jorge Alfaro, SD - Alfaro has been on a (relative) heater but is still only playing every other day, or so, as he alternates with Austin Nola. I really hope you're not forced to start him. That would make me a sad panda.
Desperate Choices
All catcher adds are desperate adds. Now and forever.
On the IL
- Mitch Garver, TEX (CV-IL)
- Danny Jansen, TOR (fractured finger)
- Mike Zunino, TB (shoulder inflammation)
- Yadier Molina, STL (knee inflammation)
- James McCann, NYM (hamate surgery)
- Tom Murphy, SEA (shoulder dislocation)
Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups
After a month or so of slim pickings, the outfield options are getting stuffed again, with a number of name players (Manuel Margot, Adam Duvall, Trent Grisham, Ramon Laureano, etc) starting to round back into shape as offense across baseball starts to heat up. It's a good time now but be aware that you'll need to pounce, as players that were drafted but then dropped tend to be the first ones snapped back up once they start bouncing back. This is the cycle, stay ahead of the curve.
Best Choices
Tommy Pham, CIN - Unless you in a league that penalizes terrible personalities, there is no good reason that you should let Pham stay on the wire. He (and a very points-friendly profile) is now up to a 60 APR for the season and bats third every day in a home park better suited for high school baseball. Pick him up.
Trent Grisham, SD - After just an absolutely, no-good, awful start to the season (April/May: .163/.269/.288, .256 wOBA, 65 wRC+), Grisham has finally started hitting. Over 70 PA in June, he's slashing .250/.333/.417, with a .330 wOBA, 115 wRC+, and has a 51 APR over the past two weeks. His Roster% has already creeped up a ton and one more good week will be enough to make people realize he probably shouldn't be sitting on the wire.
Alek Thomas, ARI - Don't be dissuaded by Thomas's 204 APR for the year, as he only has 136 PA since getting called up in May. The rookie has a top-100 APR over the past two weeks and is currently riding a nine-game hit streak, over which he's slashing .394/.474/.424, with a .405 wOBA and picking up multiple hits in four games. Dude can rake.
Ramon Laureano, OAK - We caught a heartbeat last week and Laureano has continued to come back to life since, running a 103 APR over the past two weeks, with a .336 wOBA that's backed by an impressive .401 xwOBA.
Adam Duvall, ATL - Duvall has hit now hit 4 HR in his past 11 games and some people are saying there are good reasons to think that the power will only increase as we get deeper into the summer. What's curious is that he's having more trouble with RHP (.193/.265/.295, .253 wOBA) than with LHP (.240/.309/.560, .370 wOBA), which is atypical from what he's been in his career - in 2021, Duvall slashed .245/.291/.536 vs RHP, with a .345 wOBA. The strikeout rate will limit his value in leagues with a K-penalty but I still expect Duvall to have an excellent summer.
Amed Rosario, CLE - Impatient owners dropped him after some cold stretches but it's time to jump on Rosario before his former owners correct their mistake. He has a 31 APR over the past two weeks and in the month of June is slashing .361/.355/.508, with a .370 wOBA and 145 wRC+.
Garrett Cooper, MIA - Cooper briefly hit the COVID-IL last weekend but is back in action and back to collecting knocks. Over 53 PA in June, Cooper is currently slashing .429/.472/.571, with a .455 wOBA and 199 wRC+, picking up multiple hits in eight of twelve games.
Michael Harris II, ATL - I'll confess; I thought Harris had already crossed our Roster% threshold but that was just because my sheet screwed up his name in previous weeks. Regardless, this will probably be a one-and-done appearance because the exciting rookie needs to definitely be picked up and likely won't be here next week if he keeps doing what he's doing. Harris has a 39 APR over the past two weeks, with 2 HR, 2 SB, and a .439 wOBA. Sure, it'd be better for PA reasons if he wasn't batting 9th but when you're being followed by Ronald Acuna Jr., Dansby Swanson, and Austin Riley, is it really that bad of a situation.
Next Choices
AJ Pollock, CHW - Doctor! We've got another one! Pollock has a 50 APR over the past two weeks but has been on absolute fire for the past week-ish. He broke his streak last night of seven consecutive games with multiple hits but he made it count, jacking a three-run home run. Over those past eight games, Pollock has slashed .410/.452/.564, with a .444 wOBA. It's officially time to give him another chance.
Manuel Margot, TB - Margot hasn't quite gotten back up to speed since returning from the IL on May 25 but has still slashed a not-awful .273/.333/.364 over 84 PA. He only has a 142 APR over the past two weeks (hence his return to the land of sub-50% Roster% but one hot streak will likely make him unavailable once again.
Myles Straw, CLE - The Straw man has crossed back below our Roster% threshold, after going ice cold in June, slashing just .130/.190/.130 over 58 PA. But you could worse than betting on him getting back on form, as his low-K, high-walk ways make him a good points asset, playing every day and usually batting leadoff.
Oscar Gonzalez, CLE - The home runs still haven't come for Cleveland's true Oscar but his power profile says it's only a matter of time. But even without the dongs, Gonzalez still has a 112 APR over the past two weeks, starting every game since getting called up, while hitting in the middle of Cleveland's lineup. It's only a matter of time before this gets filled up with red:
Desperate Choices
Alex Kirilloff, MIN - The last we heard from Kirilloff, he (and his wonky wrist) was being shipped back to the minors. But now he's back after absolutely crushing Triple-A since May 15, slashing .385/.477/.725 over 128 PA, with a 1.201 OPS and .510 wOBA. I would say that the wrist is feeling better. Only called up on Friday, Kirilloff is a great stash to see if the success continues in the bigs.
Josh Naylor, CLE - Naylor has slowed down after a hot first two months but still has a 100 APR over the past two weeks and is slashing .240/.316/.420 in June.
Lane Thomas, WSH - The streaky Thomas has a 58 APR over the past two weeks but has been ice-cold since hitting his last home run on June 13, going 1-for-21. If you can manage to actually predict when he'll go off, he's a fine flyer. Just be prepared for a lot of zeros in between.
On the IL
- Kyle Lewis, SEA (concussion)
- Tyler Naquin, CIN (strained quad)
- Wil Myers, SD (knee inflammation)
- Ben Gamel, PIT (strained hamstring)
- LaMonte Wade Jr., SF (knee inflammation)
- Edward Olivares, KC (strained quad)
- Jake Fraley, CIN (knee inflammation)
- Yoshi Tsutsugo, PIT (strained lower back)
- Eli White, TEX (wrist surgery)
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