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Nicklaus Gaut's H2H points fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for hitters in Week 1 (2026) - March 30 - April 5. Free-agent hitters to add in points leagues.
Welcome, RotoBallers, to our H2H points fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for hitters for Week 1 of the 2026 season. These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are for the week of March 30 - April 5, looking at players below ~50 percent rostered on ESPN or Yahoo points leagues.
We'll be doing this points league roundup every week here at RotoBaller because we know points players get neglected, and we're here to help. Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll highlight where players are the best and worst fits, with waiver-wire targets being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems on ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, Fantrax, and NFBC.
Position eligibility is taken from Fantrax, and players are grouped by their most valuable fantasy position, using a hierarchy of C > 2B > OF > 3B > 1B > SS.
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Waiver Wire Caveats and APR Explanation
Roster% Thresholds
We use a combination of roster percentages to assess who is in our target pool, relying primarily on Yahoo and ESPN. For some players, you'll notice a wide discrepancy between the two. This is because ESPN's roster percentage is heavily weighted by points players, with guys who don't do well in their system (often because of an inflated strikeout rate) lagging behind the Yahoo! roster percentage.
For this reason, you'll sometimes see players (especially early) who might make you question my sanity in including them in a waiver-wire article, but don't worry, it's just a necessary glitch for coverage purposes.
APR stands for "Average Platform Rank" and is the average hitter rank between the four major point platforms: ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, and Fantrax. All player data is from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant, with injury information pulled from the Roster Resource section on the former.
Fantasy Baseball First Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Nolan Schanuel, LAA, 1B (Yahoo: 27%) - Does the season even start before I start hyping up the undervalued points-excellency of Nolan Schanuel? I think not. Schanuel was valuable last season on all platforms but shone particularly bright in leagues with a strikeout penalty, finishing at #89 on ESPN, and #107 on CBS, even only playing in 132 games. After an offseason spent developing a bigger focus on power, Schanuel has already gone deep twice in his first three games, and gets six games in Week 1 (@CHC, vs SEA), with just one LHP scheduled.
Last season, Nolan Schanuel didn’t have his 2nd HR until game 15. He only had 2 until his 3rd on May 19th
Just 3 games into 2026 he has his 2nd homer pic.twitter.com/FwhuWuQfyW
— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) March 29, 2026
Listen, if you don't pick him up, I'm just going to keep talking about him.
Jake Burger, TEX, 1B (Yahoo: 18%) - The man who launched a 1,000 meat-puns is back at the grill early in 2026, going deep twice in his two games:
Jake Burger mashes away🍔#AllForTX pic.twitter.com/11q2cAuZNu
— Fireside Baseball (@FiresideBsbl) March 28, 2026
Hopefully, it'll make us forget about this:
Jake Burger DROPPED a pop up that would’ve ended the game for the Texas Rangers but Adolis Garcia went onto double and then Brandon Marsh tied the game with a single and the game is tied at 3 😬 pic.twitter.com/ahEGpDpJGR
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) March 28, 2026
Regardless, it's a fast start to a possible comeback year, and Burger should continue to hit cleanup in his six games next week (@BAL, vs CIN), but with only one LHP on the schedule.
Next Choices
Kyle Manzardo, CLE, 1B (Yahoo: 20%) - Manzardo was serviceable at times in 2025, as long as your league didn't have a strikeout league and you could work around his general ineptness vs LHPs. He slashed just .186/.253/.419 against left-handers in 2025, with a .287 wOBA and 27% K%. But in Week 1, he won't have to deal with any of those pesky wrong-handers, as the Guardians get six games of all righties (@LAD, vs CHC)
Desperate Choices
Carlos Santana, ARI, 1B (Yahoo: 1%) - Would this even be a Points Roundup without the undying presence of the former points deity, Santana? No. No, it would not be. As niche as it gets, Santana will (again) be a playable option in a week where he should pile up a mess of PAs in seven games (vs DET, vs ATL), with two left-handed starters.
On the IL
- Andrew Vaughn, MIL, 1B (fractured hamate - 4 to 6 weeks)
- Triston Casas, BOS, 1B (knee surgery - no timetable)
Fantasy Baseball Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Chase Meidroth, CHW, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 10%) - Entering Year Whatever, I Lost Count of the White Sox rebuild, it's finally time for their rotten system to start bearing fruit. Meidroth is light on power, but gets on base and rarely strikes out. As in, a 14% K% over 505 PA last season, type of rarely striking out. That's the path to points success, or, at least, it would be in a lineup better than Chicago's. Meidroth and the pale hose get six games in Week 1 (@MIA, vs TOR), with one LHP on the schedule.
Chase Meidroth opens the @WhiteSox season with a BLAST 💥 #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/9q3eo4rwk4
— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026
Next Choices
Willi Castro, COL, 2B/3B/OF (Yahoo: 24%) - If you have to go dumpster diving, wouldn't it be wise to check behind the best restaurants first? Castro is currently batting third for the Rockies and gets three games at home in Week 1, after a stop in Toronto, with just one scheduled against a left-handed starter.
Desperate Choices
Brett Baty, NYM, 3B (Yahoo: 27%) -Baty is currently batting sixth for the Mets, but you better believe all the Benge-heads believe his spot is ripe for the taking after another ho-hum campaign in 2025. He lacks the discipline to be a big asset in points without more power than he's previously brought to the table, but streaming Baty in Week one is more of a volume play, as the Mets have seven games (@STL, @SF) against mostly mediocre pitching, outside of a date with Logan Webb at the end of the week.
On the IL
- Tommy Edman, 2B/OF (ankle surgery - out until at least May)
- Romy Gonzalez, BOS, 1B/2B (shoulder - no timetable)
Fantasy Baseball Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Nolan Arenado, ARI, 3B (Yahoo: 17%) - What is dead may never die in point leagues...At least, if you have the excellent discipline of Arenado, who rode his 11.2% K% to a top-150 hitter finish in ESPN leagues last season. Impressive? Nope! But it was 50 spots higher than any other platform, once again demonstrating the passive power of discipline in a full-point K penalty format like ESPN's. Arenado and his tiny whiffs get seven games in Week 1 (vs DET, vs ATL), with two LHPs on the schedule.
Royce Lewis, MIN, 3B (Yahoo: 41%) - You know he's getting hurt, I know he's getting hurt. So why not pick him up for a few weeks of performance before that inevitability hits? Lewis and the Twins have six games (@KC, vs TB) in Week 1, with two lefties on the books, against whom Lewis slugs less, but gets on base more.
MIN - Royce Lewis 2-run HR (1)
📏 378 ft | 💨 101 mph | 📐 27°
⚾️ 92.2 mph sinker (BAL - RHP Kyle Bradish)
🏟️ Out in 30/30 MLB parksMIN (3) @ BAL (1)
🔺 5th#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/ny78tDw0Hn— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) March 28, 2026
Next Choices
Max Muncy, LAD, 3B, (Yahoo: 41%) - In order to avoid confusion for spreadsheet nerds, I hereby move that all MLB players must now abide by "Highlander Rules" when it comes to names. Sorry, Max Muncy, The Athletic - I'm tired of all you Muncys. Given Muncy's spot on the greatest baseball team ever assembled, his bat is almost always streamable, especially in a week stuffed with nothing but right-handers (vs CLE, @WSN). Facing righties last season, Muncy slashed .267/.409/.514, with a .396 wOBA and 157 wRC+.
Jordan Lawlar, ARI, 3B (Yahoo: 13%) - The long wait for a full-time (left field) Lawlar appears to be over, even if his season has started off with more of a thud than a bang. He's at the bottom of Arizona's lineup now, but with the likes of Arenado, Santana, and Alek Thomas ahead of him, Lawlar could earn a higher spot quickly. The Diamondbacks have seven games at home in Week 1 (vs DET, vs ARI), with two left-handers on the schedule.
Desperate Choices
Willi Castro, COL, 2B/3B/OF (Yahoo: 24%) - See earlier analysis.
Brett Baty, NYM, 3B (Yahoo: 27%) - See earlier analysis.
On the IL
- Jordan Westburg, BAL, 3B (sprained elbow - out until at least May)
Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
Jung Hoo Lee, SF, SS (Yahoo: 19%) - Only 19% rostered on Yahoo is fa-aar too low for Lee, who finished 2025 as the #90 hitter by Average Platform Rank (60 -131). But that average would be even higher if you leave out NFBC's #131 (a format whose points value purposefully hews closely to roto value), especially in leagues with a strikeout penalty (#60 on ESPN, #76 on CBS). Lee should probably already be rostered, but Week 1 is a good week to jump on, as the Giants get seven games, with just one coming against a left-handed starter.
Chase Meidroth, CHW, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 10%) - See earlier analysis.
Next Choices
Xander Bogaerts, SD, SS (Yahoo: 39%) - It's far too early in the season to disrespect a veteran like Bogaerts, even if his prime sailed past a long time ago. But given his plate-discipline-driven profile, his value as an asset in point leagues will linger long past the forgotten power, and Bogaerts is again projected to be a top-100 hitter by ATC in 2026, after finishing 2025 at #107 in Average Platform Rank (104-109). The Padres have six games in Week 1 (vs SF, @BOS), with two LHPs scheduled (C. Early, R. Suarez).
Desperate Choices
Carlos Correa, HOU, SS (Yahoo: 40%%) - Fantasy value in points can linger long after that of roto, if you have the right skill set. Correa's best roto days are long past him, but the veteran shortstop was still serviceable in 2025, particularly in leagues with a strikeout penalty (19% K% in 2025). It's even better if you can catch him against a bunch of left-handers, like in Week 1 (vs BOS, @ATH, three LHPs) -- Correa had 50-point bumps in his SLG and ISO vs LHP in 2025.
On the IL
- Anthony Volpe, NYY, SS (shoulder surgery - no timetable)
- J.P. Crawford, SEA, SS (shoulder inflammation - no timetable)
Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
TJ Friedl, CIN, OF (Yahoo: 26%) - Sigh...Not this again. Looks like the Friedl disrespect begins again, as he's sub-30% rostered on Yahoo even after finishing 2025 as the #72 hitter by APR. Friedl slashed .261/.364/.378 over 685 PA last season, with 14 HR, 82 R, 53 RBI, and 12 SB -- that's not something we're interested in? Grab him while you can, with Friedl getting six games in Week 1 (vs PIT, @TEX), with all but one coming against right-handed starters.
Marcell Ozuna, PIT, UT (Yahoo: 18%) - Things crashed back down to earth for Ozuna after back-to-back career years the last two seasons, as he slashed just .232/.355/.400 over 592 PA, while hitting just 21 HR after going deep a total 79 times in 2023-24. But while his roto-value took a monster hit, Ozuna was still useful for stretches in points, finishing 2025 with a 115 APR.
Ending up in Pittsburgh tends to be more of a sign that a career is coming to an end, more so than it tends to signal a resurgence, but Ozuna has a chance to prove history wrong with literally zero pressure on him. He'll get six games in Week 1 (@CIN, vs BAL), with two LHPs scheduled.
Next Choices
Carson Benge, NYM, OF (Yahoo: 40%) - Get him while you can because the rookie's Roster% is rising quickly after hitting the ground running, with a home run and stolen base in his first two games. Benge showed a profile in the minors that is very conducive to most point leagues, slashing .281/.385/.472 across three levels of the minors in 2025, while running a very points-friendly 18% K% and 13% BB%. The Mets get six games in Week 1 (@STL, @SF), with only one left-handed starter scheduled.
Brandon Marsh, PHI, OF (Yahoo: 5%) - His strong-side platoonness limits his value in roto, but Marsh's line in 2025 was probably better than you remember. Over 425 PA, he slashed .280/.342/.443, with a 116 wRC+. The Phillies are scheduled to face two LHPs in Week 1 (vs WSN, @COL), but Marsh should also get two starts against righties in Colorado.
Jordan Beck, COL, OF (Yahoo: 17%) - If Jordan Beck is getting recommended, you know what that means -- Coors must be on the table. The Rockies have to go to Toronto first, but then come back west for a three-game set against the Phillies. It would be better if there was more than one LHP on the schedule (and it wasn't Jesus Luzardo), but the Coors hammer can come for anyone, anytime, and to be fair, as long as your league doesn't have a strikeout penalty, Beck was a pretty good asset in 2025, finishing as a top-100 hitter on Yahoo, Fantrax, and NFBC.
Sal Frelick, MIL, OF (Yahoo: 27%) - There was a time in this country when a man named Sal could get respect, but that has apparently passed, as Frelick is rostered just 27% on Yahoo after finishing with a 73 Average Platform Ranking in 2025 (#83 on Yahoo). To be fair, he'll have to face two of his fellow left-handers in Milwaukee's six games (vs TB, @KC), but Frelick's point-friendly profile (2025: .351 OBP, 13% K%, 8% BB%) should continue to serve point-leaguers well in 2026.
Sal Frelick demolishes his first home run of the 2026 season 🔥 #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/Vh3dywxvnA
— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026
Desperate Choices
Willi Castro, COL, 2B/3B/OF (Yahoo: 24%) - See earlier analysis.
Jake McCarthy, COL, OF (Yahoo: 2%) - Ahh, remember that moment in time when Jake McCarthy was a thing? Good times. Well, guess what? He's now batting leadoff at the Coors Field Fantasy Rejuvenator (against RHPs, anyway) and is suddenly relevant for home games. With the Rockies going home for a set (@TOR, vs PHI) and only one leftie currently scheduled, that relevance could start now.
Cedric Mullins, TB, OF (Yahoo: 9%) - Yes, that Cedric Mullins. Batting in the middle of Tampa Bay's lineup, Mullins is a playable option in weeks where he's not staring down a bevy of left-handers. Like in Week 1, when Tampa is only scheduled to face one LHP in their six games (@MIL, @MIN).
On the IL
- Mickey Moniak, COL, OF (sprained finger - no timetable)
- Lars Nootbaar, STL, OF (heel surgery - no timetable)
Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups
Best Choices
J.T. Realmuto, PHI, C (Yahoo: 23%) - Before we head down to the future in Baltimore, we can't forget about the past that's still going. Realmuto may be old, but he's not done, especially in point leagues. Realmuto finished as a top-150(ish) hitter on all platforms in 2025, and still has the all-around skill set to be successful in points as long as he's getting the PAs. The Phillies have six games in Week 1 (vs WSN, @COL) that are all against substandard pitching, with an added bonus of three games in the thin air of Colorado.
Ryan Jeffers, MIN, C (Yahoo: 7%) -It might be too early in the year to desire streaming a catcher, but Jeffers is a great option if you're in the market. The Twins have six games in Week 1 (@KC, vs TB), with four of them scheduled vs LHPs. Do you know who Jeffers loves to smash? That's right, lefties. In 145 PA vs LHP in 2025, Jeffers slashed .313/.462/.420, with a .396 wOBA and .376 xwOBA.
Samuel Basallo, BAL, C (Yahoo: 41%) - The ballyhooed rookie might not be available in your league, but if he is, go ahead and grab him ahead of what could be a strong week. Baltimore gets six games in Week 1 (vs TEX, @PIT), with no left-handers (but one Jacob deGrom) on the schedule.
On the IL
- Kyle Teel, CHW, C (strained hamstring - out until at least late-April)
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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