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Five hot fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, streamers, and sleepers for Week 13 (2025). Undervalued hitters outperforming their ownership percentage and should be more widely owned.
Through the first half of the MLB season, we have seen many high-end prospects not only earn the call but also make an immediate impact in the major leagues. As a result, our FAAB budget appears quite shallow, even with just over three months remaining in the season.
However, there are still numerous hitters that will not cost you much who carry significant upside. This week will spotlight two Minnesota Twins, a budding star in Colorado, and an intriguing first baseman in Los Angeles, among others.
Which players who are widely available should be added to our roster this week? Let's dive in!
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Jordan Beck, OF, Colorado Rockies
15% rostered
After posting a modest .188/.245/.276 slash line with just six doubles and three long balls during his first 55 games of MLB action last summer, Beck was viewed more as a late-round sleeper in deep leagues during draft season. However, the former Tennessee product has taken a significant step forward in his sophomore campaign and is emerging as a solid outfielder.
Through 69 games this season, Beck has held a .270/.330/.480 slash line with 15 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, and nine stolen bases. Since June 3, Beck has been swinging a hot bat, posting an impressive .36/.373/.487 slash line.
Is his second-year breakout legit?
Currently, under the hood, Beck sits with a modest .333 xwOBA and a .249 xBA, which places him in the 51st and 38th percentile, which suggests some minor regression could be coming. However, he has hit the ball quite hard, posting a 13.1% barrel rate (81st percentile) and a 73.8 mph bat speed (78th percentile), which is a promising sign.
Looking at the chart below, Beck has shown steady progress against offspeed pitches in June (in relation to May). His production against fastballs has also remained relatively constant during the campaign. His lone blemish is his inability to hit breaking balls.
If Beck can continue to improve against this pitch, he could become a star in the second half.
Given his ability to contribute to all five standard categories, Beck is a must-add in all category leagues this weekend.
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
20% rostered
While Nolan Schanuel received most of his value in points leagues during his first two MLB seasons, given his strong eye at the plate, he is emerging as a viable corner infielder in fantasy formats in 2025.
Through 77 games this season, Schanuel has posted a .274/.363/.399 line with a .762 OPS, which are all on pace to be career-highs. He has also already hit six home runs and swiped three bags.
Is the former 11th overall pick taking another step forward in his development?
Through the opening three months, his data suggests he is. During this 77-game stretch, Schanuel has generated a .416 xSLG, which is on pace to surpass his previous career-best (.362 xSLG) by a significant amount. He has also been able to increase his barrel rate by two points and his launch angle by three points compared to 2024.
In addition, his batted ball data has also taken a step forward. The Florida Atlantic product sits with a 42.2% ground-ball rate and a 24.2% fly-ball rate, both of which are paces to be the best marks of his three-year career. His fly-ball rate against breaking pitches has seen the largest increase compared to the previous campaign.
Lastly, Schanuel has also seen steady improvements when facing fastballs and breaking balls. In 2024, he posted a modest .317 xwOBA and .322 xwOBA against these pitches. However, this summer, Schanuel has improved that mark to a .352 xwOBA and a .374 xwOBA, respectively.
If you need a corner infield, target Schanuel.
Brooks Lee, 2B/3B/SS, Minnesota Twins
18% rostered
The Cal Poly product was featured in my piece last week, and he still remains very under-rostered, especially given his production this season. Since June 1, Lee has been one of the best hitters in the majors, boasting a remarkable .364/.388/.519 slash line. During this stretch, Lee has tallied three doubles, three home runs, and swiped one base.
However, during his first 42 games of the campaign, Lee struggled at the plate, posting a low .233/.273/.340 slash line with just four doubles and four home runs.
With his stock continuing to increase each week, should fantasy managers look to acquire him, or is he fool's gold?
His Statcast page suggests he is significantly overperforming as he holds an underwhelming .297 xwOBA, .249 xBA, and a .333 xSLG. However, given his poor start, these metrics are quite skewed.
A deeper look can show us what strides Lee has taken at the plate during this surge.
Looking at the chart below, Lee has made a significant improvement against fastballs and off-speed pitches this month. However, as a result, much of his struggles have come against breaking balls as he has generated a minuscule .164 xwOBA against that pitch in June.
To see Lee continue to produce this well against fastballs and offspeed pitches in a full month sample can show us that this is more than a brief surge at the plate.
More importantly, during June, Lee has shown a strong eye at the plate and has rarely missed pitches within the zone.
Given his multi-positional eligibility, fantasy managers should look to add him to their bench this weekend. If he continues to progress at this rate, he could become a must-start MI/CI during the second half.
Parker Meadows, OF, Detroit Tigers
10% rostered
Parker Meadows was also featured in my column last week, but is still available in nearly 90% of Yahoo! leagues.
The 25-year-old missed the first two months of the campaign due to a nerve issue in his throwing arm. During his first 14 games since returning, Meadows posted a modest .146/.241/.271 slash line with just one double and a home run. However, over his last five games entering Thursday, Meadows has hit safely in all but one and has added his second double and second long ball over this stretch.
Entering the draft season, Meadows was a popular breakout pick given his impressive conclusion to the 2024 campaign. After the All-Star break last season, Meadows posted a strong .296/.340/.500 slash line with 10 doubles, six home runs, and five stolen bases.
While his current .172/.264/.328 line does not seem appealing, his metrics are right in line with his 2024 marks. Meadows has generated a .247 xBA and a .436 xSLG, both of which are higher than his 2024 .229 xBA and .378 xSLG. He has also raised his barrel rate by one point and his LA sweet-spot rate by seven points.
He may only need another few weeks to find his footing.
There are not many players on your waiver wire who carry as much upside as Meadows. If available, in your league, he is a must-add this weekend.
MAKE IT RAIN PARKER MEADOWS 💥 pic.twitter.com/qHXg3iDkAL
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 22, 2025
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins
10% rostered
The final player we will look at this week is Matt Wallner of the Minnesota Twins. Similar to Meadows, Wallner enjoyed an impressive second-half surge in 2024 and was a popular sleeper pick during draft season. However, he hit the IL with a hamstring strain on April 16 and did not return to Minnesota until May 31.
Before his injury, Wallner posted a solid .263/.373/.474 line with five doubles, two triples, and a home run, which suggested his late-season surge carried over into 2025. During the second half of the 2024 campaign, Wallner posted an impressive .272/.376/.538 line with 14 doubles and 10 long balls.
However, since returning from his injury, Wallner has been in a bit of a skid, holding a modest .156/.235/.390 line with three doubles and five home runs. During this stretch, Wallner has posted a hefty 31.8% K rate. While he has still hit for power during this slump, his high strikeout rate and low batting average have made him unplayable outside of deep leagues.
This skid has opened a window for a great buy-low opportunity. Under the hood, Wallner has generated an elite 12.5% barrel rate and a 48.9% hard-hit rate, which are both well above the average marks. In addition, during June, Wallner has posted a solid .407 xSLG and .469 xSLG against fastballs and breaking balls, which suggests he is due for some significant positive regression.
2-run homerun for Matt Wallner! pic.twitter.com/L6MkTc4d7I
— Twins.TV (@twinstv) June 21, 2025
While the 27-year-old could be a streaky hitter at times, his elite raw power makes him a must-roster in all standard 12-team leagues.
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