A few weeks ago, we took a look at the best Fantasy Baseball Sleepers available in over 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues. Now it’s time to take another crack at finding hidden gems on the waiver wire.
With over a quarter of the MLB season over, new fantasy options are emerging that could make the difference in your matchup. Let’s take a look at the best bets that you may be able to snatch up right now.
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Position Players
SS Miguel Rojas – Available in 51% of leagues
If you’re looking to add a hot bat that can help you win your matchup this week, look no further than Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas.
Since the start of May, Rojas has been on a tear. The veteran infielder has hit .340 this month, and has raised his OPS to .813. Rojas also has seven multi-hit games in his last 12 starts.
Long-term, you could probably expect Rojas’ numbers to retreat to closer to his career slash line of .267/.323/.365. But for now, grab him off the waiver wire while he’s still hot.
SS Brandon Crawford – Available in 52% OF leagues
In his 11-year career, Brandon Crawford has never been one to reward fantasy owners with a batting average or RBI total. However, in his age-34 season, Crawford is proving he may still have some worth to fantasy owners looking for a jolt.
Crawford is hitting just .248 with a .540 slugging percentage in 2021, but he has shown his bat still has plenty of pop. The two-time All-Star now has ten homers on the season thus far to go along with 23 RBIs. Crawford is hitting over .300 in May and has collected five multi-RBI games.
If you’re scrounging the waiver wire for playable infielders (perhaps you’re a frustrated Francisco Lindor owner like myself), Crawford provides a steady option that’s swinging a good bat for a solid team.
OF Avisail Garcia – Available in 73% of leagues
The Brewers are not exactly an offensive juggernaut. However, Avisail Garcia provides a reliable presence in the middle of their lineup.
Garcia is an underrated hitter and has been contributing at a steady pace this season. While none of his stats light the world on fire, he is always a home run threat. Garcia showed off his power when he proved when he smacked his sixth dinger of the season Sunday against the Braves.
The former Ray also has 22 RBIs, second on the club behind Travis Shaw. Garcia has even notched three stolen bases this season. Being available in nearly three-quarters of all fantasy leagues, Garcia is a solid band-aid option should you find one of your starters heading to the IL.
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Pitchers
P Jon Gray – Available in 52% of leagues
Jon Gray’s last outing was one to forget. The Rockies’ starter was hammered for seven runs and 10 hits while striking out just one in a loss to the Padres Monday.
But Gray has still been Colorado’s best starting option this season. Gray still holds a respectable 3.48 ERA along with four wins. He has also done a nice job of keeping his home run total down, allowing only five thus far this season. The Oklahoma product has also accumulated 45 Ks in nine starts.
The 29-year-old righty may not be anyone’s idea of a top starting pitching option, but if you’re in need of starting depth from the waiver wire to fill out your roster, you could do a lot worse.
P John Gant – Available in 75% of leagues
John Gant has been somewhat of a statistical anomaly this season. The lanky right-hander has a sparkling 2.04. However, Gant also has a frightening 1.58 WHIP. Entering Tuesday, Gant walked only one batter in his winning effort against the Pirates Tuesday. However, that one walk was enough to pass German Marquez for the league lead in base-on-balls.
Still, you can see that the stuff is there for Gant. Thus far, he has done masterfully at not allowing his walks to come around and score. Gant’s lack of control may seem to point to a regression coming sooner rather than later. But he remains an intriguing fantasy option as long as he is able to keep runs off the board.
Still available in most fantasy leagues, Gant is worth stashing in deeper or NL-only leagues.
P Michael Fulmer – Available in 83% of leagues
Once a promising starting pitching prospect, Michael Fulmer’s career hasn’t exactly gone as planned over the last five years due to a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness.
However, the former AL Rookie of the Year may have found new life for himself as a reliever. Fulmer has taken to his new role extremely effectively thus far. In fact, Fulmer has pitched so well that he may have now cemented himself as the new Detroit closer.
Fulmer now is three-for-three in save opportunities after shutting down the Mariners Monday. The former All-Star now owns a 3.34 ERA in 29 innings this season.
The obvious downside is that the Tigers are perhaps the worst team in the league and may not present Fulmer with as many save opportunities as you might hope. But if you’re looking through the waiver wire for a fantasy option that just might win you your saves category this week, Fulmer is an attractive option.
