Devon Travis is making his mark with the Blue Jays and is still readily available on the waivers

The season is still young and while star players are still “figuring it out”, others are forcing their way onto rosters regardless of what their preseason rankings and projections were. Hot starts by under-the-radar players are fairly common so the question becomes which ones are worth picking up?

For that answer, we’ve tasked the experts to name a hitter and pitcher they feel are worthy of your waiver claim. Of course we want to make sure these players are readily available, so all players named are currently owned in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues.

Q1. What one hitter should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 25% of Yahoo Leagues?

Devon Travis (2B – TOR) – 22% Owned
“Travis won the starting job at second base for the Blue Jays after a solid spring showing, and in his first nine games he’s posted a .323/..382/.581 line with a pair of homers and a half dozen runs scored and batted in. Travis had never appeared above Double-A before this season, but he’s hit at every stop in the minors. Steamer projects him as a league-average bat with double digit homers and steals. With the keystone being such a fantasy black hole, that’s rosterable, and he may well have upside beyond that.”
– Kyle Bishop (Rotoballer)

“If Fantasy Baseball owners haven’t realized by now that Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis is worthy of an immediate pickup, let this be their last warning! Travis has power, speed, and hits in one of the best lineups in all of MLB. He needs to be picked up (and inserted) in lineups ASAP!”
– Dr. Roto (ScoutFantasy)

Jed Lowrie (SS – HOU) – 16% Owned
“If you need help at middle infield, consider Lowrie. The Houston shortstop has started strong in 2015, slashing .286/.394/.643 with 3 homers in 33 plate appearances. He played below his career norms last season, but he was slightly unlucky (.281 BABIP vs. .292 career BABIP) and minor injuries appeared to sap his power (.106 ISO vs. .153 career ISO). Lowrie is healthy now and his power should play much better in Houston’s juice box than the cavernous O.co Coliseum he previously called home.”
– Greg Smith (The Fake Baseball)

Alex Guerrero (OF – LAD) – 12% Owned
“Consider Alex Guerrero in the same position as Corey Dickerson one year ago – terrific hitting talent but no real role on a crowded roster. As Dickerson proved, if you can hit, you can play. And Guerrero can hit – 15 home runs and a .329 batting average in 65 AAA games last season. Perhaps the most enticing part about Guerrero is that, without a clear starting role, he has the potential to gain eligibility at multiple infield positions. While third base is his most likely sticking point, the power he provides with a starting gig could be game-changing in the infield.”
– Mario Mergola (XN Sports)

Q2. What one pitcher should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 25% of Yahoo Leagues?

Brandon Morrow (SP,RP – SD) – 16% Owned
“While you may not want to deploy him for his next start at Coors Field, Brandon Morrow deserves more ownership than his current mark of 16%. While his health will forever be a concern, Morrow’s strikeout ability has never been in question. His move from Toronto to San Diego should reduce his ratios and the Padres’ revamped offense should offer enough run support for Morrow to earn his fair share of wins.”
– Greg Smith (The Fake Baseball)

“Brandon Morrow has been a name fantasy owners know, but not a name they could trust for years now. His talent has never matched his results, and after consecutive injury-plagued seasons with horrendous ratios, most of us let the dream die. But Morrow, who signed with the Padres this winter, has pitched well in his first two starts with a 1.29 ERA. He’s available in almost 90 percent of Yahoo leagues and worth a flier.”
– Kyle Bishop (Rotoballer)

Ubaldo Jimenez (SP – BAL) – 22% Owned
“The prototypical ‘Fool me twice, shame on me’ player, Ubaldo Jimenez‘s inconsistency has burned fantasy owners so much in the past that his price has dropped to an incredibly reasonable level. After dominating his first start, it appears that hesitation is still prevalent, but waiting for confirmation will likely result in missing the boat on Jimenez – if he has another great outing, his ownership rate will surge. He has shown bounce-back potential in the past – 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA the year following his disastrous 9-17, 5.40 ERA campaign – and his ceiling has always been high. If nothing else, his availability is too fortunate to ignore.”
– Mario Mergola (XN Sports)

Anthony DeSclafani (SP,RP – CIN) – 16% Owned
“DeSclafani is a pitcher worthy of a pickup right now. In fact, I like him better than the guy he was traded for (Mat Latos). He is a real sleeper who won’t kill you in K’s and should have solid overall stats.”
– Dr. Roto (ScoutFantasy)

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Thanks to the experts for helping with their waiver wire pickups. Be sure to follow the latest depth chart movement here.