Marcus Semien (2B/3B/SS, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ team leagues

OWNED IN: 17% of Fleaflicker leagues

ANALYSIS: Semien was a trendy sleeper last season after posting a .284/.401/.489 line with 19 HR and 24 SB across two levels in 2013. He began the year as the White Sox starting second baseman, but struggled and was demoted in May. When he returned after rosters expanded in September, he posted an .818 OPS. The A's acquired him over the winter in the Jeff Samardzija trade and have handed him the job at shortstop. He's not eligible there yet, but will be by week's end in Yahoo leagues and by month's end in ESPN leagues.

Semien showed excellent plate discipline throughout his minor league career and posted a respectable 8.2% walk rate as a rookie. ZiPS projects improvement across the board and a 16/12 season, albeit with a .237 batting average. Assuming you can weather that BA hit, the HR/SB category juice is pretty enticing for a middle infielder. He's widely available across all platforms; the highest ownership level was 25% over on Yahoo. At the very least, positional flexibility makes him worth a bench stash.