Categories? Where we’re going, we don’t need categories.
Some people just 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. Fantasy managers are beginning to grow tired of poor hitting performances, and waiver wires are piling up with great bats off to cold starts.
Miguel Vargas may end up as the poster boy for this column before the season is over. He’s been outstanding over the last 20 games and still isn’t rostered in enough places. There’s a handful of new faces that have made their MLB debuts this week, but only one or two of them feel like they should be snatched up in points league formats. Keep an eye on your waiver wire and an ear to the pavement as the season wears on and your league mates lose interest. There are always opportunities to improve your squad.
So strap in as we accelerate to 88 mph (and beyond), highlighting players that have been overlooked and under-rostered in most points leagues 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.
Ivan Herrera, C, STL
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (C): 8th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (C): 5th
53.3% rostered (ESPN)
Herrera started his 14th game at catcher this season, making him eligible for the position in most league formats, which means he ought to be scooped up in just about every league that he is available. Herrera leads all catchers with a .416 OBP, including 28 walks and eight HBP, and owns a solid .433 slugging percentage. Herrera and the Cardinals travel to Sacramento to face the Athletics for a three-game series, meaning he’ll get a good handful of at-bats in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the league. He makes sense as a streaming catcher, but should also be considered as a long-term solution as well. He has the potential to finish as a top-five option at the position this season and is only rostered in about half of ESPN leagues.
Miguel Vargas, 1B/3B, CWS
2026 Projected Positional Ranking: 14th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 5th
59.6% rostered (ESPN)
This feels like cheating because he was included in last week’s column as well, but it makes no sense why Vargas isn’t rostered in more places, ESPECIALLY points league formats. After a slow start to the season, Vargas has heated up over the past 20 games, batting .288 with seven home runs and three stolen bases, with 18 walks to just 14 strikeouts over that 20-game span. Ever since he was coming up with the Dodgers, this is the version of Vargas that fantasy managers have longed to see, and everything is finally coming to fruition – the power, the plate discipline, and the playing time are all there. He’s a must-roster third baseman in 12-team leagues of any format.
Travis Bazzana, 2B, CLE
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (SS): 84th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (SS): 58th
20.3% rostered (ESPN)
A former first-overall pick in the MLB Draft, Bazzana is living up to his potential in his brief stint in the MLB so far. Of course, the second baseman has speed and pop, but the most appealing tool for points leagues has been his plate discipline. Despite just a .182 batting average, Bazzana has posted a .372 OBP in large part due to an 18.4% walk rate and just a 14.0% strikeout rate. His knowledge of the strike zone has proven to be outstanding, and the best part is that when he gets on base, he’s running! With only six hits in 43 plate appearances, Bazzana is still averaging 4.0 fantasy points per game in standard ESPN formats. Once he starts hitting, he may end up as one of the top fantasy second basemen in the league.
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, ARZ
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (OF): 124th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (OF): N/A
5.2% rostered (ESPN)
Waldschmidt was called up by the Diamondbacks this weekend to make his MLB debut and has the potential to be an asset in points league formats, especially. With good underlying metrics throughout his minor league career, there’s evidence of solid plate discipline and the ability to barrel the baseball. I’m always wary of the Arizona franchise, though, especially with the way they’ve handled prospects recently. Fantasy managers can only hope that he’ll stick around on the major league roster. He was also recommended in Aaron Wannemacher’s FAAB Insights column this week, so be sure to grab him in your FAAB leagues as well.
Trey Yesavage, SP, TOR
2026 Projected Positional Ranking: 112th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 141st
65.5% rostered (ESPN)
This feels like a name that won’t stick around on the waiver wire for long, and with his talent, I’d rather be in early than miss out. Yesavage has completed just three appearances since returning from the injured list but has a 15:5 K:BB ratio across 13.1 innings. He has managed to work through five innings in just one of those appearances, but he is stretched out to around 90 pitches already. If he can improve his efficiency and miss a few more bats here and there, he looks poised for a solid run for the rest of the season. His next start comes in pitcher-friendly Detroit, where he’ll take on a Tigers lineup that has sputtered recently, including a five-game losing streak heading into Sunday.
Lucas Erceg, RP, KCR
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (RP): 51st*
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (RP): 7th*
35.0% rostered (ESPN)
It’s as if nearly two-thirds of fantasy managers have been asleep at the wheel so far this season, because Erceg is one of just five MLB pitchers to have registered 10 saves already, and he’s rostered in just 35% of ESPN leagues. The Royals have turned over ninth-inning duties to the veteran after Carlos Estévez went down with an injury, and don’t look like they’ll look anywhere else to close games any time soon. Estévez is scheduled to be out until at least mid-June, and nobody else on the roster has registered more than one save so far this season. Erceg is the dude in KC, and should be considered a second-tier or third-tier closer the rest of the season.
