Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups: Mid-Week Fantasy Baseball Adds for Week 16

July 15, 2026

Dan analyzes six must-add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, mid-week adds for Week 16 of the 2026 MLB season. Grab these players ASAP off the waiver wire.

Welcome back to baseball, RotoBallers. The All-Star break was a nice respite from the grind of the season, but the second half of the fantasy baseball calendar requires your full attention. To get things started, here is a new mid-week edition of Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16 of fantasy baseball.

This week’s list is bookended by a pair of pitchers who each might see two starts in the week ahead. A hot-hitting catcher who recently returned from an extended stay on the injury list offers assistance at a position that is notoriously hard to fill. Rounding things out are a couple of outfielders and an upstart infielder with dual eligibility.

It is only July, but the moves you make now will pay off come September. Study your league standings, note where your team is lagging, and make your roster moves accordingly. If you need inspiration on who to turn to, check RotoBaller’s extensive catalog of Waiver Wire articles. For now, you can get started by checking out my Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Mid-Week Waiver Wire Adds

Shane Drohan, SP/RP, Milwaukee Brewers
33% Rostered

After bouncing between the White Sox and Red Sox farm systems since 2021, Shane Drohan finally made his MLB debut this season with the Milwaukee Brewers. At the break, the 27-year-old rookie has logged 70.0 innings and has a 4-3 record, 67 strikeouts to 20 walks, a 3.09 ERA, and 1.20 WHIP in 19 appearances (nine starts).

Drohan’s debut was an inauspicious spot start in early April, followed by a demotion back to Triple-A. The Brewers brought Drohan back up two weeks later to fill out their bullpen, and later moved him to the rotation after Logan Henderson succumbed to a back strain. Subsequent injuries to Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) and Kyle Harrison (forearm) should keep Drohan in Milwaukee’s starting five for the foreseeable future.

Drohan is performing admirably in his new role. His strikeout rate has regressed since moving from the bullpen to the rotation, but he has maintained his above-average chase (34.5%) and whiff (27.8%) rates. Likewise, his 6.7% walk rate in his most recent eight starts is virtually unchanged from his season-long rate of 6.8%.

The All-Star break does weird things to starting rotations, but Drohan’s likeliest next start will come against the Mets, which should play to Drohan’s strengths. Against left-handed pitching, the Mets own the sixth-lowest wOBA (.303), eighth-lowest batting average (.234), and tenth-lowest walk rate (8.1%). If he kicks off that series, he would be in line to start against the Rockies, who own the league’s second-lowest walk rate and highest strikeout rate against southpaws.

Milwaukee Brewers' starting pitcher Shane Drohan had his second game with 15 or more whiffs on Wednesday against the Reds. Drohan nearly threw a quality start (5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 1 HR). He was efficient with his 17 whiffs, leading to a 21.8% swinging-strike rate and a… pic.twitter.com/SK2HVaaeVL

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) July 2, 2026

Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
31% Rostered

Ryan Jeffers got off to a hot start this season. In his first 37 games of 2026, the Twins backstop had seven home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, and a .295 batting average. Over the first six weeks of the season, he looked like the answer at a position where it is typically difficult to find production that would even rate as merely satisfactory.

Unfortunately, Jeffers suffered a hamate bone fracture on May 18, stopping his stellar season in its tracks. After missing almost as much time as he had played, the 29-year-old was activated on July 10. Jeffers squeezed in two games before the All-Star break, going 2-for-8 (both doubles), with two RBI and one walk.

After having missed so much time, Jeffers’ peripherals are still a little fuzzy, but with over 100 batted balls under his belt, they are starting to take shape and look good. So far, Jeffers’ production is backed by a 14.9% barrel rate. His 15.3% walk rate is equal to his strikeout rate, which would make for career bests in both categories. For those teams just making do at catcher, it is time to entrust Jeffers with the job.

Cole Carrigg, OF, Colorado Rockies
31% Rostered

Cole Carrigg is the latest in what has seemed like a long line of Rockies to break out this year. Carrigg was promoted on June 9 and has played center field for Colorado in almost every game since. After his first 31 games in the majors, he has a .273 batting average, four home runs, 22 RBI, 23 runs, and two stolen bases.

Before he was called up, Carrigg lit it up in Triple-A. In 57 games with the Albuquerque Isoptopes, he had six home runs, 55 runs, 42 RBI, 30 steals, and a triple-slash of .338/.414/.529.

The early returns on his peripherals don’t scream five-category star, but Carrigg should be viable in multiple categories as it is. He is finding his launch angle sweet spot at a 35.9% clip, and despite his aggression at the plate, is walking at a 10.9% rate. Depending on where in the order the Rockies use him, Carrigg can make regular contributions to runs or RBI, and batting average. With 90th percentile sprint speed, he should start turning in more steals, too.

Carrigg will benefit from a six-game homestand against the Reds and Nationals to open the second half of the season. His outstanding defensive metrics should keep him in the lineup on a near-everyday basis.

Jake Mangum, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
15% Rostered

Much like Shane Drohan, above, outfielder Jake Mangum toiled away in the minor leagues for several years before making it to the big leagues. A 2019 draft pick by the Mets, Mangum finally made it to the majors with the Rays in 2025. Mangum played in 118 games last season, and while he lagged in most statistical categories, he made significant contributions in stolen bases (27) and batting average (.296).

Last year’s performance was a preview of what Mangum would bring to fantasy teams in 2026. Now with the Pirates, Mangum is up to 18 stolen bases and is carrying a .310 batting average through 76 games played. Just before the All-Star break, the Pirates moved him to the top of the order, and he responded well, going 7-for-20 with five runs and a stolen base in five games.

Mangum is good for teams needing help in stolen bases and batting average, which can be difficult to address. If the move to the top of the lineup sticks, then he should be a more consistent run scorer as well. The Pirates' next opponents are the Guardians and Yankees, who are among the worst in defending against stolen bases. Mangum could add a couple more to his tally in the coming days.

Fantasy Baseball Deep League Targets: Mid-Week Waiver Wire Adds

Anthony Seigler, 2B/3B, Boston Red Sox
3% Rostered

The Red Sox have had to handle their fair share of injured infielders in 2026. Trevor Story (groin) has been out since late May, then Isiah Kiner-Falefa (forearm) went down in mid-June, followed shortly thereafter by Marcelo Mayer (forearm). All these players hitting the injured list for extended periods have opened the door for Anthony Seigler to work his way into Boston’s lineup as the everyday second baseman.

Not only that, but the Red Sox used the 27-year-old infielder at the top of the batting order since the end of June. In 22 games this season, Seigler has a .257 batting average with two home runs, six RBI, and 13 runs scored.

His defining trait as a minor leaguer was plate discipline (17.4% carrer walk rate). As can be expected, he is not faring as well against major league pitching, but his chase (24.8%), whiff (20.7%), and strikeout (17.9%) rates are all well below league average and indicate he is adjusting. If he can improve his contact skills, he should make a mark in the batting average and runs columns.

My interest in Seigler is also motivated by Boston’s upcoming schedule. The Red Sox have a doubleheader on Friday, giving Seigler a shot at four games of production in their upcoming weekend series against the Rays. Following that are sets against the Orioles and Blue Jays. All of these AL East matchups are at home, where Seigler is hitting .308. Seigler's eligibility at both second and third base is an added bonus.

 

Cal Quantrill, SP/RP, Texas Rangers
1% Rostered

Cal Quantrill started 2026 in the Rangers’ bullpen, where he filled a long-relief role that offered no fantasy value. After a move to the rotation, Quantrill’s value might be on the rise. In his four starts going back to June 23, Quantrill has a 2.12 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

True to form, the 31-year-old is not missing many bats (19.1% whiff rate), and his strikeout rate (14.5%) is far from ideal. He has been good at limiting walks and improving since becoming a starting pitcher again, pulling his season walk rate down to 6.7%.

Having come from the bullpen, he needed some conditioning and was unable to get deep enough into games to qualify for wins. Each of his successive starts has lasted longer than the previous one, though, and as he gets stretched out, he should be in a better position to start tallying some wins.

Quantrill is likely to make his first start of the second half against the White Sox. If he leads off that series, then he lines up for a second start next week against the Mariners. He also has potential starts against the Giants and then the Angels at the start of August.

Other Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets

• Ezequiel Duran, TEX
• Merrill Kelly, ARI
• Dustin May, STL
• Bryce Eldridge, SFG
• Garrett Whitlock, BOS
• Christian Scott, NYM
• Luke Weaver, NYM
• Troy Johnston, COL
• Trevor Larnach, MIN

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