X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top MLB Prospects to Claim Off the Waiver Wire in Week 23

Well guys. We’ve made it to September. The MLB Ready Top 30 Prospects list is over because rosters have officially expanded. Now, it is time to tell you who is in the big leagues that needs to be added. In another article, I will cover 10 other names who have yet to be promoted who could potentially have value. In today’s issue, we're covering the top prospects currently in the big leagues. To be clear, these are guys who have been promoted recently (August 28 is the cut-off), and it must have been their first opportunity this season (sorry Byron Buxton). And no, if a player has not been promoted yet, they cannot be on the list. My apologies to all you Dan Vogelbach fans out there.

But before I get to that, time for my predictions (just like I did last year) for Rookie of the Year. This year, unlike the last, does not feature a lot of close contests. In fact, I bet the National League will be unanimous the the American League will be pretty dang close to unanimous. Dodgers’ rookie phenom Corey Seager will win the NL Rookie of the Year and it won’t even be remotely close. In the American League, Tigers’ young starter Michael Fulmer has been outstanding this season and will run away with the award.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Top MLB Prospects to Add Right Now off the Waiver Wire

1. Yoan Moncada (2B, BOS)

Double-A Stats: 207 PA, .277/.379/.531, 11 HR, 9 SB, 30.9% K rate, 13.0% BB rate

If he is not already owned in your league, stop what you’re doing right now and add him. This guy is poised to take over at third base for the Boston Red Sox, at least against right-handed pitching (spoiler alert: that’s most pitchers), and he has been absolutely electric in the minors. He has power, he has speed, and he should hit for a great average. There is no player in the minors more electric than Moncada and now, he has a chance to take his talents to the big stage. He is a must-own in all leagues.

2. Tom Murphy (C, COL)

Triple-A Stats: 321 PA, .327/.361/.647, 19 HR, 1 SB, 24.3% K rate, 5.0% BB rate

Do you like catchers who hit home runs? You do? Good, then Murphy is the guy for you. Sure he strikes out a ton, and he does not seem likely a reliable bet to hit for a good average. However, he plays in a park that breeds dingers, and he has already hit 19 home runs in 80 games at Triple-A. Murphy is not going to be the next Gary Sanchez, but he will receive a lot of playing time and should have no problem posting some impressive power numbers.

3. Hunter Dozier (3B, KC)

Triple-A Stats: 434 PA, .294/.357/.506, 15 HR, 3 SB, 23.0% K rate, 9.2% BB rate

Dozier has not always been the most highly touted guy in the minors, but he truly exploded onto the scene in 2016. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he has mashed 23 home runs with a .296 average. He is not going to get much playing time in at first, third, or designated hitter with Eric Hosmer, Cheslor Cuthbert and Kendrys Morales manning those three spots respectively. But Dozier will see some time in the outfield and could get a spot start at one of those three spots. He has a potentially explosive bat, and the Royals recognize this fact. Expect him to start on a semi-regular basis from now until the end of the season.

4. Raimel Tapia (OF, COL)

Triple-A Stats: 110 PA, .346/.355/.490, 0 HR, 6 SB, 10.9% K rate, 1.8% BB rate

Another member of the Rockies, Tapia is a very exciting prospect simply because of where he plays. He has not displayed much power this season (only eight home runs between Double-A and Triple-A), but he has plenty of speed (23 SB), never strikes out and has shown an ability to hit for a decent average. Playing time could be a bit of an issue for him moving forward as the Rockies also have David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez in their outfield, but if Tapia plays, he could put up some impressive numbers.

5. Jharel Cotton (SP, OAK)

Triple-A Stats: 135.2 IP, 4.31 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 10.28 K/9, 2.59 BB/9, 1.33 HR/9

If you have read my Top 30 prospect rankings articles, you have probably noticed that Cotton has been near the top of the list for the past couple of weeks. That has been because of two things: his dominance since arriving at Triple-A Nashville and the likelihood that he becomes a starter for Oakland once he was promoted. Well, Athletics manager Bob Melvin recently confirmed that Cotton would be in the A's rotation for the remainder of the season, solidifying his fantasy value for the rest of the year. Since arriving over from Los Angeles, Cotton has posted a 2.82 ERA and 3.41 FIP thanks in large part to a rock solid 8.45 K/9 and 1.64 BB/9. He looks like he could be a very productive arm for playoff fantasy rotations and he should be a guy most teams want to own.

6. Lucas Giolito (SP, WAS)

Triple-A Stats: 37.1 IP, 2.17 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 9.64 K/9, 2.41 BB/9, 0.72 HR/9

It is unknown at this time whether or not Giolito will be starting for the Nationals, but I bet they give him at least one or two trips through the rotation. He has been sensational at Triple-A, particularly in his last outing when he delivered eight shutout innings with only three base\runners (two hits and one walk). He has not been sharp in the big leagues, but he warrants another look (especially with the Nationals way ahead in the division race). He could potentially be a very solid stream option if he is given starts.

7. Jose De Leon (SP, LAD)

Triple-A Stats: 86.1 IP, 2.61 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 11.57 K/9, 2.08 BB/9, 0.94 HR/9

De Leon looked really sharp in his big league debut. He picked up the win, struck out nine batters. and only gave up six hits over six innings. Now the four earned runs could have been a lot better, but if nothing else he showed a lot of promise moving forward. The Dodgers have had a lot of issues in their rotation this season and though Clayton Kershaw could come back, the smart money is on De Leon staying in the rotation. He is worth a speculative own just for the upside if he sticks in the rotation.

8. Joey Wendle (2B, OAK)

Triple-A Stats: 526 PA, .279/.324/.452, 12 HR, 14 SB, 21.3% K rate, 4.9% BB rate

Wendle has not been a prospect people go crazy over, but he has put together a very solid offensive season for a middle infielder. With 12 home runs and 14 stolen bases, his promising power/speed combination has many viewing him as a possible sleeper if he can get some regular playing time. And though he will likely only receive semi-regular starts, Wendle could eventually see more opportunities down the road as the Athletics wind up their dreadful season and try to get the youngsters some playing time.

9. JaCoby Jones (SS, DET)

Triple-A Stats: 324 PA, .243/.309/.356, 3 HR, 11 SB, 29.9% K rate, 7.7% BB rate

Since a ridiculous 2014 season at Pittsburgh’s Class-A team in which he blasted 23 home runs and stole 17 bases, Jones has trended downward. He hit 18 home runs in 2015 with 26 stolen bases between Rookie ball, High-A and Double-A, but experienced more problems with strikeouts. That issue has continued into this season where he has too many strikeouts while also seeing some notable decreases in both power numbers (seven home runs) and  speed (13 steals). But there is still a fair amount of hype for Jones as scouts still like his power/speed upside, leaving him as an intriguing add off the waiver wire. He won’t play too much time at short, but he could be an interesting streaming option in some leagues.

10. Raul Alcantara (SP, OAK)

Triple-A Stats: 45.2 IP, 1.18 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 6.31 K/9, 0.59 BB/9, 0.20 HR/9

The second Athletics pitching prospect to make it on this list, Alcantara too has been given assurance that he will be in the rotation for Oakland for the remainder of this season. Alcantara has not quite produced the strikeouts that I'm sure fantasy owners would love to see, but he has still been outstanding for Nashville this season, posting a 1.18 ERA and 2.80 FIP. To top those two numbers, he posted a ridiculously low 0.59 BB/9 rate in his 45.2 innings of work. Alcantara is not the greatest prospect in the world, but he has a locked up rotation spot, something that owners in deeper leagues could certainly take advantage of if they need some pitching depth.

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Payton Pritchard

Eager to Continue Improving
Austin Reaves

Expected to Receive Massive Pay Raise with Next Contract
Johnny Johnson III

Waived, Quintez Cephus Signed by Texans on Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out of Walking Boot
Will Howard

Won't Play in Preseason Game Vs. Jaguars
NBA

Spurs Bring in Micah Potter for Training Camp
NFL

Tracy Walker Suspended for 12 Games
Harrison Ingram

Re-Signs with Spurs
Myles Gaskin

Working Out with Giants
Carolina Panthers

Jaycee Horn Misses Wednesday's Practice
Marcus Mariota

Dealing with Leg Injury
Jimmy Garoppolo

Looking Good in Camp
Kyle Monangai

Working with The Second-Team Offense
Mack Hollins

Getting First-Team Reps in New England
Ricky Pearsall

Dominating Training Camp Practices
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

the RB1 in New York?
Emeka Egbuka

Standing Out In Training Camp
Tetairoa McMillan

has "Shown Flashes of Greatness"
Michael Wilson

Wearing Non-Contact Jersey
Jonnu Smith

Back at Practice on Wednesday
Marquise Brown

Not Expected to Need Ankle Surgery
Jordan Addison

Won't Appeal Three-Game Suspension
MarShawn Lloyd

the RB3 on First Unofficial Depth Chart
Jordan Love

Talks Up Rookie Matthew Golden
Romeo Doubs

' Top-End Speed Reaching New Level, Creating More Separation
Aaron Jones

Listed as RB1 on First Depth Chart
Zack Wheeler

Pushed Back to Sunday With Shoulder Stiffness
Roman Anthony

Agrees to Eight-Year Extension
NBA

Richaun Holmes Moves to Panathinaikos on Two-Year Deal
Maverick McNealy

Attempts to Bounce Back at Memphis
Bennedict Mathurin

to Become Regular Starter for Pacers
Darius Garland

Cavaliers Not Rushing Darius Garland Back
Kurt Kitayama

Could Get Hot at Memphis
PGA

Sungjae Im a Volatile Risk at FedEx St. Jude
Riley Minix

Signs New Two-Way Deal with Spurs
Harry Hall

Playing Well as Playoffs Approach
Chris Boucher

Signs One-Year, $3.3 Million Deal with Celtics
PGA

Chris Gotterup on Impressive Run Heading to Memphis
Georges Niang

Returns to Utah
Harris English

Ready for the Playoffs
Bud Cauley

Trying to Reverse Course at Memphis
Daniel Berger

Hoping to Contend at FedEx St. Jude
Luke Keaschall

Launches First Career Home Run
Scottie Scheffler

Continues Dominance Ahead of TPC Southwind
Collin Morikawa

Eyes Major Bounce Back at TPC Southwind
Michael Kim

Looking to Find Rhythm at TPC Southwind
PGA

Victor Hovland Eyeing Another Strong Finish at TPC Southwind
Ben Griffin

Brings High-Upside Value to TPC Southwind
Shea Langeliers

Has Three-Homer Evening Tuesday
Matt Fitzpatrick

Staying Red-Hot Entering TPC Southwind
Patrick Cantlay

Eyeing Another Strong Finish at TPC Southwind
Ludvig Aberg

Needs a Complete Week at TPC Southwind
Roman Anthony

to Return on Wednesday
Gleyber Torres

Scratched from Tuesday's Lineup
DAL

Anton Khudobin Announces Retirement
Miro Heiskanen

Back at 100 Percent Ahead of New Season
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Miss Start of Season
Nick Lodolo

Reds Place Nick Lodolo on Injured List With Finger Blister
NHL

Jimmy Vesey Moves Abroad
ANA

Sam Colangelo Signs Two-Year Extension
NYI

Matthew Schaefer Signs Entry-Level Contract with Islanders
NBA

Brandon Boston Jr. Inks Deal with Fenerbahce
NBA

Jeff Dowtin Jr. Joins Six-Time EuroLeague Champions
NBA

Lonnie Walker IV Agrees to Three-Year Contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv
Neemias Queta

Working Back From Knee Surgery
Johnny Juzang

Links Up with Timberwolves
Ricky Council IV

Joins Nets on One-Year Contract
Aaron Judge

To Return To Yankees On Tuesday
Michael King

Could Make Next Start With Padres
Michael Soroka

To Go On Injured List
Nick Lodolo

Exits Early With Blister
Roman Anthony

Dealing With Back Tightness
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Not a "Buyout Candidate"
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Still Undecided About Future in Milwaukee
Max Muncy

Activated and Starting on Monday
Grayson Rodriguez

to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Isaac Paredes

Won't Have Surgery, Hoping to Return This Year
Daniss Jenkins

Agrees to Two-Way Deal Wth Detroit
Washington Wizards

Jaylen Martin Waived by Wizards
Tatsuro Taira

Gets Submission Win
HyunSung Park

Undefeated No More
Mateusz Rębecki

Mateusz Rebecki Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 108
Chris Duncan

Wins Three In A Row
Elves Brener

Loses Three In A Row
Esteban Ribovics

Returns To The Win Column
Nora Cornolle

Gets Dominated At UFC Vegas 108
Karol Rosa

Outclasses Nora Cornolle
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 23rd at Open Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for 34th at Open Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For Seventh at Open Championship
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied for 19th at Wyndham Championship
Si Woo Kim

Misses The Cut at Wyndham Championship
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Suffers TKO Loss
Austin Riley

Braves Place Austin Riley Back on Injured List
Neil Magny

Gets Back In The Win Column
Danny Silva

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Charges Back to Sixth at Iowa
Chase Briscoe

Finished Second Despite Being Trapped a Lap Down and Causing Two Wrecks
Brad Keselowski

Arguably Had the Best Drive at Iowa but Finished Third
Austin Dillon

Earns a Quiet Top Ten at Iowa
Kyle Larson

Poor Pit Strategy and Clash with Teammate Foil Kyle Larson at Iowa
William Byron

Stretches His Fuel to His Second Victory of 2025 At Iowa
Ryan Blaney

Continues A Strong Run of Success At Iowa
Ryan Preece

Eventful Race at Iowa Results In A Top-5 Finish
Denny Hamlin

Struggled Massively At Iowa
Tommy Edman

Likely Going on 10-Day Injured List
Austin Riley

Leaves With Abdominal Pain
Aaron Judge

on Track to Return Tuesday
Max Muncy

Could Return as Early as Monday
Chase Briscoe

Could Chase Briscoe be A Sneaky Play for Iowa Lineups?
Denny Hamlin

Is A Top Driver to Consider for DFS At Iowa
Ryan Blaney

Is A Favorite to Go Back-To-Back With Iowa Victories
Tyler Reddick

has Plenty of Upside for Sunday's Race at Iowa
Carson Hocevar

What Should Fantasy Players do with Carson Hocevar at Iowa?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Iowa DFS Lineups?
Ty Gibbs

Could Be A Solid DFS Option for Iowa
Logan Henderson

Recalled, Starting Sunday
Ryan Preece

Offers Plenty of Upside For DFS Lineups At Iowa On Sunday
NASCAR

A.J. Allmendinger Will Start in the Top 10 for the Second Week In A Row at Iowa
Austin Dillon

Could Austin Dillon Be A Decent DFS Option for Iowa?
Michael McDowell

Is Michael McDowell Worth Rostering for Iowa DFS Lineups?
Zane Smith

Should DFS Players Roster Zane Smith At Iowa?
NHL

Jakub Lauko Returns to Czechia
Nicholas Robertson

Signs One-Year Contract with Maple Leafs
Alex Laferriere

Kings Re-Sign Alex Laferriere to Three-Year Deal
Conor McGregor

Enters UFC Testing Pool
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF