Waiver Wire Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Pickups for Week 22 (Hitters and Pitchers)

August 23, 2026

Updated fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings for Week 22 of the 2026 MLB season. These are free agent options to add off waivers, and our rankings will help you prioritize.

Summer is winding down, with just about a week left in August. At RotoBaller HQ, we are back with more waiver wire advice to help managers make a push into the standings with our fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings for Week 22 (August 24 - August 30) of the 2026 MLB season. 

On Saturday, Mariners top pitching prospect Kade Anderson made his MLB debut against the Cubs. Anderson was solid in Big-League debut, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five across 5 2/3 innings. On the injury note, Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hand fracture. Nationals star shortstop CJ Abrams has missed three straight games with an injured ankle.

As always, we are here to help you prioritize which player to add using our waiver wire rankings article. This edition features players such as Kade Anderson, Max Clark, Angel Genao, Ben Joyce, Lawrence Butler, Zac Veen, Abimelec Ortiz and more, who are listed in our initial waiver wire rankings. Read more to see where these players rank in our waiver wire rankings for the week ahead.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Rankings

Waiver wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league - depending on the league size:

The roster percentage is from Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outlooks

Some of the top names include Walker Jenkins, Kade Anderson, Kodai Sengai, Justin Martinez, and Tyler Mahle. We recap why these players rostered under 70% in Yahoo! leagues should be on your waiver wire radar:

Walker Jenkins, Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins is producing nicely this month at Triple-A St. Paul with five homers and eight RBI while hitting .379. Jenkins missed a large portion of the beginning of the season with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. That injury set back his timeline for advancing to the major leagues, and he is still looking to prove full health to his organization.

Jenkins was a first-round pick in 2023 and has advanced nicely in the minor leagues. At age 21, he is primed for a shot at the big leagues with a 60-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 55-grade speed. The left-handed hitter has hit well in limited action at St. Paul this season with nine homers and 23 RBI in 65 games at the Triple-A level with a .294 batting average. Jenkins is looking for an opening to play in Minnesota, and he will be a big asset for fantasy managers if given the chance.

Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson will make his major league debut on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, and the left-hander is talented enough to win leagues for fantasy managers. Anderson was called up from Double-A Arkansas to make his start on Saturday, and he did nothing to disappoint while with the Travelers. He compiled a 10-1 record with a 1.06 ERA and 0.64 WHIP to go with 135 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings pitched.

The top overall prospect for the Mariners, Anderson is considered one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball. The 22-year-old boasts a 60-grade fastball and changeup combination to go with a 55-grade curveball and slider. The 2025 first-round draft pick rose through the minors seemingly easily to make his MLB debut, and he has the stuff to reward fantasy managers who stashed him.

Kodai Senga, New York Mets

New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga is attempting to reinvent himself as a relief pitcher. Senga has been working as a closer lately and has pitched extremely well in that role. In August, Senga has allowed only one earned run while recording four saves in six appearances. The expectation is that Senga will continue as the closer until Devin Williams (shoulder) returns, likely in September.

Fantasy managers seeking help in the relief pitcher department should consider adding Senga while he's still the closer. Williams figures to take over as the closer once he's healthy, but it's unclear when that'll be right now.

Justin Martinez, Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez recently made his season debut after missing a majority of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Martinez threw a scoreless inning against the Boston Red Sox during his season debut on Tuesday. He is pitching in low-leverage situations right now, but could work his way into the closer role in Arizona.

Martinez earned 14 saves between the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the D-Backs. This team doesn't have a lockdown closer right now after Paul Sewald lost the job and was designated for assignment. Martinez could quickly slide into the role if he continues to pitch well. He's someone to watch as a possible stash in September.

Tyler Mahle, Atlanta Braves

Since being acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle has gotten hot on the mound. Across 18 2/3 innings (three starts) for the Braves, Mahle has allowed just three earned runs while recording 19 strikeouts. The 31-year-old's overall line for the season isn't great, as he's recorded a 4-10 record with a 4.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 113 1/3 innings (21 starts).

However, Mahle is now in a much better position to rack up wins following the move to Atlanta, and pitching for a contender may have been the jolt he needed to revitalize his 2026 campaign. Mahle had an extended stretch of high-end production as recently as 2025, when he pitched to a 2.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 86 2/3 innings (16 starts) with the Texas Rangers. As a matchup-dependent streamer, fantasy managers should consider Mahle on the waiver wire.

First Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Second Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Third Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Outfield Waiver Wire Rankings

Catcher Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Closer/Reliever Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Week 22 Waiver Wire Roundup for Fantasy Baseball

In addition to these waiver wire rankings, we have also put together an assortment of fantasy baseball waiver wire articles. You can see the full roundup below to help prepare you for waiver wire runs:

• Andy Smith's waiver wire pickups (Premium)
• The Cut List: Time to let go? Who to consider dropping
• Hitter Streamer- Fantasy Baseball Hitter Pickups
• RotoBaller Staff Roundtable Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22
• FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 22
• Starting pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 22
• 7 Must-Add waiver wire pickups for Week 22

Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool

Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool:

Who Should I Pickup?

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2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players like Joshua Baez, Kade Anderson, Brandon Pfaadt, Kyle Leahy, Kodai Senga, Justin Martinez, Walker Jenkins, Hogan Harris, Max Clark, George Lombard Jr., Tyler Stephenson, Gage Jump, Rafael Flores Jr., Alec Bohm, Abimelic Ortiz, Clay Holmes, Walbert Urena, Angel Genao, and Lawrence Butler. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.

Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.

Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like: Joshua Baez, Kade Anderson, Brandon Pfaadt, Kyle Leahy, Kodai Senga, Justin Martinez, Walker Jenkins, Hogan Harris, Max Clark, George Lombard Jr., Tyler Stephenson, Gage Jump, Rafael Flores Jr., Alec Bohm, Abimelic Ortiz, Clay Holmes, Walbert Urena, Angel Genao, and Lawrence Butler.