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Five hot fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, streamers, and sleepers for Week 7 (2026). Undervalued hitters outperforming their ownership percentage and should be more widely owned.
The MLB season is in full swing. We are nearing the midway point in May, and throughout the first month and a half, we have seen many hitters turn in dominant performances this season and are on a breakout trajectory.
This week, we will look at another five hitters who are enjoying a productive start and determine if managers should look to pick them up off the waiver wire. As always, the names are rostered in less than 25% of all current Yahoo leagues.
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Brayan Rocchio, 2B/SS, Cleveland Guardians
15% rostered (Yahoo)
Brayan Rocchio has quietly been putting together a dominant start to the young season. Over his last 26 games, the infielder has posted an impressive .337/.380/.446 line with a strong .826 OPS. During this stretch, Rocchio has tallied four doubles, launched two long balls, and swiped seven bases, showcasing how valuable his potential skill set is for fantasy.
Overall, Rocchio carries a .281/.357/.381 line over 42 total games. He has left the yard three times while swiping seven total bags, all of which have come in the previously noted stretch. Is this near-four-week surge at the plate sustainable or just a flash in the pan?
While the 25-year-old appears to be on a breakout trajectory, fantasy managers should pump the brakes, expecting this current production to remain stable. Per Baseball Savant, Rocchio holds a solid .262 xBA, which places him in the 62nd percentile among qualified hitters. However, outside of this mark, not many of his other batted-ball marks are above average.
The 25-year-old has generated a low .317 xwOBA with a modest .359 xSLG. He has garnered a weak 30.9% hard-hit rate and a 2.4% barrel rate, both of which place him in the 14th and 10th percentile among qualified hitters. Given how weak he impacts the wall, how is Rocchio beginning to tap into his raw power?
Much of his power, especially when looking at his recent home run surge, is credited to his pull rate. Rocchio does not hit the ball hard but hits it effectively, which can produce much stronger power output despite his lower hard-hit metrics. Throughout the opening month, Rocchio has generated a 17.6% Pull AIR%, which places him above the average marks.
While this mark is a slight drop from the 20.7% Pull AIR% he generated last summer, if he continues to pull the ball effectively, his home run totals will remain somewhat stable.
Additionally, Rocchio has also made steady progress against fastballs and breaking balls compared to his previous marks. As shown below, Rocchio's xwOBA against fastballs and breaking balls are on pace to be the highest of his career by a wide margin.
Outside of his improving production against all three pitch types, Rocchio has also shown a much stronger eye at the plate. So far, the infielder carries an elite 9.0% K%, an 11-point drop from his 2025 mark, and currently places him in the 98th percentile. His BB% (9.0%) is also just below the average marks, giving him a strong profile for points leagues.
While his current power surge is unlikely to remain stable, he should remain a solid option for batting average and speed. Rocchio has 10/20 upside, making him a solid addition in all formats for those needing a boost to their middle infield.
CLE - Brayan Rocchio 3-run HR (3)
📏 357 ft | 💨 99.7 mph | 📐 35°
⚾️ 93.6 mph four-seam fastball (BAL - RHP Dean Kremer)
🏟️ Out in 21/30 MLB parksBAL (1) @ CLE (3)
🔻 5th#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/vB2AtvA3JS— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) April 18, 2026
Spencer Steer, 1B/OF, Cincinnati Reds
20% rostered
Spencer Steer was coming off another solid 2025 campaign, in which he posted a modest .238 AVG but continued to showcase his power, hitting 21 home runs and stealing seven bases. However, in the early part of the 2026 season, Steer is expected to showcase even greater power potential while maintaining high contact skills and speed.
Through the first 40 games of the season, Steer has posted a .245/.316/.439 line with a .755 OPS. He has gone deep seven times while adding six doubles with two stolen bases. Steer has yet to reach his rookie-level production in 2023, where he posted a .271 AVG with 23 home runs and 15 stolen bases, but his power surge this season is very promising.
Through the early going, his underlying marks support his rise in power. The 28-year-old has generated an elite .374 xwOBA with a .524 xSLG, suggesting he should see some promising positive regression. He has also generated a high-end 16.8% barrel rate (93rd percentile) while posting a strong 38.0% LA Sweet-Spot%.
His current 39.0% hard-hit rate is a six-point jump from his 2025 marks and even a slight two-point jump from his 2023 marks. His barrel rate is also on pace to not only double last year's rate but set a new career-high by a wide margin.
In addition to impacting the ball harder than ever before, Steer is impacting it effectively. As we noted for Rocchio, generating a higher Pull AIR% can help boost power totals for hitters who do not make loud contact. For someone making loud contact, higher pull rates can be even more effective.
So far, the Oregon product has generated a likely unsustainable 29.0% Pull AIR%, which would not only be the highest of his career but among the best in the entire sport. Even if this number drops, his hard-hit rates should keep his power totals very high.
With an 83rd-percentile sprint speed and budding power rates, Steer is emerging as a top waiver wire option ahead of a major bounce-back season. Given his current metrics, he could flirt with a 20/20 season.
Esteury Ruiz, OF, Miami Marlins
5% rostered
The 27-year-old was once a league winner for fantasy. Back in the 2023 campaign, Ruiz nearly single-handedly saved managers in the stolen base category as he willed away an eye-catching 67 bags for the Athletics (over 132 games). However, in 2024 and 2025, Ruiz appeared in just 48 total games in the big leagues and posted a low .197/.267/.368 line with only nine swiped bags.
As a result, no one even considered putting Ruiz on their draft board in 2026, even in the deepest of leagues, given his minimal role in the majors over the past two calendar years. However, Ruiz has since carved out a role in Miami and is once again showcasing his incredible speed upside.
Through 13 games with the Fish, Ruiz has swiped seven bags while holding a .227/.227/.591 line. He has hit two doubles and even gone deep twice, which is only three behind the previous career-best mark he set back in 2023.
While he is not guaranteed an everyday role, he has seen time in all the outfield positions and should continue to see an uptick while Griffin Conine is on the injured list. The main question, however, is whether Ruiz can maintain this pace or fizzle out as he did in 2024.
As expected, the outfielder sits in the 99th percentile in sprint speed, which should keep his stolen base total high. However, his weaker contact skills may prevent him from getting on base as often. Currently, his .177 xBA under the hood suggests he has greatly outperformed his current average (.227).
While he has impacted the ball harder than before (42.9% hard-hit rate), managers should expect some regression, as Ruiz was never a true power hitter throughout his career.
Another concern is that Ruiz has yet to draw a single walk and is striking out at a 36.4% rate. While his speed will allow him to "beat" expected outs, he should not be trusted to do so in most standard leagues as of now. His unclear role upon Conine's return can also significantly undermine his fantasy upside.
While he is a fine add for those in deep 15-team leagues, managers in shallow formats should instead pivot to A.J. Ewing, Sam Antonacci, or Henry Bolte when needing consistent stolen bases.
Luke Raley, 1B/OF, Seattle Mariners
15% rostered
When looking for a power boost on the waiver wire, there may not be a better target than Seattle's Luke Raley. Through 37 games, the strong-sided platoon has hit for a .250/.322/.538 slash line with four doubles and eight home runs. He has tallied 23 RBI while scoring another 16 runs.
Even though he is not an everyday option for the Mariners, when he is in the lineup, Raley has hit effectively with power. Under the hood, the 31-year-old has generated some of the best marks in the sport. He has generated an elite .390 xwOBA, .273 xBA, and a .587 xSLG, suggesting he should even see some light post-be regression, especially in his batting average.
Raley has slowed, impacting the ball at a constant rate, with a 98th-percentile barrel rate (21.7%) and a 95th-percentile hard-hit rate (53.5%). Much of this elite raw power has been driven by his rise in average bat speed. So far, Raley has generated a 75.4 mph average bat speed, which is a two-point jump from his 2025 mark, which places him in the 90th percentile among all hitters.
Lastly, as we noted for both Steer and Rocchio, getting the ball effectiveness is just as important as making hard contact. Fortunately, Raley has begun to put it all together in his sixth MLB campaign. Through the opening month and a half of play, he has generated a 30.0% Pull AIR%. While this mark is highly usable, it would be on pace to set a career-high by a wide margin.
Even if this rate drops to the mid 20.0% range, Raley could push for a 25+ home run campaign given his incredible hard-hit rates. Back in 2024, Raley hit a career-best 22 home runs for the Mariners, with a much lower 16.8% Pull AIR% and a 41.8% hard-hit rate with an 11.1% barrel rate.
Even if his current 2026 marks slightly normalize, Raley would still list well above those previous rates, suggesting he is in a prime position to have a career season.
Managers should not be concerned about his somewhat inconsistent at-bats in a platoon role. When on the field, Raley is put in the most productive positions, which will keep his production high. Those needing a potential 25+ HR power bat with a reliable batting average should prioritize Raley on the waiver wire this week.
Luke Raley (8)
Three-Run Home RunMay 8th, 2026
Pitcher: Tyler Davis
Opponent: Chicago White Sox pic.twitter.com/sUZvXgvA6Q— MarinersHR (@MarinersHR) May 9, 2026
Brandon Valenzuela, C, Toronto Blue Jays
5% rostered
Let's round out this week's column with a catcher. Brandon Valenzuela earned the call to the majors in early April after starting backstop Alejandro Kirk was shifted to the injured list. While Valenzuela first shared time behind the dish with Tyler Heineman, the rookie has begun to carve out the lead role.
Since April 29, Valenzuela has started in 11 games (did not start in three) while posting an impressive .321/.441/.679 slash line with one double, three home runs, and a 6:6 K:BB. Overall, through his first 24 MLB games, Valenzuela has carried a .226/.304/.435 line with a solid .739 OPS.
While the young backstop's current metrics are taken from a small sample of at-bats, he has generated some promising marks. Currently, Valenzuela sits with an 11.9% barrel rate and a 40.5% LA Sweet-Spot rate. His .243 xBA suggests he should see some positive regression in that metric. Given his high home run total in a short sample, Valenzuela has generated an incredible 28.6% Pull AIR%.
Progressing through the minor leagues, Valenzuela was never the most consistent power hitter (15 HRs in 113 G last season), so managers should not expect his power surge to last much longer.
However, what could keep him in the lineup is his quality of play behind the dish. Even though fantasy managers do not typically take defense into account, it matters for at-bats. Per Baseball Savant, Valenzuela currently sits in the 98th percentile in CS Above Average, 91st percentile in Framing, and 85th percentile in Pop Time.
While Kirk will see the bulk of the at-bats when he returns, Valenzuela could push this into a timeshare if he remains a solid contributor in the batter's box. For the time being, he is a fine option for those in deeper two-catcher leagues but should be avoided in all standard one-catcher formats ahead of Week 8.
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