Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Eldridge Powers Up

Another week of fantasy baseball is in the books. That means more injuries, call-ups, and closer situations we need to pay attention to. But don’t sweat it. Our fantasy baseball waiver wire targets will help keep your fantasy squads on track. Whether you’re in the market for injury replacements or just want to ride the latest hot streak, we have you covered.

For the most part, the fantasy baseball waiver wire targets listed below are rostered in 70% or fewer of Fantrax leagues. This week’s targets include some young bats who are starting to show some promise, as well as a couple of underrated starting pitchers who can help you out. With that, let’s take a look at some Week 12 fantasy baseball waiver wire targets.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets

Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants (74%)

Bryce Eldridge is starting to bring the power. He’s coming off back-to-back jacks, including a walk-off grand slam, and has been a flat-out hitting machine of late. He reached base safely in 12 of his last 13 games, going 20-for-47 with a 17.9% strikeout rate. Eldridge is hitting .426 in that stretch with seven doubles, three homers, 15 runs scored, and 10 RBI with a 1.266 OPS. While a .486 BABIP is helping the cause, there’s plenty to like under the hood.

Overall, Eldridge’s transition to the majors has been a smooth one. The Giants called him up in early May, and he’s been a near-everyday player since May 20. Over those 78 plate appearances, Eldridge boasts a .364/.449/.636 slash line with a 202 wRC+. He tore the cover off the ball in that span, sporting a 13.2% barrel rate, 56.6% hard-hit rate, and 92.3 mph average EV. Perhaps most encouraging is Eldridge’s sub-18% strikeout rate, which is a significant departure from the elevated swing-and-miss rates he carried throughout the minors. Eldridge is a must-add in shallow formats; grab if he’s still available.

Kody Clemens, 1B/2B/OF, Twins (51%)

Kody Clemens is packing a punch at the plate. Not only has he slugged three homers in his last six games, but Clemens has quietly been an impact bat over the past month. He contributed across the board in that 27-game stretch, slashing .305/.330/.610 with six long balls, 16 runs scored, 12 RBI, and two steals. He also piled up 10 doubles and two triples in that span. Clemens’ results are backed by underlying metrics, as he posted a healthy 12.6% barrel rate and 93.4 mph average EV over those 109 plate appearances.

Clemens’ hot bat has moved him up to third in the batting order, and he’s seemingly shed his strong-side platoon role, starting in four of the last five games against southpaws. He’s a must-add in deeper leagues and can be a useful contributor in 12-teamers as well.

Royce Lewis, 3B, Twins (65%)

Royce Lewis is back in the big leagues after a mid-May demotion to Triple-A. He raked in the minors, smacking 10 home runs in 15 games with a 1.303 OPS — a far cry from the .583 mark he posted in his 35 games with the Twins this season. Whether Lewis will be able to stick now that he’s back remains to be seen. But he’s already gone 4-for-15 at the plate with a double and a home run since his promotion. Lewis offers a nice blend of power and speed (13 HR/12 SB in 106 games in 2025) and is getting play at both first and second base. Lewis is a solid add in most formats to see where this goes.

Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox (67%)

Braden Montgomery made a splash in his big league debut, hitting a walk-off homer in extra innings against the Braves. It’s a small sample size, but he’s looked good out of the gate with four hits in nine at-bats, including a pair of doubles and a long ball.

Montgomery quickly moved through Double-A and Triple-A. There, he combined for a .314/.422/.548 slash line with 10 dingers and five steals across 56 games. He brings a ton of raw power to the table and is no stranger to drawing walks, carrying double-digit walk rates throughout the minors. Montgomery’s swing-and-miss tendencies against off-speed pitches and a sub-80% zone contact rate could cause him trouble at the big-league level. But on the whole, the switch-hitter is well worth adding in shallow formats — his power upside and speed could play well on a pesky White Sox team.

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Yankees (51%)

I covered Paul Goldschmidt last week, but am bumping him again because he should be rostered more widely. Since receiving everyday playing time on May 20, Goldy has held a steady .288/.333/.452 slash line with three homers, 15 RBI, one steal, and a 120 wRC+ across 78 plate appearances. Additionally, Goldschmidt maintains prime lineup spots in a powerful batting order. He leads off against lefties and occupies the three-hole against righties with Aaron Judge now on the IL. Not too shabby. The Yankees have been rolling with Goldschmidt while he’s been hitting, and fantasy managers in 15-teamers should follow suit.

Dustin May, SP, Cardinals (72%)

Dustin May has been rolling. In his last six starts, he’s showcasing a 3.25 ERA (3.35 xFIP), 0.97 WHIP, and 20.5% K-BB% across 36 frames. He kicked up his Ks in that stretch, with his 28.1% strikeout rate supported by a 12.7% SwStr%. In addition to an uptick in punchouts, May has been an innings eater. He logged at least six innings in four of his last six appearances, and his eight quality starts on the year rank 10th among qualified starters. If none of that moves the needle for you, May will face the Padres next week. Their .617 OPS versus RHP over the last month ranks dead-last. May is a must-add arm in 12-teamers.

Brandon Young, SP, Orioles (42%)

Brandon Young is fresh off a strong start against the Mariners. He tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks to five strikeouts. Young has quietly been a reliable arm of late. In his last four starts, he boasts a 1.69 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 26.2 frames. He benefited from some luck (3.75 xFIP), and his 19% K rate isn’t ideal. But Young was able to stretch out his Ks by going at least six innings in all four starts. Up next is a rematch against the Mariners on the road, followed by a challenging start at Dodger Stadium. Young is a solid pickup in 15-teamers.