X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2B and SS Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 4

Brady Grove's fantasy baseball middle infield targets for Week 4. Second basemen (2B) and shortstops (SS), for fantasy baseball owners to consider adding to their rosters to kick-off the 2019 MLB campaign.

The 2019 MLB campaign has reached Week 4, and there has been no shortage of friction and shake-ups among middle infielders on major league rosters. With many players still dealing with injuries, splitting time with their fellow teammates in hybrid platoon situations, straight-up ugly starts to the year, and the threat of prospect call-ups to take their spot, I find myself spinning on this Easter Sunday trying to make heads or tails of it all. Thankfully, a a handful of individuals have stepped up in the past week, or have displayed a specific skill set that shines bright enough to stand out among the pack.

As always, the second base and shortstop positions are notoriously lacking in waiver wire depth and are therefore quite fickle to navigate. Each week of the season, we are going to be taking a look at seven middle infielders who are worthy of acquisition (or strong consideration at the very least), and are owned in less than 50% of Yahoo Leagues. Staying on top of the injury, roster, and statistical trends regarding the middle infield positions will ensure that your team has year-long robust depth and is ready if a crisis situation were to arise.

With that, let's have at it and take a look at a fresh batch of second base and shortstop waiver wire targets for Week 4.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Week 4 Middle Infield (2B/SS) Waiver Wire Targets

Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL) - 40% Owned

24-year old Ryan McMahon has been a consensus top-100 prospect for the last few years, and he has certainly earned that distinction with 25 HR, seven SB, and a slash of .337/.379/.577 across 513 AB at Triple-A. McMahon didn't have a good rookie stint for the Rockies in 2018, finishing with five homers and a less-than pedestrian OPS of .683, but 2019 is already looking up in a big way for the Mater Dei High School alumni.

He finished this year's round of spring training with three dingers and an impressive slash figure of .439/.476/.789 through 57 AB, and has kept the ball rolling for the Rockies since his return from the ten-day IL with a left elbow sprain. Since being activated by Colorado, McMahon has already notched two HR (four XBH), one stolen base, and an OPS of .808. He is a defensively versatile player, and has already made starts at first base over Mark Reynolds and third base in replacement of Nolan Arenado. While second base is currently occupied for Colorado (by the next player we will be discussing), McMahon's meteoric rise has securely supplanted his place at first over Reynolds, and his spot directly behind Trevor Story in the batting order should make for some explosive results in Coors Field. He has been one of the most heavily added assets off of the waiver wire in the past week, so don't waste any more time deciding if this is a ride you want to be a part of.

Garrett Hampson (2B/SS, COL) - 38% Owned

While his teammate Ryan McMahon has been off to a hot start for Colorado, Garrett Hampson has coincidentally been off to...a rocky start. Over the first 20 games of the season the former Cal State Long Beach 49er has produced just one HR, one SB (in two tries), and a hideous slash of .191/.211/.294. However, despite this disappointing start to the regular season, there is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about the 24-year old replacement in the second base slot that was long occupied by DJ LeMahieu.

After three seasons and 1,233 AB in the Colorado farm system, Hampson had amassed 20 yard-knocks, a well-rounded slash of .315/.389/.457, and an incredible 123 stolen bases out of 146 attempts for an 84% success rate. Hampson's competence at the plate paired with his top-tier ability to swipe bags finally earned him a top-100 prospect distinction before 2019 by Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus. Hampson carried his minor league momentum successfully into spring training where he tallied four homers, hit for a .991 OPS, and once again demonstrated his base-running prowess with seven steals (out of nine attempts) in just 42 AB. While he has gotten off to a slow start to his first MLB regular season and he typically hits out of the #2 or #7 spot in the order, his security at second base paired with his ability to consistently reach base and steal a high volume of bases is the makeup of an extremely interesting middle infield asset. Look for his uncharacteristically high strikeout rate to subside as he adjusts to major league pitching, and his bat will start to find a rhythm in notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Willy Adames (2B/SS, TB) - 27% Owned

Another piece in the Tampa Bay Rays youth movement warrants waiver wire consideration, though this one isn't making it easy on the surface. I'm talking of course about 23-year old former top-25 prospect, Willy Adames, who has gotten off to a troubling start of just one HR and a .232/.293/.333 slash over 69 AB. While he achieved slightly more power/speed success during spring training with two homers and two steals (in three tries), he still came up extremely flat at the plate with a .627 OPS over 16 games. So we can all agree: Adames hasn't exactly set the world on fire in 2019. Despite that, there is still plenty of reason to keep him under your watchful eye.

In 751 AB at the Triple-A level, Adames produced a slightly above-average slash of .280/.358/.414, which reflects his greater skill in plate-discipline as compared to power propensity. However, in that time he also consistently displayed the ability to pair a modest yet significant power/speed game with his fantastic BA and OBP, hitting for 14 HR and stealing 14 bases in 22 attempts. This is also consistent with his major league production from 2018 in which he managed ten homers, six steals, and a slash of .278/.348/.406 in 288 AB. He typically bats near the end of the order and the Rays aren't exactly hurting for young and talented infielders, but Willy Adames appears to be valued highly enough at shortstop from a defensive perspective to remain safe in the lineup. With that being said, despite his struggles thus far in 2019, he remains an excellent candidate to put up a solid HR/SB total with a solid BA and OBP moving forward.

Jed Lowrie (2B/3B, NYM) - 22% Owned

It is rather important to note that Jed Lowrie remains on the IL with a capsule sprain in his left knee and is slated to be out until May. With that in mind, given his low rate of ownership, let's make the case for stashing the former Stanford Cardinal before it's too late. It's pretty rare that a player breaks out for the two best seasons of a lengthy MLB career at the age of 33 and 34, but that's exactly what Lowrie did for Oakland in 2017 and 2018. In those two consecutive campaigns he produced 37 HR (14 in 2017 and 23 in 2018) and slash figures of .277/.360/.448 and .267/.353/.448, respectively. He even earned his first All-Star selection and a top-20 finish in the AL MVP voting last season in his pinnacle year with the Athletics.

A change of scenery from Oakland to Queens may have been appropriate for Lowrie, considering the fact that last year he managed to produce just four homers and a .710 OPS in 284 AB at the Coliseum while he fared much better in 312 AB on the road with 19 knocks and a .282/.362/.522 slash. The drawbacks are clear: this injury paired with his age of 35 years deserves a healthy level of skepticism and trepidation, and even his best seasons are characterized by month-to-month inconsistency. Though the Mets currently sport some fresh pieces in the infield like J.D. Davis, Lowrie should be coming back from his injury with sufficient clout from the last two seasons to find his way into the third base slot, at least until the Todd-Father returns. Even then, while Robinson Cano has second base locked down, Lowrie should still carry considerably more value than Amed Rosario at shortstop. Taking that into consideration, Jed Lowrie is available in way too many leagues, and is well-worth a low-risk/high-reward stash for May.

 

For the Sneaky and Savvy

Leury Garcia (2B/SS/OF, CWS) - 7% Owned

We can all always go for a robust BA/OBP player with a high volume of steals to boot, and "El Molleto" appears to fit the bill. With a .296 BA, .344 OBP, and 63 swipes in 87 tries through 900 Triple-A AB, he commands attention for his base-running totals alone. Though he has started at a mediocre clip at the plate for the south side to start the season, he has still stolen four bases and can continue to offer speed until he begins reaching base at a more respectable pace.

Daniel Descalso (1B/2B/3B, CHC) - 6% Owned

Veteran utility man Descalso is off to a hot start in his first 51 AB for the Cubbies, mustering up one homer, one steal, and a laser-focused slash of .314/.386/.451. Addison Russell remains suspended until the start of May, and until then Descalso has a firm grasp of second base, even over Ben Zobrist. With his hot hitting and wise work at the plate, he could quite easily remain a fixture in Chicago's lineup after Russell returns, and he has plenty of opportunity to do statistical damage with a frequent slate at the top of the order.

Neil Walker (1B/2B/3B/OF, MIA) - 2% Owned

Neil Walker has definitely started trending downward at the plate since 2017, but it seems that everyone was quite quick to forget about what the 2014 Silver Slugger brings to the table. He's still hit three balls yard despite ugly results on offense to kick off the 2019 regular season, and he hit four bombs with a .500 slugging percentage across 40 spring training AB. He remains eligible across the infield, and has majority share of the work at first base in Miami. If nothing else, he is a ubiquitously available asset who is a strong bet to hit for power down the road this year.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Matt Chapman

Could Return for Start of Giants Homestand
Wyatt Langford

Expected to Return on Saturday
Yanquiel Fernández

Yanquiel Fernandez Called Up to Majors
Tyler Mahle

Dealing With Rotator-Cuff Strain
Brooklyn Nets

Ziaire Williams Expected to Return to Nets
Austin Wells

to Miss Next Two Games
Tre Mann

Set to Become an Unrestricted Free Agent
Bo Bichette

Scratched With Sore Knee
Cody Martin

to Enter Free Agency
Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Staying with Clippers
Jurickson Profar

to Return on Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz Finalize Contract Buyout for Jordan Clarkson
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Staying with Nets
Colby Thomas

Called Up From Triple-A
Shea Langeliers

A's Reinstate Shea Langeliers From Injured List
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Jalen Williams

will Undergo Surgery on Right Wrist
Bryce Harper

Activated and Starting on Monday
Deandre Ayton

Finalizing Contract Buyout with Portland
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Los Angeles Clippers

James Harden, Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves

Julius Randle Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers

Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Player Option
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF