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Mike's fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters to add as category boosters for Week 6 of 2025. His top hitters to pickup or stream for HR, RBI, SB, AVG, and runs.
Welcome back to our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters - Category Boosters column for Week 6 of the 2025 MLB season. I don't know anyone who has not been impacted by player injuries this year.
The war of attrition continues on many fantasy rosters. Now is the time when we look for those players who are being missed by our competitors. Which players can help us in multiple ways? There are players with multiple position eligibility who can help in a broad base of categories.
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 some 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
Chase Meidroth, 2B/3B/SS, Chicago White Sox (3% rostered)
As most of you know, I am a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan. Meidroth has been a glimmer of hope on the South Side. He was added to the major league roster last month and has since moved to the leadoff spot in the order. Meidroth is also helpful because of his three-position eligibility, which makes him useful as a bench player and spot starter for many fantasy teams. He has scored five runs in his last five starts since moving to the leadoff spot. Players will likely start paying more attention to him soon.
JJ Bleday, OF, Athletics (26% rostered)
I never understand why Bleday isn't rostered in more fantasy leagues. He's a sure 20-home-run batter in the middle of a decent lineup. I think people might be scared off by the perception of a low batting average. However, savvy players know that he walks a bunch; his current walk rate is 13.8 percent, which is in the 85th percentile in the game. Getting on base leads to runs scored, and Bleday has scored a whopping 24 runs already this season, which puts him among league leaders. If you need outfield help, Bleday chips in with home runs and runs, and could chip in five or six stolen bases as well.
Eli White, OF, Atlanta Braves (10% rostered)
Remember when White was a big prospect? I do. Due to injuries in Atlanta to Ronald Acuna Jr., White is getting daily at-bats. Known for his speed and outstanding defense, White has contributed to the Braves with a .302 batting average, a couple of homers and steals, and 14 runs scored over the last three weeks. Flying very low under the radar, White might be able to help you as a short-term addition in your outfield.
Home Runs (HR) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Trent Grisham, OF, New York Yankees (27% rostered)
Like many others, I kept waiting for the playing time to dry up and ignored Grisham's power surge to start the season.
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/OF, Baltimore Orioles (25% rostered)
O'Hearn is a great example of why we need to dig deeper into our statistics. Many players ignore platoon bats and think they will not get enough volume to help their squads. But O'Hearn breaks that dynamic. See below. With Ryan Mountcastle's struggles persisting into May, and no one else claiming the at-bats, O'Hearn is now the everyday DH and batting cleanup for the Orioles. He's hitting .295 with seven home runs in 26 games. Need cheap power? Look no further than O'Hearn.
Max Kepler, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (7% rostered)
Kepler has five home runs, four in the last 12 days. The veteran is getting consistent playing time in Philadelphia, and while he is hitting home runs, he is worth taking a look at in deep leagues, especially those where you have to start five outfielders.
Runs Batted In (RBI) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Hunter Goodman, C/OF, Colorado Rockies (46% rostered)
Goodman is known for having power and a ton of strikeouts. But look at the chart below. His strikeout percentage is decreasing in 2025. Last year, his strikeout percentage was over 28 percent; in 2023, it was 31 percent. This year, it's a more palatable 22 percent. Goodman is hitting .274 with five home runs as he extends his run of playing time into May. The Rockies do not have much to play for other than letting these young guys like Goodman and Jordan Beck get at-bats. Look for Goodman to continue the playing time increase, and add in that he has catcher eligibility here, and you might have found a secret weapon.
J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners (19% rostered)
Crawford lives on the waiver wire most of the year, but seems to have a stretch or two where he is a very usable player in many formats. This is one of those times. Crawford has been on a good stretch in one of the hottest lineups in baseball in Seattle. He has knocked in 15 runs in his last 15 games, hitting .292 while also contributing three home runs and two stolen bases. Disappointed by your middle infield slot this year? Consider Crawford as a short-term fix.
Javier Baez, SS/3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (50% rostered)
Raise your hand if you knew that Baez is hitting .467 over the last week and has knocked in seven runs. On the season, he is hitting .296 with a home run, a stolen base, and 11 RBI. Is Baez coming back to life in Detroit while playing multiple positions? It won't cost you too much to find out.
Stolen Bases (SB) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Josh Smith, 3B/SS/OF, Texas Rangers (26% rostered)
Smith is another player frequently on waivers, I think mostly because many fantasy players do not think he has a job in Texas. But he does now, and as you can see below, he was a productive player in 70 April at-bats, hitting a robust .329 with two home runs, six RBI, and four stolen bases with 12 runs. With eligibility at third base, shortstop, and outfield, Smith is a ready-made Swiss Army knife for your squad. Take him at the deep discount you are getting right now.
Hyeseong Kim, 2B/SS, Los Angeles Dodgers (22% rostered)
Kim was a popular player to roster this winter, but the Dodgers sent him to Triple-A to start the season. He has started three games thus far and has two stolen bases already, with five hits, two RBI, and three runs scored. He has started two games at second base and one in center field. Look for Kim to hit at the bottom of the lineup, but he should help squads with stolen bases and runs at the very least.
Dane Myers, OF, Miami Marlins (10% rostered)
Myers is a kind of post-hype player, and at 29, looks like he is getting full-time at-bats in Miami. You can see his current Statcast data here. Not only is he hitting well, but he is terrific in the outfield and has above-average running speed. The veteran is hitting .342 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 11 runs, and six stolen bases on the season. He is flying way under the radar, and he could truly help fantasy teams in need of cheap speed.
Batting Average (AVG) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Boosters
Jonathan Aranda, 1B/2B, Tampa Bay Rays (46% rostered)
I love this guy and wish I could stop talking about him, but I will be adding him in every week until he is rostered at over 50 percent. Check out his rolling xwOBA below. You don't need him? Fine, I will take him. Thanks!
Jonathan India, 2B/3B/OF, Kansas City Royals (45% rostered)
India is a guy I love to roster depending on my fantasy builds. Yes, I know he usually has some type of injury at least once per season, but it usually productive when he plays. Quietly, India is batting leadoff on a very good Kansas City team, and he's hitting .280 over his last 15 games. Keep expectations in check, and you could have a useful piece at a middle infield, corner infield, or outfield position.
Miguel Vargas, 3B/OF, Chicago White Sox (5% rostered)
Vargas was a guy I was taking flyers on in March drafts, based on manager Will Venable letting the media know that Vargas would be the White Sox's everyday third baseman and get at-bats. Vargas got off to another tough start, and many who had taken a flyer gave up on him early. However, Vargas is hitting .321 over his last 15 games with a couple of home runs and six RBI, so he is coming along while often hitting second in the lineup. He's one to watch because he has zero competition for playing time right now and is starting to show he belongs at the major league level.
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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