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Mike's 2025 fantasy baseball category boosters waiver wire hitters to add. He goes category by category and picks out hitters for HR, RBI, SB, AVG, and runs for Week 2.
Welcome back to our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitter -- Category Boosters column for Week 2 of the 2025 MLB season. Injuries have already decimated some teams, with stars like Jackson Merrill and Wyatt Langford falling to injury. We need some help in offensive categories when we lose players of that ilk.
As we head into mid-April, it should become apparent what stats you might need to make a run for each week. We look for these under-the-radar hitters who could give you a much-needed boost in a statistical category in the short and long term.
We will aim to give you the three options for each of the five offensive categories in a standard five-by-five league. Our rule: all hitters will be under 50 percent rostered on Yahoo! and listed in order of rostership and my preference. Who is hot right now and can help us?
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Runs Scored (R) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, San Francisco Giants (41 percent rostered)
Lee seems to be frequently undervalued in many leagues because players do not see him as a viable outfielder due to low power numbers. While that is true, he should hit for a helpful batting average and score runs, and he is also batting third in a good San Francisco lineup. If you are using him as your fourth or fifth outfielder, you should be in good shape. Lee is hitting .300 with 10 runs scored and three stolen bases. He is a quietly productive player right now.
Kyren Paris, 2B, Los Angeles Angels (47 percent rostered)
Paris seemingly came out of nowhere to win a job on the Angels roster this spring, and he has gotten off to a strong start in 2025. The second base job appears to belong to him right now. Paris homered in three straight games this week and has scored 10 runs in the last two weeks. With this recent hot streak, Paris is worth rostering if you need middle infield help and a hot bat in your lineup.
JJ Bleday, OF, Athletics (27 percent rostered)
Bleday will likely appear on this list several times for different categories, but this week, he appears for runs scored. Bleday has nine runs scored on the season and hit his first home run Tuesday night. He's rostered at comically low levels most of the time, but he is a productive player who can help in a multitude of ways. Take a look at Bleday.
Home Runs (HR) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Ben Rice, 1B, New York Yankees (35 percent rostered)
We touted Rice in this space last week and will do so again. He has a full-time job in one of the better lineups in baseball. Lots of red on his Statcast page, but look below. He's hitting the ball harder with a high quality of contact. Rice should be rostered in almost every league.
Trent Grisham, OF, New York Yankees (23 percent rostered)
Grisham is making the most of his current opportunity in New York, hitting three home runs over the last week. Most of this was due to Cody Bellinger missing time with a back issue. While usually only a fourth outfielder for the Yankees, take advantage of the playing time spike here. If Grisham keeps hitting, he could see more playing time if injuries occur or other players struggle.
Michael Conforto, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (21 percent rostered)
Conforto is a sneaky play right now in a stacked Dodgers lineup. Originally signed to be a platoon bat, Conforto is playing daily in a lineup full of opportunity for him. When healthy, this is a guy who has hit over 30 home runs in a season. In only 488 at-bats in 2024, Conforto hit 20 for the San Francisco Giants. There are 25 home runs here on the cheap for your fantasy team; he has two already.
Runs Batted In (RBI) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians (38 percent rostered)
Many fantasy players seemed worried when the team acquired Carlos Santana, but Manzardo is getting plenty of at-bats in Cleveland thus far. And it is easy to see why. The batting average has dropped to .222, but the young first baseman has nine RBI thus far and continues to drive in runs with the opportunity. Look for Manzardo to hit a home run level in the high teens and knock in 60-70 runs with playing time.
Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (25 percent rostered)
Perdomo has shown what he can do in previous seasons and is a productive player when he is healthy. He is a great defender at shortstop and a terrific baserunner. But look below; at age 25, are his skills coalescing? He cannot keep up a 4 percent strikeout rate, but he is squaring up the baseball and doesn't chase.
His playing time is secure, and he could grow this year. His career high in RBI is 47, and he already has 13 this season to go along with a .333 batting average, two homers, and two steals. Take a long look at Perdomo this week.
Gavin Sheets, 1B/OF, San Diego Padres (16 percent rostered)
Sheets was jettisoned from the Chicago White Sox in the fall and landed in San Diego, where he made the team out of spring training. Injuries to other players have allowed him an opportunity to play, and he has done well thus far. Sheets could be a cheap power source as he continues to earn playing time.
Stolen Bases (SB) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies (26 percent rostered)
This is a pure speculative play, as Veen just got the call to the majors this week. He has stolen plenty of bases along the way in the minor leagues. Veen has only gotten into two games since his call-up, but playing time seems to be there for the taking.
I think he is worth a speculative pick in deeper leagues based on his prospect pedigree and his stolen base ability; he has had two minor league seasons with over 50 stolen bases, and he should be running in Colorado.
Dylan Moore, 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, Seattle Mariners (19 percent rostered)
I feel like Moore is another underutilized weapon in fantasy baseball. With the injury to Victor Robles, Moore is going to get a chance to bat leadoff in the Mariners lineup. Any why not? Moore is hitting .308 with two home runs and two stolen bases with five runs scored.
He's eligible for every position except pitcher and catcher, and it's important to recall that Moore stole 32 bags last year in only 368 at-bats. If you need speed and missed it in your draft, consider Moore.
Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (19 percent rostered)
Walker is in the "what have you done for me lately" bin after being a top prospect last season. Similarly to Veen, this is a speculative pick because Walker has the tools to be a star.
Check out his average bat speed compared to the rest of MLB below. He swings the bat harder than just about anyone, and he's hitting .282 with a home run and two steals right now. With an opportunity for daily at-bats, look for Walker to start compiling some counting stats, and try to roster him now, especially in deeper leagues.
Batting Average (AVG) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics (29 percent rostered)
Wilson was profiled during the winter as a guy who would help with batting average and not much else. Well, if that is his one trick, he's pretty good at it, hitting .396 right now through 48 at-bats.
He has also chipped in two homers, so he's not a zero there. The lack of strikeouts (a paltry 4.4 percent thus far) means he puts the bat on the baseball. With the proliferation of injuries striking players down this week, take a look at Wilson, especially if you need batting average help at the middle infield position.
Jorge Polanco, 2B/3B, Seattle Mariners (14 percent rostered)
The Mariners re-signed Polanco after failing to find other targets over the winter, and lo and behold, he is a starter and hitting well thus far for the team. See Polanco's game logs below. He's hitting .370 right now and should be added in most formats, especially given the multiple-position eligibility.
Sal Frelick, OF, Milwaukee Brewers (12 percent rostered)
Frelick is one of those guys who many fantasy players will say is a better player in real life as opposed to our game. But Frelick is trying to make you see him differently. Frelick is hitting .375 through 40 at-bats this season and has chipped in five runs and two stolen bases. He will not hit for any power, but he is making better contact in 2025, and good things are happening thus far.
I hope this helps you out! Good luck and happy hunting, RotoBallers! You can always message me @mdrc0508 on X to complain about picks or make other suggestions!
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