September is here, and we have just over three weeks remaining in the fantasy baseball season. You know the drill at this point: work the fantasy baseball waiver wire for players who can help you in categories where you can gain points and move up in the standings. Easy peasy, right?
The recommended players are rostered in 70% or fewer of Fantrax leagues and should be considered, depending on team needs. With that, let’s get to the Week 25 fantasy baseball waiver wire targets, and good luck down the stretch!
More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Rookie Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued | Bullpen Report
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets
Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees (68%)
Spencer Jones isn’t getting enough love. He’s been a five-category contributor since his recall at the end of July, slashing a steady .250/.309/.500 with seven homers and eight steals across 35 games. He also tacked on 21 RBI and 21 runs scored. Sure, his 31% strikeout rate and 79.6% zone contact rate might be off-putting to some fantasy baseball managers. But Jones also possesses tantalizing power skills under the hood, including a 22.2% barrel rate, a 94.2 mph AVG EV, and a .250 ISO since his recall.
In addition to power, Jones brings 90th percentile sprint speed to the fantasy table and hits in a productive Yankees lineup. There’s too much upside here for Jones to be hanging around waiver wires. Scoop him up.
Coby Mayo, 1B/3B, Orioles (58%)
Coby Mayo has been on a nice stretch. He’s hit in seven straight with two homers, eight RBI, seven runs scored and a steal, with the strong week a continuation of a productive second half. Across those 123 plate appearances, Mayo maintains a .272/.325/.544 slash line with seven dingers, 21 RBI, 23 runs scored and a couple of stolen bases.
Mayo has been pummeling the ball since the All-Star break to the tune of a 15.8% barrel rate and .272 ISO. And while a 30.9% strikeout rate isn’t great, Mayo’s batting average hasn’t taken a hit and comes with a steady .258 xBA. Mayo plays nearly every day and could be a productive addition as the Orioles try to stay in the Wild Card race.
Mickey Gasper, C, Red Sox (23%)
Mickey Gasper has been on a heater since his recall in mid-August. He smacked seven dingers across 14 games (51 PA) to go with a robust .395/.549/1.053 slash line and 21.6% walk rate. It’s a limited sample, but Gasper’s underlying numbers are beefy, including a 23.5% barrel rate and .863 xSLG.
It might be tempting to dismiss Gasper’s recent power surge, as he never surpassed 12 home runs in his career. But do so at your own risk; Gasper is in line for more playing time with Willson Contreras on the shelf, and moved up to the two-hole in a hot-hitting Red Sox lineup. If you’re in the market for power, or need help at the position, Gasper is a no-brainer short-term add.
Hector Rodriguez, OF, Reds (41%)
Hector Rodriguez made his MLB debut in early August, but his transition wasn’t smooth, as he went 2-for-24 at the plate with a .310 OPS in his first nine games. However, Rodriguez has started to turn things around in the last couple of weeks. He hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, including two doubles and five homers to go with a .314/.364/.647 slash line and 172 wRC+ across 55 plate appearances. He also barreled the ball at a healthy 13.2% clip in that stretch and started leading off against righties.
Rodriguez offers a solid blend of pop and speed. In 455 Triple-A plate appearances this year, he piled up 27 long balls and six steals to go with an .881 OPS. Rodriguez is a solid power add while he’s hitting. Just keep in mind that he sometimes sits against lefties, which he’ll face four of next week.
Jacob Lopez, SP, Athletics (67%)
It’s tough to ignore how good Jacob Lopez has been since the All-Star break. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his nine starts while sporting a 2.36 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a 20.6% K-BB% across 49.2 IP. His increased swing-and-miss during this stretch stands out, as his 29.4% strikeout rate (14.3% SwStr%) is a 13-point jump from his previous mark.
Lopez gets a tasty two-step against the Blue Jays and Mariners next week. While the starts come at home, both clubs have been bottom-10 offenses against southpaws over the last month. Lopez is rolling right now, and fantasy managers should take advantage.
Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Angels (59%)
Grayson Rodriguez’s 6.03 ERA and 1.52 WHIP on the year mask the fact that he’s been one of the better arms of late. He allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts while registering a much-improved 3.49 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in those 38.2 innings. Moreover, Rodriguez’s results are backed by solid underlying skills, including a near-identical 3.41 xERA and 17.3% K-BB%.
Part of Rodriguez’s recent success stems from improved command and a newfound ability to keep the ball on the ground — Rodriguez bumped up his groundball rate from a meager 29.3% mark earlier in the year to a 46.2% in his last seven outings. Up next is a two-step against the Red Sox and Nationals, both on the road. While he doesn’t offer much win opportunity, Rodriguez should be a nice source of Ks without blowing up your ratios.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
