Happy September, everybody! It’s crazy to say those words, as I remember when the season first began and we were picking up players like Joey Wiemer to be the saviors of our squads. Now, plenty of fantasy leagues are in their postseason, and real-life teams are gearing up to make the final push towards contention. It’s been a really fun ride everybody, and we still have a few more weeks of this article to go.
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: ATL, PHI
Batters
Outfielders
Max Clark (OF, $$$): 19% rostered on Yahoo
Clark has looked really promising since being called up by the Tigers, and it still feels like few people are noticing. He’s only rostered in 19% of leagues, which is surprising as he doesn’t hurt in any category. He has great contact skills, solid speed, and the potential to hit home runs. There was talk that he was going to become a five-tool player, and he certainly looks on his way to becoming one.
Brett Bateman (OF, $$$): 5% rostered on Yahoo
Bateman has been incredible since being called up by Toronto, looking like the next player to fill in the Steven Kwan mould. He’s leading off for a hot Blue Jays team that is continuing to put up runs in an effort to make the postseason. Bateman constantly being on base for these rallies is really helping them, as well as the few fantasy managers who made sure to pick him up.
Victor Scott II (OF, $): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Scott is simply a stolen-base play, as he has incredible speed but doesn’t have the skills to be too valuable in other areas. Still, if you desperately need help in the stolen base category and are in a deep league/are suffering plenty of injuries, he may be worth picking up.
Infielders
Konnor Griffin (SS, OF, $$$$): 70% rostered on Yahoo
Griffin is back, and he probably is rostered in most of your leagues. However, the long stint on the injured list for the finger injury has likely led to people forgetting how lethal he can be. If he’s still available, make the big swing. You likely won’t regret it, as it feels like the time is coming for him to come into his own.
Thomas Saggese (2B, 3B, SS, OF, $$): 16% rostered on Yahoo
Saggese is swinging an exceptionally hot bat since being called up to the Cardinals, riding a five-game hitting streak while manning the shortstop position. He barrels up the ball a decent amount and is eligible for four positions, which all adds up to a valuable piece you can plug into your lineup if you need help in any of those positions.
Jeff McNeil (1B, 2B, OF, $$): 21% rostered on Yahoo
McNeil’s time with the Athletics has been pretty underwhelming. He plays in a home ballpark where offense should be easy to come by, but he just hasn’t fit. Well, that was prior to the All-Star break. He has a 146 wRC+ in the second half and is back to looking like the excellent contact hitter that he can be. He’s a great pickup to fill in for one of his eligible positions in your lineup if you are facing injuries, as the versatility and potential ratio help make him valuable.
Catchers/UT
Mickey Gasper (C, 1B – $$): 24% rostered on Yahoo
Gasper has been a highly popular pickup, as he’s lately been hitting on the level of Barry Bonds. Of course, this isn’t going to last, but he’s still available in most leagues. He is a platoon bat, only hitting against righties, but he’s doing tons of damage against them, and it feels like every day he’s pencilled into the lineup, he’s bringing an impact bat to the Red Sox. He’s worth a small bid, as many other managers definitely have him circled, though don’t feel the need to spend big on him.
Leo Bernal (C – $): 1% rostered on Yahoo
The Cardinals’ #7 prospect was recently called up with the expanding rosters and is expected to handle catching duties for the team, with Ivan Herrera mainly filling in as the designated hitter. He’s looked solid in the minor leagues, and he could be an intriguing option in deep leagues, as there is definite fantasy potential here. Of course, there is the risk of relying upon a young hitter, especially a catcher, but Bernal is a well-rounded player who should have a higher floor than many in his position and age range.
Pitchers
Starting Pitchers
Corbin Burnes (SP – $$$): 24% rostered on Yahoo
Burnes appears to be nearing the end of his rehabilitation, and he could join his Diamondbacks team this week. He will be really important for their success, though there is always reason to be hesitant to start a pitcher in their first return back. Burnes has such a great track record of being an elite ace at this point, and his command has been so steady that I wouldn’t be too worried about his dip in velocity. We know who he is, even if he isn’t quite getting the swings and misses that he used to.
Jonah Tong (SP – $): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Tong should be starting for the Mets tomorrow against the Marlins, a decent stream if you believe in him. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for him in the minor leagues, as the former top prospect put up pretty brutal ratios for a player of his pedigree. Still, there’s plenty to like about Tong and maybe another chance in the major leagues could be the jolt that moves him in the right direction.
Reynaldo López (SP – $): 9% rostered on Yahoo
Lopez hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since July, but he is likely to get the ball some time this week. He’s stretched out fully, as he threw 93 pitches in his recent AAA start, and with Atlanta needing pitching, he could be an immediate shot in the arm to their rotation. Of course, starters coming off of rehab stints aren’t always the most ready, and you should be careful starting them, but hey, if you’re desperate, there are worse options.
Relief Pitchers
Hogan Harris (RP – $): 14% rostered on Yahoo
Last week I predicted that Elvis Alvarado would be getting the save opportunities for the Athletics, but now they’ve turned back to Harris, who had two saves in a row Thursday/Friday. Harris doesn’t have amazing stuff, and the WHIP is higher than we’d like, but he’s kept the ERA down in a ballpark where that’s incredibly tough. He’s only worth a small bid due to the committee nature of the Athletics, but he could be the right play if they stick with him down the stretch.
Tyler Wells (RP – $): 14% rostered on Yahoo
We saw a bit of a scare to Bryan Baker, who was pulled due to an illness in a game against the Texas Rangers, but not before losing 6 mph on his fastball. Wells took over and got the save, and perhaps he’s in line for that role for the Rays moving forward? At least until Baker is better. Wells has some really great stuff and is excellent at keeping the WHIP down. He’s the perfect setup man/part-time closer and has been super valuable for the Rays’ bullpen thus far.
