Welcome back, everyone. We’ve reached the halfway point of the season. It’s been a wild one for sure, with plenty of letdowns and surprises. Hopefully, by this point, you’ve got your core players you can count on, with possibly a few fringe guys changing week to week. That’s where we come in. I have another 11 players rostered in fewer than 55% of Yahoo leagues who can help boost your squad right now. There’s a nice variety, so there should be something for everyone. Let’s get right to it. Without further ado, here are this week’s top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups. Happy bidding.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets
Emmet Sheehan (SP – LAD): 17%
I wrote about Emmet Sheehan last week and even though he was sent back down following his start, now is not the time to give up on him. Sheehan allowed just one run and three baserunners against San Diego. He also struck out 40% of the batters he faced.
This week, starting for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, Sheehan fired six perfect innings while striking out 13. Those 13 strikeouts pushed his strikeout rate to an outer-worldly 52.3% over 17.1 Minor League innings this season. He has also only allowed one walk, raising his K-BB rate to a ridiculous 50.8%.
Sheehan has been as filthy as it gets and should be on less of a pitch limit next time out. Sheehan will be back in the Dodgers’ rotation before you know it and is a must-add for the coming week.
Noelvi Marte (3B – CIN): 21%
Noelvi Marte is nearing his return, and while he doesn’t have a lengthy track record, he was raking before his injury. His .294/.392/.515 triple slash is an excellent addition to any fantasy format. He also swiped four bags in fewer than 20 games.
It wasn’t that long ago that Marte was considered one of the top prospects in the game. With a few years of experience now under his belt, he could continue to thrive. He’s worth a look in deep leagues and some shallow ones, too.
Alec Burleson (OF, 1B – STL): 49%
Alec Burleson is one of those steady-as-they-go players who never get too high or too low. That said, Burleson has been enjoying a solid June.
Regularly batting third in the Cardinals’ lineup, Burleson is hitting .337 for the month while launching six home runs. He has struck out just nine times over nearly 100 plate appearances and is one of the toughest outs in baseball. He’s hit 10 homers since the start of last month and has pushed his season average up to .300. Burleson is on his way to having another solid season and deserves a spot in most fantasy leagues.
Spencer Steer (1B, OF – CIN): 51%
Spencer Steer has hit well over the last 10 days (.457 batting average), but his performance on Friday night took things to a new level. Speer blasted three dingers against the Padres, taking deep some of the club’s best arms. After a dismal April and a so-so May, the Reds first baseman has been on a tear, registering a .885 OPS in June.
Steer was excellent back in 2023, and while he took a step back last season, he still hit 20 home runs. Steer is currently the Reds’ cleanup hitter and should be targeted while he’s hot.
Frankie Montas (SP – NYM): 12%
Frankie Montas pitched well in his season debut. He’s set to take on the Pirates next. After missing nearly the entire first half of the season, Montas shut down the Braves at home over five solid innings of work. The well-traveled veteran struck out five while allowing just three hits and three walks. Montas was in line for the win (before the bullpen blew it), out-dueling one of the National League’s top arms in Spencer Strider.
Montas has looked shaky over the past couple of seasons since leaving Oakland, but if Wednesday’s game is a sign of things to come, he could become fantasy-relevant once again. The Mets righty is worth a look in deeper leagues.
Mickey Moniak (OF – COL): 9%
The former first-overall draft pick has come back to life recently. While still sitting against tough left-handers, Mickey Moniak has delivered eight home runs over the last 30 days. His slugging rate over that span sits at a cool .576. He has also driven in 15 runs.
Moniak’s been a streaky hitter over his brief career, but when he’s on, the numbers pile up. He’s been handed an opportunity in Colorado and he has taken full advantage of it. Moniak’s not great in weekly leagues because of the platoon situation, but he’s a strong daily league acquisition where you can start him at home in proper matchups.
Chase Burns (SP – CIN): 52%
It may be too late to add Chase Burns, but he’s just too good not to include. While he might be a slight step down from the other two elite young arms in the National League Central, Burns is still near the top in terms of stuff.
Burns was the second overall pick in the draft last year, and for good reason. He possesses one of the filthiest sliders I’ve ever seen and can top out at over 100 miles per hour (MPH). While he did give up a few hits in his debut, the 22-year-old Italian-born pitcher still struck out eight of the 21 Yankees he faced.
Burns is a no-brainer add anywhere he is still available.
Chandler Simpson (OF – TB): 31%
If you’re searching for outfielders, Jurickson Profar is back this week, and he should be added where available (I wrote about him last week), but it’s Chandler Simpson I’m more excited about. The man is a blur on the base paths, racking up over 100 swipes last year in the Minors and 20 this year in the Majors. Sure, he has to reach base to steal, but Simpson regularly hit above .300 on the farm and was up around .300 in The Show before his demotion.
Starting in center field each day, the Rays are content to see what the young man can do. All you need to do is add him to your roster and watch the stolen bases pile up.
Gary Sanchez (C – BAL): 9%
With Adley Rutschman out for the foreseeable future, Gary Sanchez has been acting as the starting catcher/designated hitter for the Orioles. Sanchez has had an up-and-down career, but he’s usually a reliable source for power out of the catcher position.
Since taking over as the starter, Sanchez has gone 13-for-35 (.371 batting average) while collecting four home runs and 14 RBI. He’s playing like a top-five option at the position. As long as he’s performing well, he’ll allow the Orioles to keep prized 20-year-old backstop Samuel Basallo in the Minor leagues to continue his development.
Sanchez is still only 32 years old and seems to have plenty left in the tank. He’s worth a look in most leagues if your catcher is struggling.
Ernie Clement (2B, 3B, SS, 1B – TOR): 33%
Ernie Clement is raking again, making him a nice addition for those in search of a batting average boost. The journeyman infielder has gone 19-for-45 (.422) over the last two weeks and is 41-for-101 (.406) over the last month.
Clement is quietly hitting .309 on the season and qualifies all over the diamond. He strikes out only 10% of the time, steals the occasional base and even hits a home run now and then. The Blue Jays third baseman isn’t for everyone, but for those in deeper leagues struggling with batting average or filling their middle or corner infield spots, you could look his way.
Jacob Lopez (SP – ATH): 24%
Jacob Lopez was a stud in the Minor Leagues, regularly producing an ERA below 3.00 with a strikeout rate well above 30%. That said, his Major League experience hasn’t exactly gone as planned.
While Lopez did struggle early on, he has come alive of late, allowing just one earned run over his last four starts. His K/9 rate has remained exceptional at 11.51/9, and he’s lasting deeper into games, pitching through the sixth and seventh innings in his latest two outings. Lopez is a crafty lefty with excellent off-speed stuff and should be rostered in most leagues.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
