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Draft season is over which means it's already time to shift your attention to the waiver wire! We'll break down the top options at every position throughout the 2022 fantasy baseball season but before the first pitch, here is an all-encompassing waiver wire piece to cover all the top options widely available.
For our purposes, we'll examine players with fantasy potential that are rostered in 30% or fewer of Yahoo leagues. The usual caveats apply that available options will vary according to your league size and settings.
Now, let's review the top Week 1 waiver wire pickups and adds among hitters to consider after your drafts have already been completed as injury replacements or high-upside stashes. Check out the Week 1 pitcher waiver wire pickups when you're done here.
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First Base Waiver Wire
Carlos Santana, Kansas City Royals - 19% rostered
Perhaps not as smooth as in years past, but Santana is still doing his thing. He always has a spot on points league rosters but is he viable in roto? The batting average dropped to .214 last year, following up an abysmal .199 in 2020. Statcast says he earned a .244 and .251 xBA the last two seasons, however, which is in line with career norms. His hard-hit rate was still solid too so the power hasn't evaporated. He's not exciting but Santana shouldn't be written off by fantasy managers just yet.
Dominic Smith, New York Mets - 8% rostered
He was nearly dealt to the Padres a week before Opening Day but that fell through and he remains a Metropolitan (for now). The fact that he was being shopped doesn't bode well for the team's confidence in him and his prospects for playing time but then again, if still want to move him then they might be inclined to showcase him first. He could still be moved, which would open up a great window of opportunity depending on the situation.
Rowdy Tellez, Milwaukee Brewers- 5% rostered
We're still carrying the torch for Tellez. He's still got that sweet left-handed power stroke and has a chance to establish himself at first base in Milwaukee for what has been a revolving door at that position ever since Jesus Aguilar left.
Darin Ruf, San Francisco Giants - 2% rostered
The injuries are already piling up for San Fran, including Evan Longoria at third and Lamonte Wade at first. Brandon Belt experienced knee issues throughout spring but may be ready to start the season. It's just a matter of time though...
Ruf could see regular ABs anyway now that the DH has been implemented in the National League, so he can bring his 14.2% Barrel% from last season to the lineup on a daily basis. RosterResource has him slotted in the cleanup spot so he could be a surprisingly solid source of RBI.
Matt Vierling, Philadelphia Phillies - 1% rostered
It looked like Vierling was due to split center field duties with Mickey Moniak but the former top pick will hit the shelf for several weeks with a broken hand. That makes Vierling worth a hard look as he is in line for a lot of playing time. He hit .324 in a small sample with the club last year and has intriguing power. He is a consideration in deeper and NL-only leagues for now.
Others to consider: Connor Joe, Colorado Rockies (8% rostered); Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks (4% rostered)
Second Base Waiver Wire
Jeff McNeil, New York Mets - 25% rostered
It looks as if McNeil is staying put to hold down second base for the Mets. That's not enough to make him fantasy-relevant, though. It certainly wasn't last year when he slashed a disappointing .251/.319/.360 with seven HR and 35 RBI. McNeil had hit well over .300 in his first three big-league seasons, so at least some regression
Diego Castillo, Pittsburgh Pirates - 15% rostered
The most exciting thing going in Pittsburgh, and probably the only one, this spring was Oneil Cruz. The mammoth shortstop has uber sleeper written all over him but he was sent down recently to start the season in the minors. Meanwhile, unheralded Diego Castillo (not the relief pitcher), is the Pirates middle infielder that should interest fantasy managers. He's been a Grapefruit League standout and officially made the Opening Day roster. It's worth a shot to see if his first taste of Major League action serves as motivation or a dose of reality.
Diego Castillo can't be stopped!
The @Pirates' No. 21 prospect sends Jackie Bradley Jr. over the wall with his fifth spring homer -- fourth in three games.
Complete scouting report: https://t.co/eLR6a4CS8u pic.twitter.com/Xrc5DShIlu
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 2, 2022
Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds - 8% rostered
Is this the year Senzel stays healthy and puts it all together? That might be presumptuous but so far so good. He's slashing .382/.447/.647 so far and flexing a little power too. With the Reds moving players like Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez, the opportunity is there for Senzel to establish himself as this year's version of Jonathan India. The best part? Although he will play outfield, seeing as how India is there, Senzel qualifies at second base in most formats. As a former top prospect hitting in the best park possible, he's worth a gamble.
Andres Gimenez, Cleveland Guardians - 8% rostered
This offense has lost much of its appeal and a rumored trade of Jose Ramirez would simply sink the ship. For now, we can hold on to the fact that Gimenez can play at either MI spot and has a nice blend of power and speed. Nick Mariano's CUTTER projections have Gimenez down for 12 HR and 19 SB but that's with a total of 476 PA. He offers even more in terms of upside.
Cesar Hernandez, Washington Nationals - 8% rostered
The speed is gone but Hernandez is still a solid fill-in due to his batting average and OBP floor. He did hit .232 last year but it came with a career-best 21 HR. As a career .270 hitter, it's fair to expect positive regression. He's slotted to hit leadoff in front of Juan Soto which obviously is a good thing. A full season of at-bats could net him 75 runs, right around his ATC projection of 72.
Others to consider: Tony Kemp, Oakland A's (3% rostered); Alcides Escobar, Washington Nationals (2% rostered); Brad Miller, Texas Rangers (2% rostered)
Third Base Waiver Wire
Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays - 25% rostered
Remember him? Biggio didn't live up to the lofty standards of his fellow legacy teammates like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, both of whom enjoyed massive breakouts in 2021. Biggio went the opposite direction, turning into an outright draft bust after being selected around pick 90 overall. He hit .224 with just seven HR and three SB before losing playing time toward the end of the season. He still possesses the same upside as last year, but he's going to have to earn his way back into the lineup. He's off to a promising start during spring training. The best sign is a 7-6 K-BB and a more efficient approach at the plate.
Jeimer Candelario, Detroit Tigers - 22% rostered
Candelario may be an underappreciated asset in fantasy after posting a strong second half in 2021. He hit .282 with 11 HR, 43 RBI, 37 R over 252 at-bats after the break. This is one of the most improved offenses in baseball after the acquisitions of Javier Baez and Austin Meadows. If Spencer Torkelson gets going early, we could see 80+ RBI from Candelario this season.
Abraham Toro, Seattle Mariners - 5% rostered
The other lineup that got a major makeover this offseason was in Seattle. The addition of Eugenio Suarez may squeeze Toro out of some at-bats but his ability to play around the infield will help. If Suarez continues to see his average plummet or an injury occurs, Toro becomes a strong streaming option.
Andy Ibanez, Texas Rangers - 1% rostered
He's starting at third base by default after the Rangers shipped Isiah Kiner-Falefa to New York. There's nothing exceptional to his game except for the fact he rarely whiffs and should hit for average. If the Rangers' new offense takes off, he could be a solid utility player who qualifies at 1B/2B/3B.
Others to consider: Yu Chang, Cleveland Guardians (1% rostered); Rougned Odor, Baltimore Orioles (1% rostered)
Shortstop Waiver Wire
CJ Abrams, San Diego Padres - 26% rostered
My pick for NL Rookie of the Year, Abrams has the type of high-end speed that could win you a category all by himself. His status as a high-end prospect is not in question - it's where he would fit in on the roster. The injury to Fernando Tatis Jr. opens up many possibilities but Ha-Seong Kim will probably get first crack at the shortstop position. That's why Abrams has been playing in the outfield throughout spring and that versatility could buy him at-bats throughout the year.
“Any position that can help me get on the team, I’m willing to do it,” Abrams said. “Right field, center field, shortstop, second base, anything.”
His impact may not come right away but he has the greatest fantasy upside of any player on this list regardless of position.
Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros - 21% rostered
Houston's replacement for Carlos Correa didn't come through the free-agent market. It will be their top in-house prospect, Jeremy Pena. He's had a solid spring and is slated to be the starting shorstop, barring any unforseen circumstances. Pena is having a solid spring, batting .350 and tied for the team lead with nine RBI. He has could turn into a waiver wire gem if he were to go 20-15.
David Fletcher, Los Angeles Angels - 20% rostered
He might slot in better at 2B but he's playing shortstop for the Angels so we'll put him here. Fletcher's profile is super-easy to explain: nobody strikes out less and everybody hits the ball harder than him.
The quintessential case of a player who is better in reality than fantasy, Fletcher does more in points leagues than roto. Still, he offers a high batting average and he stole a career-best 15 bases last year. If he were hitting at the top of the order, his run-scoring potential would be a big boost but that doesn't seem to be the case as the season begins.
Nicky Lopez, Kansas City Royals - 18% rostered
Have the need for speed and not much else? Lopez is your guy. He swiped 22 bags last year while hitting a cool .300. That batting average could come tumbling down, however, as it was backed by a mere. 239 xBA. There's no power anywhere in sight either. Lopez's defense should net him regular playing time at second base for the time being while the Adalberto Mondesi experiment enters its next phase. For those who missed out on steals in the draft, Lopez could be your compensation pick.
Jorge Mateo, Baltimore Orioles - 3% rostered
Back in 2019, it looked like Mateo was going to come up for Oakland and be an impactful player coming off a strong Triple-A season in which he collected 19 HR and 24 SB. He was traded to San Diego, however, and never got on track there. After two brief and somewhat ugly offensive stints there, he was moved again to Baltimore. This wasn't a death knell though, but rather a revitalization. Mateo is now penciled in as the starting shortstop and becomes an intriguing add. He has elite sprint speed in the 99% percentile and solid power to boot. What he doesn't have is good plate discipline, evidenced by a 27.8% K% and 4.2% BB%. He is likely to have spurts of enticing production along with frustrating droughts so plan accordingly.
Others to consider: Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies (14% rostered); Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres (3% rostered)
Outfield Waiver Wire
Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays - 30% rostered
In case your league mates haven't caught on yet, Austin Meadows was traded to Detroit which clears a path for Lowe in the outfield. Sure enough, he was recalled from the minors shortly after. This first-rounder from 2018 offers great upside as far as power and speed; he hit 22 HR and stole 26 bases at Triple-A last year. As with any player in Tampa, playing time is the first hurdle to clear. He's likely to share time with Harold Ramirez initially but could run away with the job if he proves capable against lefties at the Major League level.
Harrison Bader, St. Louis Cardinals - 25% rostered
Our Jamie Steed has the entire Cardinals OF pegged for a prolific season. That includes Bader as the everyday center fielder. He's had trouble maintaining a respectable batting average but finished at .267 last year after cutting way down on his strikeouts. His main appeal to St. Louis is his glove. His appeal to fantasy managers is the promise of double-digits in the HR and SB categories.
Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins - 20% rostered
A name that had plenty of helium early in the preseason, Sanchez saw his ADP fall in the last few weeks of draft season after the Marlins actually spent some money to acquire Jorge Soler and Avisail Garcia. If anything, that should help Sanchez gain lineup support and take pressure off the second-year pro. It has already been reported that Sanchez will be the everyday center fielder. The ballpark is far from ideal but there is still 20+ homer potential here as long as he can make consistent contact.
Andrew McCutchen, Milwaukee Brewers - 17% rostered
Forgot about Cutch? He's back in the NL Central, this time with Milwaukee. The difference is that now he can serve as the DH and prolong his career. The speed is mostly gone and his average dropped to .222 after hovering in the .250s for three seasons but his power remains. In fact, his barrel rate last year was the best it has been since 2015. ATC project him for 21 HR and 64 but having fresh legs from not having to play in the field could prove to be a boost to his bat.
David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks - 9% rostered
People are suddenly remembering Peralta again. He's become a hot waiver wire add in the preseason after showing off his power in the Cactus League. It's possible the 34-year-old has a career revival but it's best to be cautious seeing as how he's coming off an eight-homer season with a career-low .345 xSLG.
Lane Thomas, Washington Nationals - 5% rostered
Cheap speed - need I say more? Thomas was more interesting when he was projected to hit leadoff but the addition of Cesar Hernandez (see above) might have killed those dreams. He'll still commit the occasional theft and provide a smattering of help across each of the standard roto categories.
Willie Calhoun, Texas Rangers - 2% rostered
If post-hype breakouts are your thing, hitch your wagon to Calhoun. Injuries have derailed his once-promising career but so far he's got a clean bill of health heading into 2022. With the improvements Texas made this offseason, Calhoun will be a fascinating player to watch and could become a hot commodity if he becomes a late prime-age breakout.
Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians - 2% rostered
The 24-year-old rookie will man right field on Opening Day for the Guardians after batting a sizzling .469 in the spring. His calling card will be in the average department along with modest power. As exciting as it is to see a young player like him get the call, we should temper expectations for counting stats and deploy him only in deep leagues for now.
Others to consider: Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles (20% rostered); Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins (17% rostered); Rafael Ortega, Chicago Cubs (3% rostered); Seth Brown, Oakland A's (2% rostered)
Catcher Waiver Wire
Sean Murphy, Oakland A's - 25% rostered
He wasn't traded, so Oakland must really like him. One of the few Athletics remaining from last year's Opening Day lineup, The good news is that Murphy will hit in the top half of the lineup and should finish among the leaders in plate appearances among catchers. The bad news is that he's on arguably the worst offense in the American League, so counting stats will be harder to come by. Murphy hasn't fully tapped into his power yet; at age 27 entering the season, it wouldn't be a shock if he went for 25 homers or more.
Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals - 19% rostered
We'll have one final chance to see Yadi behind the plate catching for Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals this season. He's been a staple of the franchise since 2004, during which he's hit for a .280 career average. His .252 mark last year was a career-low, however, and double-digit HR is about his ceiling. Molina's biggest asset for fantasy purposes is his reliability, consistency, and guaranteed playing time for those who simply want stability.
Elias Diaz, Colorado Rockies - 16% rostered
Despite being in a timeshare most of the season with Dom Nunez, Diaz mashed 18 HR in 338 at-bats last season. He hits lefties and righties about the same, so it's not as if he should end up on the weak side of a platoon. Diaz doesn't strike out much (16.2% in 2021) either, so there is a floor here. There just isn't enormous upside when he's batting at the bottom of the order for a Colorado offense that is a far cry from a couple of years ago.
Kyle Higashioka, New York Yankees - 13% rostered
The Sanchize has been relocated to the Twin Cities so Higashioka sees a huge bump in value. He seems motivated based on his torrid spring in which he has a .423 AVG, 1.695 OPS and seven HR in just 26 at-bats. He's not the next coming of Gary Sanchez, so don't overreact to exhibition numbers. Still, it's nice to have a player swinging a hot bat who just secured a full-time job. Those needing an early boost at catcher should prioritize Higashioka.
Luis Torrens, Seattle Mariners - 2% rostered
Tom Murphy is the starter and Cal Raleigh is the intriguing prospect but Torrens is the best pure hitter of the group in Seattle. He could see time at first base or DH on occasion but it's too soon to count on Torrens in leagues with weekly lineups. He's best rostered in AL-only or two-catcher leagues for now
Others to Watch - Carson Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks (22% rostered); James McCann, New York Mets (11% rostered); Max Stassi, Los Angeles Angels (3% rostered)
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