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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 11

Add these players from waivers for your week 11 fantasy baseball match

Taylor Tarter
Baseball 6/12/2023

In weekly FAAB leagues, your waiver wire claims have likely already been processed. Our FAAB Insights articles are great sources for finding targets ahead of weekly waiver deadlines.

Here, you will find players you can pick up if you have daily waiver claims or if you are able to pick up players throughout the week.

These are players you should consider adding from the waiver wire for matchup number 11 who are available in 60% or fewer of ESPN leagues.

 

Catcher

Gary Sánchez (C – SD) 12% Rostered

 

After being dropped by the Mets after three games, Gary Sánchez has caught on fire with the Padres. San Diego struggled to get any production from the catcher position this season, but Sanchez has jolted some life into them. Here is how he has done that:

Sanchez has a .282 AVG and five home runs with the Padres, giving him a .267 AVG on the season. In typical Gary Sánchez fashion, he has a 30% strikeout rate, but clobbers the ball when he does make contact.

He has a 9.7% barrel rate and a 48.4% HardHit rate. His flyball rate is .1% lower than his career norm, but his HR/FB rate is way higher, meaning his pace of home runs is likely to slow.

Sanchez has made tangible improvements compared to his last three seasons, which had resulted in a combined .195 AVG. His 32% GB rate is at its lowest since 2019, when he sustained a 32% GB rate over 446 PAs. He also lowered his chase rate from last season and has a career best 80% contact rate.

With Sanchez’s power potential and his improvements at the plate, he is a prime waiver wire target at the catcher position.

Honorable Mention: Francisco Álvarez (22%), Yainer Diaz (0%), Nick Fortes (0%), Patrick Bailey (1%), Blake Sabol (1%), Matt Thaiss (1%)

 

Corner Infield

Jordan Walker (3B/OF – STL) 35% Rostered

 

Since being recalled from AAA by the Cardinals on June 2, Jordan Walker has been electric. He is 9-for-31 (.290) with two homers, four runs, and four RBI.

Walker had two homers in 70 at-bats before his demotion, but has doubled his home run total in less than half as many at-bats in his second try with the big league club this season. Part of the solution was to correct his swing to adjust the launch angle. He was hitting too many grounders and not putting the ball in the air enough, despite having the power and hard contact to easily put the ball in the stands.

Walker still has some work to do in adjusting his swing. His launch angle is still just 2.6 degrees, and his groundball rate is just under 60%. But his HardHit rate is 54.4% and his HR/FB rate is 21%, so if he can continue to work towards putting the ball in the air, the pieces are in place for him to excel as a power hitter.

Walker should be able to launch bombs like this on the regular:

Fantasy managers should invest while he is available, and add him from waivers before his stock soars.

Honorable Mention: Ryan McMahon (35%), Ke’Bryan Hayes (21%), Harold Ramírez (28%), Corey Julks (1%), Owen Miller (16%), Ryan Noda (3%), Emmanuel Rivera (1%), Brandon Drury (32%), Jake Burger (7%), J.D. Davis (11%)

 

Middle Infield

Trevor Story (2B – BOS) 8% Rostered

 

Trevor Story had elbow surgery that has kept him out of the lineup for the Red Sox all season. He is nearing a return, with manager Alex Cora suggesting that he could perform designated hitter duties before returning to the field as the team’s shortstop.

Those fantasy managers looking for middle infield depth, especially those with IL room, should consider picking up Story now, ahead of his return.

Story has played seven seasons, going 30/20 twice, 20/20 once, and reaching double digit homers and steals in five seasons (including the shortened 2020 season). He had 259 PAs that year, and depending on when he returns, he could reach close to what he did that season – 11 home runs and 15 steals.

Story has averaged a 10.4% barrel rate and a 43% HardHit rate over his career, so the power should be there when he returns.

Where Story may struggle is in making contact. His chase rate, contact rate, and batting average gradually worsened over the last three seasons, and he likely will take time to adjust after having significant time off.

Those growing pains could be worth it, with Story’s power and speed combination making him very valuable. Snag him off waivers early.

Honorable Mention: Ha-Seong Kim (11%), Matt McLain (28%), Ezequiel Tovar (8%), Royce Lewis (10%)

 

Outfield

Nolan Jones (OF – COL) 8% Rostered

 

Despite what some may think, Nolan Jones‘ hot start to the season since his call-up in late May is not just a product of Coors Field. While two of his three homers have come at home, he has a better average and slugging percentage away. Here’s his latest homer:

Jones is an interesting player. His LD/GB/FB splits are an identical 33.3%, and he hits to all fields relatively evenly as well. He has not barreled the ball well this season – just 3% of the time – but had a 14.5% barrel rate in 94 PAs in 2022. His HardHit rate, on the other hand, is a solid 43%.

He has a 30% HR/FB rate, which is likely unsustainable, but he has shown the ability to hit for moderate power throughout his minor league career. Jones has also swiped four bags already – another skill he flashed in the minors.

Jones has an incredibly high BABIP, so his AVG is likely to dip. His 32% K rate also suggests a regression to his AVG is on the way. Despite that, Jones still carries great value as he has the ability to reach double digit homers and steals over the rest of the season.

Definitely consider adding Nolan Jones from the waiver wire as a high priority target.

Honorable Mention: Willi Castro (5%), Luke Raley (10%), LaMonte Wade Jr. (28%), Ji Hwan Bae (7%), Mauricio Dubón (13%), Tommy Pham (1%), Will Brennan (3%), Eddie Rosario (8%), Austin Hays (29%), Ramón Laureano (3%), Bryan De La Cruz (36%), Jesús Sánchez (4%), Lane Thomas (22%), Esteury Ruiz (36%), Marcell Ozuna (13%)

 

Starting Pitcher

Andrew Abbott (SP – CIN) 23% Rostered, AJ Smith-Shawver (SP – ATL) 13% Rostered

 

Both Andrew Abbott and AJ Smith-Shawver earned call-ups from their respective teams, and both are worth consideration from the waiver wire this week.

Abbott has some command issues (he has a 5.4 BB/9 rate so far in the majors), but has the ability to strike out a ton of batters. He has 10 Ks in 11.2 IP, giving him a 7.7 K/9 rate so far, but never left a stop in the minors with a K/9 rate under 11. He should end up picking up more strikes as he settles into his role with more experience. Plus, his stuff is absurd.

He has a fastball, curveball, changeup, and sweeper combination that batters have struggled with. Despite his fastball averaging 92.8 MPH so far, it has a .167 batting average against. His sweeper, which he has thrown 17 times, has yet to be hit. And all of his pitches have a .200 batting average against or lower and a .271 expected batting average against or lower.

Here he is striking out Paul Goldschmidt:

Abbott needs to induce more grounders – his groundball rate is just 26.7% – and limit his walks, but the stuff is there and he is definitely worth an add.

AJ Smith-Shawver started with the Braves as a reliever, but with Michael Soroka’s demotion, he got a starting chance. In his first appearance as a starter, he pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two walks and three hits, while striking out two.

So far, Smith-Shawver has a better walk rate than Abbott, and has a much better 45% GB rate, though his stuff has performed similarly to Abbott’s.

Smith-Shawver throws a fastball, slider, changeup, curveball combination. He has leaned heavily on his fastball and slider, and batters have struggled to make contact. His slider, in particular, has been impressive, with a 35% whiff rate. Here it is in action:

Smith-Shawver has thrown his curveball only eight times, but it has an absurd 100% whiff rate and a 33% putaway rate.

He should have a moderately long leash with the big league club, and should be a major target from waivers where available.

Honorable Mention: Michael Lorenzen (14%), MacKenzie Gore (22%), Edward Cabrera (19%), Domingo Germán (29%), Bailey Ober (34%), Logan Allen (17%), Tanner Bibee (21%), Kyle Hendricks (3%), James Paxton (17%), J.P. France (11%), Rich Hill (5%), Kyle Bradish (15%), JP Sears (9%)

 

Relief Pitcher

Kendall Graveman (RP – CWS) 11% Rostered

 

With the unfortunate news that Liam Hendriks has hit the IL with elbow inflammation, it appears that Kendall Graveman has the closer role locked down in Chicago.

Graveman has six saves on the season and a 2.28 ERA in 27.2 IP. He has an 8.46 K/9 rate, an 83% LOB rate, and a 43% GB rate. Even with the White Sox struggling as a team, Graveman has performed very well.

He is a risk to experience some ERA regression, with a .156 BABIP, a 3.5 BB/9 rate, and a 9.1% HR/FB rate, but because of his ability to strand runners and induce groundballs, he could prevent a major dip in ERA.

Additionally, his stuff has been electric this season. His sinker and slider are his primary pitches, and they have a .182 and .148 batting average against respectively. His slider has a 37.5% whiff rate and a 25.5% putaway rate.

Graveman has thrown his fastball, changeup, and curveball a combined 101 times, with one hit allowed between them. His fastball is arguably his best pitch, inducing a 53.6% whiff rate and a 30% putaway rate.

Do not worry too much about the White Sox as a team, and trust Graveman to continue to dominate.

Honorable Mention: Jason Adam (27%), Will Smith (23%), Adbert Alzolay (2%)

Taylor Tarter

Taylor is a fantasy baseball champion that has been playing for over a decade. Tune into his podcast, Fastball Fantasy Baseball, every Wednesday for in depth analysis making sabermetrics friendly to the everyday fantasy player.

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