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Five fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, sleepers, and trade targets for Week 15 -- undervalued hitters outperforming their rostership and should be more widely owned.
We're back with five new undervalued hitters and waiver wire pickups in Week 15 of the fantasy baseball season. If you need an outfielder, then this is the week for you! Multiple options offer positional flexibility and perform offensively.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar just returned from his 80-game PED suspension and, as a result, is being overlooked in many leagues. Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers has quietly emerged as a power threat with an improved approach at the plate. Detroit Tigers utility man Zach McKinstry offers multi-position eligibility and sneaky speed. Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe is heating up post-injury with a mix of power and speed that can change matchups. Lowe's teammate Chandler Simpson, the so-called "fastest man in baseball," is turning heads with elite stolen base potential and contact skills.
All five are underowned in most formats but offer legitimate upside for fantasy managers looking to bolster their rosters during the dog days of summer.
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Jurickson Profar, OF, Atlanta Braves
55% rostered
Profar made his long-awaited return to the Braves on July 2 after an 80-game PED suspension issued before the start of April. The 32-year-old was Atlanta's most significant signing of the offseason after posting a career year with the San Diego Padres in 2024. He slashed .280/.380/.459 with career highs in home runs (24) and RBI (85), earning his first Silver Slugger Award and All-Star appearance.
The Braves inked Profar to a three-year deal worth $42 million. While he earned it, it was also a gamble on Atlanta's part. Whether Profar could sustain his 2024 numbers was uncertain. The PED findings essentially confirmed that, but since he's come back, he's shown flashes of who he was last season. In his first game after the suspension ended, Profar hit a 413-foot homer to right field that left the bat at 105.1 mph on an 0-2 changeup from Hunter Strickland.
Jurickson Profar hits his first home run as a Brave! pic.twitter.com/irmFRs164e
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 3, 2025
On July 3, he belted a Brock Burke slider 417 feet to left field with a 102.4 exit velocity. Those home runs have been his only extra-base hits so far, adding seven singles, culminating in a .222 batting average and .617 OPS in 11 games. The homers were an encouraging sign for the Braves and Profar. It may be too late to save Atlanta's season, but he can at least provide hope for the remainder of his deal.
Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins
55% rostered
It became apparent even early in the season that Stowers would be the Marlins' representative at the All-Star Game. The 27-year-old started the year strong and has continued that pace by hitting 16 homers with 48 RBI, both of which lead the team, 31 walks, and a .857 OPS. He's been their best and most consistent hitter by a fairly wide margin.
Kyle Stowers sends this baseball 440 feet 😳 pic.twitter.com/IurB8ETFss
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2025
His underlying numbers also support his success, with an xBA of .277, xwOBA of .383, and xSLG of .549. Stowers' quick swing allows him to barrel the baseball, with an average exit velocity of 91.4 and a hard-hit percentage of 52.5. He's managed a 2.1 fWAR alongside a 137 wRC+ and .370 wOBA in 332 plate appearances.
Stowers struggled last season, particularly with his timing, striking out 74 times in 69 games. However, he was able to change his approach and now looks to be a major part of Miami's future. Stowers could still stand to cut down his Ks, but his swing-first approach has allowed him to connect on more hits. He's decent at laying off pitches outside of the zone, so if he could capitalize on that, he'd be an even more complete player.
Zach McKinstry, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Detroit Tigers
53% rostered
McKinstry has been an underrated aspect of Detroit's 58-win squad. He can play almost everywhere and is a great contact hitter. His 78 hits are second on the team behind Riley Greene's 99, while his 11 stolen bases and eight triples lead the club. The 30-year-old has slashed .285/.355/.464 with 27 extra-base hits, 27 RBI, 29 walks, and 69 strikeouts across 311 plate appearances in 83 games.
He doesn't hit the ball that hard, but his ability to make contact and his speed allow for a lethal combo. McKinstry has an impressive skill set, and pairing that with the rest of the Tigers lineup has proved a successful formula. His 127 total bases and 46 runs scored both rank fourth on the team. He's worth 2.7 fWAR, posting a 129 wRC+, .353 wOBA, and 130 OPS+.
Zach McKinstry is now tied for the 12th-highest fWAR (2.6) of any American League position player.
He and Riley Greene are both hitting .320 since the start of June, which is tied for 5th-best in the AL over that span. pic.twitter.com/728438oXGD
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) July 7, 2025
McKinstry has slugged .609 over his last seven games, collecting seven hits, along with two home runs and six runs scored. He's played all over the diamond for Detroit, supplying both stellar defense and solid offense, and he was subsequently named to his first All-Star Game as a replacement for Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena.
Josh Lowe, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
52% rostered
Not to be confused with his brothers, Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe or Washington Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Lowe has spent his entire five-year career with the Tampa Bay Rays. He posted career highs in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS during a breakout 2023 campaign, and the 27-year-old is having another strong showing in 2025.
Lowe played one game before missing the next month and a half of the season due to an oblique injury. He returned on May 15 after completing a rehab assignment, where he posted a .957 OPS in six games. The lefty bat has since hit six homers with 19 RBI, 17 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 199 plate appearances.
Lowe Island 🏝️ pic.twitter.com/bwL8A5dsFZ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 27, 2025
He utilizes the entire field and boasts an xBA of .291, alongside a .315 BABIP. Lowe boasts a 1.1 fWAR, 115 wRC+, .332 wOBA, and 114 OPS+. Although he has the benefit of playing his home games in a minor league stadium, he has better numbers on the road, with a .804 OPS in 24 away games vs. a .687 OPS in 25 home contests.
Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
34% rostered
One of the speediest prospects in the minor leagues was promoted to the bigs on April 19. Simpson stole 225 bases in 260 attempts across four seasons in the minors, so when the Rays called him up, he was expected to continue that pace at the major league level.
Chandler Simpson has different type of speed pic.twitter.com/euQKGtxRFL
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 5, 2025
The 24-year-old batted .285 but posted an OPS of just .632 during a 35-game cup of coffee that spanned from his debut until May 29. Simpson stole 19 bases and was caught stealing 11 times, adding four doubles and 11 RBI with six walks and 14 strikeouts in 133 plate appearances. It wasn't a terrible first impression, but Tampa Bay optioned him to Triple-A on May 30 to work primarily on his outfield defense.
Simpson was recalled on June 24 and has since posted a .370/.400/.435 batting line with 17 hits, only two of which have gone for extra bases, three RBI, five stolen bases in seven chances, and three walks and three strikeouts over 50 plate appearances. His offensive performance across his last seven games has especially contributed to his overall season numbers. Simpson's defense has improved since being recalled, too.
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