Points League Hitters: Waiver Wire Pickups for Fantasy Baseball - Week 14

We'll be doing this roundup of points leagues every week here at RotoBaller, with waiver wire targets and streaming pitchers being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems of ESPN, Yahoo!, CBS, and Fantrax.

Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll make sure to highlight where players are the best and worst fits. We know points league players get neglected and we're here to help.

These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are for the week of July 11 - July 17, looking at players below ~50% rostered for ESPN, Yahoo!, or Fantrax. Position eligibility is taken from Fantrax and players are grouped by their most valuable fantasy position, using a hierarchy of: C > 2B > OF > 3B > 1B > SS. Stats and rankings for charts are calculated using games through Friday, July 8.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association including Baseball Writer of the Year, Football Writers of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year and many more! Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

Know Your Scoring System

You know what I'm going to say, right?  You must account for, as precisely as possible, how a player performs under your particular scoring system. Don't be fooled into believing you can just make rough adjustments in your head, bumping up guys with high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates. Every point, in every category, counts.

For example, ESPN and Fantrax are virtually identical in their scoring for hitters and roster size. The only difference is that stolen bases are worth one more point on Fantrax and ESPN subtracts one point per strikeout. That's the difference between Trea Turner being a top-five hitter versus a top-25 hitter.

If your league uses standard settings, then great! Turn to page 94 and you can skip ahead to the leaderboards. If you play with custom settings, it'll still be fine. Go back to page 43 and look below at the scoring systems of the four major platforms. I bet there's a chance that you'll find that your league's scoring is very similar to one of the four (well, not Yahoo!'s), even if it's not the platform you actually play on.

You'll likely find a suitable mirror to your own system if you look above. While every point counts, as long as they aren't seismic changes you can get away with some "close enough" calls. IE. You're probably fine if everything is the same except for HBP (or something similar).

 

Week 14: Waiver Wire Leaderboards

All charts are updated prior to Saturday's games, on stats and ownerships, and clicking on a chart will open a new page with a magnified version. Players on overall leaderboards are ordered according to their current Roster% on Yahoo.

*APR = Average Platform Ranking - the average platform ranking between ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Fantrax (standard point settings)

The 14-Day Leaderboard, Presented by Hansel

These players are so hot right now. Here are the players on the wire who are running inside the top-100 of APR over the past two weeks:

Overall Leaderboards

 

First Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Vinnie Pasquantino, KC (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 10%) - The Italian Breakfast has been absent much beef since getting called up but the underlying numbers are positive, even if the results aren't yet. Pasquantino has a 14.3% K% and 14.3% BB% over his first 42 PA, with a .422 xwOBA that is 150 points higher than a .271 wOBA.

Next Choices

Daniel Vogelbach, PIT (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 3%) -  Vogelbach has a 94 APR for the season and 30 APR over the last two weeks but his current hot streak started before that. Over his past 20 games, he's slashing .339/.464/.643, with a .469 wOBA and 207 wRC+. And as his plate discipline gets even better, the success continues to climb:

I get that he's Dan Vogelbach and he'll go through epic cold streaks but less than 5% rostered? That's just disrespectful.

Darick Hall, PHI (Yahoo: 8%, ESPN: 4%) - Hall has come up blasting for the Phillies, hitting four home runs in his first 35 PA. But don't get too hyped if your league penalizes strikeouts because we're probably looking at a near-30% K%.

Desperate Choices

Luke Voit, SD (Yahoo: 39%, ESPN: 32%) - Voit only has a 207 APR over the past two weeks but is making better contact than his results have shown. His .334 wOBA and .412 wOBA (on contact) over that stretch are only average but a .414 xwOBA and .546 xwOBAcon are decidedly not. But the +30% K% continues to only make him a viable option in leagues without a strikeout penalty.

On the IL

• Frank Schwindel, CHC (strained lower back - no timetable for return)
• Edwin Rios, LAD (strained hamstring - no timetable for return)

 

Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Santiago Espinal, TOR, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 37%, ESPN: 39%) - Espinal continues to be a top-100 hitter, coming off of his best month of production, collecting 13 RBI and scoring 19 runs. He has a classic compiler profile, racking up PAs on an excellent offense, while never rarely striking out.

Nico Hoerner, CHC, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 39%, ESPN: 23%) - Hoerner has an 87 APR over the past two weeks but with a .369 wOBA that is only backed by a .283 xwOBA. But that's what to be expected, as this is another classic compiler profile, with Hoerner getting a little contribution from everywhere and adding up to an above-average points profile.

Next Choices

Nolan Gorman, STL, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 50%, ESPN: 20%) - Gorman has struggled lately, with just a 184 APR over the past two weeks but his expected numbers are a lot shinier than the actual ones. His two-week .337 wOBA is backed by a .393 xwOBA, while a .376 wOBAcon has a .466 xwOBAcon behind it. The bigger problem is sitting vs LHP but luckily, the Cardinals are only scheduled to face lefties in two of their seven games in Week 14.

Jose Miranda, MIN, 1B/2B/3B (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 2%) - Miranda has a .384 wOBA (.381 xwOBA) over the past two weeks but won't be a viable asset until he stops getting random days off, sitting twice against RHP over Minnesota's past six games.

Nick Senzel, CIN, 2B/OF (Yahoo: 23%, ESPN: 4%) - Slashing .400/.455/.575 over the past two weeks, with a .447 wOBA and 186 wRC+, you better believe that the hardcore Senzel stans are foaming at the mouth. But a .346 xwOBA and .385 xwOBAcon says that they might want to check themselves a touch.

Bryson Stott, PHI, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 3%) - Stott has hit himself into a bigger role, starting Philadelphia's last 11 games and 14 of their last 15, including two vs LHP. And while he only has posted a .298 wOBA over the past two weeks, a .405 xwOBA, 2.5% K%, and 17.5% BB% point to better things to come. I'd rather have Stott than anyone else listed later at SS.

Desperate Choices

Josh Rojas, ARI, 2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 27%, ESPN: 29%) - Rojas has been on a heater for the past two weeks, slashing .357/.413/.595 over 48 PA, with a .431 wOBA and 179 wRC+. But let's not get too carried away. That stretch includes five games against suspect Colorado pitching, three of which were at Coors, and his .431 wOBA/.534 wOBAcon are backed by a .327 wOBA/.384 xwOBAcon.

Ha-Seong Kim, SD, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 10%) - With a 19.3 K% and a 10.2% BB%, as long as Kim continues to play every day, his profile should stay very points friendly.

Dylan Moore, SEA, 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 1%) - Moore has started Seattle's past eight games and eight of the past twelve but that has more to do with a combination of an injury to Ty France and suspensions for Jesse Winker and J.P. Crawford. With all three back after this weekend (and Carlos Santana joining the infield clog), Moore's playing time should quickly start getting squeezed.

On the IL

• David Fletcher, LAA (abductor surgery - no timetable for return)
• Nick Madrigal, CHC (strained groin - currently on rehab assignment)
• Jed Lowrie, OAK (sprained shoulder - no timetable for return)

 

Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Yandy Diaz, TB, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 16%, ESPN: 33%) - Diaz has come alive and is now up to a 61 APR on the season, with a 21 APR over the last two weeks. A .508 wOBAcon backed by a below-average .394 xwOBAcon inspires less confidence but Diaz's plate discipline is so good (10.5% K% and 15.4% BB%) that he doesn't have to always be crushing the ball in order to be a great points asset.

Alec Bohm, PHI, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 18%) - After going yard twice on Friday night, Bohm is now up to a 96 APR for the season, with his 20.6% K% increasing his value even further in leagues with a strikeout penalty. His overall numbers might seem underwhelming but don't let roto bias make you blind to his value in points.

Next Choices

Gio Urshela, MIN, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 23%) - Urshela is what Urshela is (mostly useful as a fill-in) but a .365 wOBA (.398 xwOBA) and .443 wOBAcon (.485 xwOBAcon) over the past two weeks is a lot better than what you'll find on most waiver wires.

Desperate Choices

Spencer Torkelson, DET, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 23%, ESPN: 47%) - The rookie is still on life support but has stopped flatling, at least, in regards to his quality of contact, running a .513 xwOBAcon over the past two weeks that is more than a few cuts above a .388 wOBAcon. But until his actual results get closer to his expected ones, we're still far away from an everyday fantasy player.

Yoan Moncada, CHW (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 46%) - I'm only including him as a public service announcement, which is apparently needed considering his Roster%...Yoan Moncada is not good enough to be rostered in point leagues. Not his 28% K%, not his 4% BB%, not his .225 wOBA, not his .265 xwOBA. None of it. Get him out of here.

On the IL

• Miguel Sano, MIN (knee surgery - on rehab assignment)
• Evan Longoria, SF (strained oblique - no timetable for return)
• Jake Burger, CHW (bone bruise - no timetable for return)

 

Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Elvis Andrus, OAK (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 3%) - Real hoopers know that it never lasts but can we at least take a moment to appreciate the points-gold bursts that Andrus is still good for a few times a year? He has a 28 APR over the past two weeks and is now up to a 98 APR for the season, compiling points over an impressive (for him) 283 PA for the A's.

Next Choices

Miguel Rojas, MIA, 1B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 6%) - Rojas is starting to heat up, running a .378 wOBA and .377 xwOBA over the past two weeks but a 111 APR over that time shows just how average his production is.

Desperate Choices

Luis Garcia, WSH, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 13%, ESPN: 7%) - Garcia's 19.1% K% might make him useful for the desperate in the right league but an absolute refusal to walk will continue to hold his per-PA scoring rates down. No, seriously...Garcia has exactly one walk in 136 PA, giving him a 0.7% BB%. Point(!) seven?

Nicky Lopez, KC, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 6%) - Lopez is only a slap-hitter that rarely strikes out, with average (at best) per-PA scoring rates. But his best quality might be just being qualified at SS, which could make him viable compared to the other substandard options at the position.

On the IL

• Not this week

 

Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

MJ Melendez, KC, C/OF (Yahoo: 47%, ESPN: 14%) - The only special thing that Melendez is doing, is playing every day, with the rookie getting just one day off since Salvador Perez was injured on June 22. His 49 PA over the past two weeks is well above everyone else on our available list and sometimes that's all you need at catcher.

Cal Raleigh, SEA (Yahoo: 8%, ESPN: 3%) - Raleigh's playing time has ticked up considerably since Luis Torrens hit the IL but he's also been producing, posting a 78 APR over the past two weeks, with 2 HR and 11 RBI.

Next Choices

William Contreras, ATL (Yahoo: 44%, ESPN: 29%) - His per-PA scoring rates are crazy but the playing time won't be changing, barring an injury to Travis d'Arnaud. Which, to be fair, generally isn't the lowest odds around.

Omar Narvaez, MIL (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 27%) - Narvaez's excellent plate discipline has made him a good points asset before but a .417 wOBA over the past two weeks still won't make up for only playing three times a week.

Carson Kelly, ARI (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 10%) - Kelly has an 86 APR over the past two weeks but is only playing 2-3 times a week - and mostly versus lefties.

Desperate Choices

All catcher adds are desperate adds. Now and forever.

On the IL

• Danny Jansen, TOR (fractured finger - on rehab assignment)
• Mike Zunino, TB (shoulder inflammation - no timetable for return)
• Yadier Molina, STL (knee inflammation - no timetable for return)
• Luis Torrens, SEA (shoulder inflammation - no timetable for return)

 

Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Ramon Laureano, OAK (Yahoo: 35%, ESPN: 9%) - Okay, everyone, it's time. He was once dead but Laureano is now back to full zombie status, running a 17 APR over the past two weeks, with a .422 wOBA and .582 wOBAcon. It's officially time for him to leave the waiver wire.

Jarren Duran, BOS (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 18%) - Duran only has a 93 APR over the past two weeks but the only reason that number isn't higher is probably due to him missing Boston's series in Toronto and being light on plate appearances. But he's playing every day and the per-PA scoring rates are well above average.

Alex Kirilloff, MIN, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 36%, ESPN: 29%) - Ya know, I'm starting to think that Kirilloff and his balky wrist have finally come to an understanding. Kirilloff has a 23 APR over the past two weeks, hitting three home runs in 50 PA.

Garrett Cooper, MIA, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 25%) - Cooper has been near a top-100 APR for most of the season and has spent the past few weeks crushing lasers. He has a .467 xwOBAcon over the past two weeks that's fully backed up by a .501 xwOBAcon.

Andrew McCutchen, MIL (Yahoo: 28%, ESPN: 42%) - McCutchen's profile is easy points pickings, playing every day, and posting just an 18.5% K%, with above-average rates in most scoring categories.

Next Choices

Harold Ramirez, TB, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 10%) - Ramirez continues to hit (and play), starting 11 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games. Over those two weeks, he's run a 71 APR, while slashing .349/.417/.488, with a .391 wOBA and 164 wRC+. As long as he's playing every day Ramirez and his 14.3% K% will continue to be very useful in most scoring formats.

Juan Yepez, STL, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 49%, ESPN: 20%) - Yepez has a 55 APR over the past two weeks but the big question is what his playing time looks like with the imminent return of Tyler O'Neill just over the horizon.

Hunter Dozier, KC, 1B/3B/OF (Yahoo: 20%, ESPN: 18%) - Like a whole host of other boring profiles, Dozier will give you top-100 hitter production but don't expect the ceiling to go higher very often.

Adam Duvall, ATL (Yahoo: 31%, ESPN: 24%) - Duvall only has 30 PA over the past two weeks but also missed time on the paternity list. His per-PA rates, though, have really kicked up lately and he's posted an impressive .530 wOBA and .550 xwOBAcon over the fortnight.

Steven Kwan, CLE (Yahoo: 17%, ESPN: 37%) - Even when he's struggling, Kwan can bring points value from piles of PAs, double-digit walk- and strikeout rates.

Desperate Choices

Seth Brown, OAK, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 7%, ESPN: 6%) - Brown is only useful when the A's are facing right-handing pitching - something they're scheduled to do in five of their six games in Week 14.

Eddie Rosario, ATL (Yahoo: 22%, ESPN: 46%) - Rosario is finally back from his eye surgery and generally runs a points-friendly profile. He can be useful but only as long as he's starting vs LHP, something he didn't do in his first opportunity off of the IL, grabbing pine on Thursday.

Jack Suwinski, PIT (Yahoo: 18%, ESPN: 7%) - The precocious Pirates rookie has a 76 APR over the past two weeks but he'll be tough to use in many leagues with a strikeout rate north of 30%.

Aaron Hicks, NYY (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 4%) - He only plays about four times a week but Hicks has been making them count lately, running a 39 APR over the past two weeks and 41 PA, with a .436 wOBA and .442 xwOBA.

Rafael Ortega, CHC (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 2%) - Ortega has good per-PA scoring rates but still almost always sits against LHP. However, in their two series against the Orioles and Mets this week, the Cubs are only scheduled to face one lefty.

David Peralta, ARI (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 16%) - Peralta has posted extreme per-PA scoring rates over the past two weeks but will likely sit against lefties in three of Arizona's six games in Week 14.

On the IL

• Kyle Lewis, SEA (concussion - on rehab assignment)
• Manuel Margot, TB (strained knee - no timetable for return)
• Luis Gonzalez, SF (strained lower back - on rehab assignment)
• Tyler Naquin, CIN (strained quad)
• Wil Myers, SD (knee inflammation - no timetable for return)
• Tyrone Taylor (concussion - no timetable for return)
• Oscar Gonzalez, CLE (strained abdominal - no timetable for return)
• Trevor Larnach, MIN (core muscle surgery - expected to miss six weeks)
• Taylor Trammell, SEA (strained hamstring - no timetable for return)
• Jake Fraley, CIN (knee inflammation - no timetable for return)

Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!

More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice