Where does the time go? We blinked and two months of the fantasy baseball season are behind us. Don’t despair though as that does mean we have four months left to work with. There is plenty of time to climb through the standings as our rosters should never be static. As you continue working to improve your team, let’s take a look at some Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds for Week 10.
In doing our weekly diligence, the criteria for inclusion will generally be any player rostered in less than 50% of Fantrax leagues (as of 5/29). 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
Nelson Velasquez, OF, Kansas City Royals
Nothing gets your attention quite like two home runs in the same game. That brought Nelson Velasquez’s total for the season to seven. With that being said, it has still been a disappointing season for the Kansas City outfielder which means he is available in many leagues.
His batting average is up to .224 on the season and he does have a career-high launch angle of 18.6 degrees. Velasquez is still far from an ideal option, but we do know the power upside he brings to the table. In 53 games at the major league level last year, the outfielder went deep 17 times, and another home run barrage is possible.
Nick Gonzales, 2B, Pittsburgh Pirates
While we do have to go back a few years, Nick Gonzales was previously a top prospect. After he tore up Triple-A in 30 games this year (.358, four home runs, and 33 runs scored), the natural progression was for him to be promoted to Pittsburgh.
Gonzales doesn’t run and has below-average power, but he did have an elite hit tool. After picking up four hits in Wednesday’s doubleheader, the second baseman is hitting .313 in 73 plate appearances. He also went deep for the third time with the Pirates while posting a .234 ISO. Last year, Gonzales did go deep 14 times in 99 games at Triple-A, so it’s possible we are seeing some development here.
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers
Sometimes, it really is as simple as riding the hot hand. Matt Vierling is playing consistently for Detroit, and currently that is the case. Vierling can be moved across the diamond and he started both in the outfield and at third base in Wednesday’s doubleheader. All Vierling did was then go deep in each game which gave him four home runs in three games.
In 169 plate appearances, Vierling is up to .289 on the season with seven home runs and 28 RBI. Vierling has a career-high 16.2-degree average launch angle along with a 92.2 mile-per-hour average exit velocity. It will be interesting to see if these improvements remain present, but for now, the results are there.
David Hamilton, SS, Boston Red Sox
After three stolen bases in the past seven days, David Hamilton is up to eight on the season. When you factor in that they came in just 92 plate appearances, it is even more impressive. The shortstop is hitting just .265 on the season and doesn’t offer much in the way of power. But if you have a hole to fill in the middle infield and need speed, Hamilton is worth a look.
Miguel Andujar, OF, Oakland A’s
Are we really going to do this again with Miguel Andujar? Now that he is activated off the Injured List, he has been playing most days for the Oakland A’s. While it may be far from an ideal situation, the opportunity for at-bats is there. Of course, the problem is that we have to go back to 2018 to see Andujar have any sustained success at the major league level.
Through 16 plate appearances, Andujar is hitting .400 with a home run and seven RBI. After having success in Triple-A over the last two years, Andujar is now getting another chance at the big league level. It could be his last, but let’s see where this goes if you have the need.
Ben Brown, SP, Chicago Cubs
We almost saw history on Tuesday. Ben Brown was perfect through five innings against the Brewers and ultimately left after allowing just two walks over seven innings. Brown struck out 10 batters as he continues to have success when starting games this season.
Bouncing between the rotation and bullpen, Brown has found success this year. In 46.1 innings, Brown is striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings while minimizing the long ball. There are some issues with control, 3.3 walks per nine innings, but when you have three pitches working with strong command, it’s easy to get out of trouble. Additionally, it also helps to average close to 97 miles per hour with your fastball.
Brown’s 2.72 ERA, along with his pedigree, should keep him in rotation for the immediate future.
Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Atlanta Braves
And here comes another Atlanta Brave pitching prospect. This time it is Spencer Schwellenbach who is making his presence felt at the major league level.
There was nothing left for Schwellenbach to do at the minor league level this season. A borderline top-100 prospect, he had a 1.80 ERA in 45 innings prior to his promotion. It came with just a 0.91 WHIP as Schwellenbach struck out 51 batters while walking just 10. There are few better situations for a young player to join than the Braves. It is likely that this won’t be the only start for Schwellenbach after making his debut against Washington. Depending on how the Braves line up their rotation, it’s also possible he takes the mound twice next week.
It was a solid first start for Schwellenbach as he was scoreless through the first four innings before allowing a three-run home run to Lane Thomas in the fifth. Overall, the rookie allowed five hits and one walk while striking out five.
Matt Waldron, SP, San Diego Padres
Matt Waldron certainly is an interesting pitcher. While he averages 91.3 miles per hour with his fastball, Waldron also throws his knuckleball 37.7% of the time. Coming in at an average velocity of 77.8 miles per hour it works as more of an off-speed pitch, and it has been working for Waldron.
In his last three starts, Waldron has a 1.53 ERA while picking up two victories. Over that stretch, Waldron has struck out 25 batters while walking just four. Through 11 starts, Waldron’s ERA sits at 4.26 although it comes with an xERA of 3.53.
This week, Waldron takes the mound against both the Angels and Diamondbacks which should put him on your radar.
Adam Ottavino, RP, New York Mets
Fantasy baseball is truly unique. In his last 10 games, Adam Ottavino has a 6.75 ERA and 1.93 WHIP after blowing his second save of the season on Tuesday. However, that isn’t going to stop him from being a popular waiver wire option this week.
All because we are forced to chase saves.
Currently, the Mets are not very good. A large part of their struggles has been the bullpen. With Edwin Diaz now on the Injured List, there is an even larger void in the ninth inning for New York. Recent struggles aside, Ottavino appears to be the best option for the Mets in the ninth inning as he does have experience in the role.
Overall, Ottavino has a 3.86 ERA this year with an xERA of just 2.94. He is striking out more than 12 batters per nine innings and with a 51% groundball rate, there is a lot to like. After saving 12 games last year, Ottavino should temporarily slide back into the role.
Jeff Hoffman, RP, Philadelphia Phillies
While Jose Alvarado is still the closer in Philadelphia, he is sometimes utilized earlier in games. It makes sense that the left-hander would be utilized in high-leverage situations, and when that happens, it’s Jeff Hoffman who picks up the save.
Alvarado does have a 3.47 ERA and nine saves this season, but he can be volatile and does struggle with his control. Hoffman has four saves to go along with an ERA of just 1.14 while limiting both walks and the long ball. At 11.41 strikeouts per nine innings, Hoffman gets the edge here as well.
For leagues that count holds, Hoffman has seven this year along with the potential to earn more saves. As you await those saves, it’s hard to argue with the rest of what he brings to your fantasy team.