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.
The fantasy baseball regular season is winding down and playoff races are heating up. Guys like Joshua Baez are super appealing, but there are other gems on the waiver wire that might be less of a flash-in-the-pan in points leagues (I mean, three home runs in one game is crazy but totally unsustainable). I’d rather try and scoop players that we’ve seen perform at a high level in the past and know what they’re capable of (and their limitations) instead.
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.
Rafael Flores Jr., C, PIT
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (C): N/A
1.3% rostered (ESPN)
Flores was called up by the Pirates at the beginning of August and barely saw the field until this past week when he played four consecutive games, including a pair of starts at first base. He performed well in the limited opportunity at regular at-bats, with seven hits including three home runs in that four-game stretch. If his hot streak leads to extra opportunities, we could have a chance at a Ben Rice–lite model here, where Flores gets half of his starts at first base while maintaining catcher eligibility. Fantasy managers love catcher-eligible players getting extra at-bats while playing out in the field.
Coby Mayo, 3B, BAL
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (3B): 39th
1.4% rostered (ESPN)
Mayo is finally starting to see regular at-bats – yes, even against right-handed starters – now that the Orioles have dealt away a few key pieces at the trade deadline to make room in the lineup. This week is the perfect time to stream Mayo at third base or corner infield as the O’s take on four left-handed starters in their next eight-game stretch. Against left-handed pitching this season, Mayo is batting .270 with 11 home runs and a .996 OPS. Compare that to his .176 average and .556 OPS against right-handed pitching, and it’s a no-brainer to only play him in left-handed heavy weeks. This is one of those times.
Chase Meidroth, SS, CHW
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (SS): 16th
18.3% rostered (ESPN)
Leading off against lefties and batting seventh against righties, Meidroth has been an everyday player and a tough out for the White Sox so far this season. His 9.7% walk rate is nothing to shake a stick at, but what really whets my whistle is seeing that his barrel rate and home-run-per-fly-ball rate have nearly tripled from a season ago. Meidroth has 12 home runs so far this season after combining for just 15 at multiple levels across 2024 and 2025. The increased pop in the bat hasn’t cost him the exceptional contact skills that got him to the major-league level, and the combination of the two makes him viable, especially in points leagues.
JJ Bleday, OF, CIN
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (OF): 48th
27.0% rostered (ESPN)
With fantasy football season nearly upon us, it’d be a missed opportunity if I didn’t point out some similarities between fantasy baseball points leagues and fantasy football (which are almost exclusively points leagues). Shameless plug: make sure to check out all of the work that my colleagues and I are doing to prepare for the fantasy football season on Pitcher List’s fantasy football sister site, QBList! One of the main things I’ve learned during my time playing fantasy football is that VOLUME IS KING! Well, Bleday and the Cincinnati Reds have an eight-game schedule this week, beginning with a doubleheader on Monday afternoon. With five of those games being played at home, Bleday has the opportunity to reach 20-25 plate appearances in Great American Ball Park. Who wouldn’t want that from a power-hitting outfielder available in almost three-quarters of leagues?
Brandon Pfaadt, SP, ARZ
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 79th
24.0% rostered (ESPN)
After throwing 27.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run (one unearned), Pfaadt is likely one of the hottest commodities on the waiver wire this weekend, and for good reason. Like Jake Crumpler said in Friday’s SP Roundup: “The Vargas Rule won’t end until the Pfaadt lady sings,” and Pfaadt is showing no sign of slowing with upcoming outings against…the Red Sox and the Cubs? Listen, he just mowed through Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers. As long as the Vargas Rule is in effect, he’s matchup-proof, okay!
Ben Joyce, RP, LAA
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (RP): N/A
3.4% rostered (ESPN)
Now here’s a guy to get hot and bothered about. The next Mason Miller is here, and he’s closing out games in Anaheim. Okay, so Joyce isn’t quite there yet because he lacks a true lean-on secondary pitch, but his fastball has been so gosh darn good so far that it might not matter that much. The heater sits at around 101 MPH and has registered a CSW north of 40% in each of his last three outings, including a pair of saves. The Los Angeles Angels might not win that many ballgames down the stretch, but anything requiring a shutdown ninth inning will be Joyce trotting out there and lighting up the radar gun.
