7 Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 Fantasy Baseball (2026)

July 4, 2026

Andy breaks down his must-add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 15 of the 2026 MLB season. Add these players now off the waiver wire and win more.

Hello RotoBallers! Welcome back to another edition of our 7 Must-Adds ahead of Week 15 of the fantasy baseball season. With the All-Star break just days away, managers should not get comfortable and continue to scan the waiver wire for potential second-half league-winners.

This week, we will look at a post-hype breakout outfielder and a starting pitcher who has begun to turn the corner and emerge as a legit must-start option.

So, let's look at the best waiver wire targets!

2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 15 Waiver Wire Adds

Dalton Rushing, C, Los Angeles Dodgers

15% rostered

Even though Rushing is the team's No. 2 backstop, he has been pushed into the lead role with Will Smith on the shelf. Per a recent report, the team's primary backup will be sidelined through the All-Star break, which will leave Rushing in the No. 1 spot for at least the remainder of the first half.

While Rushing went through a brief skid at the dish, the young backstop has begun to find his footing this week and remains very under-rostered on Yahoo. Over his last five games, the second-year catcher posted a .444/.476/.833 line with two long balls and a 4:2 K:BB. Prior to this surge, Rushing held a much lower .108 AVG over his last 12 contests in June.

When looking at his underlying metrics, managers should expect him to maintain this recent improvement at the dish. Currently, the former top-ranked prospect holds a .347 xwOBA with a .260 xBA. Additionally, Rushing is barreling the ball at a high 12.3% rate and generating a 43.9% hard-hit rate, which places him above the average marks.

Lastly, his recent home run binge could continue into the final week of the first half, given how he has optimized his swing. Per Baseball Savant, the catcher has posted an elite 28.1% Pull AIR%, placing him among the elite hitters.

While his playing time may eventually dry up once Smith returns to action, for the time being, Rushing holds top-12 upside at the position. Those lacking a proven option at the position should prioritize Rushing on the waiver wire ahead of Week 15.

07.02.2026 | Bottom 2nd: Dalton Rushing hits a two run home run to put the Dodgers on the board.

Dodgers trail 2-6 pic.twitter.com/y04VyS2amf

— Blue Dynasty (@D_BlueDynasty) July 3, 2026

Tommy Edman, 2B/3B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

25% rostered

The other Los Angeles Dodger we will spotlight recently returned to action. The veteran utility man made his season debut on June 16 after missing nearly the entire first half of the campaign due to a lengthy recovery from offseason ankle surgery. Since returning to the diamond, the 31-year-old has provided managers with an elite batting average and solid counting stats.

Across his first 13 games of the campaign, Edman has held a dominant .378/.451/.556 line with a 1.007 OPS. During this short stint, Edman has gone deep once and swiped a bag. However, batting in one of the game's most impressive lineups has provided Edman with high-end scoring chances, as he has crossed home plate five times and brought nine home.

Last summer, Edman battled injuries as well, appearing in just 97 games, but showed solid power upside, hitting 13 home runs, matching a previous career high. While he managed to swipe only three bags, he was once a proven 25+ SB asset with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Currently, under the hood, the switch-hitter has generated an eye-catching .384 xwOBA, .330 xBA, and a .466 xSLG, suggesting his hot start could be a sign of great things to come. Edman has also impacted the ball efficiently with a 41.7% LA Sweet-Spot% and a 29.4% Squared-Up rate.

With an everyday role at the keystone and the upside to provide an elite average with double-digit upside in both home runs and stolen bases, Edman should be viewed as a must-add in all formats.

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

5% rostered

The final hitter we will spotlight was a potential post-hype breakout in Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell has shown flashes of upside at times, but the former top-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee system constantly battled injuries in his young MLB career. However, through the first half of 2026, Mitchell has finally carved out a lead role in this offense and is showcasing his promised upside.

Through 75 games with the Brewers this season (already a career-high), Mitchell has posted a .265/.361/.452 line with 16 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and six stolen bases. Mitchell has seen his production uptick even further over his last 16 games, where he has hit three of these home runs with a stellar .326 AVG and a 1.024 OPS.

While his recent surge may not appear to be overly sustainable, this could set the stage for a breakout second half. The 27-year-old has generated a .344 xwOBA (71st percentile) with an elite 14.0% barrel rate and a 49.7% hard-hit rate. Additionally, Mitchell has generated a 96th-percentile 77.1-mph average bat speed and a 92.6-mph average exit velocity.

Even though his 11.9% Pull AIR% limits his home run ceiling, Mitchell is hitting the ball very hard, which will continue to drive his power numbers. Also, his stolen base totals should continue to increase, as evidenced by his high 12.4% walk rate and 98th-percentile sprint speed.

Managers could be looking at a 20/20 candidate who is still available in nearly 90% of Yahoo leagues.

MIL - Garrett Mitchell Solo HR (7)

📏 366 ft | 💨 100.3 mph | 📐 31°
⚾️ 97 mph four-seam fastball (CIN - RHP Chase Burns)
🏟️ Out in 30/30 parks 💣

CIN (5) @ MIL (1)
🔻 5th#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/HTK7nN8Mfr

— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) July 2, 2026

Brandon Sproat, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

20% rostered

The first pitcher we will spotlight is a young right-hander from Milwaukee, Brandon Sproat. Sproat was included in the deal that shipped Freddy Peralta to Queens in the winter. His tenure in Milwaukee got off to a shaky start as he held a high 6.17 ERA over his first 54 innings of work. However, since June 10 (his last 21 innings of work), the right-hander has looked far more comfortable, posting a 3.00 ERA with a sparkling 0.76 WHIP.

During this four-start stretch, Sproat has struck out 26 hitters while serving up just five free passes. While the sample of success in the majors is short, the young right-hander is worth a closer look.

Since the start of June, Sproat has begun tweaking his pitch mix, which has helped drive his recent surge in production. As shown in the visual below, Sproat has dropped the usage of his sinker and instead leaned more on his four-seamer and continued to mix in his curveball, sweeper, and changeup at a slightly higher rate.

In relation to his three fastballs, his four-seamer has been the most productive on the season, posting a .203 BA with a solid .300 wOBA, which is much lower than the .356 and .434 wOBA his sinker and cutter have generated, respectively.

There is risk in his profile, but recent improvements make him a worthy target for those looking for an upside starting pitcher.

Zebby Matthews, SP, Minnesota Twins

15% rostered

The other starting pitcher we will highlight this week also endured some rough times but has recently begun to turn the corner. Matthews spent the 2026 season in the minor leagues, but eventually made his season debut with the Twins on May 14. After tossing seven shutout frames in this outing, the right-hander would lose a hefty 6.44 ERA over his next 29 1/3 innings.

While this rough stretch likely sent him to the waiver wire in most formats, the 26-year-old has quickly flipped the script. Over his last three outings, Matthews has logged 20 innings with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He tossed at least seven innings in two of these games and struck out at least five hitters in two as well.

On the season, Matthews holds a 4.15 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, but his rough path has greatly inflated these ratios. Since the start of June, Matthews has not greatly tweaked his pitch mix, which instead suggests he was quite unlucky over this noted skid. His primary pitch, his four-seamer, has posted a modest .355 xwOBA, but his two breaking balls, his slider and curveball, are borderline elite.

His slider has generated a 38.1% whiff rate with a .272 xwOBA, while his curveball has posted a 37.8% whiff rate with a dominant .154 xwOBA.

The Western California product will remain an elite option to boost your WHIP ratio (5.4% walk rate) and should provide above-average strikeout totals with his impressive set of breaking balls.

Caleb Kilian, RP, San Francisco Giants

10% rostered

The first closer we will highlight is likely the best option for saves on most waiver wires. Despite recently being named the primary closer in San Francisco, the right-hander remains available in 90% of Yahoo leagues. The 29-year-old began his MLB career as a starter but has since found a prominent role as a high-leverage option in the Bay Area.

Since earning his first save on May 4, Kilian has posted an inflated 6.43 ERA with a 27:9 K:BB. During this 21-inning stretch, Kilian has gone 7-for-9 on save opportunities. However, in his two blown saves, the right-hander endured two rough showings, which have significantly hindered his ratios on the surface.

In these two blown saves, Kilian allowed a total of nine earned runs. However, removing these two appearances, Kilian would carry a sharp 2.75 ER, 1.02 WHIP, with a 25:8 K:BB.

Under the hood, the right-hander has generated a 3.79 xERA with a .225 xBA, both of which are well above the average marks. Kilian's 28.1% K% places him in the 85th percentile among qualified pitchers, while his whiff rate and chase rate also both sit above the average marks, suggesting his strikeout totals should remain consistent.

While save opportunities may not be stable pitching for an under-performing Giants team, he has earned the trust of the coaching staff, which has put him on the fantasy radar. If he continues to produce as his underlying metrics suggest, Kilian has a path to push for a 15+ save season over the second half, which would make him a viable RP2 in most standard leagues.

Mason Montgomery, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

5% rostered

Rounding out our list will be a speculative source for saves for those in deeper leagues. The Pirates bullpen appeared to be settled as Gregory Soto took over the ninth-inning role from Dennis Santana. However, since posting a 2.25 ERA over his first 24 innings (with eight saves), Soto has taken a massive step back, carrying a hefty 12.91 ERA (11 earned runs) over his last 7 2/3 innings, which has opened the door for Mason Montgomery.

While Montgomery has had his fair share of recent struggles, he has flashed high upside throughout the first half, which has put him on the waiver wire watch list. Since Jun 13 (his last eight innings), Montgomery has blown both of his save opportunities but struck out an eye-catching 15 hitters over just eight frames.

Prior to this recent skid, Montgomery racked up 34 punchouts over his first 25 2/3 innings with a 4.56 ERA.

His strikeout upside is apparent when looking at his box scores, but his ratios could take a step forward in the second half. Per Baseball Savant, the 26-year-old flamethrower has generated a 3.45 xERA (more than a point lower than his surface-level ERA) and a stellar .215 xBA. He has also generated a high 54.3% ground-ball rate while holding a 90th and 97th percentile whiff and strikeout rate.

This bullpen is still in flux, but there could be a changing of the guard in the second half. Those in 12+ team leagues in desperate need of saves should consider taking a lifter on Montgomery before he takes over this job.

Other Waiver Wire Targets

• Henry Bolte, ATH
• A.J. Ewing, NYM
• Alex Lange, KC
• Yoendrys Gomez, MIN
• Cole Carrigg, COL
• Alejandro Kirk, TOR
• Josh Bell, MIN
• Ian Seymour, TB

More Fantasy Baseball Advice