Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 3 Fantasy Baseball (2026)

April 12, 2026

Andy breaks down his must add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 3 of the 2026 MLB season. Add these players now off the waiver wire and win more.

With another week of MLB action in the books, it's time to look towards the waiver wire and identify our must-add players ahead of Week 3 of the fantasy baseball season.

This week, we have a potential breakout catcher who is finding his footing in the big leagues and a former first-round pick who is finally showcasing his true upside. As a reminder, all players in this piece are currently rostered in less than 50% of all Yahoo leagues.

Be sure to follow RotoBallerMLB on X for all of our league-winning content and me, @A_Smith_FS, for any questions! Additionally, be sure to use code SMITH at checkout for 30% off on all premium packages. Let's dive in! Note - All statistics are updated as of Friday, April 10.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Week 3 Waiver Wire Adds

Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals

Carter Jensen was a popular late-round No. 2 catcher for those in two-catcher leagues, but is quickly making a strong case to enter starting consideration in standard one-catcher leagues. After being held out of the lineup for one game due to oversleeping earlier in April, Jensen has completely flipped the script in his first full MLB campaign.

Since April 4 (four games), Jensen has launched two home runs with one double and a 3:2 K:BB. Over his first five games of the campaign, the young backstop went 2-for-16 with only one extra-base hit.

Jensen earned the call to the majors late last season and immediately flashed high upside. Over his first 20 games in the big leagues, Jensen held a .300/.391/.550 line with a .941 OPS, six doubles, and three home runs. During this short stint, Jensen generated an elite .336 xBA, .633 xSLG, and a .447 xwOBA, which suggests his high-end production could be sustainable over a full season, which made him a top late-round breakout candidate in draft season.

While it took him a week and a soft benching to find his footing, he appears to be on the path to a breakout season. The 22-year-old has the power upside to warrant a pick up in all formats ahead of Week 3 and could eventually emerge as a legit top-10 option at the position. Given that he continues to see an everyday role in the offense (both at catcher and DH), Jensen has the skill set to hit over 20 HRs while holding a solid batting average.

Even if you have a stable No. 1 catcher, Jensen could emerge as a weekly "utility" option.

Hot start! 😏 pic.twitter.com/xkjo1WmddQ

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 7, 2026

Colt Keith, 1B/2B/3B, Detroit Tigers

When looking for an infielder, managers should target former Tigers top prospect Colt Keith. Keith has spent two full seasons in the big leagues but has never been able to maintain consistent success. In 2025, Keith held a .256/.333/.413 slash line with 13 home runs. During his debut campaign, he also hit 13 long balls and carried similar .260/.309/.380 line.

However, throughout the start of his third campaign, Keith has taken a massive step forward. Through 12 contests, the former 24-year-old has held a dominant .350/.395/.500 slash line with six doubles, eight runs, and three RBI. While he has yet to go deep, Keith is showcasing elite contact skills and could see a power surge in the near future, given his underlying metrics.

Currently, Keith holds a .385 xwOBA, .318 xBA, and a .548 xSLG, all of which are well above the average marks. Keith has generated a 53.6% hard-hit rate, which is on pace to smash his previous career marks. However, the most interesting component of his early profile is his massive increase in Pull AIR%. Throughout the opening weeks, Keith has generated a remarkable 29.6% Pull AIR%, which is an 11.0% jump from his 2025 marks.

While he has yet to go deep, Keith's pull rate suggests the power numbers should come in bunches, even if this mark faces some regression over the coming weeks. Managers looking for a post-hype hitter that has four-category upside should look to target Keith.

The Rangers have also continued to put Keith at the top of the lineup when facing right-handed pitching, putting him in prime scoring position.

Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies

The Colorado outfielder had a delayed start to the season due to a finger injury. However, the former first overall pick has made an immediate impact and is emerging as a must-roster outfielder in five-outfielder formats.

Over his first seven games of the season, Moniak has gone deep three times while tallying five RBI, scoring four runs, and holding a .250/.269/.625 slash line. After struggling for most of his career, Moniak took a massive step forward with the Rockies in 2025. Through 135 games with the Rockies in 2025, Moniak posted a .270/.306/.518 line with a .824 OPS, all of which were the best of his career.

He went deep 24 times and took on 20 doubles with nine stolen bases. Even though the Rockies kept him on the strong side of a plateau (and will likely do so again in 2026), Moniak hits right-handed pitching at a high rate and can post high-end power totals. Playing half of his games at Coors Field will further increase his hitting ceiling as well.

While he could be tough to trust in weeks with several southpaws on the schedule, he's a strong No. 4/5 outfielder in 12-team leagues that could hold high-end weekly upside in favorable matchups at his home park. Not many players on your waiver wire have near 25-HR upside.

Mickey Moniak extends the @Rockies lead with his 3rd homer of the season! pic.twitter.com/LykdxVB0Z6

— MLB (@MLB) April 8, 2026

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Another post-hype breakout to monitor is Garrett Mitchell of the Brewers. Mitchell is a former first-round pick but has endured an extensive list of injuries, which has stalled any breakout in the major leagues. Entering the 2026 season, Mitchell played in just 141 games (across four seasons), but was effective, holding a .254/.333/.433 line with 13 home runs and 23 stolen bases.

He has opened the 2026 season as Milwaukee's primary center fielder and has lived up to the job. Through 10 games, Mitchell has posted a .310/.429/.517 line with one home run and three stolen bases. Mitchell has batted in the heart of the lineup (sometimes cleanup), which has allowed him to tally 13 RBI and score four runs.

While his sample size in the majors is not overly lengthy, his current underlying marks are quite impressive. Mitchell sits in the 93rd percentile in xwOBA and holds a stellar .544 xSLG, 56.3% hard-hit rate, and a 76.0 mph average bat speed. Additionally, his speed should remain steady as he currently sits in the 85th percentile in sprint speed.

Mitchell has 20/20 upside. Don't let him sit on your waiver wire, as he could emerge as a weekly option in standard rotisserie leagues. Those in points leagues should monitor his strikeout rate as his hefty 38.9% K% lowers his ceiling in those scoring formats.

We have been waiting on the Garrett Mitchell breakout and a full healthy season from the Brewers OF could be getting going

His 2nd double in as many games give the Brewers Crew an early 2-0 lead in KC pic.twitter.com/cXQNP8hM8c

— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) April 4, 2026

Kyle Harrison, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

The first starting pitcher we will spotlight is Kyle Harrison of the Brewers. Harrison is a former well-regarded prospect in the Giants' system, but he never found his footing in the Bay Area. He was then moved to Boston in the trade that sent Rafael Devers to San Francisco, but he logged only 12 innings with the Red Sox last summer.

However, in a full-time role in Milwaukee, Harrison has not only looked quite comfortable but has also been enjoying his long-awaited breakout campaign. Through two starts (10 1/3 innings), Harrison has allowed just three runs with seven hits and three walks while striking out an impressive 14 hitters.

While the sample size is small, his four-seamer is looking much more effective than it ever has in his career. Through two outings, Harrison's four-seamer (57.6% usage) has generated a 34.6% whiff rate. This is a stark jump from the 26.2% whiff rate posted back in 2025, when usage was similar at 58.8%. His slurve (No. 2 pitch) has also been far more effective, boasting a .214 xwOBA compared to the .356 xwOBA it posted in 2025.

The Kyle Harrison fastballs will continue until further notice. pic.twitter.com/5N1KGXUDuo

— Jack Stern (@ByJackStern) April 5, 2026

When looking for strikeout upside on your waiver wire, Harrison should be your target.

Bryce Elder, SP, Atlanta Braves

The other starting pitcher to target this week is Bryce Elder of the Braves. Elder was coming off a rough 5.30 ERA in 2025 and was not on the standard league draft radar as a result. However, a slight tweak to his pitching repertoire has yielded impressive results in his first two starts.

Through 13 innings, Elder has yet to allow a run while posting a 0.85 WHIP. He has struck out 13 hitters while walking only 4.3% of the hitters he has faced. While the sample size is small, his minor tweak could lead him to a nice bounce-back season.

In 2025, Elder relied on his sinker as his No. 1 pitch (42.1% usage), while his slider was his No. 2 pitch at a 35.1% usage rate. However, he has now begun to lean on his slider more often (37.2% usage) and has lowered his sinker to 26.7% usage.

His sinker posted a hefty .344 xwOBA in the summer and has remained just as weak in 2026, posting a .349 xwOBA. However, by reducing its usage, Elder has begun to avoid major mistakes, while his elite slider (.116 xwOBA) does most of the work. Managers should expect some regression, but his 1.77 xERA suggests he may have taken a major step forward.

Elder should also remain locked into a starting role in this rotation as the Braves have several starting pitchers on the shelf, such as Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Hurston Waldrep (elbow), Spencer Strider (oblique), and Reynaldo Lopez (suspension).

While he took a slight step back on Friday evening, allowing two runs over 4 2/3 innings, his impressive start makes him worth targeting in all standard leagues.

Jakob Junis, RP, Texas Rangers

The final player we will spotlight this week is our closer to target, Jakob Junis. The Rangers' bullpen has been operating in a committee for the early part of the season, but Junis is beginning to emerge to the top. After registering a hold in each of his first two appearances, he has earned two saves in back-to-back games (on April 6 and April 7).

In these two outings, Junis allowed just two hits with no runs. Overall, Junis has logged seven shutout innings with four punchouts and a 0.43 WHIP. While the 33-year-old's strikeout upside is not high compared to most closers in the sport, he possesses elite command (0.0% BB% in 2026, 4.9% average BB% in 2024 and 2025), which should keep his WHIP low.

While Robert Garcia and Cole Winn figure to steal save opportunities during the season, if Junis continues his scoreless streak, it will be hard for the Rangers to turn away from him. For those who are falling behind in saves and need a short-term solution, Junis is a solid addition as he should provide high-end ratios even if that save totals remain inconsistent.

Jakob Junis is with @LauraStickells after opening the season 2-for-2 in save situations: pic.twitter.com/NTEt7buomH

— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) April 8, 2026

Other Waiver Wire Targets

• Bryan Baker, TB
• Riley O'Brien, STL (51% rostered on Yahoo, he would be the preferred target over Junis if available)
• Parker Messick, CLE
• Francisco Alvarez, NYM
• Joey Cantillo, CLE
• Andres Gimenez, TOR

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