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Welcome to Week 20 and our fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters. 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 August 22nd - August 28th, 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, August 19th.
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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 20: Waiver Wire Leaderboards
All charts are updated prior to Saturday'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
Joey Meneses, WSH, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 34%, ESPN: 12%) - Have you heard? Joey Meneses is 30 years old! But all kidding aside, Meneses is making the most of his late-age debut, hitting five home runs since getting called up on August 2. But also, baseball is very hard and since hitting his last home run, Meneses is slashing .222/.222/.259 over 27 PA, collecting two runs and not much else. But a 13.1% for a first baseman playing every day could bring value in some leagues.
Next Choices
Dan Vogelbach, NYM (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 7%) - With the Mets not facing many lefties, Vogelbach has been doing a lot of starting but he's also been in a mini-slump, going 2-for-17 since hitting his last home run, with just one run and one RBI. But with the Mets only scheduled to face one LHP in Week 20, Big Salad should get plenty of opportunities to heat back up.
Elehuris Montero, COL, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 1%) - Covered with third base
Harold Castro, DET, 1B/2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Desperate Choices
Luke Voit, WSH (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 31%) - Voit is, what Voit is; mostly unplayable in leagues with a strikeout penalty (32.8% K% for the year, 39.2% K% over the last two weeks) and only more than a boring fill-in when he's running hot on power.
Darick Hall, PHI (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 4%) - Hall still has excellent per-PA scoring rates but still isn't playing vs LHP and has sat the past two games against righties. Limited usefulness but might be viable in daily leagues this week, as the Phillies are only scheduled to face one left-hander in six games.
On the IL
- Nope
Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Vaughn Grissom, ATL, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 47%, ESPN: 36%) - Grissom has started every game at the keystone since getting called up on August 10, slashing .371/.436/.600 over 39 PA, with 2 HR, 2 SB, and a .446 wOBA. Granted, that comes with an unsustainable .423 BABIP but still! That's how you make a debut. But even when he cools off, an everyday role and excellent plate discipline should continue to make him a strong points asset.
Luis Rengifo, LAA, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 11%) - Rengifo has been on a heater in the second half, slashing .288/.313/.505 over 115 PA, with 4 HR, 18 RBI, and a 130 wRC+. Most importantly, he's playing every day and batting in one of baseball's best lineup spots, hitting after Shohei Ohtani and a recently returned, Mike Trout.
Christopher Morel, CHC, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 17%) - Spotty production and playing time have sent Morel's Roster% spiraling but the rookie has gotten things back going, as of late, hitting 3 HR in his last nine games, with a .367 wOBA and 135 wRC+.
Next Choices
David Fletcher, LAA, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 8%, ESPN: 41%) - When you play every day with a 5.5% K% and elite contact rates, there is probably a spot for you in most point leagues. But Fletcher has also been on an absolute tear since returning from the IL on July 28, slashing .355/.403/.500, with a .395 wOBA and 162 wRC+. And if he continues to get on base enough to justify moving him back up to leadoff full-time, his propensity to put the ball in play should serve him even better, as he'd be followed by Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout.
Bryson Stott, PHI, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 6%) - Stott is playing most every game and his per-PA scoring rates keep rising. With an everyday role, excellent strikeout rate, and a bandbox home ballpark, his Roster% remains far too low.
Jose Iglesias, COL, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 22%) - With four of Colorado's six games this week coming on the road, you'd think we'd be fading the lightly powered Iglesias. That is unless Iglesias continues to be a points stud with splits that are better on the road than at home. There's still no power but Iglesias just keeps racking up points and rarely striking out (11.7% K%), playing nearly every day and living near the top of the Rockies order.
Ha-Seong Kim, SD, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 11%) - Kim has run solid scoring rates for most of the season and will continue to be the Padres' starting shortstop following the news of Fernando Tatis's suspension. He's nothing exciting but is a solid points asset, particularly with the triple-eligibility.
Christian Arroyo, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 2%) - Arroyo has been locked into the Red Sox lineup since returning from the IL on July 29, slashing .382/.417/.529 over 72 PA. Above-average per-PA scoring rates and a 15.1% K%, while playing every day, is certainly playable in most scoring systems.
Adam Frazier, SEA, 2B/OF (Yahoo: 24%, ESPN: 40%) - Frazier always carries a very points-friendly profile but he really needs to be batting early in the lineup in order to fully activate. But Julio Rodriguez returned right back to the top following his return from the IL, pushing Frazier down to the bottom third.
Harold Castro, DET, 1B/2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 2%) - Castro (Harold, not Willy) is locked into an everyday role, starting all but three of Detroit's games since the All-Star break, with per-PA scoring rates that have been playable but have also risen lately.
Desperate Choices
Cesar Hernandez, WSH (Yahoo: 7%, ESPN: 8%) - We said it before and we'll say it again; there's always Cesar Hernandez. Hernandez's low strikeout rate and habit of racking up piles of PAs will almost always make him useful as a points fill-in.
Micheal Massey, KC (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 1%) - Massey has been hot since getting called up (.316/.344/.474 over 62 PA) but likely won't get many starts vs LHP and isn't guaranteed to start vs RHP. Unless he earns an everyday role, his weekly usefulness will be limited.
Nolan Gorman, STL, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 37%, ESPN: 15%) - With sporadic playing time (and only against RHP), Gorman is just a lottery ticket for daily leagues.
On the IL
- Matt Carpenter, NYY (broken foot - no timetable for return)
- Aledmys Diaz, HOU (strained groin - no timetable for return)
- Jace Peterson, MIL (sprained elbow - no timetable for return)
- Luis Garcia, WSH (strained groin - no timetable for return)
- Orlando Arcia, ATL (strained hamstring - no timetable for return)
- Luis Guillorme, NYM (strained groin - out at least 3-4 weeks)
- Leury Garcia, CHW (strained lower back - no timetable for return)
Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Luis Rengifo, LAA, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 11%) - Covered with second base
Brett Baty, NYM (Yahoo: 38%, ESPN: 15%) - Everyone loves a top prospect who hits the ground runnings and Baty didn't disappoint, hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw in the majors. But while his minor league numbers have been bonkers in 2022 (.315/.410/.533, with a .414 wOBA, 158 wRC+, and 19 HR in 420 PA. But like with most rookies, the question is how he'll adjust to the adjustments pitchers make and whether or not he'll be playing every day. However, the upside still makes him worth a pickup until we find out what's what.
Christopher Morel, CHC, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 17%) - Covered with second base
Next Choices
Ha-Seong Kim, SD, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 11%) - Covered with second base
Christian Arroyo, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Yoan Moncada, CHW (Yahoo: 42%, ESPN: 46%) - Good god, with a 72 APR over the past two weeks, is Yoan Moncada...Alive??? Umm, let's not get carried away. Moncada might have an impressive 17 RBI since the All-Star break but has still slashed .184/.283/.306 over those 113 PA, with a 29.2% K% and 72 wRC+. So, basically, the same Yoan Moncada stuff.
Elehuris Montero, COL, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 1%) - Montero has been quietly excellent in his most recent stint in the big leagues, slashing .305/.328/.576 over 61 PA, with three home runs - including a double-dong at home this last Friday. And while his 31.6% K% for the season isn't going to make for a strong scoring profile under most systems, he's been running a much more manageable 24.6% K% in this most recent turn with the big club.
Harold Castro, DET, 1B/2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Desperate Choices
Gio Urshela, MIN, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 30%, ESPN: 20%) - Urshela is still running ho-hum scoring rates and a lackluster APR but Minnesota has also been stuck in a lefty rut, facing a left-handed starter in seven of their last nine games. But Urshela has been doing an impressive amount of damage on contact, with a .445 wOBAcon and .468 xwOBAcon over the past two weeks.
Nolan Gorman, STL, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 37%, ESPN: 15%) - Covered with second base
On the IL
- Nope
Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Vaughn Grissom, ATL, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 47%, ESPN: 36%) - Covered with second base
Luis Rengifo, LAA, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 11%) - Covered with second base
Christopher Morel, CHC, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 17%) - Covered with second base
Next Choices
David Fletcher, LAA, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 8%, ESPN: 41%) - Covered with second base
Bryson Stott, PHI, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 6%) - Covered with second base
Jose Iglesias, COL, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 22%) - Covered with second base
Ha-Seong Kim, SD, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 11%) - Covered with second base
Christian Arroyo, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Harold Castro, DET, 1B/2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Desperate Choices
Paul DeJong, STL (Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 6%) - The Paul DeJong renaissance might be ending as quickly as it began - he's gone hitless in his past five games, going 0-for-17, with a 64.7% K%. Yes, 64.7%.
On the IL
- None
Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Cal Raleigh, SEA (Yahoo: 11%, ESPN: 4%) - With Luis Torrens DFA'd and Curt Casali as Seattle's backup catcher, Raleigh will continue to get the majority of starts behind the plate. But a 30% K% will continue to limit his ceiling under many scoring formats.
Shea Langeliers, OAK (Yahoo: 13%, ESPN: 3%) - Langoliers smashed in Triple-A, hitting 19 HR in 402 PA while slashing .283/.366/.510, with a .376 wOBA. He's started all four games since getting called up (one at catcher, three at DH), going 3-for-16 with a home run. The fizzle might come at any time but you have to try and spike a hot hand at catcher.
Next Choices
Carson Kelly, ARI (Yahoo: 15%, ESPN: 12%) - His backups have changed (with Cooper Hummel swapping out from Triple-A with Jose Herrera) but Kelly has continued to resolidify himself as Arizona's primary catcher, starting the past five games (one at DH) and 10 of the last 12. With an everyday role and excellent plate discipline, Kelly's worth in points continues to grow.
Desperate Choices
All catcher adds are desperate adds. Now and forever. But also:
Joey Bart, SF (Yahoo: 16%, ESPN: 5%) - If he can actually stay healthy, San Francisco seems inclined to play him most every day. If he does, his per-PA scoring rates are good enough to make him viable in some leagues.
On the IL
- Elias Diaz, COL (sprained wrist - no timetable for return)
- Omar Narvaez, MIL (strained quad - on rehab assignment)
- Ryan Jeffers, MIN (fractured thumb - out 6-8 weeks)
Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Harold Ramirez, TB, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 23%, ESPN: 12%) - Don't forget about Ramirez, who had been playing excellently prior to hitting the IL in his first game after the All-Star break. He's collected at least one hit in all three of his games since returning and looks to continue slotting in most games for Tampa Bay. And playing every day is a pretty big deal because in case you didn't notice, Ramirez is slashing .328/.375/.455 over 277 PA and 81 games with an elite 13.7% K%. That's points gold, baby.
Luis Rengifo, LAA, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 11%) - Covered with second base
Christopher Morel, CHC, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 17%) - Covered with second base
Oscar Gonzalez, CLE (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 4%) - Gonzalez has a 109 APR over the past two weeks but has now started every game but two since coming off of the IL on August 1, including the past nine straight. Since returning, Gonzalez is slashing .333/.344/.492, with a 21.9% K%. But more importantly, he's starting to elevate, and (hopefully) the power he's shown previously in the minors starts to translate to the majors:
Next Choices
Lars Nootbaar, STL (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 2%) - We always preach the importance of playing time in points, and in case you missed it, Nootbaar has started every game but one for the Cardinals since the All-Star break. That role, plus his elite plate discipline (23% K%, 14.7% BB%) will continue to make the lightly-owned Lars a solid points play.
AJ Pollock, CHW (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 21%) - Pollock has come alive lately, starting the last eight games for Chicago and slashing .290/.343/.548 over 35 PA, with 3 HR and a .376 wOBA. And his expected stats over the past two weeks are even better, with a .359 wOBA and .371 wOBAcon that are backed by a .407 xwOBA and .431 xwOBAcon.
Seth Brown, OAK, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 17%) - After a really nice heater following his return from the paternity list, Brown has gone ice cold, slashing .143/.302/.171 over the 43 PA since his last home run on August 7. But the good news is that he's actually starting vs LHP, picking up starts against the last three Oakland has faced. More good news is that the A's are only scheduled to face one LHP of their six games in Week 20.
Ben Gamel, PIT (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 2%) - Wait, is it Ben Gamel SZN again, already? It's only a matter of time before Ben turns back into a Gamel-shaped pumpkin but that time is not today - over 67 PA in August, Gamel is slashing .300/.373/.483, with 5 HR and a .367 wOBA.
Christian Arroyo, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 2%) - Covered with second base
Adam Frazier, SEA, 2B/OF (Yahoo: 24%, ESPN: 40%) - Covered with second base
Desperate Choices
Jake Fraley, CIN (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 3%) - Fraley has now started six games in a row for the Reds, slashing .320/.346/.640 over 26 PA, with 2 HR and a .419 wOBA. If he continues to play every day (and who do the Reds have that will push him out?), Fraley will continue to be a solid contributor in points.
Leody Taveras, TEX (Yahoo: 21%, ESPN: 10%) - This is the Leody we've been waiting for...I guess? Taveras has been hitting enough to earn an everyday role with plate discipline numbers that can make him viable for stretches.
Jake McCarthy, ARI (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 2%) - Half the battle is playing time and McCarthy has started 21 of Arizona's last 24 games. And in August, he's slashing .276/.344/.328, with a 12.5% K% and five stolen bases. Nothing flashy but that's some decent accumulation for someone with sub-5% ownership.
JJ Bleday, MIA (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 2%) - With only a little pop since getting called up (3 HR in 97 PA), Bleday's biggest value adds have been an everyday role and plate discipline that has been much improved lately. Bleday has a 28.9% K% for the season but has run a 22.4% K% over the past two weeks, with an 18.4% K%.
Kerry Carpenter, DET (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 2%) - Carpenter has come up from the minors and is trying to carve himself out a more regular role in the outfield and at DH, as Miguel Cabrera continues to fade into the sunset and Akil Baddoo/Victor Reyes continues to be mostly lackluster. Carpenter has started four of Detroit's last five games and is now slashing .261/.357/.565 since getting called up, with two home runs. But even an excellent 14.3% BB% won't be enough to save him if the >30% K% sticks around.
Tyler Naquin, NYM (Yahoo: 13%, ESPN: 8%) - The Mets are only set to face one left-handed starter in Week 20 but Naquin's playing time isn't assured as he's sharing part of a platoon role with Mark Canha. And that part might get even smaller if he keeps struggling; since hitting his last home run on August 10, Naquin is 0-for-15 with a 66.7% K%.
On the IL
- Harrison Bader, STL (plantar fascitis - no timetable for return)
- Ramon Laureano, OAK (strained oblique - no timetable for return)
- Avisail Garcia, MIA (strained hamstring - no timetable for return)
- Manuel Margot, TB (strained knee - on rehab assignment)
- Garrett Cooper, MIA (concussion - no timetable for return)
- Brandon Marsh, PHI (sprained ankle - no timetable for return)
- Kole Calhoun, TEX (heel irritation - on rehab assignment)
- Yonathan Daza, COL (shoulder dislocation - no timetable for return)
- Edward Olivares, KC (strained quad - no timetable for return)
- Trevor Larnach, MIN (core muscle surgery - expected to miss six weeks)
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