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Andy's FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bidding guide for Week 6 (May 5 - May 11). His recommended FAAB dollars to spend on waiver wire adds.
With a month in the books, we now have plenty of data to determine which players we should target on the waiver wire. Our series about FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups continues as we head into Week 6 of the 2025 MLB season -- May 5 through May 11. This waiver wire article will recommend free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
This week, we will look at a must-add target for saves and a few platoon bats who are proving that they should be rostered in all formats, despite their limited opportunities.
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
Jonah Heim, C, Texas Rangers
13% rostered
FAAB Bid: <20% if needing a No. 2 catcher, <3% for others
After several intriguing catcher names, such as Hunter Goodman and Agustin Ramirez, now widely rostered, this week's target carries much less upside but is still a reliable target. With Kyle Higashioka (rib) hitting the 10-day injured list, Jonah Heim should see the vast majority of starts behind the dish for the foreseeable future.
Over his last nine contests, Heim has posted an impressive .323/.400/.452 slash line with one double and one home run. If you are looking for a strong No. 2 backstop, target Heim.
Other C to consider: Bo Naylor CLE
Ty France, 1B, Minnesota Twins
8% rostered
FAAB Bid: <7%
Ty France has been the primary first baseman in Minnesota through the opening month. Across 31 games, the veteran has posted a .266/.341/.404 slash line with nine extra-base hits. However, over his last five games, he has begun to hit for power as he has tallied three doubles, one home run, and six RBI.
His .399 xwOBA suggests his offense should remain steady all summer.
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/OF, Baltimore Orioles
7% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Ryan O'Hearn was a value fantasy asset in a platoon role last season and is showing similar upside again in 2025. Through his first 22 games, O'Hearn has posted a strong .292/.378/.542 slash line with five long balls. Under the hood, he has generated an elite .403 xwOBA (92nd percentile) and a .318 xBA (95th percentile).
Don't let the playing time scare you. If you need a corner infielder or an outfielder, O'Hearn is an excellent target.
Ryan O'Hearn and the O stands for opposite-field home run pic.twitter.com/Oa1vFUQXSC
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) April 26, 2025
Other 1B to consider: Pavin Smith ARI, Michael Toglia COL
Luisangel Acuna, 2B, New York Mets
9% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing steals, <7% for others
Luisangel Acuna made my column last week, but the young infielder has continued to impress and should be rostered in most leagues. Over his last 10 contests, the infielder has posted an impressive .314/.333/.371 slash line with two doubles and one steal.
While Acuna does not carry much power upside, he has swiped seven bags across 27 games.
Kike Hernandez, 1B/2B/SS/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
With Tommy Edman (ankle) day-to-day with an injury, the Dodgers have given their utility man, Kike Hernandez ample opportunities at the keystone, and he has not dissapotinied. In his last five contests, Hernandez has gone .500 at the plate with a home run, five RBI, and a 1:2 K:BB.
Earlier in the season, Hernandez was given opportunities at first base when Freddie Freeman missed time with an injury. Even if Edman returns to action soon, the Dodgers will continue to find at-bats for Hernández. He is an excellent target in daily lineup formats given his multi-positional eligibility.
It's a Hernández home run party 😤
This time Kiké Hernández goes yard! pic.twitter.com/J9U8P4HBAj
— MLB (@MLB) April 27, 2025
Other 2Bs to consider: Gabriel Arias CLE
Connor Norby, 2B/3B, Miami Marlins
16% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Connor Norby missed the start of the campaign due to an oblique injury but has slowly begun to find his footing. Through his first 12 contests, the infielder has posted a .262/.311/.405 slash line with three doubles and a long ball.
Last summer, Norby flashed decent power upside as he held a stellar 1.002 OPS in August and an overall .439 SLG during the second half of the campaign.
Other 3B to consider: Miguel Vargas CWS
J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners
8% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12%
After a disappointing 2024 campaign, the 30-year-old appears to be enjoying a strong bounce-back campaign. Through the first 29 games of the season, Crawford has posted a .289/.423/.378 slash line. He carries high value in on-base leagues/points leagues as he draws walks at an elite 17.7 percent rate.
He has also generated a strong .382 xwOBA (85th percentile) with a 41.4 launch-angle sweet-spot% (87th percentile).
Other SS to consider: Gabriel Arias CLE
Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <16% if needing an outfielder, <7% for others
Kyle Stowers has been one of the most productive hitters in the sport over the previous week. In his last nine contests, Stowers has posted a stellar .414/.438/.759 slash line with one double and three long balls.
His underlying metrics suggest he should enjoy similar success throughout the summer. The 27-year-old currently sits in the 87th percentile in xwOBA, 88th in xBA, and 92nd in barrel rate. While his counting stats may not be high playing in Miami, his metrics suggest he could be in store for a breakout campaign.
Jordan Beck, OF, Colorado Rockies
26% rostered
FAAB Bid: <18% if needing an outfielder, <10% for others
My final outfielder to target appears to have begun to take the next step in his MLB career. After posting a modest .167/.265/.233 line across his first 12 games of the season, the Tennessee product has flipped the script. Over his last eight, Beck has posted an impressive .385/.452/.1.038 slash line with two doubles, five home runs, and a stolen base.
The 24-year-old has posted a strong 20.6 percent barrel rate and a 52.9 percent hard-hit rate, which place him in the 97th and 91st percentile. The breakout is here.
Jordan Beck ties it up with a ground rule double🔥 pic.twitter.com/mWLKAYXQzj
— Baseball’s Office (@baseballsoffice) May 2, 2025
Other OFs to consider: Ryan O'Hearn BAL, Pavin Smith ARI
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target
Tony Gonsolin, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
30% rostered
FAAB Bid: <25%
After sitting out of MLB action since 2023, Tony Gonsolin made his long-awaited return on April 30 against the Miami Marlins. In this start, Gonsolin struck out nine batters across six innings of three-run ball. He also did not allow a walk.
While it was a very favorable matchup, Gonsolin looked quite sharp and should have a spot in the Dodgers' rotation going forward due to the numerous injuries. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the right-hander held an overall 3.39 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. He is a must-add this weekend.
Shane Smith, SP, Chicago White Sox
14% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
My other pitcher has fallen a bit under the radar over the past few weeks. After allowing three runs on April 19, Smith has allowed just one run over his last ten innings of work. During this stretch, the rookie has struck out 11 batters and served up just four free passes.
Under the hood, he has allowed barrels at a strong 5.6% rate and has generated whiffs at a 28.3% rate. While wins may be hard to find, he should provide stable ratios with decent strikeout upside.
Other SPs to consider: Matthew Liberatore STL
Zach Agnos, RP, Colorado Rockies
1% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing saves
Saves in Colorado are hard to find, but it appears rookie Zach Agnos could have the upper hand on the ninth-inning role. Since joining the majors on April 20, Agnos has not allowed a run over his first seven 1/3 MLB innings.
In his last two appearances, Agnos has locked down two save opportunities and has allowed just one hit. If you are falling behind in saves in deeper leagues, don't be afraid to spend on Agnos.
Shelby Miller, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
2% rostered
FAAB Bid: <18% if needing saves
My other target for saves should be viewed as a must-add in all standard formats. With A.J. Puk (elbow) on the 60-day injured list and Justin Martinez (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list, Shelby Miller stands as the favorite in a closer-by-committee in the desert.
On Thursday, Miller picked up his first save of the campaign. Through 13 2/3 innings of work this season, Miller has been nothing short of dominant as he has not allowed a run, held a 15:4 K:BB, and added five holds. While Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson could be in the mix for saves, given Miller's hot start, he should be viewed as the favorite.
Other RP to consider for saves: Camilo Doval SFG, Luke Weaver NYY
Fantasy Baseball Prospects to Monitor
Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Bubba Chandler continues to hold the prospect title on this list. On Thursday, the budding ace in the Steel City enjoyed his best outing of the campaign as he struck out a season-best nine batters across five innings of one-run ball.
When he gets the call to Pittsburgh, he will be a must-start option in all formats. If available, he is a must-add this weekend.
Why is Bubba Chandler still in AAA? pic.twitter.com/5nPZcCZYmb
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) May 2, 2025
Other prospects to monitor: Roman Anthony
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