Another Wednesday, another trip to the waiver wire. Each week there are great values that could be had on the waiver wire, and these players can help you now, or in the future. With Avisail Garcia going down within the last week, Matt Moore being officially out for the season and players underperforming, the waiver wire is in full swing.
Whether it is a free agent pool, a budget-budget based system, or weekly waivers, playing the wire is a key element to winning your fantasy baseball leagues.
Each Wednesday, XN Sports will present an option at each position, and why you should add them.
Without further ado, let’s play the waiver wire:
Catcher
Mike Zunino, Seattle Mariners
Zunino has been one of the top catching prospects for a few seasons, but now is getting a chance to play in the big leagues every day. In the last few games he has shown why he was a top prospect. He has two hits in three of his last six games and is tied for the most home runs by a catcher this season so far with three. If you need help at catcher, Zunino can be a good fill-in right away.
First Base
Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies
Shockingly, Morneau is only on around 30 percent of fantasy teams so far this season. With the amount of leagues that require a 1B/3B slot, Morneau should be the player that fills that void. So far this season the former Twin is hitting .311 and is playing almost every day and batting behind Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. If you are in need of an average boost with potential for runs batted in and a little bit of power, Morneau could be a solid add for the rest of the season.
Second Base
Omar Infante, Kansas City Royals
It seems that many fantasy owners dropped him after seeing him being hit by a pitch a week or so ago. But Infante is still a very good hitter, maintaining a .297 average with five runs scored so far in this young season. The 32-year-old is a .280 lifetime hitter and he hit .318 last season. With Infante hitting in front of Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez, he can contribute runs scored in addition to batting average, so add him if you need middle infield help.
Third Base
Kevin Kouzmanoff, Texas Rangers
This is strictly a short-term solution. But, for those who have Manny Machado waiting in the wings, or Adrian Beltre who will likely miss the rest of April, Kouzmanoff is your guy. Since replacing Beltre in the Rangers lineup, he is hitting .450 with a home run and five runs batted in. The saying is “When you’re hot, you’re hot”, and Kouzmanoff is definitely on fire.
Shortstop
Adeiny Hechavarria, Miami Marlins
Fantasy baseball fans have been waiting for Hechavarria to cool off after his torrid start to the season, but he has not. So maybe it is time to add him to your roster with such a thin shortstop free agent market. So far this season, Hechavarria is hitting .328 and has scored nine runs. But what brings value to his game is the fact that he is hitting in a Marlins lineup that is, surprisingly, one of the best in baseball at this point.
Outfield
George Springer, Houston Astros
This is a name we have all been waiting for. The Houston Astros have finally called up George Springer. For those of you who are hearing this for the first time, open a new tab and add him right away before your co-worker jumps on him on the way to your meeting this afternoon. Springer struck out a lot in the minor leagues, but was still able to hit over .300 in his minor league career. Last year he hit 37 home runs and stole 45 bases, and in just 51 at-bats this season he has three home runs and four stolen bases. Get him into your lineups right away as he possesses the potential to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases.
Starting Pitcher
Tom Koehler, Miami Marlins
After Koehler’s first start it was “The Padres offense is struggling.” After his second start it was “He just had a good day.” Now, Koehler pitched seven innings of one-hit baseball against the Washington Nationals and out-pitched Stephen Strasburg. In 19 innings this year, Koehler has allowed just 13 hits while striking out 10. He has only allowed four earned runs and has faced the Nationals lineup twice. The Marlins’ righty is available in nearly every single fantasy league and is worth an add if you need pitching. His next start is against the Cardinals on Monday, April 21.
Relief Pitcher
Shawn Kelley, New York Yankees
Adding closers from the waiver wire has been a common practice so far in this young season with guys like Francisco Rodriguez, Jonathan Broxton, Jose Valverde and Sergio Santos all being added at a swift pace over the last week. This week Shawn Kelley deserves the honors. Since David Robertson has gone down to injury, Kelley has two perfect innings and two saves for the Yankees. Once Robertson returns Kelley will return to a setup role, but for now he is a good short-term option at closer if you are in need of saves.
