Danny Valencia (3B, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: 12+ Team Leagues and AL-Only Leagues

OWNED IN: 15% of Flea Flicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: There was a point in time where third baseman Danny Valencia was a can't miss prospect of the Twins, seven years and five teams ago. Nowadays, he's trying to show that 2015's Valencia is still alive and well in Oakland. After being plagued over the years by various combinations of injury, ineffectiveness and a lack of playing time, he showed in 378 at-bats last season that he can be a productive fantasy player, hitting .290 with a career high 18 home runs and 66 RBI. Valencia was especially effective when playing in Oakland, hitting .300 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 90 at-bats.

Coming into 2016, Valencia didn't have to worry about earning a roster spot for the first time in awhile, a feat that seems to agree with him. Before going on the DL with a hamstring strain, he's was hitting .294 with zero home runs and two RBI in 14 games. Since this is a Waiver Wire Pickup article, the lack of homers shouldn't be taken as a negative. That just means more future home runs for his soon-to-be owners as the career .424 slugger won't stay at .353 all season.

With no reports indicating anything but positive news coming out of Valencia's rehab, all signs point to him being a great DL-stash in 12+ team leagues and AL-only leagues for his mid-May return. With an ability to hit for both power and average, he could even hit himself into general mixed league starter status by summertime.