Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire and FAAB Recommendations for MLB Week 17

We would all love to win our league on Draft Day, but that’s simply not possible. The fantasy baseball waiver wire is a necessary tool for fortifying your roster. How much FAAB should you be willing to spend on some of the hot adds? Here’s a look at some of the players, generally owned in 50% or less of leagues, who may be worth considering.

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Fantasy Baseball FAAB Recommendations

Catchers – Waiver Wire/FAAB Options:

• Endy Rodriguez – Pittsburgh Pirates (FAAB – 1-2%) – Rodriguez earned a promotion after hitting .268 with 6 HR and 4 SB over 315 PA at Triple-A. He has shown a little bit of home run power, including adding 16 doubles and 3 triples prior to his recall.  He also has shown a strong approach, with a 9.5% SwStr% at Triple-A.  Rodriguez is expected to get the majority of the starts behind the plate, though his slow start could change that (7 K in his first 9 AB).  He’s better than that, but we will have to see if the 23-year-old can make the necessary adjustments.  In two-catcher formats, he’s worth the gamble. In that league type, as well as in long-term keeper leagues, he is a must-grab off the waiver wire and the FAAB bids should be in the 5-10% range (the price given is for those in single catcher leagues).

Infielders – Waiver Wire/FAAB Options:

• Edouard Julien – Minnesota Twins (FAAB – 3-5%) – It’s surprising Julien’s ownership levels haven’t risen quicker as he is hitting .319 with 9 HR over 175 PA. Those numbers come with extreme risk considering his .433 BABIP and 31.4% strikeout rate. He has shown a good eye at the plate (10.9% walk rate in the Majors, 18.8% at Triple-A). He’s struggled against breaking balls (.250 AVG), so it’s not surprising that he’s seeing more of them (31.74% in July). Throw in an 88.8 mph Exit Velocity and there is reason to be skeptical.  He should be owned, and there’s upside if he can adjust.  It’s fair to be conservative in redraft formats however.
• Liover Peguero – Pittsburgh Pirates (FAAB – 1%) – It was fair to be excited, but he’s started 2023 going 0-6 with 5 K. Those struggles have led him to the bench.  Could the next stop be back in the minors?  He had 13 HR and 21 SB between Double and Triple-A prior to being recalled.  More importantly, his strikeout rates were 18.2% and 10.0% in the minors.  If they give him opportunities he should be able to straighten things out and be a productive player.  Now is the time to grab him on the cheap.
• Mark Vientos – New York Mets (FAAB – 1%) – Speaking about young players sitting on the bench… The Mets showed earlier in the season that they were willing to have him sit as opposed to seeing what he can do.  The fact that he wasn’t in the starting lineup on Friday night is concerning. At some point, the Mets may realize it makes sense to give the youngsters regular at-bats.  Given the upside, that makes him worth stashing (in keeper leagues, it’s an easy call). For now, he’s going to be a stash on your bench.

Outfielders – Waiver Wire/FAAB Options:

• Alex Kiriloff – Minnesota Twins (FAAB – 1-2%) – Is this a post-hype breakout?  Kiriloff had seemingly fallen off the map, but he entered Friday hitting .279 with 7 HR over 227 PA.  He had added 10 doubles and 1 triple.  However his 88.8 mph Exit Velocity and 380-foot average home run are significant red flags.  Throw in that he’s not a threat for stolen bases and is also benefiting from a .361 BABIP and you may want to take a very cautious approach. He makes sense to own, but don’t make the mistake of paying a significant amount of your FAAB to get him.  Let someone else make the mistake and overpay.
• Chas McCormick – Houston Astros (FAAB – 1-2%) – McCormick has had an extremely solid season, hitting .286 with 12 HR and 10 SB over 224 PA. Of course, his approach isn’t impressive (13.0% SwStr%).  You could certainly make the argument that he is an ideal sell-high candidate if you had grabbed him earlier, as he’s hitting .400 with 5 HR in July.  If you want to bid more with the idea that you could try to flip him in a trade, that could make sense. Otherwise, I’d let someone else make the mistake of overpaying.

Starting Pitchers – Waiver Wire/FAAB Options:

• Quinn Priester – Pittsburgh Pirates (FAAB – 2-3%) – The Pirates went all in on the post-All-Star break call-ups. Priester may turn into the best of the bunch, though it may not happen in ’23.  He struggled in his first start, posting an 11.81 ERA over 5.1 IP. He was showing all of the skills at Triple-A, with an 8.62 K/9, 3.59 BB/9, and 53.8% groundball rate over 87.2 IP.  Will they translate is a question we can’t answer quite yet.  Given his first start, there’s a good chance he ultimately finds his way back down to Triple-A. Like many in today’s column, the price for those in keeper leagues goes up significantly.  For those in redraft formats, rookie pitchers are tough to lean on. Bid accordingly.
• Chase Silseth – Los Angeles Angels (FAAB – 2.5-4%) – Remember when Silseth was getting significant hype? Struggles and a triple to the bullpen caused him to disappear off radars.  However, after a stint at Triple-A, he returned with a bang.  Taking on the Yankees he allowed 1 ER with 10 K and 2 BB over 5,2 IP.  We have to remember that the Yankees are struggling, but it is impressive all the same. The hype was there in the preseason, so don’t be shy in targeting him now.

Relief Pitchers – Waiver Wire/FAAB Options:

• Kevin Ginkel – Arizona Diamondbacks (FAAB – 7.5-12.5%) – Is there a new closer in town? The Diamondbacks have rotated throughout the season and we may have a new flavor of the month.  The problem when bidding on FAAB, though, is do you pay a premium for someone who may not be long for the job? There is a chance that Ginkel thrives in the role, however.  His control, which had previously been an issue, appears to be a strength.  Ginkel owns a 2.63 BB/9 over 37.2 IP, to go along with an 8.12 K/9 and 56.0% groundball rate.  He has increased his slider usage (42.5%), which could help explain the metamorphosis.  You need to be cautious with your FAAB bid, given the risk. However, saves are hard to find and the upside creates a must own option.

Sources – Fangraphs, Brooks Baseball, Baseball Savant

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