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
Otto Lopez (MIA) – 2B, SS (Yahoo! – 35%):
Lopez was electric in June, with a .301 average, four home runs, and four steals. He’s relied on his hit tool more than his power to find success. An 89th percentile K% and 81st percentile speed give Lopez a fantastic foundation at the plate. But his 22nd percentile average exit velocity has held him back from finding that next level.
His slugging percentage sat at .330 at the end of April. During May, it sat at .421, and in June at .447. Lopez has the discipline, hit tool, speed, and fielding ability. He’s just always missed the power. It doesn’t take much to see this type of profile transform from empty-average to a five-tool player. If this is anything more than a random power surge, Lopez is on the brink of becoming an elite fantasy asset. His average EV is a ways from being stellar, but his hardest hit ball was launched faster than Francisco Lindor’s. Lopez has it in him and is starting to lock it in.
Ramón Laureano (BAL) – OF (Yahoo! – 10%):
Laureano is getting consistent playing time with Heston Kjerstad and Dylan Carlson optioned to Triple-A. The 30-year-old is making the most of the opportunity and having a career year for himself: in the last month, he’s batting .312 with four home runs. His season wRC+ is up to a career-best 141. He’s getting the barrel to the ball quite well, and the results are there. There’s nothing in his profile that jumps out and screams superstar, but that’s okay. He might not be a must-add in shallow leagues, but veterans having great years should be something you look out for in anything deeper than a 10-team league. If he stops barreling the ball, or the Orioles opt to give some of his playing time to Kjerstad, you should feel free to move on. But players like Laureano can be a great way to find value on the wire when people are scrambling to add the next hyped rookie.
Nolan Gorman (STL) – 2B, 3B (Yahoo! – 6%):
Nolan Gorman (or Norman Gorman, as I read his name every single time) is stormin’ off this week. He has a batting average of .269 with two home runs in the last seven days. Six of his seven homers this season came in the past month, during which he batted a respectable .256. He’s your classic high-power, high-strikeout slugger. At least, he’s supposed to be. Gorman’s power peaked in 2023, when he hit 27 home runs and boasted an average exit velocity of 91 mph. He’s seen those figures fall since that year, and this season he managed just one home run through May 31. He turned something around in June:
A strikeout-prone slugger with no power isn’t exactly a fantasy asset, as demonstrated by Gorman’s 63 wRC+ through the end of May. He’s making better contact this month, and his power has ticked up substantially. He’s even won consistent playing time against left-handed pitching, breaking out of his platoon for the first time this year.
You don’t need to rush to add Gorman in 10-team leagues or shallower. But he’s someone worth keeping an eye on everywhere. His 2023 numbers were Kyle Schwarber-esque, and he looks to be returning to form. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit 15 more home runs in the latter half of the year, so make sure to keep tabs on where he’s at going forward.
Yahoo! and ESPN Most Added Players
Yahoo!
Yahoo’s most added players today are led by two potential breakout arms in Trevor Rogers and Jacob Lopez. Rogers has compiled an impressive 2.08 ERA with 18 strikeouts in four starts. He survived his start against the Rangers, holding them to two earned runs in five innings of work. He’s started just four games this year, but the adjustments he made while on the IL should continue to work out well for him. Lopez took a step forward in the last month of the season, putting up a 1.98 ERA over the last month. His luck ran out against the Rays last night, when he gave up three earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched. His season ERA is at 3.88, but I’d expect him to settle in in the low 3.00 ERA range as the season progresses. He boasts a good arsenal, but his low 90s fastball means he needs to execute well on every pitch. Of the two, I’d expect Rogers to have the better season going forward.
Otto Lopez got his own write-up above. He’s got a solid fantasy profile and the potential to play up if he can keep hitting the ball hard.
Ryne Nelson is another pitcher who looks to be making the jump from streamer to starter. He’s heavily reliant on his 95 mph fastball, but it was enough to handle the Giants in last night’s game. I expect Nelson and Jacob Lopez to have stretches of success, punctuated with painful blow-up games.
Spencer Steer is on a heater, batting .522 with three home runs in the past week. He played six of his last seven games at home and promptly went zero for four in his first away game in that span. His 109 wRC+ at home falls way down to 74 on the road. I’d stay away from him during road trips and stream him in Cincinnati.
ESPN
A week ago, I wrote, “Chase Burns could well be the next Misiorowski; he’s a priority add now before he blows up.” Well, blow up he did, giving up five earned runs and recording one lonely out. I feel partially responsible for this one. The rookie’s stuff is still incredible, and I’m not too worried about him. He’ll face off against the Phillies on Sunday, and it might be wise to bench him for that one. He’s a definite hold for me, and I’d add him anywhere he was dropped.
Jacob Lopez got a write-up in the Yahoo! section above. He looks to be better than a streamer, but he has his flaws and doesn’t need to be rostered in shallow leagues.
Glasses-Max Muncy is ridiculous, batting .345 with nine home runs in the past month. He’s doing everything he can to erase the March and April he spent below the Mendoza line. His OPS on the season is up to .845, and I suspect he’ll have 30 home runs by the time the season winds down.
Byron Buxton would have been a good first-round pick this year. He has 19 homers, 15 stolen bases, a .914 OPS, and 151 wRC+. Look at any batting leaderboard, and Buxton will be in the top 20. The injury risk is still there, but you need to add him if he’s still on the wire. Just close your eyes, click the “Add” button, and pretend his name is José Ramírez or Corbin Carrol, both of whom he is outperforming in just about every metric.
Jacob Misiorowski has made the major leagues look easy. He has a 1.13 ERA in three starts and 19 K’s in 16 innings pitched. I’m sure he’ll get hit sooner or later, but he’s a must-add anywhere he’s still available.
Streaming Pitchers
Check out Nick Pollack’s SP Streamer Rankings for breakdowns and recommendations for every start.
Richard Fitts (BOS) – SP (Yahoo! – 2%)
The Red Sox just demolished the Reds (especially poor, sweet Chase Burns), and I’d fully expect Boston to win tomorrow as well. Fitts struggled in his first start since returning from the IL, posting a 4.50 ERA in four innings against the Angels. He managed six K’s in that one, and the Reds are just as happy to swing and miss as the Halos.
Deep League Players to Watch
Check out Ben Rosener’s Deep League Waiver Wire column every Thursday and Saturday for more Deep League picks.
Dane Myers (MIA) – OF (Yahoo! – 3%):
Myers hasn’t had the most impressive showing at the plate of late, but he’s racked up five steals in the last week. This cold stretch seems odd after a mostly successful return from the IL, and I’d expect better days ahead for Myers. All of his underlying stats still suggest he can be a legitimate power-plus-speed threat. His 92 mph average exit velocity should be leading to more than four home runs in 56 games.
