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Five hot fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, streamers, and sleepers for Week 20 (2025). Undervalued hitters outperforming their ownership percentage and should be more widely owned.
Even though the MLB trade deadline has passed, there are still opportunities for you to make meaningful moves for your fantasy baseball team coming down the stretch. Whether you're scrambling for a playoff spot, cruising into the postseason, or just trying to move out of the basement, some helpful bats have emerged as viable plays in mixed leagues over the last few weeks who can give your squad a boost to the finish line.
Regardless of where you are in the standings, it always pays for smart fantasy baseball managers to keep an eye on the waiver wire for options who can fill in any gaps or even just strengthen your squad's depth. In this post, we're not just looking at big-name, obvious pickups; we're shopping in the bargain basement for hidden values each week. These options won't cost a considerable chunk of your FAAB or require you to have top waiver priority, but they can be strong plug-and-play options that can be scooped and started in most formats. If injury or ineffectiveness is forcing you to shop the waiver wire this week, there are some fun young bats to consider to give your team solid production the rest of the way. All stats are through games played on Monday, August 4, unless otherwise noted.
Which widely available hitters should be on your shopping list? Let's dive in!
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Daniel Schneemann, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Cleveland Guardians
5% rostered
The Guardians have moved the versatile Schneemann all over the field this season, and the lefty is a very versatile plug-in option in your fantasy baseball lineups as a result. He can fill in multiple positions, and he has been getting more playing time in a premium lineup spot, hitting second between cornerstones of the offense, Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez.
Schneemann is still hitting only .233 on the season, but he has been heating up since the All-Star break, going 14-for-41 (.341) over his last 13 games with four doubles, a home run, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases.
CLE - Daniel Schneemann Solo HR (10)
📏 Distance: 384 ft
💨 EV: 103.1 mph
📐 LA: 34°
⚾️ 84.9 mph slider (MIN - RHP Bailey Ober)
🏟️ Would be out in 30/30 MLB parksMIN (0) @ CLE (2)
🔻 3rd#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/uWVBDuxC9S— MLB Home Runs🚀 (@MLBHRs_) August 2, 2025
Schneemann has multiple hits in four of his last seven starts, and he hit second in the order for four of those games. If he stays in such a premium run production spot and keeps getting on base, he should be a very viable play in all formats. He is up to eight stolen bases and 10 homers on the year, so he can provide those "big-point" events while also delivering a good batting average for as long as he stays so hot.
He's still platooning at times and sitting against lefties, but in matchups against righties, he's finding a way into the lineup at one of his many positions and delivering solid offense to go with his above-average defense.
Lenyn Sosa, 1B/2B/3B, Chicago White Sox
24% rostered
The White Sox had a pair of good young bats in last week's bargain basement hitters, and this week, we'll highlight another young contributor to this suddenly surging offense. Sosa isn't a recent call-up or a rookie like his teammates Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth, but he's still just 25 years old and growing into a productive role in the second slot in the White Sox batting order.
Sosa is versatile like Schneemann, fitting at multiple infield spots, including first base. Most of his work has been at second base this season, but with Montgomery and Meidroth in the mix, he's slid to first base for his last few contests.
He has been productive in the lineup regardless of where he's playing in the field, going 17-for-45 (.378) over his last 13 games with two doubles, two homers, a .423 wOBA, and a 40.5% hard-hit rate. He has added good counting stats with eight runs scored and 12 RBI over that span as well.
A no-doubter from Lenyn Sosa! pic.twitter.com/BmZ3gliesd
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 2, 2025
Sosa is up to 11 homers on the season and profiles to bring a little more power production than Schneemann, although Schneemann has more speed potential. Both are very versatile players who can fill in gaps well, but Sosa is also a little more locked into an everyday role, playing regularly against righties and lefties.
Joey Loperfido, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
7% rostered
If you're looking for an outfield solution rather than a versatile infield piece, Loperfido is one of the best names in the bargain bin. The former top prospect didn't join the Jays until just after July 4, when multiple injuries depleted their lineup depth.
With George Springer (concussion), Daulton Varsho (hamstring), and Andres Gimenez (ankle) all missing time, Loperfido has played 23 games for Toronto since his promotion, and he may be hard to send down, given how red-hot he has been.
As if the Blue Jays needed any more help, Joey Loperfido has joined in on the fun. His last 15 days…19-for-47 (.404) with 2 HR, 4 RBI, SB, 2B, .993 OPS. Now 26 y/o.
— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) August 5, 2025
The Blue Jays originally landed Loperfido at the 2024 trade deadline in a deal that sent lefty Yusei Kikuchi to Houston. The lefty hit just .214 in 81 games in the majors last year, but did have four homers and a .268 wOBA. He struggled this spring and started the year in Triple-A, where he continued to tweak his swing and approach, hitting a solid .278 with six homers and a .350 wOBA.
Since his promotion, though, the 26-year-old has made an impressive splash, hitting .386 with three homers, a .421 wOBA, and a 37.7% hard-hit rate.
Loperfido could get squeezed out of the roster as other players get healthy, but he has re-established himself as a potential contributor to the Blue Jays' future. For as long as he's getting playing time, though, Loperfido has shown he can be a viable fantasy bat.
Spencer Horwitz, 1B/2B, Pittsburgh Pirates
15% rostered
The Blue Jays are so hot right now that even their former prospects are playing well. Toronto traded Horwitz to Pittsburgh this past offseason in a three-team trade with the Guardians that landed Andres Gimenez north of the border.
The season got off to a rough start for Horwitz, who needed right wrist surgery just before spring training to repair a broken hamate bone. He joined the team in mid-May as the everyday first baseman but started slowly, hitting .225 over his first 29 games with six doubles but just one home run.
In his last 13 games, though, Horwitz has found a great groove, hitting .404 with four doubles, three homers, 10 runs, 15 RBI, a 46.2% hard-hit rate, and a .489 wOBA. He hit leadoff in all but one of his starts during that span, and brings good potential for counting stats while he hits in a premium lineup spot.
Spencer Horwitz is on fire 🔥
Since July 21:
.429 AVG | 1.215 OPS | 3 HR | 15 RBI in 12 gamesElite contact, great plate discipline, and now power?
Horwitz has gone from deep-league streamer to must-add.
— Cody Gray (@scrollingscout) August 4, 2025
Those recent numbers are boosted a little bit by a three-game series at Coors Field, but he's been productive both at home and on the road this season, especially against righties.
Horwitz brings good upside in multiple categories, especially hitting leadoff. He doesn't have prototypical leadoff speed, with no stolen bases on the year, but he does a good job getting on base and producing run-scoring opportunities while also racking up RBI.
Blake Perkins, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
2% rostered
In the last month, we've highlighted Isaac Collins twice in our Bargain Basement Bats post, but this week, we're focused on another Brew Crew outfielder.
Perkins showed that he could be a good source of cheap speed last season with 23 stolen bases in 121 games for Milwaukee, adding six homers and a .288 wOBA with a .244 batting average. The switch-hitter did most of his damage against lefties, which was a big help to Milwaukee's lineup that relies on multiple left-handed hitters.
Perkins was lined up to be in the mix again this season, but he suffered a brutal injury in spring training, fracturing his shin when he fouled a ball off during a live batting practice session. He and Garrett Mitchell (oblique) were both working their way back to the outfield, but both suffered setbacks. While Mitchell ended up needing season-ending shoulder surgery, Perkins was able to work his way back to the majors after a prolonged rehab assignment that required him to be activated and optioned to Triple-A.
His return to the majors was timed perfectly with Sal Frelick (hamstring) landing on the injured list, so Perkins has been very involved since his promotion after the All-Star break, especially with Jackson Chourio (hamstring) also ending up on the shelf.
Perkins is 11-for-45 (.244) in his 15 games this season, with three doubles, a triple, and a pair of home runs. He has played his typical excellent defense in center field and is slowly getting more aggressive on the bases, swiping his third base of the season on Tuesday night.
He had an emotional walk-off hit for the Brewers against the Marlins, and manager Pat Murphy talked about how special Perkins is to the team:
Pat Murphy called Blake Perkins the “ultimate team guy” after the game today.
Murphy also said he told Perkins last year that he will never send him down (to the minors).
“They’ll send me down before they send you down.” pic.twitter.com/CdtDFm76O6
— Hunter Baumgardt (@hunterbonair) July 27, 2025
As he gets back up to full speed, he should bring more stolen bases, and as long as he's getting regular playing time, he has a good enough ceiling to be a fringe mixed league player. He has a little pop to go with his speed and is in a productive lineup in the middle of the pennant race.
Frelick returned but is now dealing with a knee injury, while Chourio is still at least a couple of weeks away. Perkins is a nice short-term option if speed is a priority on the waiver wire.
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