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
Addison Barger (TOR) – 3B, OF (Yahoo – 19%)
Jac Caglianone is next, don’t worry. But I want Barger to get a chance in the spotlight first.
Barger shined in spring training this year, with three homers in 15 games, a 1.162 OPS, and a 189 wRC+. He started the year at AAA and was called up in mid-April. He started slow, averaging .185 in April and riding the bench against lefties. Since May, however, he’s been locked into the lineup with four home runs and a .292 average. He’s been on an absolute scorcher this week, going nine for 24 with three home runs. He’s getting regular playing time against lefties now, too.
The key to Barger’s success is his power. His average exit velocity on the year is 95.1 mph (99th percentile), behind only Oneil Cruz, Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge. Raw power doesn’t paint the whole picture, and unlike some other surprising names on the average exit velocity leaderboard (like Ryan McMahon with his 94.5 mph avg. EV or Nolan Jones‘ 92.8), Barger backs his power up with solid contact skills and plate discipline. His 20.5% K% and 8.3% BB% are league-average, as are his chase and whiff rates.
League average contact and discipline are more than okay when you hit the ball this hard. Here is everyone with an average exit velocity above 93 mph and who strikes out less than 25% of the time:
That’s a pretty good list to be on. There’s always a risk with a player who makes such a sudden improvement, but the only thing that stands out as a potential red flag is the stretch of 19 games in a row the Blue Jays faced right-handed starting pitching in May. Barger’s lefty-righty splits aren’t great, but he’s hitting LHP acceptably well with a .222 average, compared to .275 vs RHP. I don’t think that there’s any immediate platoon risk, with Barger starting two of three games vs. LHP last week and putting up great numbers in that span. Still, that’s something to keep an eye on if you’re planning to wait and see on Barger. I’m looking to add him in every league size—this is an elite power-hitter without the classic discipline/contact Achilles heel.
Jac Caglianone (KCR) – 1B (Yahoo – 56%)
You know the drill with these elite prospects by now: add them and see before someone else does. There’s never a guarantee that call-ups will adjust to the majors immediately—but you want them on your roster just in case they do. His 93.8 mph average exit velocity at AAA, coupled with his 17% K%, is an absolute recipe for success. He was the sixth-overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he handled each promotion through the minors without missing a step.
The jump to the majors has caused other elite prospects to stumble in their debuts this year, including Kristian Campbell, Nick Kurtz, and Jordan Lawlar. The gap between AAA and major-league pitching is substantial, and sustained success at AAA in no way guarantees instant success in the bigs. All that being said, Caglianone is seriously talented and worth the risk. He won’t be on the wire for long.
Sawyer Gipson-Long (DET) – SP (Yahoo – 7%)
Gipson-Long is expected to start today against the White Sox. I’ve written about him before as a deep-league or speculative option, but now that he’s here, it’s time to add him. Gipson-Long debuted in 2023, starting four games and posting a 2.70 ERA with an 11.7 K/9. After injuring his elbow during the 2024 preseason, Gipson-Long underwent Tommy John surgery.
He’s looked impressive on his rehab assignment, starting five games and compiling a 2.20 ERA with an 8.82 K/9, issuing just two walks in 16 innings of work. Since he only played a handful of games in the majors, it’s unclear how he’ll look two years later. His debut and rehab are encouraging, and he hasn’t lost any speed on any of his pitches. His spot in the rotation is safe for now with Jackson Jobe on the IL, and he should have plenty of time to lock it in.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Yahoo
Jac Caglianone was the most added player yesterday, and for good reason, as I outlined above in the Priority Adds section. The freshly bespectacled Max Muncy has had a fantastic May, with a .275 average, six home runs, and 27 RBI. He’s looking a lot like his 2023 self (the most recent year he hit 36 homers). He’s looking like vintage Muncy, and it’s time to buy back in.. Max Meyer was a streamer for his date with the Rockies. He gave up four earned runs in five innings and took the loss, finally granting Colorado their tenth win of the season. I liked Meyer early this season, but he’s proving to be more trouble than he’s worth. Mick Abel is slated to be called up on Thursday for a spot start against the Jays. I hope he can follow his fantastic debut, but with Aaron Nola on the mend, his days in the big leagues could be numbered. Dustin May is looking better since mid-May, particularly in the strikeout department. His job is secure for now, and the strikeouts and wins may be worth the modest hit to your ERA.
ESPN
Ryan O’Hearn is having a killer month with a .449 average and three home runs. He’s hit nine homers already, rapidly closing in on his career high of 15 in 2024. He’s usually a strong-side platoon bat, and he had a nice stretch of right-handed pitching in May, but he’s hitting so well that he’s worth an add in all leagues. Caglianone was mentioned in the Yahoo section and Priority Adds at the start. Drew Rasmussen has been putting up great results. He’s up to 27th on the List and is showing no signs of slowing down. Miguel Vargas continues to hit, averaging .314 with six homers in the past month. It looks like a legitimate breakout for Vargas. TJ Friedl is emerging as a safe, average-first bat who can produce consistent stolen bases. There’s minimal power in his game, but his profile works in most leagues.
Streaming Pitchers
Check out Nick Pollack’s SP Streamer Rankings for breakdowns and recommendations for every start.
Noah Cameron (KCR) – SP (Yahoo: 42%)
Cameron has managed a quality start in each of his four starts. His matchup against the Cardinals tomorrow should be business as usual.
Speculative Adds
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) – SP (Yahoo: 1%)
I got to see Sheehan’s MLB debut in person on June 16th, 2023 (hi Sam and Conner). Sheehan pitched six scoreless, no-hit innings against the San Francisco Giants — just the third pitcher since 1901 to take a no-hitter six or more innings in their major league debut. He had some ups and downs to close his 2023 campaign and was injured in the 2024 preseason. He is on a rehab assignment following his 2024 Tommy John surgery. He’s pitched five scoreless innings across two starts and notched a staggering 10 strikeouts. He has a path to a starting role in LA while most of the Dodgers’ pitching is on the injured list. Sheehan’s debut in 2023 was something of a mixed bag, and he ended his campaign (4-1) with an ERA of 4.92. He was only 23 years old in his debut, and he was poised to take a step forward before the injury derailed him. He’s still just 25, and if his rehab assignment so far is anything to go by, he’s ready to take that next step.
Deep League Players to Watch
Check out Ben Rosener’s Deep League Waiver Wire column every Thursday and Saturday for more Deep League picks.
Denzel Clarke (ATH) – OF (Yahoo: 1%)
Clarke’s debut hasn’t been the most impressive, but he’s on the upswing. His season average sits at .235, but he’s six for 22 in the past week. During that time, he hit his first big-league homer and swiped three bags. He has above-average but not overwhelming power, paired with elite speed. His K% in AAA this year was a passable 22.8%, but he’s been knocked down a peg by MLB pitching, ballooning his K-rate to a horrifying 60%. He has issues with his launch angle, too, hitting zero homers in AAA this year after hitting more than 10 in each of his past three seasons. His job should be safe enough for now with Miguel Andujar on the IL. It looks like he’s adjusting by the day as he’s up to a four-game hitting streak. If he can get the strikeouts under control and get his launch angle up, he has a very fantasy-friendly profile. Plus, Clarke is an honorary Naylor boy (he’s a cousin to Josh, Bo, and Myles).
