This isn’t the time to slow down. Even when you think your team is settled and locked in, it never is. Don’t stop looking for ways to improve your team, as there are multiple types of players that can fit the bill.
In doing our weekly diligence, the criteria for inclusion will generally be any player rostered in less than 50% of Fantrax leagues (as of 5/06 ), with some exceptions. The popularity of Dynasty leagues on Fantrax does sway some of these percentages compared to other platforms, but these are players who should be on your radar.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Recommendations
Coby Mayo, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
At this point, what else does Coby Mayo have left to prove in the minor leagues? The problem, though, is that we don’t want a repeat of last year’s struggles. But first, we need the Orioles to give Mayo regular playing time.
He seems to be playing in about every other game which isn’t enough for him to get going and find his groove. He did get a chance to do show last year, but Mayo hit just .098 in 17 games without a home run or an RBI. In Triple-A, though, things were much different as he, once again, found success. That continued to begin the 2025 season as he hit .252 with six home runs and 22 RBI.
With Jordan Westburg sidelined, Mayo got the promotion once again. And while we don’t want the bidding to get too out of hand, Mayo is someone who warrants our attention based on his upside and power potential. Just look away from the fact that he’s yet to get a hit in his first nine plate appearances with five strikeouts and a walk.
Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers
To say that last year didn’t go according to plan for Evan Carter would be an understatement. There was a lot of buzz surrounding the outfielder, but he failed to deliver. After a strong close to the 2023 season, Carter hit just .188 in 45 games.
There’s nothing changed with Carter’s talent or upside, but he did struggle to begin 2025 in Triple-A. In 90 plate appearances, Carter hit just .221 with three home runs, nine RBI, and six stolen bases. Between the Rangers struggling, and more specifically with Leody Tavares being designated for assignment, Carter is getting another crack at the major leagues.
The struggles are a concern, but the upside hasn’t changed. Don’t go to the extreme in chasing production here, but Carter deserves a cheap flyer.
Hyeseong Kim, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
There was some thought that Hyeseong Kim was going to begin the season with the Dodgers, but I’ll hide my surprise; they were cautious. That patience allowed Kim the ability to find this groove while adjusting to baseball in the United States. And through his first 28 games in Triple-A, Kim did just that.
Prior to his promotion, Kim had 14 extra base hits and 13 stolen bases while batting .252 with five home runs, 22 RBI, and 19 runs scored. While the stolen bases are the feature attraction, Kim showed a well-rounded skill set. In his first two games, Kim has three hits in eight at bats with a stolen base in each game. Joining a lineup as strong as the Dodgers will take the pressure of Kim while giving him ample opportunities to rack up counting stats.
Santiago Espinal, 2B/3B, Cincinnati Reds
While there isn’t much excitement about Santiago Espinal, there is some real value here. Espinal is versatile across the infield, and with Noelvi Marte also headed to the Injured List, he’ll be receiving regular and consistent playing time. So far this season, Espinal is hitting .333 with nine RBI and eight runs scored. We aren’t going to get power and speed here, but Espinal should be good across the other three categories, along with contributing those all-important at-bats.
Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
And just like that, it appears that the Dodgers will be able to fill out a full rotation. At one point, Clayton Kershaw almost seemed like an afterthought, but now Los Angeles needs him to return. The good news is that Kershaw appears to have just one rehab start remaining. After that takes place on Sunday, he’s likely headed back to the big leagues.
In his last rehab start, once again in the Arizona Complex League, Kershaw threw six hitless innings. Overall, he’s allowed four runs in 17 innings with 14 strikeouts against only three walks. To close out his rehab stint, Kershaw will see a step-up in competition as he heads to Triple-A.
Last year, Kershaw logged just 30 big leagues and finished with a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP while striking out 24 batters. If he can turn the clock back to 2023, then we’ll really be in business. We can’t expect that to happen, but Kershaw did finish with a 2.46 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts in 131.2 innings.
We can’t expect Kershaw to reach that level of success, but there’s still a solid pitcher left. The Dodgers will be cautious from a workload perspective, but the left-hander is too good to be left on the waiver wire.
Emerson Hancock, SP, Seattle Mariners
It’s all about opportunity, and with injuries to Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, Emerson Hancock has that. In his last three starts, Hancock is 1-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 18 innings. Things are certainly heading in the right direction after his early-season struggles, as his ERA is now down to 5.70. However, beginning with a 4.16 xERA, there are reasons for optimism moving forward. While as long as you aren’t looking for strikeouts, as he’s striking out just 6.46 batters per nine innings.
The good news is that with two starts this week, Hancock won’t be a liability in that category. It might not be easy as he faces the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres, but Hancock should be able to turn in two solid outings. His .360 BABIP should normalize as he benefits from a 48.7% ground ball rate. With a 6.4% barrel rate, opposing hitters are struggling to square up the ball against Hancock.
Jeffrey Springs, SP, Athletics
The good news is that Jeffrey Springs is making two starts this week. Springs begins the week with a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but things do get better as he travels to San Francisco to face the Giants in his second start of the week. And that’s where the positive vibes continue.
It’s been a rough start to his Athletics career for Springs, but it’s not all bad. In his last three starts, Springs has a 3.71 ERA, although he’s struck out just nine batters in 17 innings. Overall, Springs has a 4.81 ERA, but his 3.97 xERA paints a better picture. Allowing a 31.5% hard hit rate is a good thing, but walking over four batters per nine innings takes the conversation in another direction. Additionally, a 29.8% ground ball rate doesn’t generate much confidence.
The up and down is ultimately why Springs is a waiver wire target. At worst, he should be a streaming option, and making two starts this week is a plus. Both of them coming on the road is even better, where Springs has a 3.26 ERA compared to a 6.30 ERA at home.
Zach Agnos, RP, Colorado Rockies
Here we are again. We can say that about both closers in general and the Colorado Rockies bullpen more specifically. The next contestant is Zach Agnos.
The biggest problem here might be that he pitches for the Rockies. To get saves from Agnos, we need Colorado to win games, and that doesn’t happen very often. In the last seven days, Agnos has pitched in just one game. He did get the save with a perfect inning, giving him two saves on the season, along with two in Triple-A. In 7.1 innings with the Rockies this year, it’s interesting to see Agnos strike out just one batter, but he hasn’t allowed a run or walked a batter.
Considering he historically had a double-digit strikeout rate in the minor leagues, the lack of them in this small sample size is a little surprising. Last year, Agnos saved 17 games in Triple-A, so he does have experience in the role. Just don’t go too crazy, as wins, and therefore saves, will be hard to come by.
