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This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 23 - August 28 through September 3. Whether your team is derailed by injuries or slumping bats, navigating the waiver wire will be crucial to finding long-term success in fantasy baseball.
As we move through the season, trends fluctuate, and we must learn to react on the fly. When it comes to hot streaks, you have to act fast, or you may miss out. This set of outfield-eligible players may not all have the longest track records, or their success could be considered unsustainable. However, you have to take risks early in the season in order to uncover your breakout stars. It will already be too late if you wait until these names are established.
Names listed are in order of roster percentage, not confidence ranking. Position eligibility and roster percentage are based on Yahoo!, so check your leagues for availability!
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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Tyler O'Neill, St. Louis Cardinals - 48% Rostered
With injuries keeping him sidelined for a large part of the last two seasons, it's been hard for Tyler O'Neill to find his groove at the plate. It was only two years ago when he smacked 34 home runs with a 140 wRC+. At 28 years old, it's reasonable to assume O'Neill can return to form. Still, it's been underwhelming in 2023. Through 58 games, he's slashing .238/.324/.413 with seven home runs.
Looking deeper, the underlying metrics tell us O'Neill is hitting the ball much better than the surface numbers suggest. He sports an outstanding .464 xSLG, with an equally impressive 12.8% barrel rate, 43.6% hard-hit rate, and .349 xwOBA. O'Neill is also walking at a career-high 11.3% rate, alongside other career-best marks with a 27.4% whiff rate, 24.9% chase rate, and 81.5% zone contact rate. O'Neill's approach at the plate has matured, and the results figure to improve.
Nolan Jones, Colorado Rockies - 37% Rostered
Nolan Jones is becoming a fixture on this waiver wire list. His ownership percentage is slowly creeping up, but it hasn't caught up to his production level. Through 72 games, Jones boasts a .282/.359/.510 slash line with 13 home runs and a 118 wRC+. He's developed into a key piece of the Rockies' batting order and shows no signs of slowing down.
The gut reaction is to assume that Jones' numbers are propped up by playing at Coors Field. Of course, that certainly bolsters his production, but the advanced metrics legitimize his surface numbers. Jones is crushing the ball to the tune of a .474 xSLG, 14.9% barrel rate, and 90.9 mph average exit velocity. He strikes out plenty, and it's realistic to assume some regression with Jones' ability to hit for average. But he demonstrates above-average plate discipline and should remain a productive hitter.
Joc Pederson, San Francisco Giants - 21% Rostered
Joc Pederson may be more of a streaming option, but this is as good of an opportunity as there's been to roster him. Michael Conforto landed on the injured list this past week, joining Mike Yastrzemski and Mitch Haniger. The Giants are undermanned in the outfield, making Pederson even more of a commodity in their lineup and cutting down on San Francisco's typically platoon-reliant strategy.
Pederson's surface numbers aren't terribly exciting, carrying a .241/.353/.431 slash line with 12 home runs and a 117 wRC+ this season. However, the advanced metrics are much more promising. Pederson is pummeling the ball to the tune of a .507 xSLG, 91.9 mph average exit velocity, 51.7% hard-hit rate, and 13.4% barrel rate. He's also walking at a 13.5% rate and doesn't strike out excessively. Look to Pederson as another prime candidate for positive regression.
Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies - 18% Rostered
He has less power than others on this list, but Brandon Marsh can fill out a box score in numerous ways. He's slashing .286/.373/.462 with eight home runs and a 126 wRC+. Marsh doesn't steal as much as you'd expect, but his elite sprint speed does enable him to stretch extra-base hits and produce infield singles. He also walks at an impressive 11.3% rate. Whatever the case may be, Marsh is getting on base plenty.
Looking at the underlying numbers, Marsh strikes out more than you would like to see, though the results are great when he puts the ball in play. That includes a 48.2% hard-hit rate and 91.3 mph average exit velocity. He ranks top-10 in the league with six triples, and his 21 doubles this year are similarly impressive.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Everson Pereira, New York Yankees - 8% Rostered
Everson Pereira is among the latest top prospect call-ups, and there's some hype accompanying his MLB arrival. He's the third-ranked prospect in the Yankees' farm system and the No. 80 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Pereira slashed .300/.373/.548 with 18 home runs across 81 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season.
The early returns haven't been there during Pereira's first week of MLB action, but the upside is worth taking a flier on. He boasts 55-grade power and 55-grade running ability and can contribute to fantasy production in a variety of ways. If the 22-year-old can figure out MLB pitching, he can absolutely be a long-term asset.
Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins - 5% Rostered
Way down in the deepest depths of the waiver wire, we find a hidden gem. Through 45 games, Matt Wallner owns a .244/.350/.528 slash line with nine home runs and a 142 wRC+. That includes a blistering .566 xSLG, 17.9% barrel rate, 91.3 mph average exit velocity, 48.7% hard-hit rate, and .393 xwOBA. Wallner isn't getting the attention he deserves, and he carries the upside of a legitimate stud.
Wallner's recent surge didn't come out of nowhere, either. While he wasn't an especially heralded prospect, he showcased prolific pop during his minor-league days. Wallner slugged .524 through 67 Triple-A games earlier this season, following a .541 mark in 2022 and .504 the year before that.
More Players To Consider
- Austin Hays, Orioles - 46% rostered
- Adam Duvall, Red Sox - 39% rostered
- Tommy Pham, Diamondbacks - 34% rostered
- Luke Raley, Rays - 27% rostered
- Max Kepler, Twins - 19% rostered
- Brent Rooker, Athletics - 18% rostered
More Deep-League Players To Consider
- Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles - 9% rostered
- Wilyer Abreu, Red Sox - 5% rostered
- DJ Stewart, Mets - 4% rostered
- Lawrence Butler, Athletics - 3% rostered
- Jesus Sanchez, Marlins - 2% rostered
- Parker Meadows, Tigers - 2% rostered
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