The All-Star break has come and gone now, and fantasy baseball is back in full swing. Week 16 is coming up, and as the season gets late, the more important the waiver wire becomes. Here’s a look at some position players that can possibly be picked up from the waiver wire:
Miguel Sano can hit a ball just as far as anyone else on the power-hitting Twins. After being injured to start the season, Sano is back and went into the All-Star break on a small hot streak. The 26-year-old hasn’t been the most reliable long-term fantasy baseball player throughout his career. However, if he’s needed to fill a spot for a short period of time, Sano could be the guy. His own percentage is under 30 in ESPN leagues.
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Kevin Newman has been on this list multiple times before, and he has yet to disappoint. The Pirates’ rookie infielder is getting a lot of at-bats from the lead-off spot, and he’s hitting well over .300. This combination leads to him getting a lot of chances to score runs. He will be facing the Cardinals and Phillies this week. Newman is finally getting some recognition as he’s owned in a little over 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
Avisail Garcia has been an underrated player throughout his career. A big reason for this is that he’s played on the Tigers, White Sox and now the Rays. He’s quitely building a very successful career. During his career, he hasn’t gone into too many big slumps and shows consistency at the plate. The 28-year-old usually bats in the middle of the order for the Rays. These are some reasons to consider picking up Avisail Garcia for week 15. He has an own percentage of about 24 in ESPN leagues.
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Roberto Perez is heating up, and that’s always something to keep an eye on for a catcher. He’s already doubled his single-season home run count when he hit number 16 of the season. Cleveland has some favorable match ups this week. They play four against the Tigers and then three versus Kansas City. Perez’s career line against current Tigers pitchers is .362/.441/.596 with an OPS of 1.036. Perez is definitely worth a look for week 15. His own percentage is only about 10
Michael Chavis is another rookie to make the list. He has a big fantasy value in that he can play first, second and third base. The youngster has seven games this week coming against the Blue Jays and Orioles. Chavis is setup for a successful week and is worth a shot in fantasy lineups this week. He has an own percentage of about 47.
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Justin Smoak’s batting average is down this season, but his OBP is up. This could be because pitcher’s know what he can do at the plate, and it has resulted in more walks. However, a much needed All-Star break could help Smoak get things going in the second half of the season. He’s facing the Tigers and Red Sox this week. This could lead to a strong performance as he has a .929 OPS against current Tigers, and a .890 OPS against current Red Sox. Smoak has an own percentage of about 45 in ESPN leagues.
James McCann hasn’t looked back since he got things going at the beginning of the season. The White Sox’s backstop is batting over .300 and slugging near .500, both career highs. Furthermore, he’s worth a spot in almost any fantasy league, as consistent hitting catchers can be hard to find. Chicago has seven games this week coming against the Royals and Rays. Moreover, McCann has been hitting from the clean-up spot, giving him some good RBI opportunities. He has an own percentage of a little over 40.
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