Kev Mahserejian | Tue, Mar 31st 2026, 9:18am EDT

Top Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 1 (2026)

The waiver wire is often loaded after Week 1. Everyone is excited for the shiny new thing or the hot old thing who might finally have its year? We have you covered from all angles with our top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.

Injuries and FOMO (fear of missing out) are real factors when it comes to making lineup decisions. You are often not harming your fantasy team by dropping a steady, boring vet for a league-ready prospect or post-hype player.

Typically, the boring vet you drop can be attained soon after letting go (either via waivers or trade), while that new thing is often a hot commodity. Here are the top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the week.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

All players listed are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues.

Nolan Schanuel (1B – LAA): 22% Rostered

Nolan Schanuel is off to a hot start this season. He has two home runs through four games, despite posting 26 across his past 308 MLB games. The former first-round pick was never labeled as a power hitter. Schanuel’s calling card was always his elite contact ability and plate discipline. Unfortunately, that combined to just a 107 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR across his two full MLB seasons.

Schanuel’s two home runs this soon may be ignored, but he does have a notable jump in bat speed. There are questions whether this is sustainable across a full season, yet we are so early in the season that any morsel of improvement to his profile is intriguing.

If your roster needs an average bump at corner outfield or at the utility slot, Schanuel is a solid speculative add. He should be rostered in all points leagues.

Royce Lewis (3B – MIN): 46% Rostered

Are we getting 2023-2024 Royce Lewis or 2025 Royce Lewis this season? The first weekend results are promising, but we are far from any grand declarations of Lewis being back. Lewis has hit two home runs and stolen one base through three games. His big bugaboo — even in his best seasons — was staying healthy.

The talent is almost undeniable, despite a down 2025 season in which he posted a measly 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 106 games. If Lewis is available in your fantasy league, change that. If/when he gets hurt (significantly), then a spot on the waiver wire is valid.

Owen Caissie (OF – MIA): 16% Rostered

Owen Caissie headlined the Marlins’ return for Edward Cabrera. While some may have considered this trade lopsided in favor of the Cubs, Caissie is showing his stuff early on. Caissie has five hits in 10 plate appearances with a home run and a stolen base through four games. While these numbers are not eye-popping, he looks the part and has a loud bat.

The big concern for Caissie is strikeouts. His minor league career is riddled with percentages in the high 20s and low 30s. These rates are typically not translatable to the Majors. However, Caissie was very young for each level he played in the minors. He was a teenager in A and High-A, 20 at Double-A and 21 when he reached Triple-A. The typical timeline for quality prospects is one or two years older at each stage.

If Caissie plays against left-handed pitchers, he could reach “must-have” territory. There are concerns about the Marlins’ offense, but they could be competent once Kyle Stowers returns later this month.

Jordan Walker (OF – STL): 8% Rostered

Another year, another hype train for Jordan Walker. The former top Cardinals prospect is looking like a brand-new man through three games. He has struck out just once through 12 plate appearances and hit a home run already.

Unfortunately, the former first-rounder has been trending downhill since his incredible rookie season. A .276/.342/.445 slash-line with 16 home runs and seven stolen bases at 21 is difficult to forget for a healthy player.

While Walker has major power in his bat, he has struggled to unlock the next level. He has a career 47.7% groundball rate and posted a bottom-25 pulled air rate last season (11.3%).

This mix of skills makes home runs far less likely. Maybe we see significant growth after an offseason spent training at the Driveline Baseball facility? It does not hurt to find out with a speculative addition for a few weeks.

Dominic Canzone (OF – SEA): 15% Rostered

The Mariners toyed around with Dominic Canzone in 2025, but he appears entrenched in a strong-side platoon role this year. This is a deserved promotion for Canzone after posting a .363 wOBA, .376 xwOBA and 141 wRC+ in 82 games last season, with a .300/.358/.481 slash-line.

Canzone has rewarded the Mariners with two home runs in his first four games, along with zero strikeouts in 12 plate appearances. There is a lot to like about a hitter like Canzone in real life, but his fantasy upside is limited if he does not hit against left-handed pitching.

Canzone also offers zero speed and run/RBI upside with his lineup spot toward the back-half of the order. There is reason to pick him up in deeper leagues, but shallower league managers should look elsewhere.

Kyle Harrison (SP – MIL): 28% Rostered

The Brewers’ pitching lab went to work this offseason after trading another franchise ace in Freddy Peralta. Kyle Harrison was a quality starting pitcher prospect since his time with the Giants, but he could not put it together. He was part of the return for Rafael Devers, yet pitched just 12 innings for them in the Majors.

Harrison is a two-pitch hurler who relies heavily on a great fastball. The velocity is not elite, but his delivery is good, and he can locate it well. Through one start with the Brewers, we have some optimism. He pitched five innings against the Rays on Monday and delivered eight strikeouts with just four hits, one walk and one earned run allowed.

This was not a tough opponent, but it was nice to see after a finger injury cut into his final spring training start. Harrison’s next start comes in Kansas City, which could be tough, but he sees the Nationals and Marlins soon after. Grab him while he is still available and ride out at least the next few weeks.

Emerson Hancock (SP – SEA): 31% Rostered

Emerson Hancock shocked the world on Sunday night with a gem against the Cleveland Guardians. He pitched six innings without allowing a hit or run, walking just one batter and striking out nine. Hancock was the sixth overall draft pick in 2020, yet has failed to live up to expectations between the minors and the majors.

While this start was excellent, the Guardians’ offense is mediocre, and Hancock’s career 4.64 ERA is difficult to ignore. He is 27, yet never posted an xFIP below 4.00 in the minors before his Triple-A stint in 2025.

There is optimism from some regarding his new arm slot and boosted sweeper usage/profile, but the truth is that Hancock is likely just average, at best. He has a solid streaming spot lined up against the Angels this week, but that is better watched from the sidelines than on your roster.

Max Meyer (SP – MIA): 19% Rostered

The former third overall draft pick is healthy again and locked into the Marlins’ rotation. Max Meyer faced Colorado in Miami last week and had a somewhat… rocky start. He struck out five in five innings, but allowed two walks, five hits, and three earned runs. Ideally, you want more from a potential fantasy-relevant starting pitcher at home, in a pitcher-friendly park, and against one of the league’s worst offenses.

There is still plenty of hope for Meyer, especially with his schedule in the coming weeks. After his matchup against the Yankees in New York this Sunday, he is lined up to face the Reds, Braves, Cardinals, and Giants. This is a great opportunity to hold him and see if he puts it together during this stretch. He has fantasy SP2 upside with his profile. The big question is just staying healthy.

Ryan Weathers (SP – NYY): 30% Rostered

Ryan Weathers made his first start of the year on Monday and displayed why the Yankees traded for him this past offseason. He pitched 4.1 innings with four hits, two walks, one earned run, and seven strikeouts. This was not the cleanest start, but against a tough opponent, seven strikeouts with just one earned run in 4.1 innings is spectacular.

The Marlins witnessed a glimpse of Weathers’ upside over the past two seasons. His average fastball velocity climbed past 96 miles per hour (MPH), and he posted an ERA just below 4.00 in each season. While there is much potential in the former top prospect’s tank, he has struggled to stay on the mound. A forearm strain followed by a lat strain cut his 2025 season short. While he is healthy now, forearm strains are precursors to significant elbow injuries.

There is no reason to leave a healthy Weathers on the waiver wire, but the best course of action is to hold him for a few weeks, hope he starts his season strong and then sell if your league shows interest.

Jordan Romano (RP – LAA): 38% Rostered

The Angels might revitalize Jordan Romano as they did with Kenley Jansen. The former stud reliever is finding early success in his Angels career. He is the de facto closer after entering a save situation in his first game and then entering the game with a four-run lead in the ninth inning of his second game.

Romano has struggled to stay healthy since 2024. He dealt with an elbow injury, which required arthroscopic surgery to correct, then nerve and neck issues. He is healthy at the moment, but throwing two MPH slower than his prime years.

With the Angels rostering Kirby Yates (who is due back from the injured list this month) and a talented young arm in Ryan Zeferjahn, Romano’s leash is short. Nevertheless, full-time closers are hard to come by. Romano should be rostered, but if possible, try to trade him down the line before things fall apart.

Lucas Erceg (RP – KC): 37% Rostered

With Carlos Estevez‘s fastball velocity cratering and a newfound ankle issue, the Royals have an opening at closer. Lucas Erceg is the logical replacement. He earned a save on Sunday, but after pitching back-to-back games over the weekend, he did not close Monday’s game against the Twins.

Erceg is a talented reliever with quality stuff, yet his skills declined in 2025. His career-best ERA hid the fact that his K-BB dropped from 22.1% to 12% between 2024 and 2025. However, we can forgive his 2025 season due to a back strain and season-ending shoulder impingement.

Erceg has electric fastball velocity (career 98.2 MPH) and an elite 49.3% groundball rate. Even with the Royals’ outfield fences moved in, he should find success in this closing role. Pick him up ASAP.

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