Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Analysis: Buyer Beware for Week 7? (2025)

Michael's fantasy baseball waiver wire analysis for Week 7 (2025), and whether to buy into MLB hitters and pitchers such as Hyeseong Kim and Camilo Doval. Should you avoid these popular names?

I know I’ve commented on the mysterious acceleration of time before, but it’s pretty amazing that in a week, we will already be over a quarter through the baseball regular season. Who knows, by then, Rafael Devers might be closing games for the Red Sox.

After a couple of exciting weeks in the waiver wire world, replete with high-end position prospects and pitcher debuts, we are looking at a much more tame Week 7. This article is always advising financial prudence, but fantasy managers may save money in FAAB this week by default.

We do have a new Dodgers second baseman, an interesting starting pitching prospect, and a speculative closer to discuss, however. To the names!

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Hyeseong Kim, 2B/SS, Los Angeles Dodgers (22% rostered)

New Dodgers blood usually equals FAAB madness. But should it in this case?

First, the potential positives. Kim was called up Saturday, and although he did not start until Monday, manager Dave Roberts mentioned afterwards that he was impressed with the Korean import’s “athleticism” and “speed.”

Kim has already stolen two bases in just 18 plate appearances.

He had a decorated career in the KBO, primarily as a second baseman. Last year was probably his best from a fantasy perspective as he posted a .326 average, 11 home runs, 30 steals, and almost as many walks (8.3%) as strikeouts (10.9%).

The Dodgers started Kim off in Triple-A, where he hit .252 with five dingers and 13 swipes in just 131 plate appearances. They reportedly worked on his swing to accentuate power, and it seemed to pay off, at least in the minors.

The injury to Tommy Edman and the age and ineffectiveness of LA’s bench may provide Kim an opportunity if he performs well enough. He may be able to play some outfield as well.

The negatives relate to uncertainty. We do not know how Kim’s skills will translate in his first MLB season. His countryman Ha-Seong Kim, who was considered a better prospect, had a pretty mediocre first season stateside.

Projections are modest for Hyeseong: 3 HR, 8 SB, .250 average in 46 games per ATC. That’s a solid, if unremarkable player, and may even be overly optimistic on the power given a KBO career high of 11 HR.

The other issue is playing time. Kim bats lefty, and it appears he’s in a strict platoon—Miguel Rojas got the start Friday against a southpaw. In the longer term, Edman apparently had a setback on his rehab, but once he returns, where does Kim fit?

Yes, they could designate Chris Taylor, but he’s the trusted (and paid) veteran, Kim has options, and the Dodgers have shown great loyalty to Taylor.

Kim is a solid short-term pickup,, especially given the limitations of the second base landscape in fantasy. But he has some performance and ultimately playing time questions, so we would keep the bids reasonable.

AJ Smith-Shawver, SP, Atlanta Braves (29% rostered)

Smith-Shawver is an exciting pitching prospect with a ridiculous wipeout pitch (splitter), who also plays for one of the better teams in baseball—well, okay, strike the last part as Atlanta has been more than a little disappointing. However, in deeper leagues,  we can see the appeal.

Although AJSS holds a 3.00 ERA through five starts, that comes with a 1.37 WHIP. Those numbers do not align; allowing that many base runners portends more runs allowed. His WHIP issues are driven by an unsustainable-for-a-starter 11.4% walk rate.

This brings us to Smith-Shawver’s best pitch. He throws a splitter 34% of the time, and it’s returning a 25% swinging strike rate and .139 xBA. Unfortunately, split finger fastballs are inherently volatile and difficult to control. He is only zoning the pitch 35% of the time:

He is also not throwing enough strikes with the curveball, which has a minuscule 4.6% swinging strike rate. That’s the other issue. Smith-Shawver’s non-splitters do not miss bats.

His four seam fastball has decent velocity (94.7) and rise (16.7” induced vertical break) but garners just 5.1% swinging strikes, about half league average. It is also giving up damage (.670 xSLG), and overall, he is being barreled at a high rate (12.2%).

Smith-Shawver will likely be a good starter someday. But his command issues lead to too many walks and eventually, damage. In deep leagues, he is worth adding or holding to see if he can improve these issues, but in typical 12- or 10-team leagues, he is only a streamer.

Camilo Doval, RP, San Francisco Giants (46% rostered)

Doval is having a nice bounce back season and, coupled with some wobbly recent performances from incumbent Ryan Walker, fantasy managers are adding Doval in hopes he will become the Giants’ closer. The problem is that Doval has been quite fortunate on balls in play,, and the team has not indicated an imminent role change.

We understand why folks are hot after Doval, who racked up 66 saves across 2022-23 with solid ratios and strikeout rates. Potential closers like that are hard to find.

Doval really lost his way in 2024, giving up too many walks and hits. His ratios ballooned to a 4.88 ERA and 1.58 WHIP, and eventually, Walker became the closer.

So far this season, Doval’s ratios are better than ever, with a 1.53 ERA and .68 WHIP. However, the underlying SIERA and xFIP are worse than last season, and more than a half-run worse than his best years.

One culprit for the underlying metrics is the way Doval’s strikeouts have almost disappeared. He held a 11.9 K/9 from 2021-24. This year it’s just 6.62 K/9! The weird part is that Doval’s velocity (98) is good, and his current 13.6% swinging strike rate isn’t far off his prior 14.3% rate.

The answer might lie in Doval’s intentions. He said in spring training he wanted to throw more strikes, and he has. Last year, he had a 39% ball rate; now it’s closer to 37%. This has affected his swing and miss, as Doval is zoning his pitches more often but getting fewer whiffs in the zone:

As a result, more pitches are being put in play. So far, it hasn’t hurt him, but he’s also been extremely fortunate with just 3 hits/9 allowed and a .130 BABIP; it is 6.9 hits/9 and .290 for his career.

As Doval showed (surface) improvements, Walker’s metrics declined early on, and then he was lit up in consecutive appearances on April 20 and 23. This seemed to open the door for Doval, who snagged three clean saves between April 21-24.

However, the Giants never said there was a change in role and, in fact, turned right back to Walker in the ninth. He has the team’s most recent two saves and the last three save opportunities.

Doval is certainly worth holding if you have him already, but do not go crazy adding him and thinking he will keep these ratios or likely to be closing games any time soon.

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