Big Kid Adds (Week 23)

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named “High Stakes Leagues,” and there are eleven of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues.

Batters

Zack Gelof (7): Some people and robots that I respect added Gelof. I couldn’t do it with nothing going right for him. It starts (and likely ends) with 28 K in 55 PA. Major League Baseball ignores high strikeout rates, but it even has its limit. A 51% K% will lead to time on the bench or a demotion to the minors. He’s struggling against all pitch types with a 15% SwStr% or higher against all of them.

Also, he was a decent source of steals last season (25 SB). This season, he’s 0 for 2 in attempts.

The loss of contact is a tradeoff for power with a near 20% point jump in his HardHit% (37% to 56%). He had no “contact” to trade off with a 34% K% last season.

Here is his contact rate and overall production in his three major league seasons.

Season: Contact%, wRC+
2023: 68%, 132
2024: 65%, 82
2025: 59%, 36

He needs to move in the other direction, more contact, even if it means a power drop.

Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 (6):  He has been dealing with injuries all season and Atlanta just claimed him off waivers. Kim has just four plate appearances with Atlanta, so it’s impossible to point to any changes. He struggled with the Rays because his strikeout rate jumped from 16% to 24%. Dart throw to see if he’s past the injuries with a month to play in the season.

Connor Norby (5): I had Norby near the top of several bid lists, but not because he’s great. There just weren’t any decent corner infield waiver wire options.

Is there a fantasy support group for those of us needing corner infielders?We can discuss the merits of Nacho Alvarez and Ezequiel Duran. Or if it's insane to add Liam Hicks as 1B replacement. And lament about the good olde days of a healthy Miguel Vargas and Nolan Schanuel.Anyone?

— Jeff Zimmerman (@jeffwzimmerman.bsky.social) 2025-09-01T14:59:01.776Z

His playing time is safe in Miami. Additionally, he showed some power (6 HR) and speed (7 SB) in 287 PA.

I’m intrigued with him going into next season with both his power (86.2 avgEV to 88.5 avgEV) and contact rate (68.9% to 72.2%) trending up. His next focus should be learning to take a walk (6% BB%, .296 OBP).

Joc Pederson (5): Weekly projections loved him with six righties on the schedule. Joc crushes righties, that’s his job.

Dominic Smith (5): Another corner infield add. He’s on the strong side of a first base platoon and faces five righties this week. Smith is hitting for average (.281 AVG) but little power (4 HR) and speed (2 SB).

Starters

Jonah Tong (11), Kyle Bradish (11), and Payton Tolle (11): These three got a ton of attention as teams are always in need of pitching. While I don’t think I added any of them (I spent heavy to get Bieber), my order of priority was Bradish, Tong, and Tolle. I thought Bradish would get as many innings as possible to end this season. As for Tong, the Mets rotation, excluding Nolan McLean, have been hot garbage so Tong has a chance to stick. That just means Tolle comes in third. It’s not a knock on Tolle at all. An order needed to be set.

And these consultation prizes are sh … not very good.

Javier Assad (7): It seems like Assad will get a start in the week’s second half against the Nationals. The hope is that he keeps the ball on the ground (52% GB%) and doesn’t walk anyone (2.3 BB/9) because he’s not striking anyone out (4.5 K/9). If a pitch to contact pitcher is going to have success, it’s going to be against a team like the Nats.

Taj Bradley (6): I think this demand was based on Bradley facing the White Sox. Additionally, his pitch velocities jumped 0.5 mph to 3.0 mph in his last start. All but his cutter set season-high values.

Normally, Bradley’s ERA is higher than his ERA estimators, and I target such pitchers. That is not the case with Bradley because of the excess of walks (3.6 BB/9).

Jacob Latz (6): In the two starts since transitioning from the bullpen to starting, the 29-year-old lefty has a 3.72 ERA (4.57 xFIP), 5.6 K/9, and 1.24 WHIP. It’s tough evaluating pitchers making the transition from reliever to starter, so Latz’s talent is a big mystery.

So far, his velocity has not dropped. He has a solid three-pitch mix to navigate a lineup several times

Pitch: SwStr%, Pitching+
Four-seam: 11%, 126
Changeup: 21%, 103
Slider 14%, 111

One issue is that he allows too many walks (4.1 BB/9), with more walks (2) than strikeouts (1) in his last start. Also, he’s had nine straight appearances allowing a walk.

Luis Severino (5): Severino just returned from the IL with some nice matchups. According to Rotowire, he lines up for:

This week: at STL (W)
Next week: vs BOS, vs CIN
Three weeks: at PIT
Four weeks: vs KC

As for changes since coming off the IL, he’s leaned into his slider (28% usage to 39%). That’s it. There are worse streaming options out there like …

Chase Dollander (5): Did someone lose a bet? Even with two starts, he was going to be an overall negative. In his first start against the Giants, he last 5 IP allowing 6 ER with 3 BB and just 2 K. In AAA this year, he posted a 7.04 ERA (4.95 xFIP) and 1.60 WHIP (5.9 BB/9).

Relievers

None