RotoBaller Staff Roundtable - Waiver Wire Pickups: Fantasy Baseball Week 12

June 13, 2026

RotoBaller staff's fantasy baseball Week 12 waiver wire pickups for 2026. Expert advice for waiver wire hitter, pitcher, and closer targets from Nick, Eric, Andy, and Frank.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to another Staff roundtable ahead of Week 12 of the fantasy season. Below, you will see some of our top wiaver wire picks for the week, including suggestions from Nick Mariano, Andy Smith, Eric Cross, and Frank Ammirante.

This week, we will look at two recently promoted outfield prospects and some emerging starting pitchers who have begun to find their footing after a slow start to the season.

Who should we look to pick up this week? Let's dive in!

Hitter Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, New York Yankees

The veteran first baseman was a feature player in my bargain basement hitters piece earlier this week, but has put himself on the "must-add" radar given his impressive secret stretch of play. While his play was enough to warrant the attention of some managers, the Yankees have finally begun to provide him with every day at-bats, at the expense of Aaron Judge joining Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list.

Since May 20 (the last 18 games), which marked the start of Goldschmidt's everyday role in this lineup, the veteran has done more than hold his own despite facing mostly right-handed pitchers, carrying a .288/.333/.452 slash line with three doubles, three home runs, and a 15:3 K:BB. Since May 31, the Yankees have even more of him up the top half of the lineup, and made him the predominant leadoff man against southpaws.

Earlier in the season, Goldschmidt was very productive but not a suitable fantasy option, as he only saw starting opportunities on the weak side of a platoon at first base. Over his first 24 games (which were mostly against left-handers), Goldschmidt would post a strong .286/.398/.600 line (over 83 PAs) with five long balls.

Overall, against left-handed pitching this season, Goldschmidt has been borderline elite, carrying a .397/.500/.776 line with a 1.276 OPS. While managers looking at his pedestrian .212 AVG and .617 OPS against right-handers may think this recent surge is a flash in the pan, the veteran carries quite impressive metrics under the hood.

The 38-year-old has generated a .378 xwOBA, .285 xBA, and a .507 xSLG, all of which are in the 88th percentile or higher. He is also generating hard contact with an 11.5% barrel rate and optimizing his swing with a 20.4% Pull AIR%, both of which sit well above the average marks.

Goldschmidt should remain a high-end source for counting stats and power.

- Eric Cross

Angel Martinez, 2B/OF, Cleveland Guardians

Angel Martinez is putting together a sneaky-good season that really isn't getting talked about enough. In 238 plate appearances, Martinez has racked up 11 home runs, nine steals, 33 RBI, and 27 runs scored with a .240/.278/.443. Yes, the OBP is terrible. Martinez's 2.9% walk rate has a lot to do with that. But at the same time, he's currently on pace for 25 home runs, 21 steals, 76 RBI, and 65 runs scored. That's not too shabby for a waiver wire pickup who has dual eligibility at second base and outfield.

When you pop the hood on Martinez's profile, nothing blows you away. However, he's been hitting the ball harder this season, increasing his hard-hit rate from 29.3% last season to 36.4% this season while more than doubling his barrel rate from 3.5% to 8.1%. Martinez is also making contact at a stellar 89.8% in zone and 80.8% overall. His aggressive nature (44% chase rate) will likely continue to cause peaks and valleys, but the combination of dual eligibility and 25/21 pace should intrigue fantasy managers.

- Eric Cross

Braden Montgomery, OF, Chicago White Sox

Headlining the call-ups of the week was White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery. While Montgomery is quickly nearing the 40% roster mark, those in weekly waiver-wire leagues will likely have an opportunity to pick up the budding star on Sunday, as his rostership rate is likely skewed toward daily leagues.

Montgomery sits as the team's No. 2-ranked prospect and the overall No. 21 prospect in the sport per MLB.com. Montgomery was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Red Sox but was eventually moved to Chicago in the Garrett Crochet deal.

This season, the young outfielder began the campaign with Double-A, where he appeared in 27 games and posted an elite .313/.429/.606 line with a 1.035 OPS. During this short stint, Montgomery went deep six times, swiped two bags, and held a 32:21 K:BB. This impressive start earned him an early ticket to Triple-A, where he needed just 29 games before heading to the South Side.

With Charlotte, Montgomery looked even more comfortable, posting a .315/.417/.495 line with four long balls and three stolen bases before moving up to the majors. In his MLB debut, Montgomery wasted little time making an impact, launching a walk-off home run with a 2-for-5 line with three RBI. In his second contest, Montgomery stayed hot, hitting two doubles.

With elite prospect pedigree and a clear path to everyday at-bats, Montgomery is a priority pick-up in all standard leagues.

BRADEN MONTGOMERY HITS A WALK-OFF HOMER IN HIS MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT! pic.twitter.com/ifxPs2t57F

— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2026

- Andy Smith

Dalton Rushing, C, Los Angeles Dodgers

While it came at the expense of Will Smith's neck, Dalton Rushing has started in each of the last five games behind the plate for the Dodgers, picking up six hits in his last four games. We've seen glimpses of Rushing's potential when he actually gets a chance to play this season, with the former top prospect slashing .277/.362/.536 with eight home runs in 127 plate appearances this season. But with Smith behind the plate and that Shohei Ohtani fellow in the DH spot, consistent playing time has been hard to come by for Rushing.

Even this current playing time surge could wind up being short-lived, as Smith isn't expected to miss significant time with his next injury. But it sounds like we'll get at least another week with Rushing as the Dodgers' starting catcher, and maybe even longer if Smith's neck issue lingers a bit. Rushing currently has a 40.2% hard-hit rate, 9.8% barrel rate, 9.4% walk rate, and elite batted ball angles, highlighted by a 25.6% pull-air rate.

- Eric Cross

Cole Carrigg, OF, Colorado Rockies

While Cole Carrigg does not have the same prospect pedigree as Montgomery, he possesses an elite skill set for fantasy. Carrigg is currently viewed as the team's No. 6-ranked prospect on MLB.com.

The 24-year-old spent the entire 2025 season at the Double-A level and was moved up to Triple-A to begin 2026. Given his lack of experience at the top level, Carigg was not in the picture to debut in the first half. However, given his quick adjustment to the top pitching, Carriggs put himself on the stash radar.

Through 57 games with Albuquerque, Carrigg posted an elite .338/.414/.529 slash line with 15 doubles, five triples, six home runs, and 30 stolen bases. Last summer, Carrigg swiped 46 bags over a 123-game stint at Double-A.

His elite speed is the reason why fantasy managers in category leagues should consider picking him up. Like Montgomery, Carrigg also made an impact in his MLB debut, going 1-for-4 with a triple and a walk.

While his overall upside for power is not overly high, playing half of his games at Coors Field should open the door for a double-digit home run campaign if he continues to see everyday at-bats. However, his elite speed is why managers should pick him up. Carrigg has the skill set to push for a near 30-SB campaign over the remainder of the season, especially if his career .362 OBP in the minors can translate to the big leagues.

With Mickey Moniak and Brenton Doyle both on the IL, Carrigg figures to be the primary center fielder in Colorado for the coming weeks.

- Andy Smith

Charlie Condon, 1B, Colorado Rockies

Condon is currently slashing .251/.385/.474 with 11 home runs in 265 plate appearances at Triple-A. You have to love his elite walk rate (15.5%) while keeping his strikeout rate in check (24.2%).

The stud first baseman is starting to heat up at the plate, homering three times in his last four games.

Charlie Condon is heating up 🔥

The @Rockies' No. 2 prospect launches this one at 105.5 mph off the bat — his third homer in the past four games for the Triple-A @ABQTopes: pic.twitter.com/qnjDTMCelz

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 12, 2026

The Rockies are a rebuilding team that will want to see what they have in Condon in the near future. At 23 years old, there's no need to keep him down at Triple-A for long, especially when he's hitting so well.

I anticipate Condon getting called up around the All-Star break in July. Once that happens, he'll have a chance to make an immediate impact while hitting in the friendly confines of Coors Field. You never know, what if he provides a power binge right away?

- Frank Ammirante

Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

Griffin Jax, SP/RP, Tampa Bay Rays

Remember when Griffin Jax was a popular draft-day target as a high-upside reliever? Well, now we're targeting him off the waiver wire as a starting pitcher. It's funny how roles can change so quickly in baseball. But that's why we need to stay on our toes and utilize the waiver wire throughout the season.

In his eight starts this season, Jax has recorded a 3.00 ERA and 1.27 WHIP across 30 innings. He's gone five innings in three of his last five outings as well, and the Rays will continue to stretch him out over the coming weeks. While Jax's strikeout rate is a middling 21.9% as a starter, I'm expecting that number to rise thanks to three offerings with a whiff rate above 35%. He's been going to his curveball more in June as well, which has a 52.9% whiff rate for the season.

While the transition from reliever to starter was unexpected, Jax's upside makes him a priority waiver wire target in every league where he's available.

- Eric Cross

Brandon Young, SP, Baltimore Orioles

It feels like every season, we have a sneaky-good Baltimore pitcher come out of nowhere to provide fantasy value. Do these arms just spawn out of the harbor? Where do they come from?!

Entering the season, I wouldn't have guessed that I'd be including Brandon Young in a waiver wire article in the middle of June, but here we are. Young has rattled off four straight quality starts and hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last seven starts. For the season, Young now sports a solid 3.04 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 7.9% walk rate in 10 starts. However, a below-average 17.6% strikeout rate does keep his value in check to some degree.

Here's the splitter adjustment that #Orioles Brandon Young made on May 24th.

5 mph slower, 3" more drop, 4" less arm-side movement

Old: 87.7 mph, 5.4" iVB, 11.8" HB
New: 82.8 mph, 2.1" iVB, 7.8" HB pic.twitter.com/CtpvjIYSxO

— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) June 11, 2026

On the bright side, Young has averaged five strikeouts per start over his last four outings, so it's not like he's a zero in the strikeout department for fantasy teams. Young also has an elite 35.4% chase rate and has a 42.6% whiff rate on his slider, an offering he's been throwing more frequently in his two June starts. There's some additional intrigue with Young's splitter as well, as outlined by Lance Brozdowski above.

While the upside isn't massive, the profile leads me to believe that Young can stick around as a fantasy-viable starting pitcher moving forward.

- Eric Cross

Mick Abel, SP, Minnesota Twins

Mick Abel hit the 15-day IL in late April with right elbow inflammation. This was a tough blow for the budding right-hander as he appeared to have begun to find his footing at the MLB level. Before the injury, Abel tossed back-to-back shutout outings, logging 13 clean innings with a 16:3 K:BB and a 0.85 WHIP.

Before this hot stretch, Abel endured some growing pains, allowing nine runs over his first 7 1/3 innings of the campaign. However, Abel was an intriguing late-round target heading into draft season due to his overall showing in camp and his production before his injury, suggesting he was beginning to show this form in the regular season.

During camp, Abel looked quite comfortable, logging 22 innings with a 2.05 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP (27:4 K:BB).

Much of his improvement can be credited to his change in pitch mix. In accordance with his 2025 season (as depicted below), Abel has begun to rely on his changeup and slider as his No. 2 and No. 3 offerings while lowering his usage of his sinker and curveball.

His changeup has generated a stelalr 31.3% whiff rate with a .263 xwOBA under the hood. Additionally, the increased use of his changeup has made his fastball a far more effective whiff option, as it has generated swings and misses at a 33.8% rate this season, a drastic jump from 25.9% in 2025.

The 24-year-old possesses elite swing and miss potential to become a high-end option for strikeouts as soon as he returns. In his first rehab outing with Triple-A, Abel has already begun to show impressive upside, tallying five punchouts over three scoreless innings.

- Andy Smith

Kumar Rocker, SP, Texas Rangers

Rocker made his MLB debut during the back half of the 2024 campaign and logged 11 2/3 innings to the tune of a 3.86 ERA with the Rangers. In 2025, the right-hander received his first full taste of the majors and endured some significant growing pains, logging 64 1/3 innings with a rough 5.74 ERA.

As a result, entering 2026, Rocker was not on the fantasy radar of many despite his former high-end prospect pedigree. The right-hander began the season looking like his 2025 self, tossing 32 1/3 innings of work with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. During this stint, Rocker would strike out just 27 hitters and serve up 13 free passes.

However, since this cold start, the 26-year-old has begun to find his footing, making him a worthy wavier with a target. Since May 13 (his last six starts), Rocker has posted a strong 2.16 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP with a 25:5 K:BB over 33 1/3 innings of work. During this stretch, Rocker allowed more than two runs in just one game and even kept the score sheet clean in three of them.

While the sample size for this year's data is still relatively small, Rocker has begun tweaking his pitch mix, which has been the driving force behind his recent surge. As shown in the visual below, Rocker has opted to drop his sinker usage and instead leaned more on his cutter and four-seamer at nearly the same rate in June.

This has been a worthwhile change as his sinker has not found much success in 2026. So far, this pitch has generated a .432 xwOBA with a high .340 xBA. However, his four-seamer has been a far more effective fastball, posting a .226 xwOBA with a solid 17.3% whiff rate.

The lead pitch in his repertoire, his slider, has remained a top-tier option, boasting a .179 xBA, .214 xwOBA, and a 34.3% whiff rate.

While Rocker is not a top-tier option for strikeouts like Abel, he is showing far more success at the MLB level and could provide solid SP4 value with more untapped upside for the remainder of the season.

-Andy Smith

River Ryan, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

River Ryan was enjoying a dominant stretch in his return form, but he had a bit of a road bump in his most recent showing. Facing Triple-A Round Rock, the right-hander ran into some trouble, allowing four runs and six hits across six innings of work. His command was shaky in this outing as well, as he walked three hitters and only struck out four.

While Ryan was able to log at least six innings of work in his second straight outing, he saw his impressive run take a bit of a halt. However, managers looking to stash the team's No. 6-ranked prospect should still view him as an elite option among the pitching prospects.

Before this modest showing, Ryan was enjoying an elite stretch at Triple-A since returning from his minor injury. From May 15 through May 28 (15 innings, three games), Ryan posted a 0.60 ERA with a near-perfect 19:1 K:BB.

Fortunately, Ryan quickly rebounded into form on June 10, tossing four innings of one-run ball with a 7:1 K:BB.

While the other names on this list have no MLB experience, Ryan is the exception in this column, as he not only enjoyed a cup of coffee on the big league roster but was also very productive. In 2024, the 27-year-old logged 20 1/3 innings with the Dodgers and posted a 1.33 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP (four starts). However, Tommy John would keep him on the shelf for most of the second half and the entirety of the 2025 season.

With his workload nearly fully ramped up and several injuries on the MLB roster, including to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Ryan's path to return to the majors remains quite clear heading into Week 12. Additionally, Justin Wrobleski left his outing on Thursday early, which could open another spot in the starting rotation for Ryan.

Managers should continue to view him as a strong stash option in 12-team leagues, as he should return to Los Angeles before the end of June.

Rollin' on the River (Ryan)!

The @Dodgers No. 6 prospect strikes out seven in five scoreless frames for the Triple-A @OKC_Comets: pic.twitter.com/2dvOa7BcUx

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 22, 2026

- Andy Smith

Yoendrys Gomez, RP, Minnesota Twins

The Twins began the season using a committee in the ninth inning with Cole Sands, Anthony Banda, Taylor Rogers, and a mix of others, splitting time in the final frame. However, over the past few weeks, Gomez has begun to emerge as the preferred option in these situations.

Over his last 7 1/3 innings (eight appearances), Gomez has tallied three saves while carrying a 1.23 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. During this stretch, the right-hander has struck out 10 hitters while serving up four free passes. Prior to this stretch, Gomez held a 4.68 ERA with two saves over his first 25 innings of work.

Under the hood, Gomez posted a rough 5.58 xERA but has continued to show solid strikeout potential, sitting at a 22.4% K% that has increased over the course of the campaign. While the 26-year-old is likely to face some regression, he has claimed the ninth-inning role, which has put him firmly on the fantasy radar.

His upside may not be as high as some of the closers we have identified in this column earlier in the season, but for now, he is the best source of saves on most waiver wires.

- Andy Smith

Alex Lange, RP, Kansas City Royals

This was never going to be a flawless closing spree. Lange ran into his first bout of trouble as Kansas City’s closer on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) in the 10th inning to snap his streak of converted saves at four.

That quartet of saves coming in a seven-day window accelerated the hype, but he still holds a 1.45 WHIP. He’s also now walked five in his last five games after going eight straight without a free pass. Given the career 13.4% walk rate, which has elevated toward 17% after his strong ‘23 campaign, I’m not holding my breath. Perhaps he holds on, or perhaps this was just a flash.

- Nick Mariano

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