RADIO
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 April 25 - May 1, 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 are calculated using games through Friday, April 22.
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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.
If you look above, you'll likely find a suitable mirror to your own system. While every point counts, as long as they aren't seismic changes you can get away with some "close enough" calls. IE. If everything is the same except for HBP (or something similar), you're probably fine.
Waiver Wire Leaderboards
In addition to our overall waiver wire leaderboards, once we're deep enough into the season we'll also start doing a 14-day leaderboard, as well, giving us a window into recent production. 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.
*APR = Average Platform Ranking - the average platform ranking between ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Fantrax (standard point settings)
Before we crack on to the positions, a quick word. Normally, every week, we'll go position-by-position and group players according to "Must Adds", "Can Adds" and "Desperate Adds". But we're less than three weeks into the season and while I'll generally advocate for plenty of player churning at the bottom of your roster, now is not the time to be quickly dropping players only just (relatively) recently drafted.
My general guidance on hitters for early in the season is to stick with what you drafted barring significant changes to their playing time and/or injury. But also be on the lookout for players that have already been rage-dropped by any of your opponents not heeding this advice. With that said, consider all of these groupings to be very loose until we have some more solid performance data to base decisions on.
Translation: Almost all players this time of year will fall under "Can Adds", with most of the "Must Adds" consisting of players that probably should've already been drafted/not dropped already. With that said, let's get some players.
First Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Must Adds
- Daniel Vogelbach, PIT - Still starting every day and still batting leadoff, Vogelbach has a five-game hitting streaks, going 6-for-21 with two home runs . The Spring of Dan, continues.
- Rowdy Tellez, MIL - He's still losing at-bats to Keston Hiura vs LHP but in leagues with daily moves, Tellez is certainly worth a pickup, posting a 53 APR for the start of the season. Tellez has a .375 wOBA (.421 xwOBA), with a 16.7% Brl% and 46.2% Air% (100+ MPH) that say the power is as there as it's been in the past.
Can Adds
- Ji-Man Choi, TB - We're still squarely in the middle of "Ji-Man Choi crushes baseballs for a few weeks" season. Choi has a 37 APR over his first 42 PA, driven by a .503 wOBA (.490 xwOBA) and 26.2% BB%. Enjoy it while it lasts.
- Christian Walker, ARI - After only hitting 10 HR over 445 PA in 2021, Walker already has 3 HR in his first 54 PA of 2022. Only a .298 wOBA but a .386 xwOBA is a lot more positive, as is a 17.1% Brl%. If some of the power returns, Walker's point-friendly profile could start being very useful.
- Eric Hosmer, SD - His .410 wOBA is only backed by a .338 xwOBA and a 2.6% Brl% makes it seem like the same old Hosmer.
Desperate Adds
- Jesus Aguilar, MIA - He's gotta start hitting eventually, right? But it hasn't happened yet; Aguilar is slashing .190/.280/.190 through his first 50 PA, with a .227 wOBA and .256 xwOBA.
Notable IL
- none
Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Must Adds
- Adam Frazier, SEA - No power but that doesn't necessarily matter in point leagues. Frazier is leading off every game for the Mariners, slashing .268/.339/.375, with just a 12.9% K%. With a 32 APR in the short season, Frazier is a must-add if you need any sort of MI help.
Can Adds
- Thairo Estrada, SF - Estrada might end up just being a worthwhile add to upgrade your bench but is playing (and contributing) every day in good Giants lineup. He's slashing .255/.296/.412 over his first 54 PA, with 2 HR, 11 runs scored, 9 RBI, and 2 SB, plus, manager Gabe Kapler recently voiced support for working his way into the lineup every day even after Tommy La Stella returns from injury.
- Santiago Espinal, TOR - He's playing every day, only has an 18.8% K%, and his lowly .285 wOBA is backed by a very respectable .377 xwOBA.
Desperate Adds
- Cesar Hernandez, WSH - Not very productive so far but he's a next level compiler of ABs, rarely striking out or walking and leading the league with 69 AB - eight more than Bo Bichette in second place.
- Kyle Farmer, CIN
- Wilmer Flores, SF
- Nicky Lopez, KC
- Nick Madrigal, CHC
- Jorge Mateo, BAL - His five stolen bases is getting Mateo a lot of deserved attention in roto but a 32.7% K% with no power isn't going to play very well under most point formats.
Notable IL
- David Fletcher, LAA
- Chad Pinder, OAK
- Jed Lowrie, OAK
Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups
Things are already in mid-season form at the hot corner. IE. Ice cold.
Must Adds
- Alec Bohm, PHI - While his leash might be short, Bohm has now started five games in a row at third base. For all of his fielding issues, the bat has really good, slashing .440/.455/.640, with a .448 wOBA and 192 wRC+. As long as he keeps a hold of the every day job, Bohm should be added in most leagues.
Can Adds
- Maikel Franco, WSH - He could turn back into a pumpkin any day but for right now, Franco keeps hitting and is playing every day. As long as he keeps doing both that might be worth an add in your format, particularly in leagues with a strikeout penalty, as Franco has just a 15.7% K% for his career - though he has been more free-swinging this season, running a 26.2% K% and 13.7% SwStr%.
Desperate Adds
- Miguel Sano, MIN
- Yandy Diaz, TB
- Giovanny Urshela, NYY
Notable IL
- Kevin Smith, OAK
- Mike Moustakas, CIN
Shortstop
Must Adds
- Jeremy Pena, HOU - What are we doing here, people? There's no good reason Pena should be on the wire in 10-team leagues and above. He has a 61 APR so far, with a .393 wOBA and .383 xwOBA, and is playing every day on an excellent offense. Please don't make me beg.
Can Adds
- Elvis Andrus, OAK - This will probably fizzle soon but Andrus is yet another player with a point-friendly profile that gets played up when playing every game. His 71 APR (min 65, max 75) is driven by 58 PA of a 15.5% K% and 12.1% BB%. Nothing sexy but it'll get the job done if you need it.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa, NYY - Like Andrus, there's nothing special about what Kiner-Falefa produces but he's playing a lot and rarely strikes out. It can be useful.
Desperate Adds
- Miguel Rojas, MIA
- C.J. Abrams, SD - If Abrams continues slashing .133/.235/.267, he will continue to lose playing time.
Notable IL
- None
Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups
Must Adds
- Brandon Nimmo, NYM - 35% on ESPN? 25% on Yahoo! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Nimmo has a 48 APR, even after missing time on the COVID-IL, and is leading off every day for one of the best offenses in baseball. Oh, he's slashing .325/.426/.575 over 48 PA, with a 20.8% K% and 14.6% BB%. Oh, and he's also gone yard twice but, more importantly, has started off April with some strong exit velocities. His 93.5 mph average exit velocity on fly balls is up 2.1 mph over last year, while his 35.7% Air% (100+ mph) is up from 24.6%. Still not world-beating but even a small power upgrade will shoot Nimmo's value even higher.
- Patrick Wisdom, CHC - I'm not sure there is a player right now with a bigger gap between their value in leagues with a strikeout penalty versus those that don't. Wisdom (and his 40.0% K%!) has a 69 APR: 91 (ESPN) and 80 (CBS) versus 48 (Fantrax) and 57 (Yahoo). He's a must add in one format and a must avoid in the other.
- Andrew McCutchen, MIL - His production might not always be start-worthy but McCutchen continues to have the points-friendly profile that he's always had and is likely, at minimum, an upgrade over what sits on the back of most benches. Plays most of the time, rarely strikes out, and bats in the middle of the order. Easy profits.
Can Adds
- Tommy Pham, CIN - Pham is worth a pickup as long he's stays off the IL - especially if your league awards points for threatening opponents and/or getting stabbed.
- Oscar Mercado, CLE - Umm, so is Oscar Mercado breaking out (again)? I'm not sure yet but the numbers can't be ignored until he (/Cleveland's offense) cools down some.
- Brandon Marsh, LAA
- Seth Brown, OAK - Like a discount Patrick Wisdom, Brown is only going to be useful in leagues without a strikeout penalty.
Desperate Adds
- Jo Adell, LAA/Josh Lowe, TB - A 44.7% and 37.5% K% simply isn't going to cut it under most formats unless there is a lot of production elsewhere
- Akil Baddoo, DET - He's not playing against left-handers - probably because for his career he's slashed .210/.270/.248 against them, with a .235 wOBA.
Notable IL
- Alex Kirilloff, MIN
- Tyler Naquin, CIN
Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups
Must Add
- Alejandro Kirk, TOR - Kirk hasn't lit the world on fire since teammate Danny Jansen hit the IL with an oblique injury but has a profile that should crush under most scoring formats. He only has a 235 APR for the season but has two multi-hit performances in his past three games and still has a loaded roster batting in front of him.
Can Add
- Austin Nola, SD - Nola is playing every day and doesn't strike out very much. Sometimes that's all you need at catcher.
- Elias Diaz, COL - Might be worth a stream for his home series over the weekend.
Desperate Add
- All catcher adds are desperate adds. Now and forever.
Notable IL
- Danny Jansen, TOR
- Luis Torrens, SEA
- Kevin Plawecki, BOS
- Francisco Mejia, TB
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