The first week is officially in the books, and it’s been a wild one. The Braves finally won their first game while the Padres finally lost one. Torpedo bats are all the rage with balls flying out of Yankee Stadium at a record-setting pace. A few other teams have joined the bandwagon, however, and the results have already begun to show. Whether it’s a true advantage or just a confidence booster remains to be seen. But I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty more of them in the days to come.
Were any of you able to snag some of the standouts from last week’s piece? Kristian Campbell, Ivan Herrera, Lars Nootbaar and Jorge Polanco have all hit the ground running and have seen their rostership increase drastically over the last few days. If you missed out on them, though, don’t be dismayed, as there are still plenty of difference-makers available this week demanding your waiver wire free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) money. Let’s get right to it.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
All players listed are rostered in 55% or fewer of Yahoo leagues. Also, I rarely repeat a player week to week, so it’s not a bad idea to check back to prior articles to see if any of those players are still available. That said, here are the top 10 waiver wire pickups for Week 2 of the 2025 fantasy baseball season.
Otto Lopez (2B, SS – MIA): 52%
If you ask 10 different fantasy “experts” about Otto Lopez, you’ll receive 10 different answers. Consider me on the positive side of Team Lopez, just keep your expectations in check.
I highlighted Otto in the offseason as a player to target past the 300th pick in the draft, stating he is someone who will garner a decent amount of steals and produce a fine batting average. The early power surge has been a welcome plus, but I wouldn’t expect more than 15-18 round-trippers by season’s end.
To me, the Miami infielder is a solid addition while he’s batting in the middle of the order. He’s been steady since Opening Day, registering five runs, seven RBI, two homers, a steal and a .303 average.
Lopez showed flashes last season and was a good hitter coming up, so he’s worth adding while he’s hot. Just keep tabs on him because his surrounding cast is weak and the numbers may start to dwindle below satisfactory.
Kyren Paris (2B – LAA): 7%
Luis Rengifo left Friday night’s game with a strained hamstring — the same one that gave him trouble last month. If he were to spend any time on the injured list (IL), and I’m guessing he will, Kyren Paris becomes a viable option in all fantasy leagues.
The California native has been an absolute force coming off the bench this season, collecting six hits, including a home run, over just 11 at-bats. Paris’ Minor League stats are somewhat mediocre, but what stands out are the consistently high stolen base totals. If given regular playing time, which he should receive now, Paris is a great source for steals over the next few weeks.
Victor Scott (OF – STL): 44%
Talk about a turnaround. Victor Scott was completely overmatched last season in his short taste of the big leagues. Over 145 at-bats, the then 23-year-old managed a dismal .179 batting average with a .502 OPS. Now with a bit of experience under his belt, Scott has been one of the Phillies’ best weapons.
Since winning the starting job outright following spring training, Scott has done a little bit of everything. He’s already knocked in five RBI to pair with the five runs he’s scored. Scott also hit a homer in the third game of the season.
Speed has always been Scott’s calling card, but while he’s hitting like this (.348 batting average, .946 OPS) and stealing bases (he’s up to four on the year), he’s a must-add in all leagues.
Dustin May (SP – LAD): 49%
Dustin May was nasty in his first outing of the year, holding the Atlanta Braves to just one hit and zero earned runs over five innings. The slender right-hander also struck out six while walking three.
May has all the ability in the world, it’s just his health that has kept him back. If he can hold up for a full season or even start 20-25 games, you could be rostering one of the steadier pitchers in the league. May rarely puts up a stinker, and he pitches for the best team in baseball, so 10+ wins is attainable.
His velocity is down a few ticks from where it’s been, but I expect that number to creep back up a bit as May settles into a regular role. He’s worth a waiver bid in all standard leagues.
George Springer (OF – TOR): 55%
George Springer has found a new comfort zone batting in the middle of the order. Slotting into the fifth or sixth hole, the ex-Astro is now hitting .440 with a 1.237 OPS through the first eight games. He’s also stolen a base and connected for four extra-base hits, including a home run.
It wasn’t that long ago that Springer was a top-50 consensus pick in fantasy leagues. Right now, it feels like he’s ready to return to that status. The Blue Jays outfielder is always a bit of an injury risk, but with his new approach as a middle-of-the-order bat, Springer has reinvented himself and returned to fantasy relevance.
Casey Mize (SP – DET): 20%
Casey Mize looked like a different pitcher his first time out this year. He threw like the kind of ace the Tigers have been hoping for since they selected him first overall in the 2018 draft.
Mize was filthy in his 2025 debut, allowing just one hit while striking out six over 5.1 innings. He put up similar numbers during spring and could be in for a career year.
The 27-year-old has revamped his pitching arsenal, and the results appear to be fantastic. Mize has the look of a man on a mission this season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes as the second-best starter on their staff. It’s still very early, but Mize is worth taking a gamble on while healthy and pitching with confidence.
Jacob Wilson (SS – ATH): 11%
Jacob Wilson hit over .400 in his Minor League career and just smacked his second home run of the season. Oh, and by the way, he still hasn’t struck out. The Athletics shortstop is currently hitting .379 with a .621 slugging rate to go along with five runs and five RBI.
Wilson got a taste of Major League pitching last season and has parlayed that into an excellent start to 2025. The son of former All-Star Jack Wilson seems poised to add to the growing list of great young shortstops across the American League. He is an excellent asset to boost your numbers all over the board (with an emphasis on batting average) — and is one of my favorite waiver wire pickups this week.
Jacob Wilson gives the @Athletics the lead in extras!
He has a hit in all eight games he's played, and he still has not struck out once this season. ????
(MLB x GEICO) pic.twitter.com/8DtIhF7VTN
— MLB (@MLB) April 4, 2025
Brady Singer (SP – CIN): 44%
Brady Singer is also one of my favorite adds this week in terms of long-term value. He can be streaky at times, but has shown flashes of brilliance over his young career.
After pitching well in spring training, Singer opened with seven near-perfect innings against the Texas Rangers. He struck out eight and generated an impressive 30.4 CSW%. Singer is notorious for posting a game like this just to get blasted for five runs in his following outing. This year I believe he’ll be different.
The former Kansas City first-rounder has been a two-pitch hurler for most of his career. Singer has added a cutter this season. He threw the pitch 17% of the time in the opening game and didn’t surrender a hit with it. The new offering pairs nicely with his sinker that moves in the opposite direction and the slider he throws hard and away to right-handed hitters.
Not only did Singer hold the Rangers to just one hit, but they only managed one line drive the entire game. I’ve already added the 6-foot-5 righty to as many teams as I can, and so should you.
One final note: Yes, moving to Cincinnati from Kansas City won’t help his ballpark factor. But for now, while the high is still 49 degrees in Ohio, the ballpark shouldn’t matter too much.
Brady Singer is the first pitcher to throw 7+ scoreless innings in his @Reds debut since Tom Seaver in 1977 ???? pic.twitter.com/JHl79nO0Wt
— MLB (@MLB) April 1, 2025
Hunter Goodman (C, OF – COL): 29%
Hunter Goodman is not only playing every day, but he’s also batting cleanup for the Rockies. A catcher who starts six games a week and plays his home games in Coors Field should be an immediate add for anybody struggling to fill the position.
There’s been some mashers behind the dish in the early goings, but Goodman has been right there with them. So far in the early goings, Goodman’s launched two homers, scored four times and is hitting over .300. He also hit 13 bombs and drove in 36 last year in just 211 at-bats.
Sometimes, as an offensive player in Colorado, it just comes down to opportunity to create value — and Goodman’s being granted plenty of it. He deserves a spot in deeper leagues and some standard ones.
Chase Dollander (SP – COL): 8%
The Rockies are calling up Chase Dollander after making just one Minor League appearance this year. The lanky right-hander and former Volunteer was a player of note this spring as players and media around Rockies camp couldn’t stop talking about the young man.
How he’ll fare against Major League batters is anyone’s guess. But the ceiling is high for the highly touted flame thrower, and he’s got the stuff to back it up. Dollander’s upper-90s, high-spin-rate fastball could thrive in the lofty altitude conditions. It’s always risky to roster a pitcher on the Colorado staff. But if your league runs deep, he’s not a bad depth piece. He could end up a lot better than that.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
