Welcome back to another fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category column. Last week, a few recommended players really made me look good. We’ll look to keep the good times rolling this week as we break down some more potential adds.
This weekly piece covers players who can help in at least one specific category. For example, if your team is scoring plenty of runs and hitting for a strong average but struggling to steal bases, you can scroll directly to the stolen bases section for a targeted pickup.
While most of these players will contribute across multiple categories, their primary value comes from the category they’re listed under. I also rarely repeat players week to week, so it’s not a bad idea to check back on previous articles to see if any of those players are still available.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category
Without further delay, here are this week’s top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category. All players listed are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Batting Average
Spencer Horwitz (1B – PIT): 17%
Spencer Horwitz is an extremely tough out. Not only does he walk more often than he strikes out, but Horwitz also knows how to square up the baseball, ranking in the top 15% of the league. The Pirates first baseman only whiffs 13.7% of the time, which is remarkable considering today’s level of pitching, especially within that division.
Horwitz’s batting average is up to .292 for the season after maintaining a .272 mark last season. He continues to lead off for Pittsburgh, where he’s an excellent source for batting average, runs and on-base percentage (OBP). He’s also clubbed seven home runs.
Consider benching Horwitz versus left-handed pitchers. Otherwise, he’s a must-start these days. Among qualifiers, Horwitz’s .333 average and .426 OBP this month rank among the top in the National League.
Stolen Bases
Leody Taveras (OF – BAL): 4%
Leody Taveras has hit the comeback trail this season, securing a nice role in Baltimore’s lineup. The former Texas Ranger has now started 10 straight games for the club, where he’s racked up three stolen bases.
Taveras has a nice seven-game hitting streak going, where he’s doing a bit of everything, including driving in and scoring runs. The Orioles’ lineup has come alive in recent days, and with Taveras earning everyday playing time, the stats should continue to mount.
The switch-hitter still struggles against left-handed pitching a bit, but he’s hitting .316 against righties this season with a solid .896 OPS. Taveras is locked in at the moment and will likely continue to run in the coming days. He picked up two stolen bases this week heading into Sunday.
RBI
Jacob Gonzalez (2B, SS – CWS): 6%
The minor league home run and RBI leader is making his way to the big leagues to replace the injured Munetaka Murakami. As the 15th overall pick in 2023, Gonzalez joined the organization with high hopes after raking at Ole Miss. After a slow start in the minors, Gonzalez broke out this season with 19 home runs, a whopping 62 RBI and a 1.088 OPS.
The recently turned 24-year-old will slot in at first base for the White Sox while he retains eligibility at second base and shortstop. Gonzalez hit sixth in the order on Sunday. Hopefully, his prowess for hitting with runners on base continues.
The White Sox have been on fire, and while Murakami’s injury is a big loss, the Chi Sox brass are hoping Gonzalez can help fill the void. He’s worth a speculative add in most leagues.
Home Runs
Curtis Mead (1B, 2B, 3B – WSH): 22%
Curtis Mead was once the No. 33 overall-ranked prospect. He faded a bit over the last few years, but he’s 25 now and back to crushing baseballs.
Working his way into a full-time role with the Nationals, it won’t be long until Mead sees everyday at-bats in a thriving system. Surprisingly, the Nationals’ offense leads the majors in scoring. Yes, you read that correctly.
The Nationals are firing on all offensive cylinders, and Mead is just the latest bat to hit his stride.
Mead ranks in the top 25% of almost all the major Statcast hitting metrics. He’s also built for power with a solid 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame. The Nationals infielder has been fairly consistent when he’s offered playing time, launching four home runs in back-to-back months.
Mead qualifies at multiple infield positions, boosting his value. He could be a fine sleeper the rest of the way.
Runs
Joc Pederson (DH – TEX): 4%
I noticed Joc Pederson starting to hit early last week, so I decided to take a quick glance at his Statcast page. To my surprise, despite producing below-average numbers again, Pederson’s page has plenty of bright red. That includes high marks for exit velocity, xwOBA, hard-hit rate and walks.
I gave Pederson a shot in a deep league and added him as a bench piece. He then smacked four homers over the next five days while driving in seven and scoring seven times.
Pederson was dreadful last season, and while many were ready to write him off, he seems to have found his timing once again. He’s been acting as the Rangers’ leadoff hitter lately, where he offers an elite OBP coupled with above-average power.
Pederson should stick there against right-handed starters for the foreseeable future and could be a nice boost for homers, runs and perhaps a few other categories while his hot streak continues.
ERA
Walbert Urena (SP – LAA): 18%
Walbert Urena has been quietly excellent for the Angels. Over 10 games (eight starts), Urena has posted a 2.44 ERA. He has struck out 41 batters over 44.1 innings and has allowed just three homers all season.
Urena features a pair of high-90s fastballs that he commands well and keeps hitters from launching in the air. He also throws a devastating change-up that has surrendered a .143 batting average and a .222 slugging rate.
The Angels don’t win many games, partially due to their inability to hold a lead, but that shouldn’t keep you from adding the Halos’ 22-year-old Dominican flamethrower, who has been extremely tough to hit.
Strikeouts
Reid Detmers (SP – LAA): 46%
I’ve mentioned Reid Detmers before, and I don’t like to repeat players, but he is elite when it comes to strikeouts. Detmers’ rostership hovering below 50% makes sense because of his occasional stinkers, but if you need strikeouts, Detmers should be your target.
With 82 strikeouts over 68 innings, Detmers can help boost your totals immediately. His fastball, when placed at the top of the zone, is nearly unhittable. Detmers can actually claim that his fastball rises. He’s a spin-rate darling and deserves a spot on squads that are in search of strikeouts.
WHIP
Kumar Rocker (SP – TEX): 11%
Kumar Rocker was once thought of as a can’t-miss prospect, but injuries and a few other factors slowed his progression. While it may be difficult to trust the breakout long term, Rocker has been exquisite on the mound lately, allowing fewer than one batter per inning to reach base in his last four starts.
Rocker has only allowed four earned runs during that span. He’s not for everyone, but Rocker’s ratios have been outstanding lately, as he’s been working the corners better and seems to be controlling his offspeed pitches as well.
Wins
Roki Sasaki (SP – LAD): 43%
To the delight of Dodger fans everywhere, Roki Sasaki seems to have figured it out. After a rough beginning to the season, the young righty has won two out of his last three starts while surrendering just four runs over 17.1 innings.
The talent has always been there for the highly scrutinized 24-year-old, but Sasaki seems to be honing his craft. The strikeouts have also been abundant lately — 19 over those 17.1 innings.
With all the talent surrounding him in Los Angeles, wins shouldn’t be too hard to come by if Sasaki continues to pitch like this. Sasaki was more of a wait-and-see pitcher earlier, but now he’s reaching must-roster status.
Saves
Gregory Soto (RP – PIT): 46%
Gregory Soto is the standalone closer in Pittsburgh right now. The former All-Star has been lights out this season, with a 1.95 ERA and a ridiculous 0.76 WHIP. He’s also striking out better than a batter per inning.
A huge boost to Soto’s game has been his ability to limit free passes lately, lowering his walk rate to below 10% in recent outings. With the Pirates winning games, Soto is a must-start in all league types that count saves.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.