Welcome to the first installment of waiver wire reports for the 2017 fantasy baseball season. Huh? What do you mean the season hasn’t started yet? Don’t be ridiculous! You’ve likely drafted at least one or two of your teams by now, which means there are players sitting out there on waivers. We’ve got plenty of movers and shakers as Spring Training winds down and position/rotation battles are won and lost. There are also simply a few players out there that are notably low-owned despite having solid potential in the upcoming season. Let’s dive in.
Already drafted? Import your team to My Playbook for season-long advice 
Ownership levels are taken from Yahoo leagues and, along with the stats, are accurate as of March 27, 2017.
Priority Pickups – <30% Owned
Kevin Kiermaier (OF – TB): 27% owned
While Kiermaier’s aggression at the plate does yield some juicy homers, it also dampens his overall potential toward a more modest .260 average when he absolutely has the tools to be a .280+ hitter. But we can’t play the “what if” game here, and the 26-year-old is still primed to be a fantasy asset in 2017 – especially after slashing .274/.345/.428 with seven homers, 31 runs, 19 RBIs and 12 steals (on 13 attempts) over the final two months of 2016. Yes, extrapolating that yields a 90/20/60/35/.275 line. We won’t go overboard, but he’s been batting second in the order regularly and could be poised for quite the stat-filled season.
Brandon Moss (1B/OF – KC): 23% owned
With Ned Yost being quite the platoon-averse fellow, Moss may get a chance to finally crack 600 plate appearances in a season with his new Royals threads. That would be a best-case scenario, of course, but this is late March when all dreams can come true. The lefty-swinging slugger had his 2016 stats pressed down hard thanks to a horrid September that saw him go 9-for-91 (.099) with three homers after swatting eight homers each in June and August (he only played four games in July), which brought his overall average down from .261 to .225. Believe in the bigger picture/track record. While Kauffman Stadium doesn’t really play up well for power, this is a potential 30-homer bat that is available in many leagues.
Charlie Morton (SP – HOU): 3% owned
Morton only made it through 17 1/3 innings before he tore his hamstring while legging out a bunt – thanks a lot, National League – but this now gives us quite the sleeper (ooh) heading into 2017. He owned a career 6.28 K/9 and 7.7% swinging-strike rate before last season’s flash saw him tack on two mph to all of his pitches en route to a 9.87 K/9 and 12.3% swinging-strike rate. Now, he’s in the American League where he won’t have to worry about running down the basepaths and could turn out to be one of 2017’s best buys. His spring backs the growth being sustainable as he’s struck out 17 in 17 1/3 innings against six walks and two earned runs (1.04 ERA). Get it while it’s free.
Robert Gsellman (SP – NYM): 30% owned
While holding onto Gsellman’s brief 2016 showing as a benchmark for what to expect in 2017 is a bad move, this is a nice arm to round out a mixed-league staff considering his spot in the NL East. Not to mention he’s had a dynamite spring, allowing only three earned runs in his 17 1/3 innings of work alongside a nine-to-four strikeout-to-walk ratio. As you can see, the strikeout totals won’t dazzle, but this is a guy who could hold down one’s ratios while starting for a team that Las Vegas has projected to win nearly 90 games. His price tag has risen with the strong spring, but he should have the No. 5 slot in the rotation to himself and is still worth grabbing – especially with the fragility of many Metropolitan arms.
Tyler Saladino (2B/3B/SS – CWS): 17% owned
Saladino, who owns at least a 70-grade mustache, is the reason why the South Siders don’t need to rush Yoan Moncada, as he’s currently 16-for-47 (.340) with seven extra-base hits (three homers) and eight RBIs with a stolen base through the spring thus far. In roughly half a season last year, the versatile 27-year-old popped eight homers alongside 11 swipes and a .282 average. It’s difficult to project additional power considering his middling 28.8% fly ball rate, but this is a rather toolsy guy who could very well produce a 12/20 season if given 500 PAs. One can see from his multi-position eligibility that he won’t be reliant on Moncada staying down, as he has many avenues into the starting lineup – including a game in the outfield last season!
Steve Pearce (1B/2B/OF – TOR): 12% owned
Unfortunately, Pearce has been limited this spring by an elbow injury that has kept him from really accruing time in the outfield – though he has finally gotten some reps out there in recent games. Left field is where Toronto envisions him playing rather regularly, which could yield a nifty profit for savvy owners. This is a guy who has posted ISOs north of .200 in each of his past three seasons while mostly being stuck platooning against lefties. Beat writers have said that the Blue Jays see him as more than that, with 500 PAs giving him a healthy chance at 25 homers at Rogers Centre. While durability will always be a worry, the opportunity cost is nil here.
Joe Musgrove (SP – HOU): 21% owned
With the news that Collin McHugh is likely to be delayed in making his 2017 turn in the rotation thanks to a dead arm, both Musgrove and Mike Fiers are set to kick the season off as starters. Musgrove had some beautiful showings last season, though he scattered in some clunkers as he toyed with his sinker grip and adjusted to big-league hitters, but worked through it to finish the season with four strong outings. He didn’t get cheap assignments either, as he posted quality starts against Texas twice, Toronto and the Cubs. This spring has seen him post a 2.45 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 22 innings of work (15-to-6 K:BB ratio), so don’t be shy about hitting the add button here.
Delino DeShields Jr. (OF – TEX): 1% owned
How easily we forget. This is a guy who stole 83 bases at Single-A in 2012 before posting additional Minor League steal totals of 59 and 54 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. That was the momentum he came to the MLB with when he swiped 25 bases and scored 83 runs in 492 PAs for Texas in 2015, making him a buzzy buy heading into last season. Well, you know how he simply couldn’t get on base in 2016 – slashing .209/.275/.313 in 203 PAs – before being demoted. 2016’s .272 BABIP just doesn’t fit his profile, and his current spring line points to a guy who has figured things out enough to get another crack at it. He’s 14-for-51 (.275) and a perfect 11-for-11 on steal attempts, which makes him Spring Training’s leader right now. He will have to earn starting time, most likely against Jurickson Profar in left field, but there’s some real intrigue here.
Deep League Targets – <10% Owned
Joe Panik (2B – SF): 10% owned
I’m no neurologist, or anything close to it, but I have had far too many concussions in my life thus far and can tell you that they can seriously derail you. My suspicions that Panik’s concussion symptoms had not subsided even when he returned last season were confirmed this offseason when Panik admitted to changing his batting stance to allow him to compensate for not being able to pick the ball up as well as he used to. He had to open up and begin his swing earlier, and the results weren’t pretty. Right now he’s 12-for-43 (.279) this spring and should have a good chance at becoming that .300 hitter again that we had seen in 2014 and 2015. The power and speed still won’t move mountains, but he should rebound to useful levels here.
Patrick Corbin (SP/RP – ARI): 3% owned
Corbin recently won the final spot in Arizona’s rotation thanks to a strong spring that has seen him post a 17-to-3 K:BB ratio alongside a 3.44 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 18 1/3 innings. The southpaw is only 27 and has certainly shown promise in the past, so we should be willing to give him another look in NL-only and deep mixed leagues. There isn’t much pointing to redemption in 2016’s numbers, though his 4.38 SIERA is more palatable than the 5.15 ERA. His control early on should be a strong indicator of what to expect, as it was his ~6% walk rate that really allowed him to pitch with his full arsenal, but that mark shot up to 9.4% last season. It won’t cost you anything and the ceiling is that stud we saw in 2013, so why not? Dual eligibility is a bonus.
Jorge Polanco (2B/3B/SS – MIN): 5% owned
Polanco, a switch-hitting 23-year-old, turned in a solid 24/4/27/4/.282 line across 270 PAs primarily from the shortstop position in 2016 for the Twins. While he won’t become a world-beater, that’s pretty nifty for an age-22 debut when you consider his robust 30.3% line-drive rate and controlled 6.8% swinging-strike rate. He should have the keys to the two-hole in this lineup where he could score 80 runs alongside 10/10 HR/SB potential and a plus average. He hasn’t hit worse than .276 at any level since 2012 and his versatility only tacks on some additional value.
Nathan Karns (SP/RP – KC): 2% owned
While many deep leaguers and dynasty owners were praying to Jobu for Matt Strahm to get Kansas City’s final rotation spot, Karns was the one to win the job at the end of the day. While his ratios tend to err on the heavy side (5.15 ERA, 1.48 WHIP last season), it was only a year earlier when he posted a 3.67 ERA and 1.28 WHIP alongside his usual strikeout-per-inning stuff. He’s rung up an impressive 23 in 17 spring frames, with his recent March 22 effort yielding a scoreless six innings with nine strikeouts and zero walks. Those in AL-only leagues could certainly use a guy with big-K potential like Karns in plus matchups.
Matt Boyd (SP – DET): 2% owned
Boyd reportedly beat out Anibal Sanchez (3% owned) for Detroit’s No. 5 rotation spot with an impressive finish to the spring. He’s gone five frames in each of his last three contests, yielding only one run with 14 strikeouts in those 15 innings. Oh, and he has yet to issue a walk in his 21 2/3 spring innings. After posting a useful 3.86 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning in the second half last season (63 innings), Boyd could provide some deep-league utility for those looking to add some depth to their staff.
Chad Green (SP – NYY): 1% owned
Green has actually gotten more dangerous as he’s progressed to more advanced levels of competition, picking up more velocity and strikeout stuff along the way. Some may recall that he hit 100 strikeouts in 94 2/3 Triple-A innings for the Yankees last season before being called up. Oh, and he also had a 1.52 ERA and 0.94 WHIP there. While his 45 2/3 Major League innings did see him carry over the Ks – he rung up 52 batters – the 4.73 ERA and 1.40 WHIP pointed to trouble. Much can be explained by the wild 12 homers allowed in such a short timeframe (2.36 HR/9 mark, 25% HR/FB rate,) which should regress considering Green had only allowed 21 homers in his 394 Minor League innings prior to this cup of coffee. He’s a solid deep-league option if he can get that under control.
Kyle Freeland (SP – COL): 0% owned
The Rockies’ youth movement continues, as Freeland looks like a strong candidate to step into one of the rotation spots left empty by the departure of Jorge de la Rosa and as Chad Bettis battles cancer. Freeland, a 23-year-old southpaw who stands at six-foot-three, has impressed management with a 2.25 ERA across 16 spring innings while notably striking out 14 against only three walks. While navigating the likes of Coors Field is a tall order, this is a name worth monitoring in deeper mixed and NL-only formats.
Get advice all season long with My Playbook. Import your team for free
Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Google Play | TuneIn | RSS
Nick Mariano is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nick, check out his archive and follow him @NMariano53.
