Waiver Wire & FAAB Report (Week 16)

In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s (about 40% or less initial roster rate) and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both hosting sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference grouped by starters, relievers, and hitters.

Batters

Tommy Pham: Finally Pham breaks the 40% rostership rate and I won’t have to put him at the top next week. On the season, he has hit for 9 HR, 10 SB, and a .282 AVG.

Jarren Duran: Strong side platoon bat with 16 SB and .313 AVG on the season. Speed and Average play.

Maikel Garcia: He has been a steady contributor with 3 HR, 14 SB, and .287 AVG in 226 PA. Qualified at SS and 3B.

Jo Adell: Adell has been hitting in the heart of the order since being recalled from AAA where he was hitting .271/.376/.580 with 23 HR and 9 SB. Pitchers continue to not throw him fastballs (35% seen) and he has a 39% K% in a limited sample. Upside play.

Colton Cowser: In AAA, he was hitting .330/.459/.537 with 10 HR and 7 SB. The groundball will hold back Cowser with his 47% GB% in AAA (50% GB and -4 deg LA in a small MLB sample).

Here are his Steamer600 comps:

The best comp by age is Miguel Vargas. A good player but nothing game-changing. I’m sure some people will go all in on Cowser but not me.

Carlos Santana: Posting a smooth 9 HR, 6 SB, and .238 AVG on the season.

Corey Julks: Julks (.742 OPS, 15 SB) is somehow distancing himself from Meyers (.686 OPS) and McCormick (.807 OPS). Julks has started in seven straight games.

Mickey Moniak: He has only been starting against righties (career .791 OPS vs RHP, .141 vs LHP) but the team hasn’t faced a lefty since Trout went on the IL. A .392 BABIP has him with a .310 AVG despite a 32% K%.

Nick Gonzales: Started in nine of the last 10 games while hitting (.905 OPS, 2 HR, 50 PA).

Garrett Cooper: Starting and hitting for some power (12 HR).

J.P. Crawford: Leads off while hitting .253/.363/.399.

Mauricio Dubón: With Jose Altuve on the IL, Dubón has started four straight at second base while leading off.

Drew Waters: The 24-year-old is showing some speed (3 SB) and power (3 HR) while playing all the time.

Dane Myers: In the minors this season, the 27-year-old hit .335/.423/.533 with 13 HR and 16 SB. He has started three straight in center with Davis and Chisholm on the IL.

Oscar Colás: After being demoted to AAA, he hit .293/.358/.508 with 9 HR and 2 SB. He’s struggling again with a .385 OPS since being promoted again. Projections think he has some talent as seen by his Steamer600 (ROS) projection.

If he can get everyday at-bats, he might be useful.

Trent Grisham: Hits at the bottom of the Padres lineup. At least he is playing while being helpful to fantasy managers in OBP leagues (8 HR, 8 SB, .207/.317/.376).

Will Benson: Bats at the end of the Reds lineup and did start against two of the last three lefties. Providing a little of everything (3 HR, 7 SB, .286 AVG).

Zach Remillard: Nine straight starts at second base while posting a .905 OPS with 3 SB in 58 PA for the 29-year-old.

Jonathan Aranda: Just promoted to the majors and was hitting .342/.455/.589 with 16 HR and 1 SB in AAA. I kept him down with the platoon bats since it is Tampa and there is no way to know how much he’ll play.

Mike Ford: Starts against righties while crushing the ball (8 HR, .628 SLG) in 86 PA.

Zach McKinstry: He was been leading off against righties while hitting .250/.331/.375 with 6 HR and 7 SB.

Max Kepler: Strong-side platoon bat who provides only power (12 HR, 0 SB, .213 AVG).

Jared Young: The 27-year-old is a power bat on the strong side of a first-base platoon.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Got into the lineup a bit more when Billy McKinney was hurt but Kinney is back. Kiner-Falefa needs to play every day to be fantasy relevant.

Jose Miranda: Started in four of five since being recalled. I’m not sure where the power went after hitting 15 HR last season because he just has six combined this year.

Tony Kemp: Playing every day, leading off against righties, and hitting like crap (.196/.283/.283).

Travis Jankowski: He starts about half the time but has 11 SB on the season.

Yu Chang: While the 27-year-old can play shortstop, he has a career .628 OPS.

Catchers

Patrick Bailey: A .303 AVG and 5 HR from a catcher make him a keeper.

Yainer Diaz: In roto leagues, he’s been a great catcher with 10 HR and a .272 AVG. I have him under Bailey because Diaz’s playing time might dry up once Alvarez comes off the IL.

Blake Sabol: Plays about two-thirds of the time (OF and C) with 10 HR.

Hitting Prospects

Dominic Canzone: In AAA, the 25-year-old hit .354/.431/.634 with 16 HR and 2 SB in 304 PA. He is in Arizona’s Saturday lineup.

Colt Keith: Combining AA and AAA, the 21-year-old is hitting .335/.400/.593 with 16 HR and 3 SB in 310 PA.

Starters

Kenta Maeda: While he still has an ERA over 5.00, all his ERA estimators are under 4.00.

Cristopher Sánchez: He has shoved for five starts with a 2.84 ERA (3.29 xFIP), 7.8 K/9, 1.03 WHIP, ad 56% GB%. He might be at the point of a must-roster in all formats.

JP Sears: A 26% GB% will lead to a ton of flyballs and home runs. Only startable in big parks.

Kutter Crawford: I feel that his projections haven’t caught up with his 2023 results (4.11 ERA, 4.11 xFIP, 1.16 WHIP, 8.5 K/9).

Kolby Allard: While it has only been 9 IP, he’s lights out by backing away from his fastball.

David Peterson: His strikeout (9.7 K/9) and groundball (55% GB%) rates should help him be a productive starter but he walks too many batters (3.7 BB/9) and just gets hit around (1.5 H/9, .386 BABIP).

José Quintana: He has thrown 10 IP in his rehab starts and getting close to joining the Mets rotation. Looking at the small amount of pitch data from his rehab appearances, he is using the same arsenal, but his fastball velo is down 2 mph at 89.5 mph.

Middle reliever cutoff

Brady Singer: Compared to last season, he’s lost over 1 mph on all his pitches and they aren’t missing as many bats (8.8 K/9 to 7.4 K/9). Also, his walks are up from 2.1 BB/9 to 3.4 BB/9.

Ben Lively 라이블리: For me, he falls in the Sears camp where I want to start him in large away parks because of his flyball nature (39% GB%). His 16% K%-BB% isn’t horrible.

Graham Ashcraft: He’s been a bit better (4.32 ERA, 4.86 xFIP) in three starts since being promoted. Looking over his profile, there haven’t been any changes.

Colin Rea: He is streamable against weak opponents but that’s it. High 4.00’s ERA talent.

Matt Manning: I’m not sure why he’s being rostered but he is. He’s a 5.00 ERA talent. Throwing six innings of no-hit ball doesn’t change my mind.

Daniel Lynch: His 4.14 ERA is misleading with every other trait pointing to worse results. It’s 2023 and he only has a 5.9 K/9.

Ryne Nelson: The STUFFF king hasn’t translated his potential into results.

Tommy Henry: I’m not sure how much longer he can continue to have a sub-4.00 ERA while not striking anyone out, walking too many batters, and allowing too many flyballs.

Brandon Bielak: Not talented but his 3.81 ERA is unsustainable. A 3.6 BB/9 and 1.7 HR/9 is a powder keg about to go off.

Zach Davies: a 4.1 BB/9 is leading to a 1.57 WHIP. There is nothing positive in his profile.

Austin Gomber: Give me one good reason why?

Jake Irvin: I just have problems believing that his two-start week against the Reds and Rangers was the best option.

Hyun Jin Ryu 류현진: On his way back from surgery but has just thrown 3 IP so far.

Relievers: Saves-based ranks

Hunter Harvey: Good reliever who is the closer.

Justin Lawrence: Below-average reliever who is the closer.

Trevor May: OK reliever who is the closer.

Aroldis Chapman: Good reliever who is the backup closer.

Joel Payamps: Good reliever who is the backup closer.

Tyler Rogers: OK reliever who is the backup closer.

Tommy Kahnle: OK reliever who is a couple steps away from closing.

Nick Pivetta: A 4.80 xFIP as a starter but now just a 3.65 ERA as a reliever. Not starting and is not good enough to be a streaming reliever.