Weekend Waiver Wire Rankings: Fantasy Baseball Pickups for Week 20

August 15, 2026

Weekend fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings for Week 20 (2026). Free-agent hitters and pitchers to add include Zac Veen, Cole Young, Walbert Urena, Shane Drohan, and Jordan Romano.

The weekend is here as Week 20 of the MLB season will be in the books. With a month and a half left in the baseball season, there is still time to strengthen your roster for that fantasy baseball championship run. At RotoBaller HQ, we have updated our weekend fantasy baseball waiver rankings for Week 20 -- August 10 through August 16 to account for the latest news and prioritize who to pick up in leagues that allow daily moves. 

There were no top prospects called up recently, but as always, there are injuries to monitor. Rangers ace Jacob deGrom exited Thursday's start against the Angels with right triceps fatigue. Brewers second baseman Brice Turang is dealing with left knee pain and is considered day-to-day. Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. 

Stay on top of our weekly waiver wire rankings and turn on MLB news alerts in our free mobile app to stay ahead of the curve. Once you're done here, check out our fantasy baseball prospects articles for the latest names to stash and pick up.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups List

Since many fantasy baseball leagues have daily waiver-wire moves or multiple waiver-wire runs per week for adding players, this later-week rankings list should help you keep track of players emerging in the weekend before we reach Sunday night waivers. This article will guide you through our weekly ranking of the relevant waiver-wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league (depending on the league size).

Waiver wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league - depending on the league size:

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outlooks

Some of the top waiver wire names include Zac Veen, Shane Drohan, Jordan Romano, Walbert Urena, and Cole Young.  Read some of the waiver wire outlooks below:

Shane Drohan, Milwaukee Brewers

Across 93 innings in 2026, Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan has recorded a 6-4 record with a 3.87 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has run into some struggles of late, allowing 13 earned runs across his last 17 innings (three starts).

However, Drohan has had an impressive first year in the big leagues overall. He's done a nice job of both limiting walks (7.2% walk rate) and home runs (0.87 HR/9). Drohan's 23.8% strikeout rate is not eye-popping, but it's a solid mark for a left-hander with his profile and versatile pitch mix.

He's also gone at least six innings in five out of his last six starts, which gives him an excellent chance to rack up wins while pitching for the Brewers. Even amidst his recent rough patch, Drohan is worth targeting on the waiver wire as a starting pitcher streamer.

Jordan Romano, Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies right-hander Jordan Romano notched his 11th total save and seventh save with Colorado on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning in his team's 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Romano began the year with the Los Angeles Angels and struggled to a 10.13 ERA across 11 appearances before being released.

However, he's been effective since latching on with the Rockies. Across 10 2/3 innings with Colorado, Romano has recorded a 3.38 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and seven saves. Romano's walk rate is concerningly high at 13.2%, and his average fastball velocity is down to a career-worst 94.1 miles per hour. Still, he's posted a solid 28.6% strikeout rate, and he appears to be the clear preferred option in the ninth inning for the Rockies. In deeper league formats, Romano should be scooped up off the waiver wire.

Walbert Urena, Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Walbert Urena has been one of the team's lone bright spots so far this season, recording a 7-8 record with a 2.83 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts across 101 2/3 innings (21 games). The 22-year-old's slightly inflated WHIP is a symptom of his issues with command, as he's logged a 12.6% walk rate.

However, Urena's power sinker has helped him post a stellar 54% ground-ball rate. He's also been extremely difficult to take deep, allowing just 0.53 HR/9. Urena's 22.2% strikeout rate limits his fantasy upside, but the young right-hander has been an effective innings eater already and has plenty of time to continue to get better. In most league formats, Urena should be a priority waiver-wire target when available.

Zac Veen, Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are recalling outfield prospect Zac Veen from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday and have designated infielder Edouard Julien for assignment in a corresponding move, according to Kyle Newman of The Denver Post. It will be Veen's first action in the big leagues since he struggled in 2025 in his MLB debut in 12 games played, when he went 4-for-34 (.118) with a homer, two RBI, two walks, and 14 strikeouts.

The team's No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has earned a promotion back to the majors in 2026 by hitting .327/.402/.635 with a 1.037 OPS, 24 home runs, 87 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 82 runs scored across 100 games and 445 plate appearances with the Isotopes. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder bulked up in the offseason and cleaned up his act from a maturity standpoint, so he appears much better positioned to have sustained success for the Rockies to close out the season.

Veen went 5-for-5 with three home runs, a double, and a triple over the weekend against Triple-A Sugar Land, and fantasy managers who need power and speed should be looking to add him off the waiver wire, even in mixed leagues.

Cole Young, Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young had an eight-game hitting streak from July 26 through Aug. 2, going 15-for-34 (.441) with a home run, a double, two triples, three RBI, and six runs scored across 37 plate appearances. He capped it off with a 4-for-5 night against the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 2.

Young has gone 5-for-30 with three walks in nine games since losing his eight-game hitting streak, but the recent hot stretch had fantasy managers giving the 23-year-old a look off the waiver wire for middle-infield help in deeper leagues. The former 21st overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft is now hitting .263/.320/.404 with a .724 OPS, 14 home runs, 52 RBI, 54 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 122 games played and 486 plate appearances as a regular for the M's in his first full MLB season in 2026.

Young has definitely taken a step forward in his second season in the big leagues, and he's quietly become a steady second base option in counting-stat leagues with improved power at the plate. And with a .280 expected batting average and .334 xwOBA, Young still has time to do more damage before his sophomore season comes to an end. He's rostered in only 17% of Yahoo leagues.

First Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Second Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Third Base Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Shortstop Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Outfield Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Catcher Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Rankings

Closer/Reliever Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool

Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire?  heck the Who Should I Pickup tool:

Who Should I Pickup?

Roto Points

Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...

 

Player 1

 

Player 2

 

Player 3

 

Player 4

Who To Pickup?

Reset

Choose From The Top Ranked Players

Overall

C

1B

2B

3B

SS

OF

SP

RP

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

12.

 

 

13.

 

 

14.

 

 

15.

 

 

16.

 

 

17.

 

 

18.

 

 

19.

 

 

20.

 

 

21.

 

 

22.

 

 

23.

 

 

24.

 

 

25.

 

 

26.

 

 

27.

 

 

28.

 

 

29.

 

 

30.

 

 

Popular Searches

Overall

C

1B

2B

3B

SS

OF

SP

RP

vs

Quinn Mathews

 

Jackson Jobe

 

vs

Javier Sanoja

 

Alec Bohm

 

vs

Jared Jones

 

Quinn Mathews

 

vs

Tanner Scott

 

Ben Joyce

 

vs

Henry Bolte

 

Tristan Peters

 

vs

Alejandro Kirk

 

Leo Bernal

 

vs

Jared Jones

 

Landen Roupp

 

vs

Walbert Urena

 

Hayden Wesneski

 

vs

Zebby Matthews

 

Martin Perez

 

vs

Alejandro Kirk

 

Leo Bernal

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

Vinnie Pasquantino

 

Royce Lewis

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

Javier Sanoja

 

Alec Bohm

 

vs

Alec Bohm

 

Caleb Durbin

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

Quinn Mathews

 

Jackson Jobe

 

vs

Jared Jones

 

Quinn Mathews

 

vs

Jared Jones

 

Landen Roupp

 

vs

Walbert Urena

 

Hayden Wesneski

 

vs

Zebby Matthews

 

Martin Perez

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

Tanner Scott

 

Ben Joyce

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

vs

 

 

 

 

2026 Player Decisions.  Today's focus is on specific players such as George Lombard Jr., Zac Veen, Angel Genao, Jordan Romano, Cole Young, Walbert Urena, Shane Drohan, Kaelen Culpepper, Brandon Pfaadt, Christian Scott, Yoendrys Gomez, Jake Mangum, A.J. Ewing, Dylan Crews, Braden Montgomery, JJ Bleday, Kody Clemens, Kade Anderson, Hogan Harris, Luke Weaver, Robert Gasser, and Jackson Jobe.  These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool.  This is a simple tool but very powerful.  The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare.  n the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name.  Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup?  button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.

Improvements For Who Should I Pickup?  You may have noticed our Who Should I Pickup?  tool has gotten an overhaul.  We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026.  You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface.  e hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.

Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like George Lombard Jr., Zac Veen, Angel Genao, Jordan Romano, Cole Young, Walbert Urena, Shane Drohan, Kaelen Culpepper, Brandon Pfaadt, Christian Scott, Yoendrys Gomez, Jake Mangum, A.J. Ewing, Dylan Crews, Braden Montgomery, JJ Bleday, Kody Clemens, Kade Anderson, Hogan Harris, Luke Weaver, Robert Gasser, Jackson Jobe: