The Top First-Half Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Gems for 2025

July 16, 2025

Joey discusses the top fantasy baseball waiver wire gems from the first half of 2025. These players have been the best waiver wire pickups so far this year.

Every season, some players go undrafted in fantasy drafts and then emerge as waiver wire gems throughout the season. It happened last year with players like Reynaldo Lopez, Brent Rooker, Ranger Suarez, Paul Skenes, and Jordan Westburg. All five of those players went outside the top 250 in drafts and carried fantasy managers to championships. 

This season is no different, as there have been a handful of waiver wire players who have turned into fantasy superstars. In this article, we will look at 12 of the biggest first-half waiver wire gems for fantasy baseball. All 12 of these players were going outside the top 250 in 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. 

As a reminder, every league is different. So, some players on this list might have gotten drafted in the later rounds of your fantasy leagues and never made it to the waiver wire. However, almost all of these players were not on anyone's radar in drafts. Let's dive in and find out who makes the list. Tyler Soderstrom, Trevor Story, and Wilyer Abreu just missed the cut. 

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Hunter Goodman, C/DH, Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies catcher Goodman has been the best waiver wire pickup at the position this year. He had a predraft ADP of 375 and has been a reliable fantasy catcher for most of the first half. He is batting .280 with 17 home runs, 52 RBI, and one stolen base across 82 games this season. 

🌟 HUNTER GOODMAN IS AN ALL-STAR 🌟 pic.twitter.com/WvE7xuGwmH

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 6, 2025

Despite playing half of his games at the most hitter-friendly ballpark at Coors Field, Goodman's numbers have actually been better on the road (.295 BA, 12 HRs, 30 RBI) than at home (.266 BA, 5 HRs, 22 RBI). With the 25-year-old locked into an everyday role in this Colorado lineup, he should continue to be a strong fantasy option in the second half. 

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers

After struggling offensively for most of the 2024 season, fantasy managers stayed away from Detroit Tigers first baseman Torkelson in drafts. He batted just .219 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI across 92 games last year. However, Torkelson has bounced back in a big way this season. The 25-year-old is slashing .237/.338/.500 with 21 home runs, 58 RBI, and one stolen base across 88 games.

Although his batting average could be better, his power numbers have made him a solid fantasy option. His 21 home runs are tied with Pete Alonso for the most among first basemen, and he ranks in the top 3 in both runs scored (53) and RBI (58) at the position. Torkelson's strong power numbers should continue into the second half, especially since his 15.5% barrel rate ranks in the 92nd percentile. 

Michael Busch, 1B, Chicago Cubs

There were signs that Chicago Cubs first baseman Busch could break out in 2025. He hit 21 long balls to go with 65 RBI in his first full season in the majors last year and had every opportunity to build on that rookie campaign. Still, Busch went undrafted in most fantasy leagues with a consensus 254 ADP. 

If you were able to pick him up early in the season, you got a reliable fantasy option. Busch is batting .296 with 18 home runs, 58 RBI, and four stolen bases across 87 games. Given his all-around numbers, he has been a top-5 fantasy first baseman. No first baseman has a higher OPS than Busch in the first half (.934). 

Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays 

Very few fantasy managers even knew who Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Aranda was heading into the season. He played under 50 major league games in each of the past three seasons (2022 to 2024) and didn't show much to warrant a draft pick in most leagues. However, Aranda has easily been one of the best first-half waiver wire gems this season. 

The 2025 All-Star is batting .326 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI in 89 games. Fantasy managers should expect Aranda to remain an elite fantasy option in the second half, considering his expected batting average (.311), expected slugging (.550), average exit velocity (93.1 mph), and hard-hit rate (55.8%) all rank in the 93rd percentile or better. 

Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

It's highly unlikely that anyone grabbed Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo in your fantasy drafts in the spring. He had a 494 consensus ADP, and his 2024 numbers weren't anything special (.273 batting average, three home runs, 37 RBI, and nine stolen bases). Perdomo, though, has been a waiver wire gem to start the season. 

Geraldo Perdomo, our RISP KING

65th RBI of the season, most among MLB SS's

Now has a .341 AVG / .954 OPS with RISP this season

Dude deserves to be an all star for the Dbacks

— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) July 11, 2025

He is batting .270 at the plate with 10 home runs, 65 RBI, and 13 stolen bases through 93 games. The Diamondbacks infielder has already surpassed his career-high in home runs and RBI, and he needs just four more stolen bases to surpass his career-high total (16) from 2023. There arguably hasn't been a shortstop more consistent in fantasy than Perdomo this year. 

Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics

Even though Athletics shortstop Wilson has dealt with some injuries this season, he has been a top fantasy option when healthy. He is currently hitting .335 with nine home runs, 42 RBI, and five stolen bases in 85 games. More impressively, Wilson has only struck out 26 times out of 357 plate appearances. 

Not many fantasy managers saw this breakout coming from Wilson following a subpar start to his major league career last year. The 23-year-old hit just .250 with three RBI across 28 games in 2024. But the rookie has surely put it all together this season. He has been a hitting machine in the early going, and that shouldn't stop in the second half. 

Andy Pages, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Pages showed some signs of breaking out last season. He had a .271 batting average with seven home runs and 20 RBI in his first 52 games in 2024. However, a late-season slump really affected Pages' ADP entering the 2025 campaign. With a 457 consensus ADP, it was apparent fantasy managers didn't believe in the 24-year-old in Year 2. 

It's safe to say that we were all too low on Pages because he has turned into a top-tier fantasy option in the first half. He is currently batting .283 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI, and seven stolen bases. Given that he'll be hitting behind Teoscar Hernandez, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith in Los Angeles' lineup for the remainder of the year, he should continue to be a solid fantasy option. 

Kris Bubic, SP, Kansas City Royals

No one knew what to expect from Kansas City Royals pitcher Bubic heading into 2025. He was set to open the season as a starter after pitching out of the bullpen in 2024 following Tommy John surgery. The only problem was that Bubic struggled in that role early in his career, finishing with a 5.58 ERA in his last full season as a starter in 2022. 

Nevertheless, Bubic has looked like a completely different pitcher this year. He started to emerge as a potential pickup early on after tossing zero earned runs in back-to-back starts to begin the season. Now, the southpaw has a 2.48 ERA and 113 strikeouts across 108 2/3 innings of work. He has been one of the more surprising pitchers in the majors in the first half. 

Matthew Boyd, SP, Chicago Cubs 

Fantasy managers weren't interested in the new Chicago Cubs pitcher Boyd in drafts. He had a consensus 333 ADP and was drafted outside the top 100 at the pitcher position in most leagues. It didn't take too long, though, for Boyd to find his way onto rosters. The southpaw had a 1.59 ERA across his first three starts. 

Matthew Boyd's ranks among NL pitchers since May 28th:

Wins: T-1st (5)
IP: 2nd (48.1)
ERA: 3rd (1.49)
WHIP: T-1st (0.79)
AVG: 2nd (.178)
fWAR: T-4th (1.5)

Only Logan Webb has more starts allowing 3 ER or fewer this season pic.twitter.com/lGNngrdUHl

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 8, 2025

That success has continued for Boyd for most of the first half, as he currently owns a 2.52 ERA in 103 2/3 innings. The left-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in 17 of his 18 starts this season while carrying a solid 30.2% chase rate. The Cubs pitcher has gone from undrafted to waiver wire steal during the 2025 fantasy season. 

Andrew Abbott, SP, Cincinnati Reds 

It made sense why Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Abbott went undrafted in most leagues. He started the season on the 15-day injured list due to a shoulder strain, and he wasn't necessarily a strong stash candidate in most formats. However, the 2025 All-Star has been a reliable fantasy option this year. He currently owns a 2.07 ERA and 83 strikeouts across 91 1/3 innings pitched. 

Those fantasy managers who picked him off waivers have been rewarded big time. The southpaw has allowed one run or fewer in 13 of his 16 starts in 2025, including a nine-inning shutout with five strikeouts against the Guardians back on June 10. He has definitely been a waiver wire gem in the first half. 

David Peterson, SP, New York Mets

It is a bit surprising that New York Mets starting pitcher Peterson wasn't going earlier in 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. He finished with a 2.90 ERA and 101 strikeouts last season, yet he was going outside the top 310 in most drafts. Those who picked up Peterson earlier in the year got extremely lucky. 

The left-hander has a solid 3.06 ERA and 93 strikeouts across 18 starts. Although his strikeout rate (20.5%) is low, it's hard to ignore what Peterson has done on the mound this season. He has thrown 11 quality starts, and his 109 innings pitched rank 20th among all starting pitchers. Given how well he has pitched in 2025, he should remain a strong fantasy option moving forward. 

Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Considering what Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jacob Misiorowski has done to begin his major league career, he deserves to be on this list. He likely wasn't drafted in any leagues and only needed five starts to find his way on this list. That's because Misiorowski has a 2.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his first 25 2/3 innings pitched. 

Jacob Misiorowski, 101 mph Fastball and 97 mph Slider, Individual Pitches + Overlay.
😳😳 pic.twitter.com/W2Dv2OxBlJ

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 9, 2025

While this is a small sample size, Misiorowski is on his way to being the biggest waiver wire pickup this season. He has been electric on the mound for the Brewers and just threw six innings of one-run ball with a career-high 12 strikeouts against the Dodgers in his last start. Fantasy managers don't usually find this type of elite pitcher on waivers. 

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