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
Max Kepler (PHI), OF (7% owned in Yahoo)
Kepler has been swinging a hot bat in a great Phillies lineup and headlines today’s players to add. He is one of only five hitters since April 15th with at least an 80% Contact% and 14% Barrel%. He does sit a fair amount against lefties, but has started every game against RHPs and has looked great.
Thus far in 2025, Kepler is chasing at his lowest rate since 2021 (26.1%) while hitting the ball hard at a career best rate (50%) along with one of his best Barrel rates. The process-level stats all look favorable for the 32-year-old lefty and has culminated in a .376 xwOBA on the season. Hitting in a strong Phillies lineup, Kepler has plenty of appeal in various formats and is worthy of an add.
Zach Dezenzo (HOU), 1B, OF (1% owned in Yahoo)
Dezenzo has settled into a near-everyday role for the Astros in a corner outfield spot, starting 10 of the last 13 games. Now with Yordan Alvarez shelved, that trend should continue for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, Dezenzo has been barreling the ball up frequently over the past few weeks. Since mid-April, he’s posted a 20% Barrel%. Making enough contact will be the determinant of him prolonging this success, but it looks like he will have the runway to determine that here over the next few weeks.
Miguel Vargas (CWS), 3B, OF (5% owned in Yahoo)
Vargas made a tweak to his stance recently and perhaps has unlocked some things. Vargas has always had excellent plate discipline with strong contact skills, but lacked the pop to be super interesting. He’s increased his bat speed this year and has posted an above-average 39.6% HardHit%. He should continue to play a ton and be useful in multiple categories.
Gunnar Hoglund (ATH), SP (34% owned in Yahoo)
Hoglund has looked the part through his first two big league starts. He boasts an excellent 113 Stuff+ changeup to go with two average fastballs and a slider. It could be tough pitching in his home park at times, but there are plenty of things to like with Hoglund.
Jordan Hicks (SF), SP, RP (12% owned in Yahoo)
Hicks has poor surface-level numbers a 6.03 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, but has been victim to some poor luck. His fastball velocity is up to sitting 96.9 MPH and all of his peripherals signal better days. His 3.40 FIP is in the neighborhood of other credible starters like Joe Ryan, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Carlos Rodon. He is someone to scoop up and get ahead on once the numbers begin to normalize.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Michael Wacha matched up with the White Sox on Wednesday and did not disappoint the masses that picked him up for it, with 7 scoreless innings. Wacha is a boring veteran, but is capable of completely shutting down weak offenses.
Grant Holmes was picked up in a similar spot to attack a weaker Reds’ lineup that saw AJ Smith Shawver carry a no-hitter into the eighth inning. He could not find the same success as he gave up 4 ER across 5 1/3 innings. He still has a decent outlook moving forward in the Braves’ rotation.
Daniel Schneemann is the definition of red-hot at the moment. His whopping .517 xwOBA in the last two weeks is third best in baseball behind Juan Soto and Jorge Polanco (min 40 PA). His production not totally aided by an outlier BABIP either with a .333 versus a career .313.
Ben Brown pitched decently Wednesday against the Giants with 3 ER while striking out 9 batters in 5 innings. Brown is an interesting pitcher as he has one awesome pitch in his death ball, but not much else to support it and limits his ability to work deep into games.
Jorge Polanco has been featured on the most added list a few times in this column and should be universally rostered. We have multiple seasons of Polanco being a highly productive bat for fantasy, and things look promising for him in his second season in Seattle.
I highlighted Kyle Stowers as a priority add in this column a few weeks ago as he continues to punish baseballs. He should be owned everywhere even though there are some concerns with his contact ability.
Tony Gonsolin has come out firing in 2025 as he is rocking an outstanding 34.1% K-BB% and 20% SwStr% through two starts. His fastball velocity is up (93.4 MPH), although still with poor shape at a 74 Stuff+. He’s more known for his slider and splitter anyway, but he has thrown the fastball 40% so far.
Javier Báez has been swinging a hot bat, but isn’t hitting the ball harder than previous years and has marginally improved his contact ability. But he is playing mostly everyday transitioning to CF some, so there is appeal if you are in need of a bat even with the warts.
Robbie Ray isn’t getting whiffs at the same rate as he used to and is getting hit hard at a career worst rate. And his Zone-Contact% is the worst it’s been since his first two seasons as a big leaguer. The 2.84 ERA and 1.20 WHIP look nice, but I am skeptical of its sustainability.
Category Specific Players to Add
Rowdy Tellez (SEA), 1B (1% owned in Yahoo)
Tellez has gotten off to a decent start as a Mariner from a power perspective, with 4 HR in the first month or so of the season. His 15.4% Barrel% on the season is a top 30 mark in the league (min. 80 PA). He’ll continue to platoon, but serves a valuable role in what has been a very productive Mariners lineup.
Streaming Pitchers
Be sure to check out Nick’s daily SP streaming article!
Edward Cabrera (MIA), SP (4% owned in Yahoo)
Cabrera matches up with the White Sox in Chicago on Saturday. Hopefully, this could be a starting point for Cabrera to get his season on the right track. The SwStr% is the worst it’s ever been while his overall Stuff+ looks the best. His lack of command and control has held him continuously. In 32 of his 66 career big league starts, he has recorded two or fewer walks and in those starts, he has an ERA roughly in the 3.30s. Ideally, Cabrera gives us one of those starts on Saturday to go with a healthy amount of strikeouts.
Speculative Adds
Frankie Montas Jr. (NYM), SP (1% owned in Yahoo)
Montas is expected to return from the IL in early June for the Mets and is worth keeping tabs on. After being traded to Milwaukee at the deadline last season, he showed some really intriguing improvements to his stuff and results. Now with the Mets, another sharp organization that has rekindled multiple starting pitchers in the last few seasons, there is reason for optimism once he returns. If you have an open IL slot or someone returning from IL soon, it could be worth picking him up to see what it looks like.
New York Mets – Frankie Montas Jr.
Montas is unfortunately already dealing with a lat injury, but still find him intriguing. Saw major improvements in both his underlying numbers and results after being dealt to the Brewers. 9.0% K-BB% → 18.4%. Improved all of his pitches by Stuff+ pic.twitter.com/XBl3Kn9rhx
— Kyle McCarthy (@KyleStats1738) February 24, 2025
