This week’s list of players is honestly pretty interesting, as some of them have really went under-the-radar for how high some of their potentials are. At this time of the season, keeping up with who is getting the call-up and which lesser known players are on hot streaks is vital if you want to win in the margins. With the fantasy playoffs seemingly around the corner for many, it’s increasingly important to be looking at the wire for potential acquisitions.
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
EIGHT GAMES: CIN, STL
SEVEN GAMES: BAL, TBR, CWS, KCR, ATH, ATL
Batters
Outfielders
Joshua Baez (OF, $$$$): 65% rostered on Yahoo
Did you guys see that? Seriously. What a debut. And honestly, we could’ve seen it coming. Baez has all-world power, which he flashed in the Minor Leagues. He also has speed, and power + speed = lots of fantasy fun. There may be strikeouts, and so he may not be the shining star you need if your league has a K penalty, but the ceiling is just so insane. I’m excited to see Baez both in the near future with the team and in the long-term future.
Zac Veen (OF, $$): 15% rostered on Yahoo
We were all big Zac Veen fans when he was called up last season, as we hoped his production could match his incredible personality. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much, and he was sent back down to Triple-A in the offseason. Now, he’s back and has been pretty spectacular early on. A reason why I’m not recommending a huge bid is that as a streamer, he may not be a great option as the Rockies are slated to face a bunch of lefties. Though his production has been so undeniable at this point that they may be forced to give him a chance.
Kevin Alcantara (OF, $): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Alcantara is back up for the Cubs, and honestly, I didn’t think he’d stick with the team past the trade deadline. He has impressive raw power but a lack of consistent contact ability. He will again get a chance to show the Cubs something, though he probably won’t be a hot commodity in your leagues especially if they have a strikeout penalty. Still, for people in desperate need of power or in really deep leagues, he may be worth a look.
Infielders
Alec Bohm (SS $$): 47% rostered on Yahoo
Bohm is SCORCHING hot right now, but is he worth the bids? Maybe. He’s probably worth a mid-level offer considering how streaky he is, but sometimes when you get a player in the midst of a hot streak and they somehow keep it going, it can help you win your leagues. Bohm has always had solid batted ball metrics but hasn’t been able to put up a consistently great season. This is the case in 2026, as he had a putrid start to the year before going on multiple hot streaks that have salvaged his numbers to make him at least look like a decently average player. Right now, though, he looks like a star and I can see why he’d be a hot commodity.
Abimelec Ortiz (1B, OF $$): 18% rostered on Yahoo
Ortiz has really taken an opportunity with the Nationals and ran with it, hitting well in nearly every game he’s started since returning from being demoted. With Curtis Mead moved, Ortiz will have more chances to make starts somewhat regularly and he has the skills to be an impact player. The reason I’m not quite as high on him as some is just due to his lack of time against lefties, as he’s only had three plate appearances against them in the big leagues and has had no success in that tiny sample size.
Andrés Giménez (SS $$): 8% rostered on Yahoo
Gimenez has been incredibly consistent as of late, with hits in 10 of his last 11 games. He also is a threat to steal, as he’s inching towards the 20 stolen base mark. His batting average in the post All-Star break segment of the seasons is 40 points higher than in the first half, even if the slugging percent is below .400. He doesn’t have a lot of raw power or on-base skills, but he puts the ball in play and can make things happen with his legs.
Osleivis Basabe (SS $): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Basabe is a sneaky fun player who I’ve liked for quite some time. He has a really solid hit tool and can make chaos happen on the basepaths. Is he good? Well I guess it kind of depends on your definition of good. He’s having a solid start to his time in the Giants’ lineup, showcasing solid ratios with a .283 batting average thus far, and it feels like every game he’s gonna get a hit. He hits near the middle of the lineup which is an improvement over where he’d hit with most teams, but honestly, it’s cool to see a player actually performing well in an organization where players can often struggle to hit.
Adael Amador (2B $): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Amador was called up recently and homered in his first start for the Rockies before being pulled in the sixth inning. He probably won’t see too much time, but it feels like these late-season call-up Rockies players can surprise us. Remember the saga of Warming Bernabel? Still, don’t spend much, if any, FAAB money on Amador, but he could be a sneaky deep-league pickup.
Catchers/UT
Moisés Ballesteros (C – $$): 8% rostered on Yahoo
Mo Baller is an Angel, and while he hasn’t necessarily run with the opportunity, he has been given one, which is a step up from Chicago. He likely will get starts at catcher, which will help his eligibility for next season. But in the meantime, he’s a bat with plenty of potential, and we’ve seen him help teams in bunches before. The Angels are a somewhat solid lineup too for all their team’s issues, so he definitely could help your team in various categories.
Agustín Ramírez (C – $$): 32% rostered on Yahoo
I’ve never been the biggest believer in Ramirez, honestly, though lots of that comes from his lack of skills at playing his position. With that said, he is a threat when at the plate, with his incredible raw bat speed that allowed him to club 21 homers in his rookie season. He also can be aggressive on the basepaths, as he nearly had a 20/20 season in 2025, which is a feat you basically never see from a catcher. With this position being so dire past a few names, he definitely could be worth giving a look.
Pitchers
Starting Pitchers
Jacob Lopez (SP – $$$): 22% rostered on Yahoo
Lopez is back, despite the questionable overall season ERA across the season. When Lopez has it cooking, he’s surprisingly difficult to get anything going against. He’s a lefty slider thrower who lacks velocity but makes up for it in deception. Is he really going to be an arm who dominates in the summer but struggles at the start of the year, a la Blake Snell or Max Fried in the past? His ballpark does hinder his ceiling, but honestly the way he’s been pitching lately he may be worth keeping around on your roster.
Tyler Mahle (SP – $$): 33% rostered on Yahoo
Mahle has looked… Incredible since joining his new team, putting aside a relatively forgettable term in San Francisco to give managers two elite quality starts against tough opponents in New York. Mahle now gets Minnesota, a team that isn’t the scariest offense out there. He’s a Toby arm that will give you solid ratios, though don’t expect anything spectacular, as these past couple of games look like his ceiling.
Shane Baz (SP – $$): 51% rostered on Yahoo
Baz had a really ugly start to his time in Baltimore, but since the cold stretch to open, he’s looked pretty awesome. Baz isn’t missing bats like he was maybe expected to, especially when he first came into the big leagues as possibly the best pitching prospect. He’s put together plenty of consistent starts, to the point where it feels like he’s a borderline top 50-type arm in the sport right now.
River Ryan (SP – $$): 8% rostered on Yahoo
I mentioned Ryan last week, as his upside is incredible and people were hand-waving his inclusion in the trade unfairly due to his age. If the Tigers promote him, he should be an instant impact player, as his breakers are nuts and he has a solid floor. This is top-of-the-rotation potential and he could be key in a push to make the postseason for the gritty Tigs.
Relief Pitchers
Justin Martinez (RP – $$): 10% rostered on Yahoo
Martinez is good to go after returning from missing significant time due to injury, and there may be no team that needs a consistent closer more than the Diamondbacks. Martinez showed some really nasty stuff in the past, with electric fastball velocity and some wipeout secondaries. He has the makings of a genuine closer for a competitive team, there just is the question as to whether he will get the reins right away.
Ben Joyce (RP – $$): 12% rostered on Yahoo
So it looks like Joyce is getting the job to close for the Angels, and that is well earned. He throws absolute heat, up there with names like Jacob Misiorowski and Mason Miller. Of course, those players have impressive pitchability and outstanding secondaries that make them stars, which Joyce does lack somewhat. Still, that fastball has the ability to make him at the very least a middle-of-the-pack closer for a team that doesn’t have a great bullpen as it stands.
