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Andy's FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bidding guide for Week 20 (August 11 - August 17). His recommended FAAB dollars to spend on waiver wire adds.
Happy Saturday, RotoBallers! This week, we will take a look at some emerging power hitters that are nearing the 40% roster mark. In addition, we will highlight two multi-positional infielders who could be valuable assets down the stretch.
Our series about FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups continues as we head into Week 20 of the 2025 MLB season -- August 11 through August 17. 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. Be sure to follow RotoBaller MLB and me on X for all your fantasy baseball needs this season. Let's get to it!
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters to Target
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing a catcher, <5% for others
Since returning from the paternity list, the Minnesota backstop has tallied a hit in each of his last eight games. During this stretch, Jeffers has held a .313/.333/.500 line with three doubles and a home run.
Sitting with above-average .342 xwOBA, he is a reliable low-end C1 in all formats going forward as he should see close to every day at-bats.
Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <1% for others
The 24-year-old has produced all throughout his rookie season, but has struggled to earn consistent at-bats. With Marcell Ozuna now seeing time at DH once again, Baldwin has once again been backed to a real-time timeshare with Sean Murphy beginning the dish.
While he is a borderline C1 in one-catcher leagues, he remains a must-roster in all two-catcher formats. His .371 xwOBA and .291 xBA place him in the 86th and 91st percentiles among qualified hitters.
Other C to consider: Dillon Dingler DET
Spencer Horwitz, 1B/2B, Pittsburgh Pirates
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
Over the last two weeks, Horwitz has quietly been one of the most productive hitters in the game. Over his last 15 contests, Horwitz has held a .382/.443/.618 slash line with four doubles, three home runs, and an impressive 15 RBI. He has consistently been placed at the top of the lineup when facing right-handed pitchers.
While he continues to sit against southpaws, given his elite contact skills, he should continue to be a strong outfielder to boost your average and counting stats, despite playing in a subpar lineup.
Clear the second deck, Spencer Horwitz's second homer is coming! pic.twitter.com/4BSLYEajNq
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2025
Coby Mayo, 1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
Following the departure of Ryan O'Hearn, Ramon Laureano, and Ramon Urias, Mayo has seen an increase in the likelihood of finally earning a full-time role in the Baltimore offense. While he hit a bit of a skid this week, he still holds a strong .275/.383/.500 line with three home runs over his last 14 games.
While his overall production in the majors may not be too impressive, he has once been viewed as a top hitting prospect at Triple-A. If he continues to see everyday at-bats, Mayo could find his footing in the majors. He is not a "lineup lock" yet, but he is a strong high-upside Stahs option to hold on our bench.
Other 1B to consider: Lenyn Sosa CWS, Luke Keaschall MIN, C.J. Kayfus CLE
Luke Keaschall, 1B/2B/OF, Minnesota Twins
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <18%
After missing nearly three months due to a forearm fracture, Keaschall returned to Minnesota this week and immediately made an impact. Over his first two games back in the majors, the former second-round pick has gone 4-for-9 with two doubles, a home run, and six RBI.
Before his injury, Keaschall looked just as productive in Minnesota, swiping five bags with a .368 AVG through his first six games. The sample size is small, but the results cannot be understated.
Other 2Bs to consider: Lenyn Sosa CWS, Ernie Clement TOR
Lenyn Sosa, 1B/2B/3B, Chicago White Sox
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
If you thought his performance was a fluke, think again. Over the last 11 contests, the multi-positional infielder has posted a remarkable. 410/.455/.744 slash line with one double, four home runs, 11 RBI, and eight runs.
In fact, Sosa could remain a solid middle infielder as we advance through the second half, as suggested by his elite .283 xBA and 39.2% LA sweet-spot rate.
Ernie Clement, 1B/2B/SS/3B, Toronto Blue Jays
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <13%
Need to bulk up your run count? Another multi-positional infielder that has gone quite under the radar is Clement. The 29-year-old has continued to see every day starts in this lineup, covering numerous positions. He benefited this week from a series in Coors Field, where he hit 9-for-18 with seven runs across three games.
Overall, batting in one of the hottest lineups in the sport, Clement has scored 15 runs over his last 16 games while holding a .343 AVG. While he is not a target for power and consistent RBIs, he can be an elite contributor to AVG and runs scored.
Other 3B to consider: Coby Mayo BAL
Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
This is your last chance to snag Montgomery. Despite his struggles at Triple-A, as soon as he reached the major leagues, all Montgomery has done is hit, and hit for power! After posting a modest .207 AVG through his first 20 games on the South Side, Montgomery would flip the script, launching eight long balls over his next 13.
While this pace will not be sustainable, the 23-year-old has hit the ball exceptionally hard (15.4% vbarrel rate) and has generated an eye-catching 771. mph bat speed. While his hefty 28.7% K rate is tough to swallow in points leagues, Montgomery must add to boost your HR totals in category leagues.
COLSON MONTGOMERY FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT GAME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/8rA0XGnIpn
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) July 26, 2025
J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
The Mariners added two RBI monsters to their lineup at the deadline in Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez. The one Mariner who may have benefited the most is the primary leadoff man, Crawford.
In his last six games, Crawford has crossed home plate five times and concluded with five RBI as well. The 30-year-old is in a prime position to rack up runs given his impresisve 11.7% walk rate and .272 xBA.
Other SS to consider: Ernie Clement TOR, Lenyn Sosa CWS
JJ Bleday, OF, Athletics
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <4%
The 27-year-old has bounced between the majors and the minors throughout the season, but has not heated up at the plate, which has provided him with consistent opportunities. Over his last three games, Bleday has gone 9-for-14 with two doubles and two long balls.
While his .291 xwOBA screams regression, Bleday is seeing everyday productivity playing in an offense that has a favorable home park and that can explode at any moment with Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brent Rooker.
Blake Perkins, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
No Jackson Chourio? No problem for the red-hot Brew-Crew. The 28-year-old has become a key part of the Brewers' lineup that has not stopped hitting. Since July 23, Perkins has posted a strong .286/.333/.595 slash line with four doubles, two stolen bases, and three home runs.
While his slightly above-average 42.1% hard-hit rate suggests this run will come to an end, it is never a bad idea to stream one of the hottest hitters in the sport in a top lineup.
Daulton Varsho, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
The 29-year-old has battled juries throughout the season, but when he has been active, he has hit for high power. Over his first four games since returning, Varsho has launched three long balls and a double. During his first 25 games of the season, Varsho posted a .783 OPS with an eye-catching eight home runs.
Like Montgomery above, his 29.9% K rate is tough to manage in points leagues, but his power upside is worth rostering. His .572 xSLG, 18.4% barrel rate, and 75.2 mph bat speed suggest he should reach the 20+ HR mark by the end of the summer.
Other OFs to consider: Isaac Collins MIL, Nathan Lukes TOR, Jakob Marsee MIA
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target
Cade Horton, SP, Chicago Cubs
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <13%
I've been recommending the rookie right-hander for some time, and I hope you grabbed him in previous weeks as his price continues to skyrocket. In his most recent outing, Horton tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings with six strikeouts. This was his fourth-straight start, not allowing a run (22 2/3 innings).
Since the start of July, Horton has only allowed a run in one start and held an overall 1.05 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 26:11 K:BB over these 34 1/3 innings.
Jacob Lopez, SP, Athletics
FAAB Bid: <15%
I've written about Jacob Lopez several times this season, and it appears he is finally breaking out. On Thursday, the southpaw dominated the Nationals, tossing 7 2/3 shutout innings with three hits, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. Over his last three outings (17 innings), he has not allowed a run and held a 19:6 K:BB.
Overall, his strong 3.56 xERA and .217 xBA suggest he should remain a strong SP4 going forward with high strikeout upside.
Bet you didn’t know Jacob Lopez has a 3.59 ERA and hasn’t allowed a run in three straight starts! pic.twitter.com/rFr7qtuWux
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) August 7, 2025
Other SPs to consider: Joey Cantillo CLE, Yu Darvish SD
JoJo Romero, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing saves
With Ryan Helsley now in Queens and Phil Maton now in Texas, Romero has slid into the ninth-inning job in St. Louis. He has picked up each of the last two saves and posted an elite 0.69 and a 1.00 WHIP across 13 innings since the start of July.
His 22.8% K% is not very impressive, but at this point in the season, saves are tough to find on the waiver wire. If you need them, be prepared to spend a significant amount.
Phil Maton, RP, Texas Rangers
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <9% if needing saves
The previously mentioned Maton appears to be a committee with Robert Garcia, which makes him a target in deeper formats. Over the past week, Garcia has been day-to-day with a back injury, and Mton has not disappointed. Since joining Texas, Maton has logged three shutout innings with a 0.67 WHIP and has earned one save.
Overall, Maton has posted an impressive 2.18 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP through 41 1/3 innings of work this season.
Other RP to consider for saves Jose A. Ferrer WSH
Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Monitor
Andrew Painter, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <3%
The 22-year-old has continued to find his footing at Triple-A and is on the verge of joining a competing Phillies team. While he took a slight step back on August 5, from July 13 through July 30, Painter posted a strong 3.12 ERA with 12 strikeouts through 17 1/3 innings.
Despite his inconsistencies, Painter has been able to increase his workload, which suggests his development is nearly complete. He is worth stashing in 12+ team leagues.
Other prospects to monitor: Bubba Chandler PIT, Dylan Beavers BAL
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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