Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups For Fantasy Baseball - Week 21

August 13, 2023

Kevin Hickey's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for outfielders and Week 21 of the 2023 MLB season. Consider adding and streaming these free agent hitters.

This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 21 -- August 14 through August 20. Whether your team is derailed by injuries or you’re simply ready to give up on your draft day darlings, navigating the waiver wire will be crucial to finding long-term success in fantasy baseball. 

As we move through the season, trends fluctuate, and we must learn to react on the fly. When it comes to hot streaks, you have to act fast, or you may miss out. This set of outfield-eligible players may not all have the longest track records, or their success could be considered unsustainable. However, you have to take risks early in the season in order to uncover your breakout stars. It will already be too late if you wait until these names are established. 

Names listed are in order of roster percentage, not confidence ranking. Position eligibility and roster percentage are based on Yahoo!, so check your leagues for availability! 

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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues

Mike Tauchman, Chicago Cubs - 44% Rostered

At 32 years old, Mike Tauchman has unexpectedly blossomed into a valuable part of the Cubs' lineup. He's slashing .283/.380/.438 with seven home runs and a 126 wRC+ through 67 games played this season. Tauchman's standout play has earned him a fixed role in Chicago's leadoff spot. He figures to remain in that position as they make a run for the postseason. 

While Tauchman isn't the flashiest player in terms of power or speed, his approach has some elite characteristics. At the core of his success is a 17.1% chase rate. This phenomenal plate discipline is accompanied by other similarly strong numbers, like a .283 xBA, 13.1% walk rate, 19.7% strikeout rate, and .359 xwOBA.

Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers - 35% Rostered

Sal Frelick's MLB career is just 19 games deep, but the early returns are encouraging. The 23-year-old boasts a .264/.425/.509 slash line with three home runs and a pair of stolen bases. It didn't take long for Frelick to be moved up in the batting order. He appears to have settled into the Brewers' clean-up spot for the foreseeable future. 

There's plenty of reason to believe Frelick's performance will continue to improve. He's the second-ranked prospect in the Brewers' farm system and the No. 22 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Frelick features a 70-grade hit tool and 70-grade running ability, creating numerous avenues for fantasy production.

Randal Grichuk, Los Angeles Angels - 25% Rostered

Randal Grichuk has been a model of consistency this season. Through 75 games between the Rockies and Angels, he carries a .290/.345/.480 slash line with 10 home runs. He's not the most exciting player on this list, but Grichuk has an everyday job with a team desperate to make the postseason.

Grichuk doesn't excel in any one category, but his offense is above average in almost every way. That includes a .266 xBA, .429 xSLG, 42.6% hard-hit rate, and a 21.1% strikeout rate. It also never hurts to have a home run-friendly Angel Stadium as your home park.

Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles - 11% Rostered

Ryan O'Hearn continues to fly under the radar in 2023. Through 71 games, he boasts a strong .300/.336/.500 slash line with nine home runs and a 127 wRC+. The only drawback with rostering O'Hearn is that he largely operates in a strong-side platoon at first base alongside Ryan Mountcastle. Still, this arrangement places O'Hearn in the lineup more often than not, and he's making the most of the opportunities he gets.

The underlying numbers only further bolster the legitimacy of O'Hearn's breakout season. He sports a .481 xSLG, 10.7% barrel rate, 92.3 mph average exit velocity, and 54.7% hard-hit rate. O'Hearn has featured on this list several times this season, and it's not hard to understand why.

Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues

Tommy Pham, Arizona Diamondbacks - 10% Rostered

Through 86 games played this season, Tommy Pham sports a respectable .258/.339/.453 slash line with 11 home runs and 13 stolen bases. He was recently dealt from the Mets to the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline and receives a moderate home ballpark boost in Arizona. Pham will be relied upon to inject life into a stumbling Diamondbacks offense.

Pham is hitting the ball a lot better than his surface numbers tell us. He sports some elite advanced metrics, like a .289 xBA, .500 xSLG, 11.8% barrel rate, .378 xwOBA, 92.6 mph average exit velocity, and 47.2% hard-hit rate. Pham has been overdue for positive regression all season.

Lawrence Butler, Oakland Athletics - 7% Rostered

Lawrence Butler is the latest rookie call-up for the Athletics. He's the fifth-ranked prospect in the Oakland farm system and flashes a very real offensive upside. Butler features 55-grade power and 55-grade speed, making him a perennial 20-20 threat if he pans out at the major-league level.

The 23-year-old posted a .284/.350/.475 slash line with 15 home runs and 21 stolen bases across 89 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A this season. It remains to be seen how Butler's game will translate in the majors, but he's a worthwhile prospect to get in on the ground floor with.

Jake Bauers, New York Yankees - 4% Rostered

Jake Bauers operating out of the leadoff spot says a lot about where the Yankees are at these days, but Bauers is making the most of the opportunity. Through 64 games, he boasts a 113 OPS+, along with 11 home runs. Bauers isn't a terribly exciting player to roster, but he's hitting the ball a lot better than his single-digit fantasy ownership suggests.

As a jumping-off point, Bauers flashes a fantastic .545 xSLG. That includes a 21.3% barrel rate, 51.6% hard-hit rate, .375 xwOBA, and 90.9 mph average exit velocity. It stands to reason that Bauers' surface numbers will improve. Especially playing at Yankee Stadium, which notoriously favors left-handed power.

More Players To Consider

• Bryan De La Cruz, Marlins - 44% rostered
• Luis Rengifo, Angels - 38% rostered
• Luke Raley, Rays - 30% rostered
• Jack Suwinski, Pirates - 29% rostered
• Adam Duvall, Red Sox - 21% rostered
• Max Kepler, Twins - 17% rostered

More Deep-League Players To Consider

• Mark Canha, Brewers - 8% rostered
• Matt Wallner, Twins - 8% rostered
• Cade Marlowe, Mariners - 3% rostered
• Johan Rojas, Phillies - 2% rostered
• Jesus Sanchez, Marlins - 2% rostered

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