We would all love to win our league on Draft Day, but that’s simply not possible. The fantasy baseball waiver wire is a necessary tool for fortifying your roster. How much FAAB should you be willing to spend on some of the hot adds? Here’s a look at some of the players, generally owned in 50% or less of leagues, who may be worth considering.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire and FAAB Report
Brice Turang – Milwaukee Brewers
It’s been a hot start for Turang, hitting .313 with 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, and 2 SB over his first six games. There was never a question about his speed (he had 34 SB at Triple-A last season). With the new MLB rules it’s easy to envision him piling up the SB.
What’s been really impressive is the control he’s shown of the strike zone:
- SwStr% – 6.1% (8.5% at Triple-A shows it’s not an aberration)
- O-Swing% – 22.0%
Throw in his 89.2 mph exit velocity and potential to hit 10+ HR and there’s ample upside. While going “all in” this early doesn’t make sense, it’s worth making a strong investment.
Bid Amount – 15-20% (Worth going big)
Brian Anderson – Milwaukee Brewers
It feels like a lifetime ago that Anderson was a strong fantasy asset. The last few years have been rough, but the change of scenery has done him well over the first week of the season. In his first six games, he’s hit .500 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. While it’s such a small sample and his 37.5% HR/FB seems unsustainable, he did post a 26.8% mark back in ’20.
His command of the strike zone has been improved (10.9% SwStr%, 28.3% O-Swing%). He’s also been hitting the ball extremely hard (93.3 mph exit velocity). He’s not this good, obviously, but it’s worth rolling the dice to see if he can maintain his 2020 form.
Bid Amount – 1-2% (no more than $5-10)
A.J. Puk – Miami Marlins – Relief Pitcher
Puk earned a save in his first appearance and the upside is there to run with the job. At the same time he’s allowed runs in each of his outing, but he’s also allowed just 2 hits (including a HR) and 1 BB. We all know closers come and go, and Puk does have the upside to run with the job. Of course, Dylan Florio and Tanner Scott also could emerge. Puk is worth stashing, but only at a small investment.
Bid Amount – 1% ($10 maximum in $1,000 FAAB)
Seth Lugo – San Diego Padres – Starting Pitcher
Over the past few years, the Mets had felt Lugo was vital to the bullpen, as opposed to the rotation. That helped send him to San Diego, where he’s getting a chance to start. His first turn through the rotation was promising, allowing 1 ER over 7.0 IP.
He’s obviously not that good. It was just one start, but his 9.7% SwStr% is below average and his 40.0% O-Swing% is unsustainable. His velocity was down (93.8 mph), which was a concern. His pitch usage was almost identical to his work out of the bullpen, throwing his changeup 2.2% of the time.
Can he continually work through a lineup three times with that? The risk appears to far outweigh the reward. While he is worth the dart throw, it’s only at a minimal investment.
Bid Amount – 0-0.5% ($0 bid if applicable, but $2-5 in $1,000 FAAB)
Dylan Dodd – Atlanta Braves – Starting Pitcher
Dodd impressed in his MLB debut, allowing 1 ER over 5.0 IP. While his 3 K and 43.8% groundball rate do not scream star pitcher, his 13.7% SwStr% is eye-opening. He also showed the same pinpoint control he did in the minors (0 BB).
The biggest concern is whether or not he’s going to be able to keep the ball in the ballpark. His groundball rate dipped at Double-A (38.7%), which could become an issue. He also was primarily a two-pitch starter in his first outing:
- Fourseam Fastball – 46.58%
- Slider – 45.21%
- Changeup – 8.22%
That will make it difficult for him to get through a lineup multiple times. The Braves could continue to keep him at around five innings, meaning wins will be tough. There’s upside, but know the risk.
Bid Amount – 2.5-5% (limit it to $25 in $1,000 FAAB)
Logan O’Hoppe – Los Angeles Angels – Catcher
Considered one of the top catching prospects in the game, O’Hoppe has gotten off to a strong start (.278 with 2 HR over 19 PA). He does swing and miss a lot (15.9% SwStr%), but the power is real. O’Hoppe can easily be one of those low average, home run hitting catchers that are interchangeable. He should already be owned in two-catcher formats. In one-catcher leagues, he’s worth riding while he’s hot and moving on to the next when he’s not.
Bid Amount – 0-1% (in one-catcher formats)
Mitch Garver – Texas Rangers – Catcher
While Garver likely entered the year without catching eligibility, he’s already caught two games this season. It’s only a matter of time before he regains eligibility, and that will go a long way to re-establishing his value. Of course:
- His 5.3% SwStr% and 9.8% O-Swing% are unsustainable
- His 88.7 mph average exit velocity is below his prime years
- Both of his home runs came in the same game
At the end of the day, he’s in the same class as O’Hoppe, who actually has a higher upside.
Bid Amount – 0% ($0 bid if allowed)
Sources – Fangraphs, MLB.com, Brooks Baseball