7 Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16 Fantasy Baseball (2026)

July 11, 2026

Andy breaks down his must-add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 16 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 16 of the fantasy baseball season. Even though we fantasy baseball managers will have a few days off due to the All-Star break, that does not mean you should not take a break from the waiver wire.

This week, we will spotlight a few emerging players, including a utility infielder in Washington and a sneaky injury stash that you have to know for the latter half of the season.

Additionally, be sure to use discount code SMITH for 50% off any Premium Packages and gain access to our Team Sync platform with customized lineup tools, projections, and more based on your league settings. Let's dive in!

2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 16 Waiver Wire Adds

Kyle Teel, C, Chicago White Sox

20% rostered

This week's catcher to note is the one who returned in an early edition of the season after his lengthy IL stint. Teel missed nearly the entire first half after suffering a right knee sprain over the winter. However, after a promising rookie season, Teel has endured growing pains since returning to MLB.

Through his first 14 games of the 2026 season, Teel has posted a rough .188/.264/.333 line with a low .597 OPS, which is likely why he remains on the wire in nearly 80% of Yahoo leagues. During this stretch, the former top-ranked prospect has hit two home runs but held a hefty 37.7% K%.

However, what keeps him on the fantasy radar is his promising underlying marks and strong rookie season. Back in 2025, Teel appeared in 78 games for the White Sox (his MLB debut) and looked quite comfortable, posting a .273/.375/.411 slash line with a .786 OPS, 11 doubles, eight home runs, and three stolen bases.

So far, the former 14th overall pick has posted an elite 14.3% barrel rate, 50.0% hard-hit rate, and a 42.9% LA Sweet-Spot rate, all of which are well above the average marks. His .226 BA (which is still low under the hood) sits nearly 40 points below his current .188 AVG.

Prior to debuting in 2025, Teel carried a .295/.394/.492 line with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. Teel has the profile to produce a strong batting average while pushing for a 15/10 season. Not many catchers on the waiver wire have the upside to be not only a positive source of average but also to provide power and speed.

Curtis Mead, 1B/2B/3B, Washington Nationals

20% rostered

While James Wood, CJ Abrams, and recently Luis Garcia Jr. have stolen much of the headlines in Washington this season, infielder Curtis Mead is quietly putting together a career season and has been a reliable fantasy asset. Through his first 77 games of the season (which have just 13 of the career-high he set last summer), the infielder has posted a .240/.336/.480 line with a strong .816 OPS.

During this stretch, Mead has hit 13 doubles, launched 15 long balls and even chipped in five stolen bases. However, what has put him on the waiver-wire watch list is his recent surge. Over the last 24 contests, Mead has raised his SLG to .500 and hit six long balls, with an .813 OPS.

By looking more closely at his underlying metrics, managers can spot the path to a post-hype breakout. So far, the 25-year-old sits well above average in several hitting metrics, suggesting his recent production is sustainable over the back half of the season.

According to Statcast, Mead has generated a .361 xwOBA (83rd percentile) with a .263 xwBA, which sits 23 points above his fac-value .240 AVG. Additionally, Mead has posted a .468 xSLG (81st percentile) and a high 11.3% barrel rate, which suggests his power tool should remain stable.

However, the most impressive aspect of his game is his optimized swing. Mead has generated an elite 23.0% Pull AIR%, which is set to be a career-best mark by a wide margin. Paired with his above-average barrel rate and low whiff tendencies (17.1%), Mead has the profile to push for a 25+ HR season while holding a high-end batting average.

Those needing assistance in any of the three infield positions should not hesitate to pick up Mead ahead of the All-Star break. He should also continue to provide solid counting stats (14 RBI, 11 runs over his last 24 games), while batting in the heart of the Nationals lineup.

Kyle Karros, 3B, Colorado Rockies

20% rostered

The other infielder to consider picking up this weekend has enjoyed one of the most quietly productive stretches in baseball. Since June 1 (his last 34 contests), the third baseman has posted a sharp .323/.433/.618 slash line with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs and an impressive 20:15 K:BB. During this noted surge, Karros posted an average K% of 16.7%.

Over his first 56 games of the season, Karros held a low .215/.316/.319 line with just three home runs and a much higher 24.2% K%.

Based on his underlying metrics, this recent surge could be a sign of things to come in the second half. The 23-year-old has posted a solid .341 xwOBA, .256 xBA, and .408 xSLG. While he will not maintain his elite + .300 AVG, managers should not expect him to revert back to his early-season form.

Additionally, Karros has generated a 96th-percentile elite LA Sweet-Spot% with a 16.9% Pull AIR%, which should play well with his above-average hard-hit and barrel rates.

His high-end 12.9% BB% and decreasing strikeout rate continue to significantly raise his floor in points leagues as well.

COL - Kyle Karros Solo HR (8)

📏 417 ft | 💨 107.9 mph | 📐 20°
⚾️ 99.2 mph four-seam fastball (LAD - RHP Roki Sasaki)
🏟️ Out in 30/30 parks 💣

COL (1) @ LAD (3)
🔺 2nd#Rockies pic.twitter.com/ty1zUDLXCt

— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) July 9, 2026

Luis Lara, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

5% rostered

The Brewers shook up the prospect world by promoting No. 67-ranked prospect (per MLB.com), Luis Lara, to the big leagues. Lara was one of the prospects at the Triple-A level and was viewed as a primary starter target ahead of his promotion.

Earlier this season at Nashville, Lara looked quite comfortable, posting a .321/.432/.470 line with a stellar .902 OPS. He went deep nine times, added 10 doubles, and even swiped an impressive 24 bags. However, what makes his Triple-A play even more impressive was his surge in power.

Back in 2025, Lara hit just two home runs over 136 games at Double-A. Seeing him not only showcase high-power upside but also get his first taste of Triple-A pitching made him a worthy stash candidate.

Lara has wasted little time in his first taste of the majors, going 2-for-8 with two RBI and a 1:1 K:BB.

While playing time may not be guaranteed, given that he shares the field with Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Jackson Chourio, he should see enough at-bats to be valuable in 12+ team category leagues.

Those looking for an outfielder with high-end speed upside and the potential to chip in a few home runs should target Lara.

Christian Scott, SP, New York Mets

15% rostered

Christian Scott has been in this column several times this season and still remains very under-rostered. While the Mets have fallen well short of preseason expectations, the former top prospect has looked quite commendable on the mound since returning from injury.

The former Florida Gator made his MLB debut in 2024 but was sidelined after undergoing an internal brace procedure for all of 2025. Through 54 innings in 2026, Scott has posted a strong 3.17 ERA with a modest 1.30 WHIP. While his high 11.2% walk rate has inflated his WHIP, he has remained a solid source of strikeouts, as evidenced by his elite 27.9% K%.

Over the first 36 innings of the season, Scott posted a 2.50 ERA with a 41:18 K:BB. Following a brief three-game skid (13 innings) where he posted a 6.23 ERA, he has since rebounded and is coming off a five-inning shutout (three hits allowed) against the Royals on Wednesday evening.

When looking under the hood at his profile, Scott's strikeout upside remains the most intriguing aspect. His No. 2 pitch, his sweeper, has been borderline elite, generating a high 34.9% whiff rate with a low .257 xwOBA. His four-seamer has posted a solid 26.1% whiff rate but allowed a modest .363 xwOBA.

Managers should expect his ERA to take a step back, as evidenced by his 30th-percentile xERA, but his strikeout upside should remain evident. Those in need of strikeouts should view Scott as a primary target.

Christian Scott joins @martinonyc following his strong outing last night. Listen to the new Mets Clubhouse Pass, presented by @PCRichardandSon.

🍎👉 https://t.co/fVioNKia6a
🟢👉 https://t.co/HQpcDiO9u4 pic.twitter.com/uzBqQmEVvZ

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 9, 2026

Jackson Jobe, SP, Detroit Tigers

5% rostered

The other starting pitcher on this week's column is a target for those in deeper leagues. While you will need to keep him on your injured reserve for at least another month, he could be a difference-maker down the stretch.

Top-ranked prospect Jackson Jobe made his MLB debut in 2024 (logged only 4 innings), but he enjoyed his first "true" stint in the majors in 2025. He tossed 49 innings with a 4.22 ERA but was eventually shut down due to a flexor strain and underwent Tommy John surgery. The right-hander then missed nearly the entire 2025 season and the entire first half of 2026.

However, the former No. 3 overall pick began rehabbing in Low-A on July 7 and immediately turned heads. In this brief 1 1/3-inning outing, the right-hander touched 100.0 mph with his fastball and struck out one hitter. While the road ahead will be long, seeing him already reach his peak velocity is an excellent sign.

Back in 2024 (before he reached the majors), Jobe was flashing elite upside in the Detroit system. He logged 91 2/3 innings in the system (spent primarily at Double-A), posting a 2.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 96:45 K:BB. The prior season, Jobe struck out 84 hitters over 64 MilB frames while posting a 2.81 ERA.

While he is not a worthy pickup for those in shallower leagues for now, managers in deeper 12+ team leagues looking for a high-upside injured-reserve stash should look no further than the game's former top pitching prospect. If the Tigers were to sell some of their pitchers before the deadline, Jobe could face minimal competition for innings in mid-August.

Jackson Jobe is back! https://t.co/j6TOHPLOyd

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 9, 2026

Jacob Webb, RP, Chicago Cubs

5% rostered

Rounding out this week's column will be our closer of choice. While Baltimore's Tyler Wells is also a viable target, we will spotlight Chicago's new temporary closer. With Daniel Palencia on the shelf once again, the Cubs have turned to Jacob Webb to lead a committee alongside Trent Thornton and Caleb Thielbar.

While Webb will not be the de facto closer during Palencia's absence, he should continue to see the bulk of their save opportunities. Since Palencia's last appearance (on June 15), Webb has logged nine innings with a 4.00 ERA, 11:5 K:BB, and has picked up two wins and converted three of his four save opportunities.

However, since blowing that lone save on June 20, Webb has logged 7 1/3 straight scoreless frames while going 2-for-2 on saves, earning those victories, and adding a hold.

Currently, the 32-year-old boasts an elite 27.5% K% rate, well supported by his underlying 32.3% whiff rate, which places him in the 92nd percentile among all qualified pitchers.

Even though his command could be shaky at times (8.8% BB%), managers needing saves should target Webb with confidence as he remains the primary ninth-inning option on one of the better teams in the National League.

Other Waiver Wire Targets

• A.J. Ewing, NYM
• Cole Carrigg, COL
• Caleb Kilian, SF
• Josh Bell, MIN
• Alex Lange, KC
• Grant Taylor, CWS
• Tommy Edman, LAD
• Royce Lewis, MIN
• Henry Bolte, ATH
• Dominic Canzone, SEA
• Dylan Crews, WSH

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