We are now past the Fourth of July weekend, which means the All-Star break is getting closer and closer. Plenty will change following it in terms of rotation schedules, trade bait, bullpen roles, etc. As of now, though, we’re all trying to win the week leading up to it, and here are some of our picks for who to pick up!
Throughout the season, this column is designed to help guide those in Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) leagues make the best choices in who to target on the waiver wire. Specifically, we’re focusing on players who are between 20-25% rostered in most 12-team leagues and/or 25-50% rostered in 15-teamers. Every league is different, so we won’t be labeling player bids with any sort of recommended dollar amount but instead will use a four-tier investment rating system, ranging from a minimal spend to a potential difference-maker (or LEAGUE-WINNER, if you will).
Let’s dig in!
Investment Rating System
SEVEN GAMES: NYY, TBR, KCR, ATL, NYM, PHI, ARI, COL, SFG, SDP
Batters
Outfielders
Esmerlyn Valdez (1B, OF, $$$$): 48% rostered on Yahoo
Esmerlyn Valdez has been incredible since coming back to the Major Leagues, as he is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak for the Pirates. Honestly, it feels completely legit too. His power is outstanding and makes up for his poor strikeout rate. He may be the first elite hitter the Pirates have developed in quite some time. If he’s still available on your wire, grab him and be prepared to spend. He has all the tools to be a difference-maker.
A.J. Ewing (OF, $$$): 20% rostered on Yahoo
Ewing is such a fun player to watch, as he’s sort of a jack of all trades. He does so much of what you want from a fantasy outfielder, providing solid pop, good contact skills, and a ton of speed. Despite being such a young player, it feels like he has a relatively high floor due to his well-rounded skillset. With plenty of outfield injuries this season, Ewing has been a good pickup for teams desperate to fill a hole, especially ones that have lost players who are productive in many areas.
Jake McCarthy (OF, $$): 50% rostered on Yahoo
McCarthy is getting his day in the sun in the fantasy baseball world, and for good reason. He had a monster series against the Giants, which has really inflated his numbers. The thing is, he does get the advantage of playing at one of the best environments for hitters in Coors, and he’s now leaving that. However, if you have some bench room, he has a home stretch after the All-Star break against teams that don’t have great pitching staffs. It feels like another opportunity to see him do what he did this past week again.
Heliot Ramos (OF, $$): 39% rostered on Yahoo
We’ve reached the part of the season when Heliot Ramos gets ridiculously hot. It’s always coming, as he is one of the streakiest players in the Major Leagues and like a hot potato, the manager holding him at the right time really can win their week. This season, Ramos missed time with an injury, but has come back and has looked like a serious piece of the puzzle for solving the Giants’ offensive woes. They’re now trying him at leadoff in certain games and honestly, he has one of the better all-around skillsets on the team, though that’s a low bar. It should guarantee him reps higher in the lineup, though.
Cedric Mullins (OF, $): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Going into the last few weeks, Cedric Mullins was viewed as one of the worst hitters in baseball. He was an incredibly disappointing player, putting up putrid numbers that had fans calling for a DFA. He’s gotten hotter recently, though, which has led to some in deep leagues considering bringing him in. He had a 131 wRC+ in June and still has flashed power due to his extreme pulled flyball tendencies. He won’t be an amazing hitter or anything but he could be one who is above-average for the Rays and your teams for the rest of the season. Don’t spend much on him, though.
Josh Lowe (OF, $): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Credit to Scott McDermott in Friday’s waiver wire article for making note of how much potential of an add Josh Lowe can be. He was optioned to the Minors earlier this season, but lately since coming up and manning center field for Mike Trout he has looked pretty good. He’s hitting in the middle of an okay Angels lineup and is a guy who had a 20/30 season a few years back. I could see him being a 110 wRC+-ish hitter the rest of the way, though he likely won’t hit against lefties.
Kevin Alcantara (OF, $): 0% rostered on Yahoo
This is a bit of a trade deadline month speculative add, as it feels like Alcantara is likely going to be one of the players dangled at the deadline. The Cubs need pitching, as their lineup is definitely one that feels like a contender, but their group of arms has not performed. The Cubs also have a pretty full outfield, which has meant that Alcantara has lacked the opportunities he probably deserves at this stage in his development. His bat speed is some of the best among all prospects, and he hits the ball off the sweet spot of the bat often; he just also strikes out a bit too much due to his swing-happy nature. Still, this is a play for those looking ahead to the future and seeing a need for home runs.
Infielders
Javier Sanoja (2B, 3B, SS, OF $$): 25% rostered on Yahoo
The Marlins are an offense that has been on fire, and one of their more added players as of late has been Javier Sanoja. His multi-position versatility makes him such an intriguing grab, especially as he has performed incredibly as of late. While a popular choice, he wouldn’t be my first pick to spend a lot of money on. A bit, sure, but he hits low in the Marlins’ lineup, and he doesn’t have much power potential or aggression on the basepaths (especially for such a fast sprinter). Still, his eligibility, contact skills, and expanded role as of late make him worth a couple of FAAB bucks in deeper leagues.
Sean Keys (1B, 3B, $$): 2% rostered on Yahoo
We mentioned Keys last week as being a potential pickup worth considering, and while he has only played a few games, he’s already homered for the Blue Jays. The Jays are in desperate need of power in their lineup, and he could be the answer. His bat speed and exit velocities pop off the page, and he has a good track record of hitting them out of the ballpark in the Minor Leagues.
Catchers/UT
Dalton Rushing (C – $$): 17% rostered on Yahoo
I know, I know. He’s not very well-liked outside of the Dodger-verse, and even there, many are tired of his constant antics. However, he’s been a really good catcher for them, one worth picking up if your team is struggling at the position. He’s the current starter for the team due to Will Smith being sidelined on the injured list, and it does seem like he’s still a couple of weeks out. Grab Rushing and reap the rewards that come from him hitting in a stacked lineup, even if he’s near the back of it.
Pitchers
Starting Pitchers
Jake Bennett (SP, RP – $$$): 37% rostered on Yahoo
How about Jake Bennett? I’m a huge fan of his game and it’s been awesome to see it all come together. He’s been in a great spot as of late and should give you confidence to want to start him even against a hot White Sox team. He’s a solid fastball/changeup lefty who refuses to walk batters and is incredibly efficient, which allows him to go deep into games, a skill that is incredibly valuable for your teams. Ratios help and wins are on the menu with Bennett, and I suggest picking him up if you can.
Ian Seymour (SP, RP – $$$): 30% rostered on Yahoo
Are you starting to believe? I am. Ian Seymour had a really rough start to his 2026 campaign. He was coming off a season where he was given a starting role at the end, but got pushed back to the bullpen following a couple of signings. It’s safe to say the Steven Matz signing didn’t work out, as Seymour finds himself back in the starting rotation. He’s looked awesome since coming back into the role. He has a pitch mix that includes the standard fastball/changeup combo for lefties, but also has a solid sweeper. His command is a bit spotty, but batters just can’t figure him out. He might be worth holding.
Cade Cavalli (SP – $$$): 30% rostered on Yahoo
Cade Cavalli has had a couple of excellent starts as of late, including a 13-strikeout performance that turned a lot of heads. He’s not necessarily elite, but he has shown us frequently why he was a well-regarded prospect. He’s getting tons of whiffs as of late and while he may have to serve a suspension soon after the appeal is reviewed, he is looking like a possible top 50 arm worth holding for the rest of the season.
Kumar Rocker (SP, RP – $): 20% rostered on Yahoo
That’s two really solid wins for Kumar Rocker, who is one of the most added players in fantasy this week. . Rocker relies largely on a slider as his foundation that gets tons of whiffs. Those pitchers aren’t necessarily the most trustworthy, as they often lack that good fastball to build an arsenal around. Still, he’s a hot hand and by all means, ride it out if he’s easy to acquire in your leagues.
Relief Pitchers
Tyler Wells (SP – $$): 3% rostered on Yahoo
With Ryan Helsley injured again, the Orioles are in need of someone to fill the closing role. Perhaps it could be Tyler Wells, who picked up his first two saves of the season this weekend? He is great at keeping the WHIP down and has always felt like a player who could potentially excel in the role. He’s looked decent in the audition, so there’s reason to be optimistic about him. He could also be a solid option in holds leagues as well if he doesn’t get the closing reins.
