Welcome to the Waiver Wire Picks, our daily fantasy baseball article that looks at the best players in baseball that you should be adding to your rosters. We’ll look at the players that are likely to be available in most leagues, as well as some deep league waiver wire options, and we’ll also look at the most added players in fantasy baseball across the major sites, and let you know which players to add, and which players you can leave on the wire.
Top Priority Players to Add
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) SP (64% Yahoo, 35% ESPN)
Woodruff comes in as the most rostered player out of anyone on this list, yet the rates are still far too low. This is a guy who was a certified ace before his October 2023 capsule surgery took place. It happens all the time; a pitcher misses a whole season due to some injury, and the fantasy community forgets he exists. Don’t be that guy. Instead, pick him up wherever you can. Woodruff just threw his final rehab start on Sunday, and it looks as if he’ll be back for Milwaukee’s homestead against Minnesota this coming weekend. Back in the 2022 season, Woodruff threw 153.1 innings with 190 punch outs, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 3.08 FIP. And the year before? 179.1 innings with 211 strikeouts, a 0.97 WHIP, and a 2.96 FIP on his way to fifth place in the NL Cy Young race. Yeah, the stuff plays. Even though he’ll be on an innings limit as he eases his way back to proper workloads, don’t be late to the Woodruff party. Congratulations if you held onto him in dynasty leagues throughout all of last year. Your patience is about to pay off.
Dane Myers (MIA) OF (10% Yahoo, 4% ESPN)
A Rule 5 Draft selection, Myers has been setting the world on fire down in South Florida. He was one of the quieter prospects in his minor league days, but those tend to be the most dangerous ones time and time again. In 107 games at Double-A in 2022, Myers was a 25/20 guy with an .822 OPS. He has translated some of that success to the majors this season, putting up a .342/.383/.500 line, adding in 3 long balls with 6 thefts. He’s battling for the everyday center field role and shouldn’t have much problem holding it as long as the bat stays hot. The underlying numbers show the bat should indeed keep him on the field, considering he owns a 99th percentile xBA along with strong impact on the ball and solid launch angles across the board. He will eventually cool off at least a tad, but any power/speed threat deserves proper attention.
Tyler O’Neill (BAL) OF (55% Yahoo, 17% ESPN)
In the 18 games O’Neill played before his neck issue flared up, he presented everything we remember him for. High barrel rates, quick bat speed, and low average with major pop. There’s something to be said about the veteran who gives what can be expected versus a prospect who’s a total wild card. Give me the experience over a young outfielder who is still trying to figure out the big leagues. The type of production O’Neill possesses in the power department is special. 31 homers in 113 games last season shouldn’t go unnoticed. The funny thing is he’s been doing this for most of his career, yet injuries have taken away the opportunity to put up gaudy numbers. However, averaging 30 round trippers per 162 games is something most waiver-wire batters fail to provide. Power is the single most important offensive factor when it comes to fantasy, so put health on the back burner for now because O’Neill has the upside to majorly help in said category.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Three starting pitchers and two outfielders represent the five most-added players recently. Byron Buxton has been on a tear lately. This should come as no surprise, considering the talent has always been there with Buxton, it’s just a question of whether or not he can stay on the field. In 102 games last season, his OPS sat at .859. Through 37 games this year, the OPS is at .849, a mark fantasy managers would be thrilled with since he was taken so late in drafts. The Javier Báez hype is a bit untrustworthy because of what is truly under the hood. However, it’s exciting to see Detroit placing first in the majors in run differential, a sign of healthy offensive opportunities for Baez in the future.
Reese Olson did not have the greatest start on Sunday, yet the overall numbers look solid, and he’s got strikeout upside. Tony Gonsolin has been solid thus far, and even though it may get rough for him at times, he’s a crafty pitcher with fantastic pitch placement. The velocity might not be all that enticing, but his other pitch skills very much are. Los Angeles will be giving him great run support as well. Lastly, AJ Smith-Shawver has been strong to start 2025. Whether or not he’ll be able to keep it up remains to be seen, but quality extension and the ability to gain punch outs always helps.
Streaming Pitchers
Be sure to check out Nick Pollack’s SP Streamer Rankings to figure out who you need to start, stream, or sit each day this season.
Michael Wacha (KC) (43% Yahoo, 21% ESPN)
Out of all the streamable arms to utilize in fantasy baseball, who’s more consistent and reliable than Wacha? He’s not the most exciting pitcher in the game, but the job gets done, and stress isn’t applied when watching his starts. In the last three seasons, Wacha has not thrown fewer than 127 innings. In 2024, the ERA was 3.35, in 2023 it was 3.22, and in 2022 it was 3.32. Remarkably consistent, right? ERA doesn’t represent how talented a pitcher is, but other factors support his stable outcomes. His WHIP landed between 1.12 – 1.19 in said three seasons, while the K/9 landed right around 8.0 year after year. In no way does he have overpowering stuff, but he’s a smart pitcher and one who can be trusted in the streaming market. On Monday, Wacha visits Houston. All systems go for a quality start.
Speculative Adds
Jake Burger (TEX) 1B/3B (39% Yahoo, 25% ESPN)
Yes, Burger was sent down to Triple-A Round Rock last week. Most didn’t agree with such a decision, but if it helps his confidence, nobody should be doubting Texas GM Chris Young. It’s important to remember where Burger came from, formerly a member of both the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins. Those two clubs had no problem with Jake struggling at the plate and kept allowing him everyday at-bats because both organizations are going through rebuilds. It’s a different story with this Texas club as their window is closing faster than many expected following their 2023 World Series title. The front office is growing restless with horrible offensive production so far in 2025. The good news? Burger is traditionally a slow starter. Last season, it took him until July to start putting up meaningful numbers. Let him get some reps, which will allow him to see the ball fly over the fence more often. Baseball is a funny game, and like anything in life, confidence is required. The third base market is dry, so stash him for his eventual return. Texas has already said it’ll be a quick stint in the minors. Burger always shows healthy barrel rates and exit velocities, so just have a little patience here because it’ll pay off in the end.
