X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2B and SS Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14

Brady Grove's fantasy baseball middle infield targets for Week 14. Second basemen (2B) and shortstops (SS), for fantasy baseball owners to consider adding to their rosters in the midst of the 2019 MLB campaign.

We have now completed three months of the 2019 MLB campaign, and find ourselves reanalyzing our options on July 1st with baseball fresh off of its London debut. When I think of overbearing summer heat, I picture it coming in July, right as Jaws is making his way into Amity. With the arrival of July comes Independence Day festivities, the MLB All-Star break, and the arrival of a wide array of block-busting motion pictures. Even with the sunny disposition, there has been plenty of negative news around baseball whether it be Frankie Montas's untimely suspension, Giancarlo Stanton immediately returning to the IL until August, or Jordan Hicks needing Tommy John Surgery. Allow the unfortunate news to light a fire: July is a time for comebacks and refreshing oneself. We're about to see a lot of guys turn the tables, and a lot of teams decide to mix things up with their rosters and lineups. Three months have passed, but there are still three to go, so take a deep breath.

As always, the second base and shortstop positions are notoriously lacking in waiver wire depth and are therefore quite fickle to navigate. Each week of the season, we are going to be taking a look at a slew middle infielders who are worthy of acquisition (or strong consideration at the very least) and are owned in less than 50% of Yahoo Leagues. Staying on top of the injury, roster, and statistical trends regarding the middle infield positions will ensure that your team has robust year-long depth and is ready if a crisis were to arise.

With that, let's have at it and take a look at a fresh batch of second base and shortstop waiver-wire targets for Week 14.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Pickups for Most Leagues

Chris Taylor (2B/SS/OF, LAD)

46% Owned

Chris Taylor has been an effective fixture in the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup for a few years now, but after an ugly start to the 2019 season, he has strung together two-straight months of absolute offensive devastation. "CT3" Hit three home runs, stole two bases, and produced a .904 OPS through 70 AB in May, and actually accelerated across 89 AB this month with four homers, three steals, and a slash of .315/.370/.573. That brings his dinger-tally to eight on the year, while he has converted on all six of his attempts at base thievery in 229 AB for the impressive Dodger squad.

Taylor typically struggles with strikeouts, and this year has been no exception even in the best of times, as demonstrated by his strikeout rate of 30.7% for this month. He has helped to balance the scales by improving his walk rate this month to 8.9%, and far more importantly, has been applying 50.8% hard contact and just 11.5% soft contact to a GB/FB ratio of 0.95 (29.3% line drives). This quality of contact on batted balls along with a sprinting speed of 28.8 feet per second have allowed Taylor to sustain BABIP of .367 and .429 over the past two months while simultaneously posting ISO figures of .257 and .258. Even with a sit every other day or two, there is tremendous value in just being a part of a batting order as top-tier as the Dodgers. With Chris Taylor's defensive versatility allowing him ample time on the field and his bat burning like the Olympic flame, he is a fantastic addition if you are seeking across-the-board contributions.

Keston Hiura (2B, MIL)

37% Owned

When top-rated prospect Keston Hiura was sent back down to Triple-A San Antonio in anticipation of a returning Travis Shaw, the common sentiment was that he would be back for the contending Brewers, and that it probably wouldn't take long. That projection has come to fruition, as Hiura's awe-inspiring Triple-A line of 19 home runs, seven stolen bases, and .329/.407/.681 slash has made an all too compelling case over the slumping Shaw. Now he is getting back to work at the MLB level for a heavy-slugging Milwaukee squad, where he has already done an encouraging level of damage displayed by five homers, one steal, and a slash of .271/.329/.500 in 70 AB.

Though there has been plenty of surrounding buzz, the former UC Irvine infielder is a bargain while still so widely available. His lack of experience has shown through in his lackluster plate discipline so far, but he has continued to rake with the help of a 41.3% hard contact rate and 17.4% soft contact rate applied to 63% combined line drives and fly balls. This inspires confidence that he can sustain his .341 BABIP, while his exit velocity (92.2 MPH) and average launch angle (15.4-degrees) are primed to reach a lot of lucky fans in power-friendly Miller Park. It's always exciting to buy in to what a prospect like Keston Hiura could potentially be, and he's giving us a pretty great glimpse with the ferocity with which he is sending pitches back.

Danny Santana (1B/2B/OF, TEX)

34% Owned

We've done plenty of reflecting on Danny Santana over the past few weeks, and it remains true that there is plenty of reason for skepticism: at 28 years old he has never come close to hitting for power like this (or hitting this well at all as a matter of fact) in his major league career, and the offensive might of the Texas Rangers paired with their depth in certain areas of the field have led to some limitations in playing time. This hasn't prevented Santana from producing bountiful rewards, as he has clubbed for five home runs and a .313/.333/.813 slash over just the past 32 AB while also nabbing two bags on the base-paths.

He doesn't take walks well, but he has at least managed to pull his strikeout rate down a whopping amount from 33.8% in May to just 21.3% in June. Given his M.O. prior to 2019, his .229 ISO for the year (.307 for the month) almost looks like some sort of clerical error, but the weight behind it is fully supported. Santana has been hitting for 45% hard contact and just 15% soft contact this month, netting a 90.6 MPH exit velocity which has been applied to a 0.96 GB/FB ratio on batted balls (25% line drives, 38.3% fly balls). Danny Santana has yet to have a bad month of work at the plate this season, and while his power hitting has come a bit out of left field (figuratively), it is a much-welcomed addition to the base-running that he provides with a sprinting speed of 28.2 feet per second. With such a strong foundation of high-quality contact being applied to pitches, it would be silly to fearfully dump your holdings.

Kevin Newman (2B/SS, PIT)

19% Owned

Former Arizona Wildcat Kevin Newman has been quite the mid-season gem in the Pittsburgh Pirates middle infield. Over the past two weeks the 25-year old rookie has hit three bombs, stolen one base, and hit for a slash of .391/.429/.696 in 46 AB, giving him a cumulative five home runs, five stolen bases (in seven attempts), and an .871 OPS in 195 AB. Despite his success across several statistical categories, there are a few holes in the picture being presented. First, Newman has walked at just a 6.6% clip so far this season with a declining rate of 5.9% this month. Also, even in his masterful work this month he has been hitting for an underwhelming 84.7 MPH exit velocity, 29% hard contact rate, and 24% soft contact rate on a dirt-heavy 2.20 GB/FB ratio.

This shouldn't freeze your feet though, there is plenty of reason to want to be a part of Kevin Newman's run even if you fully believe that the power figures will subside. Even with his high rate of grounders, he is still hitting line drives at a respectable 19.2% clip, while he has continued to maximize his chances in each plate appearance by bringing his strikeout rate from 25% in April to 10.1% in June. Newman is able to use his sprinting speed of 28.3 feet per second as a weapon, routinely sustaining high BABIP figures such as his .337 June mark as he sprays the gaps of the shallow outfield. Though there may be a slight luck factor connected to his slugging percentage at the moment, Kevin Newman has the wheels to beat out throws to first and rob his way into scoring position in the process. Take advantage of his torrid stretch of recent days and keep a close eye on him proceeding forward.

 

For the Sneaky and Savvy

Eric Sogard (2B/SS, TOR)

16% Owned

Unbelievably, Eric Sogard has continued to rake in 2019, and so the Toronto Blue Jays have continued to call on him in the middle infield despite a talented slew of young options to deploy around the field. Sogard has somehow managed to heat up and continue to produce power/speed volume over the past two weeks, hitting three home runs, stealing two bases, and raking in a .378/.442/.600 slash across 45 AB. He has remained consistent and superb in several key statistical areas from month to month, namely his 13.5% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate, 34.7% hard contact rate, and meager 9.3% soft contact rate. With a 0.76 GB/FB ratio and 20.5-degree launch angle, Sogard has used high-quality contact to make up for lack of raw power en route to hitting for extra bases. Though a call-up of Bo Bichette down the line might disrupt his playing time, Eric Sogard is an asset to take advantage of until any such disruption occurs with his bat still smoking.

J.P. Crawford (3B/SS, SEA)

15% Owned

J.P. Crawford has long been considered to be a phenomenally talented prospect who could bring a well-rounded bat and fielding skill to the infield. Currently 123 AB into the 2019 campaign for the Seattle Mariners, and his arsenal is finally culminating into an exciting major league product. Just over the last two weeks (50 AB) Crawford has hit a home run, stolen a base, and hit for a dialed-in slash of .360/.421/.560. He strikes out more than would be ideal at 23.2%, his natural power definitely has a hard cap, and he doesn't posses a game-changing level of speed despite his propensity to try the base-paths. However, he has remained disciplined at the plate throughout the year with a 10.1% walk rate, and even though his batted ball figures have been modest with 33.7% hard contact and 17.4% soft contact, his 31.5% line drive rate will go a long way towards finding a steady gap in the outfield. As a guy that can give you a little bit of everything, it means a lot that J.P. Crawford has been strumming to a steady rhythm.

Jason Kipnis (2B/OF, CLE)

14% Owned

Over the first two months of the season, Jason Kipnis actually looked well on his way to ending his ninth season in Cleveland with worse offensive results than he did in the previous two seasons. He gradually started to get his feel back as the 2019 campaign trudged on, and now the former All-Star and fellow University of Kentucky alumni has been scorching at the plate over the last two weeks (43 AB) with three knocks to the bleachers and a slash of .372/.429/.651. It's easy to see where the difference has come for Kipnis: he has brought his June strikeout rate down to just 13.8% despite a dip in his walk rate, he is hitting for a season-best hard contact rate of 36%, a stellar soft contact rate of 14.7%, and though his GB/FB ratio went up to 1.15, his line drive rate went from 8.3% in April to 21.6% this month. By striking out scarcely and allowing himself plenty of opportunity, this combination is starting to net a potent volume of extra-base hits and trips to first base. Though he isn't too fast, he has stolen four bases in five tries this season as well, once again making Jason Kipnis the complete package to fill the second base slot for those in need.

 

Just Checking In...

  • Scooter Gennett has finally returned to the Cincinnati Reds lineup from the 60-day IL, but with a 64% ownership rate, he is hard to get your hands on at this point. Reds fans and fantasy baseball managers alike will be excited to see the dynamic hitter back on the field, and although he is projected to be a big part of any potential postseason hopes for Cincinnati, it is important to hamper immediate expectations due to rust and contention for everyday AB.
  • Carter Kieboom definitely showed that he has a long way to go at the major league plate with his struggles through the first 39 AB he took for the Washington Nationals, but that's okay, because he continues to terrorize opposing pitchers at Triple-A Fresno. His 13 home runs, three steals, and 1.052 OPS have prompted owners in 4% of leagues to continue to hold on to him for the time being. At the moment, with the circumstances it would take to make that move worthwhile, there may be better prospects to buy stock in.
  • Speaking of which, top-rated prospect Bo Bichette is owned in just 9% of leagues. Even though he is fresh off of a hand injury and Toronto infielders Freddy Galvis, Eric Sogard, and Cavan Biggio continue to thrive, he is a much more likely candidate to see meaningful plate appearances by season's end. It could happen soon too, because the 21-year old shortstop has been on fire in Triple-A Buffalo where he has three homers, nine steals, and a .931 OPS in just 109 AB.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jaylen Waddle

Good to Go For Thursday Night Football
Tucker Kraft

Suffers "Little Knee Tweak," Checks Out OK
Jaylen Waddle

Expected to Play and be a "Big Factor" on Thursday Night
Tucker Kraft

Suffers Knee Injury During Thursday's Practice
Clayton Kershaw

Will Retire at the End of the Season
Malcolm Brogdon

Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon Both Staying with the Knicks?
Detroit Pistons

Charles Bediako Agrees to a Training Camp Deal with Detroit
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery, Uncertain for Training Camp
Charlotte Hornets

DaQuan Jeffries Waived by the Hornets
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Questionable For Saturday
Braden Schneider

Limited in Training Camp
Lars Eller

Recovering From Abdominal Procedure
Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
Brooklyn Nets

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP