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

Drake London

Tallies Triple-Digit Yardage Again Sunday
Jonathan Taylor

Carries Colts to Victory in Berlin
D'Andre Swift

Active for Week 10 Against Giants
Harold Fannin Jr.

Active Against Jets
Aaron Jones Sr.

Active for Week 10 Against Ravens
Tetairoa McMillan

Suiting Up Against Saints in Week 10
Garrett Wilson

Officially Active Against Browns
Alvin Kamara

Active for Week 10 Against Panthers
Daniel Jones

Colts Plan to Offer Daniel Jones a Long-Term Extension
Micah Parsons

Prohibited From Being Traded Back to NFC East?
Cooper Kupp

Still Up in the Air for Week 10
Jayden Daniels

Will be Re-Evaluated During Bye Week
Tobias Harris

Ruled Out Sunday with Right Ankle Sprain
Santi Aldama

Questionable Sunday with Shoulder Soreness
Aaron Wiggins

Ruled Out Sunday with Groin Strain
Luguentz Dort

Questionable Sunday with Upper Trap Strain
Taurean Prince

Ruled Out Sunday with Neck Strain
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Probable to Play Through Knee Soreness on Sunday
Jalen Green

Leaves Early with Hamstring Injury Saturday
Scott Laughton

to Miss Sunday's Action
Ryan McDonagh

Exits With Injury Saturday
William Karlsson

Out Day-to-Day
Warren Foegele

Ready to Rejoin Kings Lineup Sunday
Jalen Chatfield

Out Indefinitely
Dougie Hamilton

to Miss at Least One Week
Harold Fannin Jr.

Likely Good to Go Against the Jets
Cedric Tillman

Anticipated to Play on Sunday
Tetairoa McMillan

Likely Playing on Sunday
D'Andre Swift

Anticipated to Play Against the Giants
Garrett Wilson

Expected to Suit Up in Week 10
Luke Kennard

Out On Saturday Night Against Lakers, Will Miss Second Straight Game
Maxi Kleber

Will Make Season Debut Saturday Night Against Hawks
Dean Wade

Questionable For Saturday Night Against Bulls
Larry Nance Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Saturday Night Against Bulls
Jared McCain

Available For Saturday Night Against Raptors
Ryker Evans

Comes Off Injured Reserve
Bilal Coulibaly

Officially Out For Saturday Night Against Mavericks
Joey Daccord

Kraken Place Joey Daccord on Injured Reserve
Jordan Kyrou

Rejoins Blues Lineup Saturday
Anthony Cirelli

Won't Play on Saturday
Casey Mittelstadt

Misses Meeting With Maple Leafs
Charlie McAvoy

Sits Out Saturday's Game
Sean Monahan

a Game-Time Decision Saturday
Tetairoa McMillan

Trending Towards Playing in Week 10
Jamal Murray

Listed As Questionable For Saturday Night Against Pacers
Aaron Gordon

Questionable For Saturday Night Against Pacers
Norman Powell

Listed As Probable For Saturday Night Against Blazers
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Listed Questionable For Saturday Night Against Blazers
Bam Adebayo

Ruled Out For Second Straight Game
A.J. Brown

Off Final Injury Report, Set To Play Monday Versus Packers
Jalen Johnson

Questionable For Saturday Night Against Lakers
Saquon Barkley

Cleared From Final Injury Report, Good To Go For Monday
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Listed As Questionable For Saturday Against Lakers
Ayo Dosunmu

Listed As Probable For Saturday Night Against Cleveland
Justin Fields

Set to Start in Week 10 Against Browns
Artemi Panarin

Ends Dry Spell With Three-Point Outing
Marcus Johansson

Extends Point Streak to Eight Games
Spencer Knight

Posts First Shutout of the Season
Matt Duchene

to Remain Out Saturday
Zayne Parekh

Expected to "Miss a Little Bit of Time"
Frank Nazar

Day-to-Day Following Friday's Early Exit
Aaron Judge

Headlines AL Silver Slugger Award Winners
William Eklund

Moved to Injured Reserve
Gustav Nyquist

Expected to Remain Out Friday
Shohei Ohtani

Headlines List of NL Silver Slugger Winners
MLB

Munetaka Murakami Officially Being Posted on Friday
Randy Brown

Set For UFC Vegas 111 Main Event
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Joseph Morales

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 111
Matt Schnell

Set For UFC Vegas 111 Co-Main Event
Uros Medic

Aims To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Muslim Salikhov

Looks For His Fourth Consecutive Win
Chris Padilla

Looks To Remain Unbeaten In The UFC
Ismael Bonfim

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Marco Tulio

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Christian Leroy Duncan

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 111 Main Card
Kyle Tucker

Headlines List of 13 Players to Receive Qualifying Offers
Pete Fairbanks

Becomes a Free Agent
CFB

Luke Fickell Will Return as Wisconsin's Head Coach in 2026
Bo Bichette

Blue Jays Extend Qualifying Offer to Bo Bichette
Craig Stammen

Named Padres New Manager
Jorge Polanco

Declines his 2026 Option to Become a Free Agent
Chris Sale

Braves Picking Up Chris Sale's 2026 Option
Michael Thorbjornsen

Poised to Continue Hot Play in Mexico
Davis Riley

Struggling to Find Form Ahead of World Wide Technology Championship
Taylor Montgomery

Leaning on Putter at World Wide Technology Championship
Stephan Jaeger

Offers Strong Value at World Wide Technology Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Stay Hot at El Cardonal
Nick Dunlap

Looking to Find His Game at El Cardonal
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Consistency at El Cardonal
Michael Brennan

Aims to Extend Fairytale Start at El Cardonal
Shane Bieber

Staying in Toronto for 2026
Salvador Perez

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Royals
Trevor Story

Opts in for Remaining Two Years on his Contract
Yu Darvish

to Miss All of 2026 Following Flexor-Tendon Surgery
Shota Imanaga

Becomes a Free Agent
Luis Robert Jr.

White Sox Pick Up 2026 Option on Luis Robert Jr.
CFB

LJ Martin Expected to Play in Top-10 Matchup Against Texas Tech
PGA

LIV Golf Expanding To 72-Hole Format In 2026
Atlanta Braves

Braves Hire Walt Weiss as Their Next Manager
Kris Bubic

Cleared to Begin a Throwing Program
Brandon Woodruff

Declines Mutual Option for 2026
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Exercise 2026 Option on Freddy Peralta
Lucas Giolito

Declines his 2026 Player Option
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Sixth at Procore Championship
PGA

Matti Schmid Finishes Tied for 46th at Baycurrent Classic
Keith Mitchell

Finishes Tied for 10th at Baycurrent Classic
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied for 21st at Genesis Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Misses The Cut at Sanderson Farms Championship
Max Greyserman

Finishes Second at Baycurrent Classic
Austin Eckroat

Finishes Tied for 56th at Baycurrent Classic
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 56th at Bank of Utah Championship
Pete Alonso

Officially Opts Out of his Contract With Mets
Kyle Larson

Wins His Second NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix
Ryan Blaney

Concludes the 2025 Season with A Win at Phoenix
William Byron

Strong Championship Effort Ends With Late-Race Flat-Tire Crash

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP