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5 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, sleepers, and trade targets for Week 8 -- undervalued hitters outperforming their rostership and should be more widely owned.
As the fantasy baseball season rolls on, the waiver wire remains crucial for managers looking to gain an edge. While stars dominate headlines, it’s often the undervalued hitters -- those quietly producing without much fanfare -- who can make the difference in tight matchups.
Players like Ezequiel Tovar and Austin Hays are heating up, while young talents such as Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth, and Drake Baldwin are beginning to flash their upside.
Whether seeking a short-term boost or a long-term stash, these overlooked bats deserve a closer look as potential difference-makers in your lineup.
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Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Colorado Rockies
65% rostered
Tovar hit the injured list on April 19 (retroactive to April 16) with a left hip contusion, and in that time, his Rockies fell deeper into the hole of mediocrity. Losing Tovar for just a few weeks was a massive blow to Colorado's lineup. The 23-year-old shortstop is considered one of the organization's few building blocks. He's further proved that since coming off the IL on May 16, slashing .345/.387/.655 with a pair of homers and five RBI.
Ezequiel Tovar's second blast of the year gives the Rockies a first inning lead against the Phils! pic.twitter.com/yXOUfP9qgV
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 20, 2025
Tovar proved his worth to the club in 2024, when he led the team in home runs (26) and RBI (78) and was second on the team behind outfielder Brenton Doyle (4.0) in bWAR (3.8). He earned a Gold Glove Award and even some NL MVP votes. That said, Tovar also struck out 200 times while drawing just 23 walks in 695 plate appearances last season. Tovar's IL stint, tendency to strike out, and scarce walks are likely reasons for his low rostered percentage.
Moreover, playing on a historically bad team in a weak lineup causes fantasy managers to overlook and undervalue him. He had an ADP of 139 in fantasy drafts this year, but Tovar is arguably a top 10 shortstop in the NL and a perennial All-Star, especially if he remains healthy. Plus, he has the added benefit of playing his home games at Coors Field.
Austin Hays, OF, Cincinnati Reds
25% rostered
Since joining the Reds in the offseason, Hays has resembled a different player. He's nearly bested all of his 2024 offensive statistics between the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, totaling five homers and 20 RBI compared to six bombs and 20 RBI in 2025, in 140 fewer at-bats. The 29-year-old former All-Star has been a revelation for Cincinnati, with a .927 OPS and 12 extra-base hits through 25 games. So, why don't more fantasy managers believe in him?
That's just quality baseball, folks. @TheAustinHaysss x @ellylacocoa18 pic.twitter.com/zxWUg6F88h
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 19, 2025
Well, it might simply be another case of first-half Hays. He has historically performed better in the first half of the season, with a .280/.330/.467 slash line in 303 pre-All-Star break games, and a .244/.297/.413 batting line in 266 second-half games. Moreover, he's already been on the injured list twice this year -- once to begin the season and again toward the end of April. He was recently activated on May 9. Could this be a factor in his reluctance to roster him?
Perhaps, but Hays is already healthier than last season when he had a kidney infection. Is it health, a change of scenery, or something else driving Hays' comeback? His approach appears simplified.
“I have a plan,” Hays told Charlie Goldsmith. “I have a pitch I’m looking for, or a location that I’m looking for. If the pitcher throws it in that spot, whether it’s the fifth pitch of the at-bat or the first pitch of the at-bat, I want to make sure I swing at it.”
Hays is performing much better against the fastball this season than last, raising his xBA from .255 to .331 and slugging .810 against them. He's also mashed lefties, going 6-for-14 against southpaws. That said, his .375 BABIP suggests he's experienced some luck and will likely regress to the mean. His selective approach at the plate is working right now, but it's likely not sustainable.
Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves
24% rostered
Although he's only 30 games into his MLB career, Baldwin looks like the real deal. The 24-year-old was the Braves' top prospect and broke camp out of spring training. He got off to a slow start, hence his low rostered percentage, but has been on fire recently. He has a 1.046 OPS in May, with two doubles, three homers, and nine RBI. Baldwin has produced a 1.4 fWAR, .983 OPS, 172 wRC+, and .426 wOBA overall in 2025.
He has forced his way into more playing time after helping Atlanta achieve a record above .500 for the first time this season. This would push Sean Murphy out of the primary catcher's role, but the Braves' lineup has performed better recently with Baldwin behind the dish. If the team wants to continue to build momentum, starting Baldwin is the correct move. Murphy's served the club well, too, but it's wise to go with the hot hand, especially at a crucial time like this.
The rookie has gone without a hit in just two games this month, sporting an average exit velocity of 93.5 mph and maxing out at 112.3. His spray chart shows that he uses the whole field, putting the power of his 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame on display.
Miguel Vargas, 3B/OF, Chicago White Sox
19% rostered
Vargas may have been the odd man out in Los Angeles with the star-studded Dodgers, but he's one of Chicago's best hitters, especially recently. At 15-34, the White Sox are in the midst of another lost season. Vargas, however, continues to build his stock. The 25-year-old has slashed .346/.357/.731 with three homers and six RBI over his last seven games, earning the American League Player of the Week for May 12-18. Vargas leads the club in multiple offensive categories, including doubles (10), home runs (6), RBI (21), and OPS (.711).
To say Miguel Vargas is hot would be an understatement 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oamWqDnGQY
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) May 19, 2025
His May has been much better than April, when he went 20-for-92 with a .598 OPS. Vargas batted .139 on April 21; his average is now at .234. According to LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune, Vargas made adjustments at the plate, having his hands in a position where his first move would be slightly higher. This has resulted in increased production from Vargas, whom the White Sox acquired at last season's trade deadline. It hasn't been a smooth ride since his arrival, with a .574 OPS in 89 games with Chicago, but he's finally seeing the results he wants. Now, the question remains: Can he keep it up?
There's reason to believe that he can. One of Vargas' strengths is his plate discipline, with a 17.0% strikeout rate and 9.0% walk rate, slightly better than the league averages. He also ranks 79th and 80th percentiles in chase and whiff rates. So, he must prioritize perfecting his adjustments to make more solid, hard contact. Per James Fegan of Sox Machine, half of Vargas' 10 hardest-hit balls of the season have all come since the hand position switch. It's working, and the early results are promising.
Chase Meidroth, OF, Chicago White Sox
11% rostered
It's easy to undervalue White Sox hitters. When we see a team performing poorly, it doesn't inspire much confidence in its players. However, Vargas's rookie teammate Chase Meidorth has also performed well through the first few months of the season, but continues to fly under the radar.
Acquired in December from the Boston Red Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade, the 23-year-old debuted on April 11, 2025. He missed some time due to a right thumb injury, but has produced a .301/.381/.376 batting line in 105 plate appearances. Meidroth was likely a close second behind Vargas for AL POTW last week, considering he's put up a 1.023 OPS with a homer, two RBI, three walks, and four stolen bases in his previous seven games.
Why do we like Chase Meidroth?
— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) May 21, 2025
Home runs are few and far between for Meidroth. He totaled just 23 in 264 minor league games, but had a .285 average and .425 OBP, exemplifying his elite bat-to-ball skills. There haven't been many surprises yet during Meidroth's MLB career. He's still reaching base at a solid clip, sacrificing power for contact. Of Meidroth's 28 hits, only five have gone for extra bases. It shouldn't be shocking that Meidroth's plate discipline is also decent, having walked (12) almost as often as he's struck out (16). He's not a perfect player by any means, but the White Sox are just happy to have someone getting on base at a consistent rate.
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