Adam Duvall, ladies and gentlemen. The stud outfielder had an outstanding week, knocking in a league-leading 14 runs while batting nearly .500 for his new ball club. His rostership rose from 24 percent up to 84 percent in just a matter of days. That’s how fast these players can go, so if there’s someone you’ve got your eye on, and he’s available in your league, it’s best not to wait.
Duvall made for an excellent “RBI” addition last week, and hopefully, this next group can continue the trend. All players are rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo Leagues and are broken down into categories. Most players will help you in more ways than one, with their primary contributions coming in the category from which they are listed.
I’ll be putting out a similar piece each week, so make sure to check back every Sunday, as I’ll have a new list of players not previously mentioned. (Every once in a while, a player will deserve re-visiting). Also, if any of last week’s guys fit your needs and are still available, it’s a great idea to consider adding them. The majority of them had solid weeks, so they, too, can help you.
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Week 2 Waiver Wire Targets Based on Category
Home Runs
There are a few players who could be named, but Vosler is still one of the least known. In limited playing time over the past two seasons for San Francisco, the 220-pound corner-infielder flashed intriguing power at times, clubbing seven home runs. Now playing for Cincinnati, with the notoriously small bandbox they call home, Vosler could flirt with 25-30 home runs. He’s got the swing to do it, and if he continues to play every day, the extra-base hits should come in bunches.
Vosler is currently filling in for the injured Joey Votto at first base, but when he returns, it should be Will Benson who is squeezed out of the lineup rather than Vosler. He already has three homers, a triple, and a double to his credit and should be an excellent candidate to continue hitting for power.
Luke Raley is also someone to target in deeper leagues. He plays on the strong side of a platoon, and with Jose Siri going down, Raley’s playing time could increase further. He mashed in the Minor Leagues and could be on the verge of a breakout after blasting three home runs last week. If nothing else, he’s worth a flyer for the upcoming week, with the Rays recently hitting the cover off the ball and a four-game series with Boston on tap.
RBI
Trevor Larnach (OF – MIN): 15%
Larnach isn’t a name that will excite most fantasy managers, but the third-year pro has started every game but one in either the three or four-hole for the Twins (8th in the other). The former prospect has registered seven RBI over the first week of the season and has collected 11 hits (.355 BA). With Jorge Polanco on the verge of returning, the Twinkies may tinker with their lineup a bit, but so far, Larnach has proven himself to be a middle-of-the-order bat.
My guess is he’ll eventually fade out, but he was Minnesota’s second-best prospect just two seasons ago, so perhaps there’s some longevity in his bat now that he is fully healthy. Many believed it would be Alex Kirilloff filling this role, but for now, Larnach is the guy. He deserves your attention outside of shallow leagues.
Runs
Josh Rojas (3B, 2B – ARZ): 40%
Josh Rojas is hot. Ever since stealing home on Tuesday, Rojas has looked extremely confident at the dish. He’s seven for his last 12 while acting as the everyday leadoff hitter against RHP for the Snakes. The runs haven’t come in abundance yet (he’s got three), but on Saturday, he also led off against Clayton Kershaw (lefty), so more playing could be on the horizon for the 28-year-old third baseman. Historically he’s held his own against Southpaws (.261/.342/.368), so watching him go three for four last night wasn’t much of a surprise.
Combining Rojas’s speed and his spot in the lineup, he should earn a healthy amount of runs scored this season. He’ll also help in the stolen base department – he racked up 23 last year and already has one this season. He qualifies at both second and third base and is a solid add for those in need of either of those categories.
Batting Average
Adam Frazier (2B, OF – BAL): 31%
Watching Frazier play last week, I noticed what could be the most balanced swing currently in the Major Leagues. He’s not a powerful guy in terms of big-league hitters, but his swing and timing look flawless. He rarely flails at balls outside of the zone and seldom swings and misses at balls in the zone. He finishes his cut with the balance of a trapeze artist, as if he could execute a flawless swing on a tight rope.
His sound fundamentals have led to a .350 average with just two strikeouts early in the season. Frazier looks very similar to the hitter he was in the first half of 2021, where he was arguably the best pure hitter in the league. If he can keep it going and stay healthy, he’ll battle for the AL batting title. Add Frazier now to pair with a power-heavy lineup.
Stolen Bases
Myles Straw is back. After performing as one of the best base stealers in the game over the past few years, Straw hit the reverse pedal in 2022. He was off to a great start in April but unfortunately got into it with a few fans in Yankee Stadium, which seemed to derail his season. Whether or not the incident had anything to do with the prolonged slump is questionable, but Straw hit well under the Mendoza line immediately after for May, June, and August. You can’t steal if you’re not getting on base, so Straw’s steal attempts decreased heavily too.
The good news is he did bounce back in September with a .313 average and five stolen bases. The center fielder was only caught once all last season long, and his sprint speed remained near the top in the league. Even more important is what he’s doing this season. Straw looks every bit of the player he was in 2021 for Cleveland, racking up hits and running at will on the base paths. The speedy 28-year-old already has five swipes to his credit, giving him as many steals as he does strikeouts. He’s hitting .360 on the season with an eye-catching .500 OBP. Straw has been a blur on the base paths and nearly impossible to get out. He currently deserves a spot in all leagues.
ERA
MacKenzie Gore (SP – WAS): 25%
In 2021, Gore was considered the top pitching prospect in all of baseball. While his output over the next two years didn’t exactly goes as planned, he did show signs of why he was given such high marks. Last season over Gore’s first eight games, he held opponents to a total of eight earned runs. He struck out 47 over that span while allowing just 14 walks and one home run. Things quickly went downhill after that, and he was shut down for the remainder of the season due to a balky elbow, albeit no structural damage.
Many seemed to jump the gun a bit, declaring the young righty a bust after such little time. Now feeling good again, Gore’s been up to his old tricks, defeating one of the league’s best, the Atlanta Braves. He then followed that up with a fine encore performance on the road dominating the Rockies in one of the toughest places to pitch. He’s also averaging better than a strikeout per inning. The Angels on the road coming up are no cakewalk, but even if you don’t start him in that matchup, he’s worth the risk long term.
WHIP
It’s difficult to trust a rookie to help lower your WHIP, but Brito isn’t your typical first-year player. The 25-year-old Dominican has already spent seven years in the Yankees minor-league system. He relies heavily on control over strikeouts which helps limit his free passes and keeps the ball in the yard.
Brito won both of his first two contests, allowing just one run and eight base runners over 10 innings. He shut out the Giants in his big-league debut and then held the Orioles to just one run. There is some belief that Brito will be sent back down once Carlos Rodon is ready to go, but if the Yankees are serious about contending, it seems fairly obvious that Brito has been much better than a few of his teammates. Clarke Schmidt has got shelled in both his outings, and Domingo German continues to give up too many home runs. If Schmidt struggles again in his next start, you have to believe Brito could be here to stay. The upside is there for the slender right-hander. Take a chance on Brito now before it’s too late.
Strikeouts
I hope you guys went out and claimed Mitch Keller last week. He looks like the real deal. If he can stay away from the long ball, the Pirates’ ace could be a really solid pitcher all season long.
Aside from Keller, this week, we turn our attention to another hard-throwing righty in Tyler Mahle. Mahle is susceptible to home runs and walks, but he also consistently strikes out at least a batter an inning. In his season opener, he struck out seven Marlins in five innings. Last season, he K’d 114 over 104.1 innings for Cincinnati, and in 2021 he struck out an impressive 210 batters in 33 starts. Fully removed from the shoulder injury that limited him last year, look for Mahle to repeat or possibly improve upon the above-average numbers he produced in Cincinnati – one of the league’s most hitter-friendly environments.
Wins
Anthony DeSclafani (SP – SF): 23%
DeSclafani was a ground ball machine in his opening start versus the White Sox. He registered an incredible 63% ground ball rate while striking out four and walking none. He also held them to just three hits and no runs. Utilizing a strong sinker/slider combination, the Giants’ 32-year-old looked sharp all game long and secured his first victory rather easily.
Eventually, some of those ground balls are going to squirt through, but DeSclafani has great command of his pitches, which strongly ups his effectiveness. In 2021 the former Florida Gator won 13 games while posting a 3.17 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 8.2 SO/9. He suffered multiple injuries the year after but is fully healthy again this season. The veteran right-hander is someone you can rely on in most matches. He’s got KC next and then Detroit after that.
Saves
Pierce Johnson (RP – COL): 41%
Johnson is the man in Colorado with Bard on the shelf. No timetable for Bard’s return has been released, so in the meantime, it’s Johnson’s job to lose. He’s a perfect two-for-two in save chances so far and has struck out seven over just three innings. He was solid for San Diego in 2020 and 2021 and looks every bit the part of late. If you’re in need of saves (and who isn’t), Johnson could be a nice find for the back of your roster.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
