👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
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

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jalen McMillan

Headed for a Bigger Role in 2026
Ashton Jeanty

Poised to Break Out with Improved Offense and Protection?
Justin Jefferson

Poised to Re-Emerge as an Elite Dynasty Wide Receiver in 2026
J.J. McCarthy

Dynasty Value is Fading Heading into 2026
NFL

Brenen Thompson May Struggle to Consistently Earn Targets in the NFL
Drake Maye

Can Drake Maye Overcome Questionable Supporting Cast in New England?
Garrett Wilson

Will Garrett Wilson Have a More Stable Environment Around Him in New York Going Forward?
NFL

Omar Cooper Jr.'s Stock is Rising as Draft Day Approaches
J.J. Spaun

Needs the Putter to Cooperate in San Antonio
Thorbjorn Olesen

Trending Up in San Antonio
Denny McCarthy

Carrying Momentum into San Antonio
Matt Grzelcyk

Unavailable for Reminder of Season
Artyom Levshunov

Ruled Out for Rest of Season
Mathieu Olivier

to Miss Couple of Weeks
Evan Rodrigues

to Have Season-Ending Surgery
Sam Reinhart

Won't Return This Season
Carter Yakemchuk

Injured in Tuesday's Loss
Aaron Ekblad

Hand Injury "Doesn't Look Good"
Cameron Johnson

Available Against Jazz
Aaron Gordon

Likely to Play Wednesday Night
Malik Monk

Suiting Up Wednesday
DeMar DeRozan

Cleared to Face Raptors
Andrew Wiggins

Questionable Against Celtics
Norman Powell

Won't Play Wednesday
Danny Wolf

Without Timeline for Return
Jose Fernandez

Launches Two Home Runs in Historic MLB Debut
Chase DeLauter

Exits Tuesday's Game with Foot Injury, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Odell Beckham Jr.

Meets with John Harbaugh About Giants Reunion
Chris Kirk

Has Course History on His Side in San Antonio
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Option at the Valero Texas Open
Joe Highsmith

Still Searching for Form in San Antonio
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks to Find Form at the Valero Texas Open
Dalton Kincaid

Load Management a Possibility for Dalton Kincaid
J.K. Dobbins

is Fully Healthy for 2026
Jauan Jennings

49ers Acknowledge Jauan Jennings Won't Return
LeBron James

Set to Play in Cleveland Matchup
Jayson Tatum

Cleared to Play Wednesday
Neemias Queta

Returns Against Miami
De'Anthony Melton

Ruled Out Against Spurs
Kristaps Porzingis

Ruled Out Wednesday
Pascal Siakam

Expected to Suit Up Wednesday
Andrew Nembhard

Sitting Out Wednesday
Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Off Injury Report Wednesday
Ty Jerome

to Miss Fifth Straight Game
Caris LeVert

Available Tuesday Against Raptors
Miles McBride

to Suit up on Tuesday
Collin Murray-Boyles

Cleared to Play Tuesday
Marcus Sasser

is Available on Tuesday
Brandon Ingram

Returns Vs. Detroit
Seiya Suzuki

to Begin a Rehab Assignment Soon
Simon Holmstrom

Misses Tuesday's Action
Alexandre Carrier

Out 2-4 Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
Jordan Spieth

a Horse for Course History at TPC San Antonio
Mason Lohrei

Misses Second Consecutive Game Tuesday
Tyler Myers

Unavailable Against Bruins
Robert MacIntyre

Has One Flaw to Overcome at Valero Texas Open to be a Must-Play
Michael Bunting

to Sit Out Tuesday's Game
Maverick McNealy

In Exceptional Form This Season
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well But Still Searching For A Win
Hideki Matsuyama

Playing Well Heading to the Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim

Heads to Valero Texas Open For Final Tune-Up Before Masters
Nikita Kucherov

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin

Ready for Action Tuesday
Sam Bennett

Rejoins Panthers Lineup Tuesday
Cody Ponce

Diagnosed With ACL Sprain, to Miss "Significant Time"
Tank Dell

Uncertain for OTAs, But Expected to Play in 2026
Alvin Kamara

Saints Still Want to Address Alvin Kamara's Contract
George Pickens

Cowboys Have "Long-Term Plans" for George Pickens
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Not Ruling Out Potential Kyle Pitts Sr. Trade
Jordan James

the "Front-Runner" to be Top Backup RB
A.J. Brown

Patriots Still Not Ruling Out an A.J. Brown Trade
Aaron Rodgers

Planning to Re-Sign With Steelers?
Seattle Seahawks

Mike Washington Jr. Would Fill a Big Need for Seahawks
Los Angeles Rams

Kenyon Sadiq a Good Fit With the Rams?
Collin Morikawa

Withdraws From Valero Texas Open
PGA

Stephan Jaegar Still Looking For Consistency at Valero Texas Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

is Red-Hot Coming to TPC San Antonio
Tony Finau

a Risky Proposition at Valero Texas Open
Ludvig Aberg

Looks to Shake Off Collapse at Valero Texas Open
Jacob deGrom

Cleared for Season Debut on Tuesday
Colt Emerson

Signs an Eight-Year Extension with Mariners
William Nylander

Records Four Points Against Ducks
Macklin Celebrini

Becomes Sixth Teenager With 100-Point Season
Jaden Schwartz

Could Return Tuesday
Jordan Greenway

Available Tuesday
Jake Sanderson

Remains Out Tuesday
Cutter Gauthier

Exits Early Against Maple Leafs
Patrick Rodgers

Needs to Make More Birdies in San Antonio
Sepp Straka

Seeks Opportunity in San Antonio This Weekend
Nick Taylor

Could Again Struggle at the Valero Texas Open
Jose Altuve

Tallies Four Hits, Two Homers in Big Night
Miguel Vargas

Hits Grand Slam, Drives in Six in Win Over Miami
Tanner Bibee

to Start on Tuesday Against Dodgers
Chase Elliott

Takes Advantage of Pit Strategies for Second Career Martinsville Win
Denny Hamlin

Dominates but Finishes Second at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Bounces Back with Third-Place Finish at Martinsville
Ty Gibbs

Gains his Fourth Top-Five Finish of the Season at Martinsville
William Byron

Scores Another Top-Five Finish at Martinsville
Joe Pyfer

Extends His Winning Streak
Israel Adesanya

Loses Fourth Consecutive Fight
Maycee Barber

Suffers Her First Knockout Loss
Alexa Grasso

Scores Highlight-Reel Knockout
Niko Price

Retires After UFC Seattle Loss
Michael Chiesa

Victorious In His Retirement Fight
Julian Erosa

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Lerryan Douglas

Scores First-Round Knockout Win In His UFC Debut
Alex Bregman

Clobbers First Two Homers in Sunday's Loss at Wrigley
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Records Five Hits, Drives in Four in Win Over Cardinals
Kyle Larson

Is Likely to Pay Off for DFS at Martinsville
Christopher Bell

Could Have Another Top-10 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron

Is A Threat to Win Again at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Chase Briscoe

has Plenty of Upside for DFS Lineups at Martinsville
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Unlikely to See High-Leverage Opportunities in Near Future
Jacob deGrom

Feels "Much Better," Hopeful he Can Start This Week
Ty Gibbs

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Martinsville?
Ryan Preece

Is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Josh Berry

Could Josh Berry Pay Off for Tournament DFS Lineups At Martinsville?
Carson Hocevar

May be Too Inconsistent to Start in Martinsville DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering for DFS At Martinsville?
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Martinsville
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Martinsville
Tyler Reddick

Should Come Back Down to Earth at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Will Be Strong at Martinsville
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking to Rebound at Martinsville
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Showing Progress, Qualifies Fifth at Martinsville
Dylan Cease

Fans 12 in Blue Jays Debut on Saturday
Andrew Vaughn

Needs Hand Surgery, Expected to be Out 4-6 Weeks
Jacob deGrom

"Confident" he Will Make his Next Start
Jacob deGrom

Scratched From Saturday's Start Due to Neck Stiffness
Jeferson Quero

Brewers Calling Up Catching Prospect Jeferson Quero
Deyvison De Los Santos

Marlins Promote Deyvison De Los Santos to Major Leagues
Shea Langeliers

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Kevin Gausman

Picks Up No-Decision But Strikes Out 11 on Opening Day
Joe Pyfer

Set For UFC Seattle Main Event
Israel Adesanya

Returns At UFC Seattle
Maycee Barber

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak To Eight
Alexa Grasso

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Niko Price

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michael Chiesa

Set For Retirement Fight
Lerryan Douglas

Set For His UFC Debut
Julian Erosa

Looks To Bounce Back
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF