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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds for Week 22

By Taylor Tarter
Ezequiel Tovar MLB 2024 Fantasy Baseball Post-Hype Prospects shortstop sleepers

Here are some waiver wire targets ahead of Week 22 that you should consider adding. The following recommendations are organized as deep and shallow league targets. Of course, the players you choose to add and drop from your team should largely depend on your league size and the roster construction of your team.

More great fantasy baseball advice and analysis: Waiver Wire & FAAB Recommendations | Daily MLB Injury Report | MLB DFS Picks | Line-up Analysis | Dynasty Rankings and Strategy | MLB Bullpen Updates | MLB Player Props | Prospect Rankings & Analysis | Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Recommendations

Deep League Targets

C Andrew Knizner – STL

Perhaps the biggest knock on Andrew Knizner is that he is the backup in St. Louis, and does not play every day. Other than that, Knizner has made great strides this season and has performed well. He has 10 homers, 27 runs, 28 RBI, a steal, and a .265 AVG this season. He has been especially hot in the last two months, batting .342 with five homers, 13 runs, and 16 RBI since July 1. Here is his latest homer:

Knizner’s highest end-of-season batting average in the majors was .250, after playing in eight games in 2020. Otherwise, he had not topped .226. Much of his success in improving his AVG is due to hitting more home runs this season than in his previous 553 plate appearances.

That home run increase is no fluke though. Knizner made adjustments at the plate, nearly doubling his career barrel rate to 10% this season. He also has a 41% HardHit rate, the highest it has been since that eight-game stint in 2020.

Not only has Knizner been hitting the ball harder, but he has hit the ball in the air more than ever. His 44% flyball rate is a career-high, as is his nearly 18% HR/FB rate. With his adjustments to his hard contact, the increase in flyballs and home runs should come as no surprise.

Even with some strikeout risk – 23% K, 40% chase, and 76% contact rates – Knizner has balanced those issues out by swinging for the fences. He should be considered a deep league waiver wire add ahead of next week.

SS Osleivis Basabe – TB

With the scandal in Tampa opening a roster spot, the Rays have called upon Osleivis Basabe to fill the void. He has appeared in nine games for the Rays since August 13, batting .303 with one home run, nine runs, and eight RBI. Also, that homer was a grand slam:

This is more of the same for Basabe, who had four home runs, 45 runs, 58 RBI, 16 steals, and a .296 AVG in AAA this season. In fact, Basabe has had eight minor league stints since 2018 and has ended just two of them with an AVG below .290.

If there is anything we know about him, it is that he should continue to hit for AVG at the major league level. Basabe’s worst strikeout rate, other than a 33% rate in four games at high-A in 2021, was 15% this season, his first in AAA.

Basabe also possesses modest speed, tallying double-digit steals in four of five minor league seasons. While fantasy managers should not expect him to go crazy on the basepaths, he may get the green light to swipe a few bags in the last few weeks of the season.

Basabe carries great value as a player that can hit for average. That is a stat that many fantasy teams desperately need, making Basabe a high-priority waiver wire add in deep leagues.

SS Noelvi Marte – CIN

Noelvi Marte was the next prospect in line to hit the majors for the Reds and has earned the call with Cincy dealing with a slew of injuries. In four games since receiving the call, Marte has a .167 AVG with an RBI and two steals. Across two levels of the minors this season, Marte hit 11 homers, 68 runs, 45 RBI, along with 18 steals and a .280 AVG.

Fantasy managers should not worry about Marte’s batting average now, with such a small sample. The 30% K rate is a bit concerning, but he has a low .250 BABIP, and his discipline numbers look good otherwise. He has a 28% chase rate so far, which is impressive for a rookie, and a 70% contact rate.

One thing that should change for Marte as the sample size grows is his line drive rate. Currently, he has yet to hit a line drive. He drove the ball well in the minors, especially at the higher levels this season, and he pulled the ball well too. Those skills should help him bring his AVG up as he picks up more hits. Marte should also see his 87% GB rate decrease significantly, as he hits more drives and flies, leading to more hits and homers.

Marte has an excellent prospect pedigree, finishing all but one season since 2019 with double-digit homers and steals. He also hit for AVG in every season as well. Until the Reds start getting back some injured players, fantasy managers should add Marte from the waiver wire and slot him in their lineups.

OF Parker Meadows – DET

Parker Meadows earned a call to the big leagues, adding to the young talent the Tigers now have at the major league level. In three games, Meadows has two runs with a .273 AVG. Here he is picking up his first triple:

Meadows was excellent in the minors this season, with 19 homers and 19 steals in 113 games at AAA. He also had 78 runs and 65 RBI, with a .256 AVG. The season before, in AA, Meadows had 16 homers, 64 runs, 51 RBI, and 17 steals, with a .275 AVG. He should continue hitting for power and swiping bags for the Tigers.

Meadows carries some strikeout risk, with his strikeout rate landing between 18-29% in all of his eight minor league stints. Even with that risk, his ability to drive the ball and hit fly balls makes him an interesting player to add now for the rest of the season.

The Tigers clearly want to see what they have in Meadows and should give him a ton of playing time the rest of the way. Make him a waiver wire add for the week ahead.

SP Ryan Pepiot – LAD

With Tony Gonsolin on the IL, a rotation spot opened for Ryan Pepiot, who made his season debut on August 19. He went five innings in that start, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out five and walking one. The Dodgers sent him down after that start, but he should have an extended run now.

Pepiot debuted last season, going 3-0 in nine games (seven starts), with a 3.47 ERA across 36.1 IP. He had a 10.4 K/9 last season, which he nearly replicated at AAA this season with a 10.3 K/9 rate in 22.2 IP. Pepiot limited walks extremely well in the minors this season after struggling to do so in the majors last year. If he can keep that walk rate low for the rest of the season, he could be a huge waiver add for fantasy managers in the playoff hunt.

Pepiot has been excellent at striking batters out throughout his career, both in the minors and at the major league level. He possesses a fastball, slider, and changeup pitch mix that was dynamite for him last season. His fastball was arguably his best pitch last season, tallying a .196 batting average against, a 28% whiff rate, and a 19% putaway rate. All of his pitches last season fell between a 27.9-29% whiff rate.

His fastball looked excellent in his debut, inducing whiffs at a 42.9% clip, with an identical putaway rate. Pepiot makes for a great waiver wire add down the stretch, especially if his pitches continue to perform so well.

Shallow League Targets

C Gabriel Moreno – ARI

Gabriel Moreno struggled through June, batting .190 that month. Since July 1, he has a .326 AVG, with three home runs, seven runs, and 10 RBI. On the season, he is up to five homers, 22 runs, 36 RBI, four steals, and a .275 AVG. Here is his latest homer – a grand slam:

While Moreno leaves much to be desired in terms of his power, he is one of the best contact-hitting catchers in the sport. Among catchers with at least 250 PAs, Moreno ties William Contreras for the second-highest batting average. He also has the fourth most steals according to the same parameters.

Gabriel Moreno’s success is due in large part to a discerning eye at the plate. His discipline is top-tier, including an 81% contact rate and a 91% Z-contact rate. Those rank sixth and fourth respectively among catchers with at least 250 PAs. Essentially, when pitchers throw a pitch in the zone to Moreno, he makes contact nine-out-of-ten times. That has led to success at the plate for Moreno.

Moreno hits the ball on the ground a bit too much, which will limit his upside for home runs. Even with a lack of power, fantasy managers should consider Moreno from the waiver wire this week.

1B Brandon Belt – TOR

Brandon Belt has been on fire this month, batting .317 with six homers, 15 runs, and 10 RBI. On the season, he has 14 homers, 45 runs, 36 RBI, and a .255 AVG.

Belt has clearly been helped by a .383 BABIP this season, though his career BABIP is .323. Even still, with a 21% LD rate and a 43% pull rate that falls very close to his career norms, the veteran should see some regression to his BABIP and AVG by season’s end. Despite that, he should still be a priority for fantasy managers needing corner infield help.

While the AVG may regress, his power should not. Belt has a 13% barrel rate, the third highest of his career, and an increase over last season. He also improved his HardHit rate from last season, taking it up to 39%. Those improvements make his 48% flyball rate and 17% HR/FB rate look more legitimate and less like a fluke.

Belt also managed to improve his plate discipline issues, chasing the ball 22% of the time. That ties the second-best chase rate of his career. He also improved his swinging strike rate, and zone contact rates from last season.

Belt should continue getting time in a deep lineup in Toronto. Fantasy managers should consider adding him from the waiver wire wherever available.

SS Ezequiel Tovar – COL

Ezequiel Tovar has quietly been having a solid season after a slow start to the campaign. He is up to 14 home runs, 63 runs, 57 RBI, seven steals, and a .261 AVG. Here is his latest bomb:

Five qualified shortstops are among the top 10 in each of the five roto categories (including ties). Those players are Wander Franco, Bobby Witt Jr., Francisco Lindor, Gunnar Henderson, and Ezequiel Tovar.

Tovar appeared in just nine games for the Rockies last season but was given a major role to start the year. He took some time to adjust, but has been excellent. He has driven the ball well and avoided grounders, with 24% and 40% respectively.

Much of what he has done this season matches what he did in the minors. He had double-digit steals and homers last season and in 2021, and should finish in double digits in both categories this season in the majors. He also finished with an AVG above .260 in five of seven minor league stints, and he appears to be on track to meet that mark this season.

Tovar has been relatively under the radar, but savvy fantasy managers should find a way to add him from the waiver wire for the rest of the season.

OF Tommy Pham – ARI

Since the Diamondbacks acquired him on August 3, Tommy Pham has three home runs, 10 runs, 15 RBI, and a .250 AVG. He has totaled 13 home runs, 31 runs, 51 RBI, 15 steals, and a .264 AVG this season. Here is his latest home run:

Pham has made some improvements to his game this year that have helped him to his highest AVG since 2019. He added to his walk rate and lowered his strikeout rate. Pham’s BABIP is also its highest since 2019, but that is not the only reason for his improved AVG. Aside from the lower K%, Pham also lowered his chase rate and improved his contact rate.

Another major improvement for Pham includes his vastly improved line drive rate. His 22% LD rate is his highest since 2018. He has also pulled the ball more than last season or the one before, which along with the added line drives, has contributed to a higher BABIP.

Not only has Pham improved his plate discipline and batted ball data, he also made improvements to his hard contact. His 11% barrel rate is the second highest of his career and his 48% HardHit rate is its highest since 2020.

Pham plays in a very deep lineup, has made a ton of improvements, and should continue to get plenty of opportunities for runs and RBI. He should be added from the waiver wire wherever available.

SP Seth Lugo – SD

Seth Lugo has a 3.70 ERA across a career-high 109.1 IP this season, with 127 strikeouts to 25 walks. Yet, he is rostered in far too few leagues. Fantasy managers should get on board with Lugo sooner rather than later.

Lugo has started 20 games this season, allowing more than three earned runs in just four of them. He has had one clunker, an eight-run outing against the Dodgers on August 7. Otherwise, he has been incredibly reliable. Since June 30, Lugo has seven quality starts in 10 games, with a 2-2 record in that span.

Lugo has an 8.8 K/9 rate this season, his lowest since 2017. It is relatively common, though, for pitchers to see their K/9 rate decrease when switching from relief to starting roles. Even still, he is extremely valuable in fantasy, but criminally undervalued.

Lugo possesses a 2 BB/9, which he improved for the third season in a row. He also has a 75% LOB rate and a 46% GB rate, both well above league average – as are his K/9 and BB/9 rates. Lugo has allowed more line drives and pulled balls than normal, so to see his BABIP up slightly should not surprise fantasy managers. But an elevated HR/FB rate could mean some positive regression to his ERA. That could explain why his 3.62 xFIP is lower than his ERA. Plus he throws an insane curveball:

Fantasy managers looking for some pitching help for the rest of the season should add Lugo from the waiver wire now.

Other Players to Add from Waivers

Here are a few other players available in a range of league sizes that you should consider adding if they are on your waiver wire.

  • C: Cal Raleigh, Yainer Diaz, Mitch Garver, Christian Bethancourt (1B)CI: Spencer Torkelson, Carlos Santana, Brandon Belt, Harold Ramirez (OF), Brandon Dury (2B), Ryan O’Hearn (OF), Jake Burger

    MI: Nicky Lopez (3B), Maikel Garcia (3B), Royce Lewis (3B), Zack Gelof, Jose Caballero, Elvis Andrus, Liover Peguero, CJ Abrams

    OF: Nolan Jones (1B), Connor Joe (1B), Kerry Carpenter, Eddie Rosario, Chas McCormick, DJ Stewart, Rafael Ortega, Austin Hays, TJ Friedl, Brent Rooker, Michael Conforto, Jake Cave, Will Benson, Riley Greene, Kole Calhoun (1B), Max Kepler

    SP: Graham Ashcraft, Dean Kremer, Cole Ragans, Bobby Miller, Logan Allen, Mike Clevinger, Paul Blackburn, Christopher Sanchez, MacKenzie Gore, Jose Quintana, Kenta Maeda, Hyun Jin Ryu, Braxton Garrett, Grayson Rodriguez, Bryan Woo, John Means

    RP: Evan Phillips, Kyle Finnegan, Adbert Alzolay, Alex Lange, Brusdar Graterol, Matt Brash, JoJo Romero

Prospect Waiver Wire Watch

A number of prospects are worthy of consideration for waiver wire claims due to being called up or potentially being called up. Here are a few to consider adding.

  • STL SS Masyn Winn – batting .217 with an RBI and a steal; look for him to continue runningNYY OF Everson Pereira – 0-for-7 with a run and an RBI so far; hit .300 with 18 homers in the minors this year

    SF SP Kyle Harrison – 3.1 IP with 5 Ks, 1 BB, and 2 ER in debut

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