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Andy's FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bidding guide for Week 16 (July 14 - July 20). His recommended FAAB dollars to spend on waiver wire adds.
The All-Star break is here! The first half of the fantasy baseball season is in the books, but that doesn't mean it's time to tune out. There are several high-end players on the waiver wire who could provide your team a much-needed boost.
Our series about FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups continues as we head into Week 16 of the 2025 MLB season -- July 14 through July 20. This waiver wire article will recommend free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
Each week, I will break down at least one player from each position with ownership percentages under 40 percent in Yahoo! leagues who could improve your roster and provide you with an added boost in several categories. Let's get to it!
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters to Target
Carlos Narvaez, C, Boston Red Sox
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <2% for others
The Boston Red Sox backstop has continued to hit and is proving to be a viable low-end No. 1 heading into the All-Star break. Over his last 12 games, Narvaez has posted a strong .319/.346/.511 line with three doubles and two home runs.
While his .233 xBA and .313 xwOBA suggest he may see some regression during the second half, he continues to see ample opportunities in an emerging lineup. He is a must-add if available in two-catcher leagues.
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <2% for others
My other catcher to target is Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins. After going 0-for-15 during the last week of June, Jeffers has found his footing in July. Over his last four games, the backstop has hit one double, a home run, and brought in four runs.
This is a positive sign as Jeffers boasts above-average metrics. His xwOBA places him in the 79th percentile and xSLG in the 63rd percentile. If looking for a power boost at your No. 2 catcher slot, take a flyer on Jeffers.
Other C to consider: Kyle Teel CWS
Colt Keith, 1B/2B/3B, Detroit Tigers
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <20%
Colt Keith was my featured player last week and enjoyed another productive week at the plate. Over his last eight games, Keith has posted a remarkable .464/.516/.821 line with four doubles and two home runs.
Since the start of June, Keith has held a .326 AVG with seven doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI, and 13 runs (across 30 games). This may be your final week to grab Keith off the waiver wire. The former highly-regarded prospect boasts a .374 xwOBA under the hood. He could be in store for a massive second half.
Given his ability to play first, second, and third base on most platforms, he is a must-add.
How is Colt Keith only 20% rostered? #RepDetroit
Last 11 G: .438/.477/.744, 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI
.374 xwOBA, .283 xBA, .496 xSLG 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UDbIFCu4Lu— Andy Smith (@A_Smith_FS) July 10, 2025
Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals
29% rostered
FAAB Bid: <20%
After being viewed as a must-target following his promotion to the majors, it appears many impatient fantasy managers cut ties with the building star after posting a .144/.194/.237 line through his first 26 games. However, no matter how talented a prospect Caglianone is, it takes time to adjust to MLB pitching.
Since July 4, Caglianone has gone deep twice and added a double. Earlier this season, he hit six home runs in just 12 games at Triple-A. His upside is immense, and he could finally be turning the corner.
Romy Gonzalez, 1B/2B/3B/SS, Boston Red Sox
8% rostered
FAAB Bid: <4%
While Romy Gonzalez has eligibility at most infield positions, the Red Sox have typically deployed him at first base. Over his last nine games, the 28-year-old has been one of the most productive bats in the game, posting a .471/.459/1.000 line with five doubles, three home runs, and 12 RBI.
While he has only appeared in 42 games, he carries impressive metrics that suggest he could be in the midst of a late-career breakout season. Gonzalez will likely take a step back after the All-Star break and could be in danger of losing opportunities with Alex Bregman back in action.
Still, given his recent production and ability to play in multiple positions, he is a strong utility bench option going forward.
Other 1B to consider: Abraham Toro BOS
Caleb Durbin, 2B/3B/SS, Milwaukee Brewers
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
After a slow start to his MLB career, the rookie infielder has flipped the script and been one of the most productive infielders over the past few weeks. Since June 12 (23 games), Durbin has held an impressive .360/.430/.453 line with one double, two home runs, and three stolen bases. During this stretch, he has scored 17 runs and tallied nine RBI.
Last season at Triple-A, Durbin swiped 29 bags while holding a .287 AVG. During is a strong target if looking to boost your stolen base and run total, while holding an excellent batting average.
Brice Matthews, 2B/SS, Houston Astros
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <13%
In a surprising move, the Houston Astros promoted their top prospect Brice Matthews before their game on Friday evening against the Texas Rangers. Matthews is considered the top-ranked prospect in their system on MLB.com and the No. 98 overall prospect.
Matthews was very productive at Triple-A this season, holding a .283/.400/.476 line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 25 stolen bases. Given his ability to contribute to all five standard categories, he is worth adding in all 12-team formats.
Other 2Bs to consider: Hyeseong Kim LAD, Colt Keith DET, Max Muncy ATH
Jorge Polanco, 2B/3B, Seattle Mariners
17% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Jorge Polanco appeared to be on a resurgent campaign in April after posting a remarkable .379/.422/.862 line. However, during May and June, the veteran infielder held a .183/.249/.255 line, which caused many managers to cut ties with him.
Since the start of July, Polanco has begun to find his footing, posting a .292/.393/.667 line with three doubles and two home runs. While his April production was not sustainable, his .352 xwOBA and .286 xBA suggest he will be a solid infielder going forward.
SEA - Jorge Polanco Solo HR (13)
📏 Distance: 417 ft
💨 EV: 107.1 mph
📐 LA: 30°
⚾️ 96.9 mph four-seam fastball (NYY - RHP Cam Schlittler)
🏟️ Would be out in 30/30 MLB parksSEA (2) @ NYY (4)
🔺 4th#TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/rmtmaCa8Jd— MLB Home Runs🚀 (@MLBHRs_) July 10, 2025
Jake Burger, 1B/3B, Texas Rangers
35% rostered
FAAB Bid: <16% if needing HRs, <6% for others
Jake Burger had a disastrous start ot his tenure in Texas but has begun to find his swing. Since June 1, Burger has held a .260/.290/.427 line with four home runs and four doubles. However, under the hood, the sluggler boasts a strong. 471 xSLG with an 82nd percentile barrel rate and 80th percentile hard-hit rate.
The 29-year-old is not a strong target if looking for batting average help or a corner infielder in a points league. However, he likely carries some of the highest power upside on your waiver wire.
Other 3B to consider: Colt Keith DET, Romy Gonzalez BOS
Ernie Clement, 1B/2B/3B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7% if needing batting average, <3% for others
The multi-positional Toronto infielder was featured in my column a few weeks ago and is nearing the 40% mark. The 29-year-old has been a reliable bat in the heart of the Toronto lineup, boasting a .302/.358/.326 line over his last 23 games.
His .271 xBA usage suggests he should remain a viable high-end batting average contributor in the second half. However, his 25.0% hard-hit rate makes him a true one-category contributor with the upside to score runs, given how often he can get on base.
Tyler Freeman, 2B/SS/OF, Colorado Rockies
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
Tyler Freeman may be the most underrated hitter in baseball over the past month. Over his last 33 games (since June 1), the 26-year-old has posted an incredible .394/.477/.523 slash line with 17 runs, nine doubles, and nine stolen bases. In fact, six of those stolen bases have been tallied in his last 15 games, which suggests he is becoming more comfortable in that facet of the game.
While his RBI and home run totals will be very low, Freeman appears to be your best bet to save your batting average while tallying a respectable amount of runs and stolen bases.
Longest active on-base streaks:
22 - Tyler Freeman
21 - Gleyber Torres
20 - Christian Yelich
19 - Jo Adell
18 - Aaron Judge pic.twitter.com/lXC0oKMnUH— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 9, 2025
Other SS to consider: Caleb Durbin MIL, Colson Montgomery CWS
Masataka Yoshida, OF, Boston Red Sox
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% in points leagues, <4% for others
After missing nearly the entire first half of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery, Yoshida made his season debut on July 9. In this game, Yoshida went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
During his first two seasons in the majors (2023, 2024), Yoshida posted an overall line of .285/.343/.433 with 25 total home runs. During these seasons, he struck out at a mere 14.0% and 12.4% rate, respectively. While he is not a target for power, Yoshida is a high-floor play, especially in points leagues, given his high batting average and strong eye at the plate.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9%
Moving to Colorado has helped the former first overall pick significantly. Through 77 total games with the Rockies this season, Moniak is on pace to smash his previous career highs as he holds a .256/.304/.525 line with nine doubles, six triples, 13 home runs, and five stolen bases.
Over his last eight games, Moniak has held a .455/.478/.955 line with two home runs and two stolen bases. Sitting with above-average marks in xSLG, hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and bat speed, Moniak should continue playing well at Coors Field.
Mike Tauchman, OF, Chicago White Sox
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <2% in deeper five-outfielder leagues, <1% for others
Despite playing for one of the worst teams in baseball, Mike Tauchman has quietly been a productive hitter. Through 41 games, the veteran outfielder carries a .297/.379/.459 line with four home runs. In his last 10 games, Tauchman has posted a .395 AVG with three doubles.
While his home run count will not be high, Tauchman should continue to produce an elite batting average with high scoring potential serving as the leadoff man against right-handed pitching and holding an elite 11.2% walk rate.
Other OFs to consider: Ramon Laureano BAL, Tyler Freeman COL
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target
Cam Schlittler, SP, New York Yankees
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12%
After losing Clarke Schmidt to season-ending Tommy John surgery, the Yankees opted to promote one of their top prospects, right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler. Schlittler made his MLB debut on Wednesday evening against the Mariners and pitched quite well. He tossed 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball with four hits, two walks, and seven punchouts en route to picking up the victory.
Earlier this season, Schlittler logged 76 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A and posted a strong 2.82 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, with a 99:26 K:BB. He should have a clear path to remain in the rotation until Luis Gil (lat) is cleared to return.
Slade Cecconi, SP, Cleveland Guardians
11% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
Slade Cecconi continued to dominate as he struck out a season-high nine batters en route to defeating the Houston Astros on Wednesday evening. Since June 1, Cecconi has held an impressive 2.72 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP across 39 2/3 innings.
While his success should not be diminished, fantasy managers should spend with caution. Under the hood, he holds a 4.76 xERA and a .265 xBA. His primary pitch, his four-seamer, has a high .430 xwOBA.
David Festa, SP, Minnesota Twins
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
Despite having two "blow-up" starts, the right-hander has been rather impressive since returning to the big leagues. Removing those two eight-run explosions, Festa has posted a strong 3.38 ERA, a stellar 0.86 WHIP, and a 24:8 K:BB over his last 26 2/3 innings.
In his last three outings, Festa has struck out 16 hitters in 17 innings while holding a 3.18 ERA. After a tough MLB debut last season, Festa appears to be turning the corner in the majors.
Other SPs to consider: Trevor Rogers BAL, Brandon Walter HOU, Eric Lauer TOR, Adrian Houser CWS
Bryan Abreu, RP, Houston Astros
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <1%
With all of the "top" save options sitting above the 40% rosterhip mark, I would suggest you stash Bryan Abreu if you have an open RP spot. Abreu has been deployed as the top setup man behind Josh Hader and has been nothing short of dominant. The right-hander has held a 1.52 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP through 41 1/3 innings.
He has struck out 64 hitters while tallying 22 holds. If Hader were to miss time with an injury, Abreu would be a top waiver wire target.
Grant Taylor, RP, Chicago White Sox
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing saves
My other choice is more conventional. Grant Taylor was recently promoted to the majors and has typically been deployed as the go-to option in the ninth inning. Over his last 10 1/3 innings, Taylor has tallied three saves while holding a 3.48 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP.
Saves will be hard to come by in Chicago, but he possesses elite strikeout upside and will significantly improve your WHIP ratio.
Other RP to consider for saves: Seth Halvorsen COL, Jason Adam SD
Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Monitor
Chase DeLauter, OF, Cleveland Guardians
1% rostered
FAAB Bid: <3%
Chase DeLauter has been nothing short of dominant in his first extended look at Triple-A and is on the verge of reaching the majors. Through 33 games with Triple-A Columbus this season, DeLauter has reached safely in every single game while holding a .279/.386/.475 line with seven doubles and five home runs.
Outside of right-handed pitcher Andrew Painter, there is not a prospect with as much short-term upside as DeLauter.
Chase DeLauter 💣 .
He's now gotten on base in 37th straight games.pic.twitter.com/31288jVTWh
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) July 10, 2025
Other prospects to monitor: Andrew Painter PHI
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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