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Andy's FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bidding guide for Week 17 (July 21 - July 27). His recommended FAAB dollars to spend on waiver wire adds.
Happy Saturday, RotoBallers! I hope everyone enjoyed their All-Star break, but it's now time to get back to work. Although we don't have much data from this week due to the time off, several players remain on the waiver wire in many leagues.
Our series about FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups continues as we head into Week 17 of the 2025 MLB season -- July 21 through July 27. 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
Victor Caratini, C/1B, Houston Astros
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <2% for others
The 31-year-old backstop has quietly continued to swing a hot bat and is roving to be a viable low-end C1 in standard leagues. Over his last 19 games, Caratini has gone deep seven times and held a .271/.270/.600 slash line with 21 RBI.
While his .326 xwOBA suggests he could face some regression, his above-average 17.3% K rate suggests he is a strong target for points leagues.
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <2% for others
My other backstop to target is Ryan Jeffers of Minnesota. Over his last seven games, Jeffers has posted an impressive .474/.524/.737 slash line with two doubles and one long ball.
However, unlike Caratini, Jeffers carries strong underlying metrics that could suggest he could enjoy a productive second half. The 28-year-old sits in the 78th percentile in xwOBA and the 80th percentile in squared-up rate.
Other C to consider: Kyle Teel CWS, Sean Murphy ATL
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
Since joining the Milwaukee Brewers, former first-round pick Andrew Vaughn has enjoyed a resurgence at the plate. Through his first five games with the Brew Crew, Vaughn has posted a .429/.500/1.000 line with two doubles, two home runs, and 10 RBI. Through 48 games with the White Sox this season, Vaughn posted a low .532 OPS.
Do not let his slow start fool you; Vaughn has generated an elite 91.8 mph average exit velocity, 13.5% barrel rate, and a 48.4% hard-hit rate. Vaughn is worth riding in standard leagues if you need a power boost at your CI spot.
BUILD THE ANDREW VAUGHN STATUE pic.twitter.com/DZ2RHbPBBh
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 12, 2025
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
17% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% for points leagues, <5% for others
The 23-year-old is on track to enjoy a breakout season but remains very under-rostered. Through 92 games this season, Schanuel has posted a .275/.364/.401 slash line with 17 doubles and eight home runs. He has scored 45 runs and taken 40 RBI.
While he remains primarily a player for batting average in roto leagues, he is a strong target in points leagues. Schanuel has an elite eye at the plate, posting an 11.9% K rate with a 10.9% walk rate.
Other 1B to consider: Romy Gonzalez BOS, Luke Keaschall
Luke Keaschall, 1B/2B/OF, Minnesota Twins
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12%
Keaschall made his MLB debut earlier this season and immediately made an impact, holding a .368/.538/.526 line with three doubles and five stolen bases through seven games. However, he would suffer a fractured right ulna back injury, which would put him on the 60-day IL.
The 22-year-old is now listed to begin a rehab assignment and could return to Minnesota before the end of the month. Throughout his time in the minor leagues, he has shown 20/20 vision while holding a high batting average. If you have an open IR stash, he should be viewed as a top option.
Jorge Polanco, 2B/3B, Seattle Mariners
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
The veteran was featured in my column last weekend, but is still available in 80% of leagues. Polanco enjoyed an impressive start to this season but then hit a slump in June and July. Despite being a streaky hitter, his statistics suggest he should remain a stable option in the second half.
Polanco holds an elite .290 xBA with a .356 xwOBA. If any of your league mates cut ties with Polanco after his rough two-month skid, swoop in this weekend and grab a starting middle infielder for the back half of the campaign.
Other 2Bs to consider: Romy Gonzalez BOS, Max Muncy ATH, Hyeseong Kim LAD, Luke Keaschall MIN
Noelvi Marte, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <21%
Despite missing time with injuries and stepping a portion of the campaign with Triple-A, Noelvi Marte appears to be on track for a second-half breakout. Over the last seven games, the former top prospect has held a .318/.348/.773 line with three home runs and a stolen base.
The 23-year-old possesses a high-five category upside and is a must-roster in all categories going forward.
Noelvi Marte has 100 plate appearances for the #Reds so far this season. Here are his stats:
🌟.293 AVG
🌟6 HR
🌟22 RBI
🌟52 TB
🌟7 BB
🌟.565 SLG
🌟.905 OPSA star in the making. pic.twitter.com/3pRf7nzd4E
— SleeperReds (@SleeperReds) July 13, 2025
Brady House, 3B, Washington Nationals
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
House was a popular target when he got the call to the big leagues. However, like most hitting prospects, he started off slow, which caused many impatient managers to cut ties. Don't be that manager!
Since June 27 (13 games), the third baseman has held a .278/.304/.463 line with seven runs, four doubles, two home runs, and nine RBI. Earlier this season, he hit for a .304 AVG with an .872 OPS at Triple-A. House is a strong target at the CI spot if you need power.
Other 3B to consider: Romy Gonzalez BOS
Max Muncy, 2B/SS, Athletics
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
With Nick Kurtz enjoying a breakout season, Max Muncy's recent production has gone under the rug. In his last 14 games. the former 25th overall pick has posted a .288/.339/.577 line with three doubles, four home runs, and a 15:3 K:BB. During this stretch, he has scored eight times despite batting in the bottom half of the lineup.
He is worth a look in deeper leagues if you need a middle infielder. He appears to be turning the corner and should continue to see everyday at-bats in the starting nine.
Other SS to consider: Caleb Durbin MIL, Colson Montgomery CWS, Hyeseong Kim LAD
Ramon Laureano, OF, Baltimore Orioles
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing an OF, <3% for others
Despite Baltimore's disappointing first half, veteran outfielder Laureano has continued to hit and should be viewed as a viable No. 5 outfielder going forward. Since June 23 (17 games), Laureano has posted an impressive .359/.417/.594 line with nine doubles and two home runs.
His strong .357 xwOBA, .273 xBA, and .494 xSLG suggest that while he may see a slight regression, he will remain an above-average fantasy asset going forward.
Ramón Laureano’s last 45 games:
.305 avg
9 HRs
26 RBIs
31 Runs
.942 OPSDude just shows up and plays ball. pic.twitter.com/oRHsVOu7bb
— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) July 1, 2025
Tyler Freeman, 2B/SS/OF, Colorado Rockies
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Freeman was my featured player last week, and somehow, he still sits just under the 20% roster mark. If Freeman is on your waiver wire, he should be a top priority this weekend. Don't let his jersey fool you; Freeman has been an elite fantasy contributor despite playing for one of the worst teams in the sport.
The 26-year-old has held a .340 AVG, swiped seven bags, and scored 11 runs over his last 26 games. While his power and RBI production will be low given his leadoff man in Colorado, he is a high two-category contributor (batting average and steals) and should continue to contribute to the offense with his ability to get on-base, batting in front of Hunter Goodman and Ryan McMahon.
Giancarlo Stanton, OF/UT, New York Yankees
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <17% if needing power, <3% for others
Our final hitter is Stanton. The slugger was held out of action through most of the first half due to tennis elbow in both of his arms. While it took him time to get going, Stanton has been performing as his usual self over the last two weeks.
In his last nine games, Stanton has gone deep four times, tallied 10 RBI, and scored six runs. If you need power, make sure to target Stanton. He has the highest power upside among all players available on waivers.
Other OFs to consider: Luke Keaschall MIN, Mickey Moniak COL
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target
Zebby Matthews, SP, Minnesota Twins
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <13%
The 25-year-old was the pitcher to stash back in April and somewhat lived up to the hype, as he posted a 30.1% K rate in the big leagues in May. However, he was shut down with a shoulder injury but is once again on the verge of returning to Minnesota.
He made his first rehab start since his injury and was dominant, tossing four one-hit innings against the high-powered Iowa Cubs. He struck out nine and did not allow a walk. While his career 6.19 ERA in the majors is not appealing, he has shown high strikeout upside and elite command. He is a top target this weekend.
Zebby Matthews (MIN) made a rehab start today!
He looked back to 100% as he dialed it up to 99 MPH and flexed his full arsenal en route to 15 whiffs and 9 K in 4.0 Innings pic.twitter.com/z6iCF3nKVC
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) July 13, 2025
Janson Junk. SP, Miami Marlins
21% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9%
The 29-year-old has quietly been one of the most impressive pitchers in the big leagues, allowing five runs on June 26. Following this rough outing, the right-hander has held a near-perfect 0.95 ERA with a 0.74 WHIP over his last three starts (19 innings). While he has only tallied 12 strikeouts over this stretch, he has shown elite control, allowing just two walks.
Overall, Junk carries a 100th percentile walk rate with a 58th percentile xERA. While he will see some regression in his ERA, he will remain a top WHIP contributor thanks to his dominant command.
Slade Cecconi, SP, Cleveland Guardians
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <3%
The 26-year-old has enjoyed an impressive conclusion to the first half. Over his last 39 2/3 innings of work, the right-hander has struck out 39 hitters while holding an impressive 2.72 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. In his most recent outing on June 29, Cecconi struck out a season-high nine hitters.
Should fantasy buy into the breakout? I suggest readers place their bids with caution, as his metrics are not as impressive as those of the two pitchers above him. Cecconi sits with a 4.76 xERA and a .265 xBA, which suggests he should see significant regression in the coming weeks.
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%
The setup man in Houston made my column last week and remains a top relief pitcher target. Even though he will not see any save situations (unless Josh Hader is unavailable), he can provide a substantial boost to your ratios. Through 42 1/3 innings this season, Abreu has posted a remarkable 1.70 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. He has struck out hitters at an elite 37.9% rate.
In addition to stabilizing your ratios, Abreu would also be viewed as a top-five closer if Hader were to miss any time.
Matt Strahm, RP, Philadelphia Phillies
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5% if needing saves
With Jordan Romano demoted from the closer role for the second time this season, the Phillies have relied on a committee in the ninth innings, which is very frustrating for fantasy managers. Despite being a top team in the National League, none of their relief pitchers have hit the double-digit save mark.
While they will likely look to acquire at the trade deadline, for the time being, I would give this slight edge to Strahm. Strahm has tallied three saves over his last six innings. However, he has allowed three runs over this stretch. If you need a slight boost in saves, take a flyer on Strahm.
Other RP to consider for saves: Seth Halvorsen COL, Grant Taylor CWS, Jason Adam SD
Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Monitor
Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
Look who's back! After a disastrous June, Chandler has flipped the script and appears to have broken out of his slight skid. Since July 1, Chandler has made two starts and logged 12 strikeouts in 12 shutout innings with 13 punchouts and a 1.17 WHIP.
With Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, and Bailey Falter likely to be moved at the trade deadline, Chandler has a clear path to join Pittsburgh in a matter of weeks.
Other prospects to monitor: Andrew Painter PHI
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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