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Mike's fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters to add as category boosters for Week 17 of 2025. His top hitters to pick up or stream for HR, RBI, SB, AVG, and runs.
Welcome back to our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters - Category Boosters column for Week 17 of the 2025 MLB season. As we head out of the All-Star break, did you do an honest reflection of your teams?
This week kicks off the last 40% of the baseball season. There is still time to move up in the standings. Whatever categories you may need help with, we will get you covered in this piece. I love writing this each week and hope it helps you out!
We will aim to give you three options for each of the five offensive categories in a standard five-by-five league. Our rule: All hitters will be listed according to their percentage of rostered players on Yahoo!, with a maximum of 50 percent. Let's look at names that might be under the radar, but who can help you now.
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Runs Scored (R) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Miguel Vargas, 1B/3B/OF, Chicago White Sox (22% rostered)
Vargas has been in this article often this year, and he is back again. Vargas had slumped over the last month, but is showing life again. He has scored eight runs in his previous six games, aided by two home runs.
His batting average is a modest .263 over the last week, but with the White Sox showing a surging offense since the return from the All-Star break, Vargas is worth rostering. The multiple position eligibility also benefits your squad.
Brady House, 3B, Washington Nationals (5% rostered)
I am surprised House is not rostered in more leagues. This could be your last chance to get him for free. House is hitting .355 with two homers, a steal, five RBI, and eight runs scored as he secures the third base job in Washington.
You may not know this (very funny), but the key to scoring runs is getting on base. Below, you can see the growth in House's ability to do that over his last 50 at-bats. Roster him now before the price explodes in the second half.
Brice Matthews, 2B/3B/SS, Houston Astros (4% rostered)
The one hedge with Matthews here is playing time. Yet he slugged two home runs on Monday night, and another on Tuesday, and it looks like he could get ample playing time if he hits. Matthews has three homers, seven RBI, and five runs scored thus far. He is sure to draw interest in this weekend's FAAB process in most leagues.
Home Runs (HR) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees (30% rostered)
Stanton could start playing more, especially if he connects on home runs. He has three homers over the last two weeks and five in July thus far. Perhaps more impressively, Stanton is hitting .375 over the last week of games.
Hitting well is a proven pathway to more opportunities most of the time. Grab Stanton now.
Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals (26% rostered)
Caglianone was the hot addition last month, but a binge of strikeouts led to a lack of success, and drops back to the waiver wire. However, astute players know he has hit three home runs in the last week, and there are signs that he is figuring it out.
Below is why you do not give up on Caglianone. His bat speed is ludicrous, and he is going to be fine.
Brett Baty, 2B/3B, New York Mets (4% rostered)
Baty looks like he may be a full-time starter again in New York. He gets streaky, but right now, he can help your team. Over the last two weeks, Baty is hitting .269 with two home runs, four RBI, and two stolen bases while scoring six runs.
I like that he got consecutive starts last week against left-handed pitching. Playing daily allows you to have a gut feel who is going to hit some home runs, and a small bid on him now could pay off in the second half.
Runs Batted In (RBI) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Otto Lopez, 2B/SS, Miami Marlins (42% rostered)
Lopez continues to knock in runs in Miami. He has put together an impressive month, which stretches back to June. Lopez has 27 RBI in his last 24 games, while also adding five home runs and 15 runs scored. He is also eligible at second base and shortstop.
Lopez now has 52 RBI on the season. Check out the growing red on his Statcast page below.
Noelvi Marte, 3B, Cincinnati Reds (29% rostered)
Marte becomes even more valuable once he gains outfield status, which could come in the next week or two. Over the last two weeks, Marte has hit .314 with three home runs and seven RBI, chipping in a stolen base and six runs.
Marte is flying under the radar right now, but he is the kind of player who will be productive with playing time. Getting outfield eligibility would add a layer of interest to him, as he might play there against left-handed pitching.
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers (9% rostered)
Vaughn went from bench depth to starter in less than a week. Despite a couple of dud games this week, Vaughn has looked good for the Brewers, hitting .290 with two homers and 12 RBI since being promoted earlier this month. He looked lost with the White Sox, but seems to have recovered his old swing back, hitting the ball at the front end of the plate rather than letting it travel back to him. Could that make a difference?
I am unsure how long he can keep this up, but he is making the most of this opportunity.
Stolen Bases (SB) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Luke Keaschall, 1B/2B/OF, Minnesota Twins (26% rostered)
Keaschall is due back soon, and you are forgiven if you forgot his debut before injury in late April. He hit .368 and stole five bases in only 26 plate appearances. He could be in line for playing time if the Twins decide to make changes at the trade deadline.
Ha-Seong Kim, SS, Tampa Bay Rays (6% rostered)
Kim has been back for 10 games and 35 plate appearances while continuing to battle a mild back injury. While hitting only .226 in this limited sample size, the veteran shortstop has belted a home run, knocked in three, and stolen four bases already. He has seasons of 38 and 22 steals over the last two years, lest we forget.
Kim has also hit double-digit home runs the last three seasons as well. He should be rostered more than he is right now.
Isaac Collins, OF, Milwaukee Brewers (4% rostered)
I fell into rostering Collins by accident in one of my higher-stakes leagues. I needed an outfielder, and I found him in my research. Collins has been batting fourth through sixth for the hottest team in baseball, and he has six home runs, 27 RBI, while scoring 34 runs and adding 11 stolen bases in 250 plate appearances, making him valuable.
His wRC+ is 121, yet he is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues. Get ahead of your leaguemates and grab Collins.
Batting Average (AVG) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Royce Lewis, 3B, Minnesota Twins (46% rostered)
There is simply no way Lewis should be rostered this low in most fantasy leagues. People are sleeping on a talent here; granted, health has often let him down. Between IL stints, he has demonstrated that he can be a complete player.
Lewis has a .333 batting average over the last week, with two home runs, five RBI, a stolen base, and three runs scored. With the dearth of good third basemen out there, Lewis makes sense for many fantasy rosters right now. After an injury-riddled and ineffective year in 2024, you can see below that Lewis is once again hitting the ball hard as he has in previous seasons.
Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves (16% rostered)
Baldwin seems to have edged into more playing time with the seeming demotion of designated hitter Marcell Ozuna. He knocked in six runs on Monday night and is hitting .343 with a homer and 11 RBI over the last two weeks.
If the increase in playing time sticks, Baldwin becomes viable in mono catcher leagues as well. In two-catcher leagues, he is a must-roster.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies (13% rostered)
Moniak continues to be an excellent addition for the Rockies. In 52 July plate appearances, the veteran outfielder is hitting .438 with four home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases, and 11 runs. It appears that he will continue to play and bat second in the lineup. He already has a career-high 15 home runs and should set career-highs in batting average, RBI, and stolen bases.
Could Moniak be a trade candidate over the next week? It will be interesting to see.
I hope this helps you out! Good luck and happy hunting, RotoBallers! You can always message me @mdrc0508 on X to complain about my picks or make other suggestions!
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