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Mike's fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters to add as category boosters for Week 14 of 2025. His top hitters to pick up or stream for HR, RBI, SB, AVG, and runs.
Welcome back to our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters - Category Boosters column for Week 14 of the 2025 MLB season. It's time to shake off our disappointment and sever ties with those players who are not contributing to our bottom line. By now, we have a pretty good idea of what our teams are and where we might need to augment our statistical categories. It can be challenging, but tough calculus awaits us all.
This week marks the start of July, and with that, the upcoming All-Star break will give us a better chance to accurately reflect on whether our teams are contenders or pretenders. We have a variety of enticing options for you, no matter your league.
We will aim to give you three options for each of the five offensive categories in a standard five-by-five league. Our rule: All hitters will be listed according to their percentage of rostered players on Yahoo!, with a maximum of 50 percent. Let's look at names that might be under the radar, but who can help you now.
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Runs Scored (R) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Josh Smith, 1B/3B/SS/OF, Texas Rangers (36% rostered)
Smith continues to make the most of his chances in Texas. The four-position eligibility helps him stay in the lineup. Smith hit .311 with three home runs, nine RBI, two stolen bases, and a very nice 18 runs scored in June. With third baseman Josh Jung being relegated to Triple-A on Wednesday, that opens up even more potential playing time for Smith, who is currently batting leadoff. This useful player might not be flying under the radar much longer.
Caleb Durbin, 2B/3B/SS, Milwaukee Brewers (16% rostered)
This is not Durbin's first appearance on this list. Traded to the Brewers in the Devin Williams trade, it took some time for Durbin to get the necessary experience to put together major league at-bats. And he has done that in June, hitting .296 with three home runs and 18 runs scored from the bottom third of the Milwaukee lineup. Durbin qualifies at three infield positions, which means you can use him all over your lineup when needs arise. Durbin raised his batting average 30 points in June as well. With the dearth of good second base options out there right now, consider Durbin.
Ramon Laureano, OF, Baltimore Orioles (15% rostered)
Laureano was an afterthought to many fantasy players after some nondescript years, but he is back playing well and regularly in Baltimore. His outstanding defense has allowed him the opportunity to play more, and injuries have further opened the door. The veteran hit .312 in June, with four homers, 16 RBI, and 19 runs scored, nearing the league lead for the month in RBI and runs. Note below that Laureano's wOBA is back up this season after three years of mediocre and mostly bench play. Roster him while he is hot and has this opportunity.
Home Runs (HR) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins (40% rostered)
Stowers got off to a great start in April, hitting .321 with four home runs and 17 RBI before cooling off to .250 in May. However, he did hit six home runs then, and has followed that up with a solid June: .260, three home runs, 11 RBI, and 13 runs scored. The thing is, all three of the home runs were hit in the last week of June, and he started July off on Tuesday with another one, giving him 14 on the season. Given the fact that he is currently rostered in only 40% of Yahoo leagues, this is a great opportunity to add a young hitter with assured playing time to your roster. Look at all that red in his Statcast data below.
Gary Sanchez, C, Baltimore Orioles (19% rostered)
Sanchez was not scheduled to get much playing time in Baltimore, but then all of its catchers were lost to injury seemingly overnight. Always known for his power, that is why Sanchez is included this week. In 53 June plate appearances, he hit .354 with four home runs, 18 RBI, and 11 runs scored. Keep in mind that he only started playing regularly mid-month. Sanchez is great in two-catcher leagues right now. There should be ample playing time, at least through the All-Star break.
Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B, St. Louis Cardinals (6% rostered)
Gorman has never hit for a high batting average in his career, and he still strikes out too much, but the one thing he does well is hit the baseball hard when he hits it. Pressed into regular playing time at third base and designated hitter, Gorman hit a usable .256 with six home runs and 16 RBI in June, and could move up in the order due to injuries to Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado. He's worth a pickup if you need power.
Runs Batted In (RBI) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Otto Lopez, 2B/SS, Miami Marlins (43% rostered)
Lopez is being gobbled up in leagues all over fantasy, and rightfully so. His 22 RBI in June, a whopping 15 of them over the last 10 days, led the National League. He chipped in four homers, four stolen bases, and 17 runs as well. After waiting six weeks for him to show signs of life, many players dropped Lopez. He is worth rostering now in any format, especially if you (like most others) need middle infield help. 
Trevor Story, SS, Boston Red Sox (35% rostered)
Raise your hand if you knew Story was among the MLB leaders in RBI last month with 23. He is only hitting .238 on the season, but has 12 home runs, 47 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. In June, he hit .286 with five homers, 23 RBI, four stolen bases, and 15 runs. Story is a solid play if you are looking for counting stats, while most fantasy players are sleeping on him.
Joey Ortiz, 3B/SS, Milwaukee Brewers (7% rostered)
Yes, Ortiz has ranked as one of the worst hitters in baseball over the season's first three months. But he has come on strong since mid-June: he has 11 RBI over the last week and has also launched four home runs. Grab Ortiz while your league mates are prepping for the holiday this weekend.
Stolen Bases (SB) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Zach McKinstry, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Detroit Tigers (39% rostered)
McKinstry just keeps finding ways to be useful on the baseball field. He doesn't have a ton of power or knock in lots of runs, but he does score runs (42 on the season) and steal bases. McKinstry has 10 steals in 2025, with seven of those coming in June. He is a good bet to continue to register playing time, holding down third base for a surging Tigers team.
Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays (32% rostered)
People don't seem to like Simpson because they see a one-trick pony. There is no power in this profile, but Simpson is hitting a robust .296 and has 23 stolen bases, with four of those coming after his recall from Triple-A on June 24th. Simpson can help the right squad.
Jacob Young, OF, Washington Nationals (2% rostered)
Young is back in the lineup for the Nationals, manning center field and using his outstanding glove and speed to be a consistent presence in the lineup. As seen below, he is elite in both facets. He also doesn't swing and miss or strike out much. What he does very well is steal bases: he stole four in the last week of June, and should continue to get the green light when he is on base. Roster Young for cheap speed.
Batting Average (AVG) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Ernie Clement, 1B/2B/3B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays (36% rostered)
Clement is having a breakout season despite the fears that a lack of playing time might kill his value. Yet, he has played first base, third base, and shortstop over the last week. Clement hit .354 last month and is hitting .304 overall. If you need batting average help, consider Clement.
Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers (19% rostered)
It's easy to forget that Carter is a three-year veteran at only 22 years of age. There is still growth that will happen here, but he is a usable player at this time. Carter hit .333 in June through 76 plate appearances, and hit three home runs and stole five bases to boot. He will likely end the season as a 15/15 guy, which can help many fantasy rosters currently dealing with injury and ineffectiveness.
Kyle Teel, C, Chicago White Sox (7% rostered)
Finally, we cover one of my new favorite players, Kyle Teel. What I noticed about Teel, besides his .319 batting average last month, is that he has four doubles over the last week after having zero extra-base hits in his first 40+ plate appearances. He is not a big power guy, but a gap-to-gap style hitter who should continue to hit for average with home run numbers in the teens. Teel is a great addition in two-catcher leagues immediately.
I hope this helps you out! Good luck and happy hunting, RotoBallers! You can always message me @mdrc0508 on X to complain about picks or make other suggestions!
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