Categories? Where we’re going, we don’t need categories.
Some people prefer good old-fashioned points leagues where pitchers and hitters are rewarded more for their volume and discipline than the flashy stats and ratios. Well, obviously, they go hand-in-hand… but we’re digging for the players that roto leagues left behind. On the hitting side, points leagues tend to reward contact skills and plate discipline, giving points for walks and total bases while penalizing strikeouts (in most formats). Meanwhile, pitchers tend to accumulate points for innings pitched, strikeouts, quality starts, and wins.
We’re back in action for the second half of the season, and it’s crunch time in points leagues as teams are making moves before the trade deadline to improve their squads. There are several players on waivers in a lot of different leagues that could prove helpful, especially in points league formats, over the final few months of the season. Examine your team, identify your weak spots and patch them up with some of the names listed below.
Strap in as we accelerate to 88 mph (and beyond), highlighting players that have been overlooked and under-rostered in most points league formats. Scoop up these guys to make your league mates think you got your hands on Biff’s Almanac.
NOTE: Every points league has slightly different scoring settings, so bear that in mind as you read through the suggestions.
Ryan Jeffers, C, MIN
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (C): 18th
31.3% rostered (ESPN)
Jeffers just returned from injury and has picked up where he left off, with a solid few showings since being activated. On the year, the Twins catcher has registered just 161 plate appearances, about half of what primary catchers have earned this season, and still ranks 18th overall at the position. With everyday playing time almost a guarantee – his only backup, Victor Caratini, spends a lot of time at DH and 1B – Jeffers should finish the year as a top-12 option and could be one of the top hitting backstops in the second half.
Caleb Durbin, 3B, BOS
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (3B): 26th
35.3% rostered (ESPN)
The Boston Red Sox have been absolutely scorching, and part of that has been the awakening of third baseman Caleb Durbin. Since June 1st, Durbin is batting .310 with eight home runs and six stolen bases. More importantly, he has only struck out 16 times in his last 144 plate appearances. His hot bat and strong plate discipline play extremely well in points leagues where he may be overlooked due to his perceived lack of power. If Durbin can continue getting on base at a .371 clip like he has during that stretch, he will be a massive asset in the second half, especially once he gains second base eligibility.
Curtis Mead, 1B/2B/3B, WSH
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (2B): 12th
43.5% rostered (ESPN)
Curtis Mead won’t stop hitting. We saw a slight dip near the beginning of June, but over the past 20 games, Mead has batted .329 with six home runs, 13 runs scored, 13 RBI and a pair of stolen bases. The man can not be stopped. Marked improvements to his strikeout and walk rates and a HUGE uptick in HR/FB rate have seen his power soar while his contact metrics have fared much better as well. Add some roster versatility, power, speed and plenty of points to your squad and grab a pint of Mead!
Tristan Peters, OF, CWS
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (OF): 42nd
5.1% rostered (ESPN)
So you mean to tell me that an American League All-Star is only 5% rostered in ESPN leagues right now? Man, I need to start signing up for more of those. Named to the All-Star team as an injury replacement, the former Savannah Banana has earned himself a ticket to Scoopsville across the entire industry. The six home runs and five stolen bases may not intrigue too many people in rotisserie leagues, but the 17.2% K rate and 84.9% Zone Contact rate ought to get points leaguers excited. The dude puts the ball in play, and a .350 first-half BABIP has him batting .302 at the break. He may not be the right fit for everybody, but he needs to be rostered in every points league by somebody.
Troy Melton, SP/RP, DET
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 83rd
58.6% rostered (ESPN)
I realize that I am late to the party on Melton, but to be fair, so are more than 40% of ESPN league managers. Melton went into the All-Star break as one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, with five straight appearances with one or fewer earned runs allowed, with 36 strikeouts over his last 29.1 innings pitched. With a career-high 18 whiffs and nine strikeouts last time out, it appears that Melton is learning to miss bats as he goes. He was a full mph above his averages across the board on all pitches last time out. We’ll see if he can maintain the velocity bump headed into the second half.
Jacob Webb, RP, CHC
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (RP): 65th
4.0% rostered (ESPN)
Webb leads all Cubs bullpen arms in saves this season with a grand total of five. At least three of the five have come in the month of July, meaning that Cubs manager Craig Counsell trusts Webb a little bit, maybe even enough to keep him in the role longer than a few weeks. With a solid fastball and an arm-side changeup that baffles both righties and lefties alike, Webb has kept hitters off-balance and induced weak contact enough to get the job done in each of his last five outings. At only 4.0% rostered across all ESPN leagues, he’s readily available for points league managers looking for points out of the bullpen.
NOTE: Be sure to grab the Jacob Webb from the CHICAGO CUBS – NOT the Minnesota Twins.
