RADIO
The 2016 season is officially underway and all is good in the baseball world on opening week. What's that? Half your team is on the DL already? That's... impressive. We all know injuries are part of the game, but should you find yourself in need of replacements or experiencing buyer's remorse over some of those late round picks you made at the end of the draft when you weren't sober enough to know who you were picking lost your focus, you're in the right place. NL-only leagues are particularly shallow when it comes to available players worth adding, so smart owners will always be one step ahead of the competition.
The first major injury happened just one day before the beginning of the season and has caused major shuffling for some fantasy owners. If you were unfortunate enough to spend a second round pick on A.J. Pollock, don't cry - dry your eyes. Here come some waiver wire pickups that might pleasantly surprise. Hopefully this will cushion the blow of losing your stud CF before he even notches a single at-bat for your team. Hey, I said stop crying! Here are waiver wire prospects that may be viable options, in order of priority.
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.
National League Waiver Wire Pickups
Socrates Brito (ARI, OF) - 9% owned - Pollock's broken elbow will keep him out for the majority of the season, so the Diamondbacks will give Brito the first shot to replace him. Brito hit .303 in 33 at-bats last season with Arizona and now gets a chance to show what he can do on the big stage. Brito doesn't offer much power, but he did steal 20 bases in Double-A last year and 38 in Single-A the year before. If Brito performs well, he should keep the job full-time, but as of right now the main concern is how much Chris Owings will cut into his playing time. Those who snatched up Brito already were probably disappointed to see Owings get the nod on Opening Day in center field. Be patient for now and see if Brito is up to the task as he should still see most of the starts against righties early on.
Michael Taylor (WAS, OF) - 16% owned - Taylor is another player to watch due to an early injury to Ben Revere. While Revere shouldn't miss much time, Taylor was on fire all spring and is the toolsy type of player that might simply need time to put it all together. If he can do so this year on a loaded Washington team, Taylor might be the best early season pickup of 2016. He offers a power-speed combo that had Dusty Baker telling reporters he was "intrigued" by the youngster in spring training. He is already an asset defensively, so he will earn his share of playing time regardless of Revere's status. If Taylor improves his plate discipline, a 20/20 season with 80 runs scored is not out of the question. He is still lightly owned, so if he happens to available in your NL-only league, now's the time to pounce.
Hector Olivera (ATL, 3B) - 14% owned - Olivera's stock has been rising the past week or so after a spring where he hit .393 with 12 RBI. He hasn't homered yet in 2016, but the power is there. The increased contact rate is encouraging, so power should follow once he settles into the lineup and left field. Olivera currently qualifies at 3B because that was his position last year, but as an everyday outfielder, he will soon gain eligibility there as well. He may not be available in NL-only leagues any more, but feel free to grab him if he is.
Adonis Garcia (ATL, 3B/OF) - 4% owned - Quick, name the cleanup hitter for the Atlanta Braves this year. OK, I'm guessing you figured it out already. Adonis Garcia made his MLB debut at the age of 30 last year and managed 10 HR in 191 AB. More importantly, he managed to take Max Scherzer deep on Opening Day. Braves fans are hopeful that he is setting the tone for a full season of run production behind Freddie Freeman. Garcia is barely owned right now, but that could change quickly if he keeps up his 162 HR pace for this season. He also offers flexibility at corner infield and outfield positions.
Zack Cozart (CIN, SS) - 5% owned - I made the mistake of owning Cozart in 2014 and haven't looked his way since. Cozart is a career .246 hitter, but after two consecutive years of double-digit home runs, he was a decent option for a cheap power source at the MI position. He simply chose that season to be especially rotten. As of right now, however, he is technically leading Cincinnati in hitting with a 1.000 average, so there's that. Cozart might be able to adequately fill a hole you have in your middle infield as a stop-gap. The Reds are far from potent offensively, but right now he is hitting leadoff and at least has Joey Votto behind him.
Scooter Gennett (MIL, 2B) - 3% owned - The Little Scooter That Could managed to rock Madison Bumgarner for an Opening Day home run that left the bat at an exit velocity of 108.5 MPH. Don't expect it to happen again. That was Gennett's first homer ever off a left-handed pitcher and only the 22nd of his career. Scooter does have some pop, however, and might be useful in a MI spot or as a streaming option against righties.
Jordy Mercer (PIT, SS) - 2% owned - Traditionally a slow starter, Mercer was the hero for the Bucs on Tuesday night in extra innings. He has driven in a pair of runs so far and has a lock on starting job in Pittsburgh, albeit at the bottom of the batting order. If Mercer can keep his groove going, he could be worth starting in deep NL leagues. He won't steal any bases, but he did hit 12 HR and 55 RBI in a full season in 2014.
John Jaso (PIT, OF) - 2% owned - After spending his career as a backup catcher in the American League, Jaso is now the starting first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Makes sense, right? Hitting leadoff for a perennial playoff contender sounds enticing. Unfortunately, Jaso is light on power and his greatest value lies in his OBP. If your league counts OBP or OPS as a stat, he can be effective in those categories and provide a decent amount of runs scored as long as he's hitting in front of Cutch.
Chase Utley (LAD, 2B) - 2% owned - You've probably heard his name a hundred times already this week, but not for what he has done in 2016. The infamous "Utley Rule" is dominating headlines, but the player himself keeps trucking along. Although he was a shell of his former self last year, Utley has some run-producing potential in LA. The fact that he is off to a .333 start after three games is a good sign.
Peter Bourjos (PHI, OF) - 1% owned - Although it might be good policy to avoid Phillies players altogether this season, there will likely be a few that offer some value in deeper leagues. Bourjos has great speed, he just needs to actually get on base first. At 29, it might be too late to expect a breakout season that still hasn't happened yet, but with regular playing time Bourjos could steal 20+ bases.
Cameron Rupp (PHI, C) - 1% owned - If, and only if, you are desperate for a catcher in NL-only leagues, Rupp is execpted to be the main catcher for the Phillies this year. Carlos Ruiz started the opener but his best days are behind him and Philadelphia is looking ahead to the future (what other choice do they have?)
Adam Duvall (CIN, OF) - 1% owned - The Reds will likely feature many rookies this season before it's all said and done. On Opening Day, Duvall was one of the first to get his opportunity. He is likely in a platoon with Scott Schebler for now, but if he manages to separate himself he could be productive, even in mixed leagues. Keep an eye on playing time splits and productivity for now before committing to either Duvall or Schebler.
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