Before we get into the waiver wire recommendations, I have to briefly mention the Brewers’ starting pitching staff (and I’m not talking about Freddy Peralta). If you had told me two months ago that a ragtag group made up of Chad Patrick, Quinn Priester, Jose Quintana and Logan Henderson would have a 1.62 ERA through 61 innings (11 starts), I would have laughed you out of the building.
Held together by glue and some construction paper, the Brew Crew has managed to stay relevant despite having six starting pitchers on the injured list (IL). It’s been quite impressive what they’ve been able to accomplish, and flowers to them and their coaching staff.
Most of those guys will be replaced in the coming weeks, so I wouldn’t exactly call them waiver wire targets, but for those in deeper leagues, you may want to take a look. Patrick seems to have the stuff to stick around for a while.
- Fantasy Baseball Research & Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Rest-of-Season Projections
Now to the waiver wire. The youngsters of the league are taking over, and this week’s piece features plenty of them. They aren’t fooling around with any kind of adjustment period either. These young guns have come up swinging and are already showing they belong. Their rostership is quickly expanding, so now is the time to make the move if you want any chance at obtaining their services.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets (2025)
In this week’s article, there is something for everyone, so let’s get right to it. All players listed are rostered in 50% or fewer of Yahoo Leagues. Also, I rarely repeat a player week to week, so it’s not a bad idea to read my previous articles to see if any of those players are still available. That said, here are the top eight waiver wire pickups for Week 5 of the 2025 fantasy baseball season.
Nick Kurtz (1B – ATH): 45%
Nick Kurtz is an immediate must-add player everywhere. The fourth overall pick in last year’s draft hits for power and average, and demonstrates a keen eye at the plate.
The Athletics have already shuffled around their defense to get Kurtz into the lineup. It’s only a matter of time until he starts piling up numbers. He should be added in all leagues where he is still available. Enough said.
Agustin Ramirez (C, 1B – MIA): 28%
The main piece for the Marlins in the Jazz Chisholm trade hit the ground running with a 2-for-3 performance in his Major League debut. And what did he do the following day? Agustin Ramirez simply went 3-for-3, collecting his second and third doubles while driving in his first MLB run.
The 40th-ranked prospect, according to FanGraphs, is already batting cleanup for the Fish, where he’ll likely be situated for the coming months. If you’re struggling to fill the catcher position or play in a league that starts two backstops, Ramirez is a must-add.
Noelvi Marte (3B – CIN): 14%
The Reds went nuts last Sunday, scoring a ridiculous 24 runs. Noelvi Marte was a big part of the massive barrage, collecting five hits, including a home run and a whopping seven RBI. Nearly half of those runs came off of position players throwing, but that’s not to say Marte’s not deserving of your attention.
Since that game, Marte has been a regular in the Reds’ lineup, where he’s gone 8-for-17 (.471) with two big flies and a steal. One of his dingers came off the bat at an eye-popping 117 miles per hour (MPH) pitch, which caught the eye of the nation’s baseball media.
The Cincinnati infielder is coming off a bad year, dealing with a banned substance suspension, but he seems to have put that all behind him. It wasn’t that long ago that Marte was considered a near can’t-miss prospect.
Now with a firm grasp on a starting spot, Marte could be a five-category contributor. He’s got three games coming up in Colorado, so he could go off once again this weekend.
Noelvi Marte hit this home run 116.7 MPH ???? pic.twitter.com/0tYWdH6fhE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 22, 2025
Chandler Simpson (OF – TB): 34%
If Chandler Simpson can get on base against Major League pitching, he could easily contend for the stolen base crown. Racking up over 100 steals last year in the Minors, Simpson is a threat to run every time he gets on base. He’s already 5-for-15 (.333) over his first four starts and, more importantly, has two steals to his credit. Simpson has also only struck out twice.
He was hitting .301 in Triple-A with eight steals over 17 games before his call-up. If he can continue to produce at the Major League level, he’ll likely stick around once the Rays get fully healthy. He’s a must-add in all leagues where steals count.
Griffin Canning (SP – NYM): 14%
Griffin Canning has been a nice surprise for the Mets. After locking down the Phillies in his latest outing, Canning’s ERA sits at a cool 3.12. The former UCLA Bruin is also striking out a batter per inning while limiting home runs to just 0.69 per 9. He’s also allowing an above-average .319 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), so it’s not like he’s just getting lucky.
The main factor for adding Canning in the coming days is his two-start week coming up. The slender right-hander is scheduled to take on both the Nationals and Cardinals this week, which could easily result in, if not two, then one win. Canning’s worth taking a shot at this week in most league types.
Caleb Durbin (2B, 3B, SS – MIL): 10%
I like to think of Caleb Durbin as a poor man’s Jose Altuve. While not quite as small in stature as Altuve, Durbin is not to be underestimated. The 25-year-old can do just about everything on the baseball field. Durbin hits for average, has decent pop and has plenty of speed. He also rarely strikes out and takes his walks.
Durbin was a major piece coming over from the Yankees in the Devin Williams trade and is now getting his chance to shine. Over his first 23 at-bats, the Brewers infielder has already hit a homer, launched a double and stolen a base. He also hasn’t struck out.
I still like Jacob Wilson on the Athletics better in terms of fantasy production, but if you missed out on Wilson last week, Durbin is a fine consolation prize. He also qualifies all over the diamond.
Austin Hays (OF – CIN): 36%
In terms of fantasy production, I don’t love Austin Hays as a long-term asset. But there’s no denying the numbers he’s currently putting up in Cincinnati. Acting as the Reds’ cleanup hitter since returning from the injured list, Hays is sporting a robust .361/.410/.639 triple slash line — good for an impressive 182 OPS+ (82% better than average).
Hays was an All-Star back in 2023, and while he doesn’t steal many bases or hit a ton of home runs, his hot streaks can be lethal. While he’s on one, Hays is worth scooping up in most leagues.
Eric Wagaman (1B, 3B – MIA): 7%
Who the heck is Eric Wagaman? He’s the run-scoring first baseman/designated hitter machine for the Marlins, that’s who. This one is for my deep-league readers. Wagaman has been a tour de force at the dish lately, going 15-for-35 (.429) over his current 11-game hitting streak. He has scored 11 runs over that span and is now regularly batting third for the Fish.
Wagaman’s Statcast page is full of dark red as he ranks in the top 10% of xwOBA, xBA and xSLG. Those numbers are supported by the heavy amount of line drives he hits at nearly 30%. Miami’s designated hitter also rarely strikes out (13.9% strikeout rate).
The unheralded rookie is doing all he can to help the Marlins win games. So far, so good, as the club surprisingly hovers near .500 for the season. Wagaman’s not for everyone, but those in 14+ leagues could do a whole lot worse.
Eric Wagaman – Miami Marlins (3)
pic.twitter.com/dfOyrfkLMK— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) April 22, 2025
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn
Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
