RotoBaller Staff Roundtable - Waiver Wire Pickups: Fantasy Baseball Week 17

July 18, 2026

RotoBaller staff's fantasy baseball Week 17 waiver wire pickups for 2026. Expert advice for waiver wire hitter, pitcher, and closer targets from Mike, Eric, Andy, and Marty.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to another staff roundtable ahead of Week 17 of the fantasy season. After a week off, the MLB is back in full swing, and it's time to look to the waiver wire to improve our rosters.

This week, we will look at some of the top targets on the waiver wire from our fantasy baseball staff, including Eric Cross, Andy Smith, Mike Carter, and Marty Tallman.

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

Hitter Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

Heriberto Hernandez, OF, Miami Marlins

After a tough March/April to open the season, Heriberto Hernandez has been one of Miami's best hitters since the calendar flipped to May. In 37 games dating back to May 21, Hernandez is slashing .286/.351/.664 with nine doubles and 12 home runs in 131 plate appearances. Five of those home runs have come in his 39 July plate appearances after smacking six home runs in 81 June plate appearances.

Hernandez's 11 home runs since the beginning of June are tied with Yordan Alvarez and Jackson Chourio for the ninth most in baseball, just ahead of Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso.

Outside of a higher whiff rate, many metrics under the hood for Hernandez provide optimism that he can continue his success into the second half of the season. Hernandez has posted an impressive 91.9 mph AVG EV, 11.9% barrel rate, and 49.7% hard-hit rate this season, along with a .509 xSLG.

All four of those rank in the 77th percentile or higher. Hernandez is also an 85th-percentile runner who has added five steals in 228 plate appearances this season.

While the average might never be impactful, there's still a lot to like in Hernandez's profile. But the best part about him is that he's only rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues. That mark is drastically too low.

- Eric Cross

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Entering the All-Star break, the former top prospect carried an elite .392/.436/.667 slash line with six doubles and two home runs over his last 14 games.

However, a closer look at his underlying metrics suggests the former first-round pick could run in a true breakout over the back end of the summer. According to Statcast, Mitchell has generated an elite .357 xwOBA, .263 xBA, and a sharp .468 xSLG.

In terms of hard-hit metrics, Mitchell has generated a net 14.7% barrel rate (89th percentile), 51.2% hard-hit rate (91st percentile), and an eye-catching 77.3 mph average bat speed, which puts him in the 97th percentile among qualified hitters.

While he has faced some struggles against offspeed pitchers in July, Mitchell's production against fastballs and breaking balls has remained steady over the first half and suggests he is on the right trajectory coming out of the break.

The lone knock on his bat is his lower Pull AIR%, which does hinder his home run upside. However, given his high-end bat speed and barrel rate, the young outfielder should continue to tap into his home run production, even if his swing has yet to be fully optimized.

Lastly, the other factor in Mitchell's profile that makes him a worthy waiver-wire target is his upside as a speedster. Mitchell has already swiped six bags in 86 games, but managers should expect this total to surge down the stretch. The 27-year-old ranks in the 98th percentile in sprint speed and should have more opportunities to use it with his improving batting average.

Not many outfielders on the waiver wire possess true five-category upside.

- Andy Smith

Curtis Mead, 1B/2B/3B, Washington Nationals

Surprisingly, the Washington Nationals have had one of the best offenses in baseball this season, and part of that is due to the emergence of Curtis Mead. After fizzling in his first few MLB seasons, Mead has finally found his footing here in 2026 with a .247/.341/.502 slash line and 17 home runs in 296 plate appearances.

After a slow month of June, Mead has bounced back in July with six extra-base hits, three home runs, and a .400 AVG in 40 July plate appearances.

WSH - Curtis Mead Solo HR (17)

📏 409 ft | 💨 102.6 mph | 📐 29°
⚾️ 88.7 mph sinker (NYY - LHP Tim Hill)
🏟️ Out in 19/30 parks

NYY (2) @ WSH (2)
🔻 6th#Natitude pic.twitter.com/MunYmsPXZQ

— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) July 12, 2026

Mead's metrics under the hood support his breakout season as well. He's currently running a career-best 11.9% barrel rate, 42.6% hard-hit rate, 11.1% walk rate, 90.5% zone contact rate, and 82.9% overall contact rate. Mead has also dropped his chase rate to 25.3% and his strikeout rate to 18.6%.

Grabbing an infielder on pace for around 30 home runs and 150 combined runs and RBI who is eligible at first base, second base, and third base on Yahoo is a great waiver wire target as far as I'm concerned.

- Eric Cross

Josh Bell, 1B, Minnesota Twins

Bell, a 33-year-old veteran, may not be the most exciting name to target, but he has delivered a reliable season so far and has promising metrics, suggesting he could remain a strong contributor down the stretch.

So far, the corner infielder has posted a .248/.307/.429 slash line with 13 home runs and one stolen base. The switch-hitter has tallied an impressive 60 RBI and crossed home plate 48 times (over 94 contests).

Since June 1, Bell has been seeing a hot bat, posting a sharp .291/.349/.567 line with a stellar .919 OPS. However, it appears managers still do not trust this veteran bat, given his low roster rate.

Through the first half, Bell has generated a .253 xBA, .331 xwOBA, and a high .455 xSLG, all of which are still above his surface-value metrics, suggesting this positive regression should continue over the final months of the summer. Bell has also posted an above-average 10.6% barrel rate and a 43.6% hard-hit rate, which place him in the 66th and 62nd percentiles.

Those needing a stable batting average contributor who has the ability to be an above-average contributor in RBI and home runs should look to pick up Bell this weekend.

- Andy Smith

Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees

Oh, look who it is. While Jasson Dominguez might not have turned into the second coming of Mickey Mantle, Bo Jackson, and Mike Trout all wrapped up into one, he's still a talented 23-year-old outfielder who is getting regular playing time for the Yankees right now while Aaron Judge is on the IL. After an underwhelming first 24 games this season, Dominguez has slashed .283/.313/.435 with two home runs and two steals over his last 12 games.

If I take it back another 10 games, Dominguez would have three home runs and six steals in his last 22 games. Dominguez has always shown the willingness to be aggressive on the basepaths throughout his professional career, and he's currently sporting a 79th-percentile sprint speed so far this season.

At the plate, Dominguez's quality of contact metrics have ticked down to being around league-average in hard-hit rate and AVG EV, but he's also trimmed his strikeout rate from 26.8% to 20% and improved his zone contact rate to 84.6%.

The aggressiveness (36.9% chase rate) will likely continue causing inconsistent play from Dominguez, but he's a worthwhile target in deeper leagues as long as he's playing regularly for the Yankees.

- Eric Cross

Charlie Condon, OF, Colorado Rockies

Across 365 Triple-A plate appearances, Condon is slashing .289/.414/.584 with 20 home runs, five stolen bases, and a 137 wRC+. Here is a breakdown of his Triple-A Statcast data.

After being named to his second consecutive All-Star Futures Game, there is very little left for Condon to prove in the minors.

The 23-year-old possesses 70-grade power, and his offensive profile is especially exciting because that power should play extremely well at Coors Field.

While Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield has been productive this season with a 124 wRC+, he should not prevent the organization from promoting its top prospect.

Condon can also play corner outfield and designated hitter, giving Colorado several ways to get his bat into the lineup. Simply put, there is no reason for Condon to remain in Triple-A much longer.

He is an easy stash in all 15-team leagues, and once he reaches the majors, his power upside makes him a player worth rostering in every format.

- Marty Tallman

Brayan Rocchio, 2B/SS, Cleveland Guardians

Another multi-positional infielder enjoying a breakout season who you should be targeting if he's available is Cleveland's Brayan Rocchio. In 359 plate appearances this season, Rocchio is slashing .276/.343/.408 with 14 doubles, eight home runs, and 15 steals. In three of the four months so far this season, Rocchio has hit over .300, including a .317 average here in July with three home runs and a steal.

The metrics under the hood won't blow you away, but Rocchio is making contact at an above-average 84.9% in zone and 76.9% overall while also dropping his strikeout rate from 20.1% last season to 13.6% this season. While the quality of contact metrics is below average, Rocchio's batted ball angles help, led by a 44.2% pull rate and 19.6% pull-air rate.

If you need some middle infield help, Rocchio is a solid place to look. He's also eligible at both second base and shortstop.

- Eric Cross

JJ Bleday, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Remember the May version of JJ Bleday who slashed .301/.387/.631 with eight doubles and eight home runs in 119 plate appearances? Well, a disastrous June completely squashed all of that hype, but Bleday has bounced back in July with three home runs and a .263/.364/.500 slash line in 44 plate appearances so far. For the season, Bleday is now slashing a solid .242/.350/.496 with 16 home runs in 284 plate appearances.

JJ Bleday crushes a no-doubter to tie things back up 💪 pic.twitter.com/QNluEH45PM

— MLB (@MLB) July 12, 2026

I'm a big proponent of looking at the entire picture along with recent trends. For that reason, Bleday would be a big target for me if he's available in your league. Not only is he hitting well lately, but there are plenty of reasons under the hood to be optimistic that he can provide decent fantasy value over the remainder of the season.

Bleday has posted above-average quality of contact metrics this season, along with a 71.5% air rate, 47.3% pull rate, and a 30.1% pull-air rate. He's also posted a 13.7% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate with close to league-average marks in zone and overall contact rate. An outfielder with a .350 OBP and 30-homer pace isn't available on your league's waiver wire very often, so go out and add Bleday if he's available.

- Eric Cross

Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

Brandon Sproat, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Sproat was shipped to the Brewers in the trade that sent Freddy Peralta to New York City. While Peralta has failed to live up to his end of the deal, Sproat has begun to show steady progress.

Through his first 63 2/3 innings this season, Sproat has posted a hefty 5.94 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. However, since June 23 (his last four outings), Sproat has looked far more like his prospect self, posting a tidy 2.45 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, with a 24:7 K:BB. through 18 1/3 innings.

Since the last month of play, Sproat has been making some tweaks to his pitch mix, which has driven his recent resurgence. As shown below, Sproat has increased his fastball usage and opted to drop his sinker and cutter. This has also allowed him to chip in more changeups and sweepers as secondaries.

His four-seamer has generated a .339 xwOBA, which is not overly impressive, but it is much lower than the .395 xwOBA his cutter has generated. Additionally, his sweeper has posted a hefty 39.7% whiff rate and a .251 xwOBA and has been his most reliable secondary option. If he can continue to mix that into his usage, Sproat's strikeout numbers could continue to climb.

While the 25-year-old will still endure some growing pains, the raw talent is worth rostering. Sproat has a path to produce solid strikeout totals with improving ratios down the stretch.

- Andy Smith

Christian Scott, SP, New York Mets

With how well Christian Scott has been pitching lately, it's shocking to see him still available in nearly 80% of Yahoo leagues. In 13 starts this season, Scott has posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a 28.5% strikeout rate over 59.2 innings.

He finished the first half with five shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals on 7/8, and then opened the second half with 5.2 additional shutout innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. In those two starts combined, Scott allowed six hits and one walk in 10.2 innings while striking out 12.

Christian Scott, Filthy 82mph Sweeper. 😷 pic.twitter.com/jYJtvyk9Ja

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 16, 2026

It's highly encouraging to see Scott rounding back into form so quickly after missing the entire 2025 season. He's even throwing harder in 2026 than he did in 2024, increasing his 4-seamer velocity from 94.2 mph to 95.4 mph. Scott's sweeper has also been an effective offering, recording a .229 BAA and 34.9% whiff rate.

I'm not sure he's going to maintain a sub-3.00 ERA, but there's a lot to like here with Scott moving forward, who could easily post Top-50 SP value over the remainder of the season.

- Eric Cross

Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners

Even though the southpaw sits at the Double-A level, his upside on a per-start basis remains the highest not only among the pitchers on this list but also among nearly every pitcher in the minor leagues.

Through his first 14 starts in the professional ranks, the LSU product has lived up to his No. 3 draft pick capital. Over 72 2/3 innings, the left-hander has posted a dominant 1.36 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP. He has struck out an impressive 108 hitters and allowed just 10 total free passes.

Even though Anderson has taken a slight step back recently, allowing at least two runs in each of his last two games, the southpaw still spots an incredible ERA and has established himself as the clear No. 1 pitching prospect in the entire sport.

This season, the left-hander has allowed more than two runs in only one game and has even hit the nine-punchout mark in six of his starts.

While it did not appear last week that Anderson was approaching his MLB debut, the Seattle pitching staff is dealing with an injury that could force its hand. Right-hander Emerson Hancock underwent X-rays on his palm and middle finger after leaving his start early last Sunday. While an extended absence would push Luis Castillo into the "No. 5 role," Anderson would quickly be the next man up on this staff.

Managers should continue to pay close attention to Hancock's stats, as any stint on the injured list could put Anderson in must-watch territory.

His elite command and strikeout upside will keep him in the No. 1 spot for the remainder of the season. Those with an open N/A spot or a free bench spot in a deeper 12+ team league should view Anderson as a worthy stash option.

Kade Anderson racks up nine punchouts across six frames of two-run ball for the Double-A @ARTravs 🔱

MLB's top-ranked pitching prospect (@Mariners) is running a 108/10 K/BB ratio in his debut season: pic.twitter.com/UvwqlSPpfd

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 4, 2026

- Andy Smith

Grant Taylor, RP, Chicago White Sox

Is the changing of the guard finally happening? After producing very well in a setup role and a fire-arm role, Taylor has finally earned the call in save situations. Over his last three appearances, Taylor has earned two saves while not allowing a run and posting a 3:3 K:BB.

On the season, Taylor has logged 48 1/3 innings of work to the tune of a 2.79 ERA and a1.10 WHIP. He has struck out an eye-catching 67 hitters but has walked 8.6% of the hitters he has faced, which puts him just below the average marks of qualified pitchers.

However, under the hood, Taylor's metrics put him among the best pitchers in the game. The hard-throwing right-hander sits with a 98th percentile xERA and a 97th percentile xBA. He has posted a strong 34.8% chase rate and 30.7% whiff rate, which is supported by his elite 33.8% K%.

With the White Sox set to compete for a playoff spot, Taylor can be a legitimate contributor for saves down this stretch. Seranthony Dominguez, the team's primary closer to start the season, has posted a 4.41 ERA on the season with a 5.63 ERA over his last 16 frames, which has pushed Sean Newcomb into the potential committee.

However, Taylor's raw upside is far more dominant than Newcomb's, which should keep him in the lead.

-Andy Smith

Mason Montgomery, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Ahead of the All-Star break, Mason Montgomery established himself as a potential stash candidate for long-term saves, but it appears he has already made a case for taking over the ninth inning in the Steel City.

In their final contest ahead of the break, Montgomery earned his first save of the season while tossing a scoreless frame with a 2:1 K:BB against the Brewers. While the Pirates could look to acquire another high-leverage arm after the deadline, Montgomery has put himself in the lead among the current closer candidates.

Dennis Santana has posted a rough 7.31 ERA over his last 16 frames since June 1, and Gregory Soto, their primary southpaw option in the late innings, has posted an even worse 8.36 ERA since June 1 (his last 12 1/3 innings). Even though Soto and Santana have combined for 14 saves (with Soto earning 12 of them), Montgomery is solidifying himself as the trusted option.

Under the hood, the Texas Tech product has posted a sharp 3.21 xERA (81st percentile) with a modest 98th-percentile strikeout rate. His .207 xBA allowed puts him in the 85th percentile among pitchers, and his 52.3% ground-ball rate puts him in the 89th percentile.

Even if the Pirates were to acquire a high-leverage arm to bolster his chances of clinching a playoff spot, Montgomery should remain the "1A" in this ninth-inning committee for the remainder of the season.

Mason Montgomery picks up the strikeout right as the Nationals' crowd finishes singing the National Anthem 🇺🇸

86.9 MPH curve, 2775 RPM, -8 IVB, 44 inVB, 1 inHB pic.twitter.com/pJDMieXivS

— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) July 4, 2026

- Andy Smith

Garrett Whitlock, RP, Boston Red Sox

With the recent hot streak of the Red Sox, it looks like they may stand pat at the trade deadline. But if they do not, look for closer Aroldis Chapman to be moved, which could leave the closer spot open for Whitlock. Whitlock earned their last save last weekend before the break.

Even if he is not the closer, Whitlock is still a valuable piece of a fantasy pitching staff. The veteran has four wins, two saves, 16 holds, a 2.18 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and a 28.9% K%.

When I look at Statcast pages and see the blood red below, I am always interested in learning more about a player. The 40% chase percentage is in the 100th percentile; Whitlock keeps guys off base via the walk and limits hard contact with a high strikeout percentage. What's not to like?

- Mike Carter

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