Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire – June Pickups
Season long fantasy baseball players are roughly 40% of the way through the season and at this point, you have clear areas of strengths and weaknesses that you should address for the stretch run.
As noted in my recent waiver wire post, at this point in the season identifying specific areas for focus are the easiest way to make an immediate impact to your fantasy team as you work to make broader moves through trades to shake up your rosters!
Across Major League Baseball, there are three actionable events that gamers should take notice off this week and look to add these players to your fantasy rosters to help in the stretch run.
Next: Top prospect gets his shot in Wrigley
Catcher: Willson Contreras (Chicago Cubs)
The Cubs bolstered an already scary offense with the recent call-up of top prospect Willson Contreras who profiles as one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball.
In his first at bat on Sunday since being called up, Contreras came to the plate at Wrigley Field and parked the first pitch he saw in the center field seats!
Contreras has made a name for himself with his bat in the minor leagues, hitting .352 in AAA this season and hitting 9 home runs in only 55 games. Contreras has shown an exceptional ability to put the ball in play, notching a 13% K rate in the minor leagues while seeing his walk rate increase each of the last two years.
Make no mistake about it, Contreras has exceptional raw power and will join a loaded lineup that should allow him to see many RBI opportunities when he plays.
The “when he plays” is the rub as the Cubs still have Miguel Montero and David Ross on the roster but we have seen this story play out countless times before where a top prospect comes up and forces their way into the lineup and they never look back.
Contreras has that upside and at a weak catching position this year, Contreras could be a difference maker this season and for dynasty league owners he makes a must add.
Contreras will get his first start for Chicago on Monday so act fast as if he has another moment like he did on Sunday, his waiver wire popularity will soar!
Next: Much needed offense returns to Queens
C – Travis d’Arnaud (New York Mets)
The struggling New York Mets offense will get a boost likely Tuesday night when Catcher Travis d’Arnaud is activated from the Disabled List and will return to being the Mets every day catcher.
d’Arnuad is another offensive minded catcher for those struggling to fill the position and was able to show the impact he can have when he is healthy as he hit 12 home runs in only 67 games last year.
The issue with d’Arnaud has always been health but considering he can be had for free in over 50% of Yahoo leagues, he makes an inexpensive roll of the dice for the second half of the season.
Not long ago, d’Arnaud was Contreras, the highly touted catching prospect with the major league bat and with his return coming in short order he may be exactly what the Mets and fantasy owners need.
Next: Top Arm on his way back in New York?
SP – Zack Wheeler (New York Mets)
Before the Mets starting churning out top end pitching prospects like Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, there was Zack Wheeler. Wheeler coming back from Tommy John surgery and still only 26 years old is days away from starting his official rehab clock which is expected to last roughly 30 days and puts Wheeler on track to return to the big club around the All Star Break.
Wheeler has always had exceptional strikeout stuff and in the second half of 2014, Wheeler seemed to be on the verge of breaking out as he went 6-3 with 82 K’s in 77 innings and pitched to a 3.04 ERA before an injury sidelined for the better part of a year and a half.
Next: Waiver Wire: Need for Speed
Wheeler is owned in less than 20% of Yahoo leagues and for those with an open DL slot, now is the time to grab and stash the talented right hander who has the ability to be a difference maker in leagues down the stretch.