AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

The grid below allows readers to see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and what kind of bids they should command in a variety of formats. The grid, which is sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook, which are already factored into the recommended bid. Nick Kurtz would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

If there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments or on our Discord.

Starting Pitcher

Mick Abel, Twins: Zebby Matthews was expected to emerge with a rotation spot this spring, but instead he got thoroughly out-pitched by Abel in camp, and it's the former Phillie who's claimed the fifth starter spot. Abel delivered a 23:3 K:BB over 18 Grapefruit League innings with a 2.00 ERA, but it's the improved control that's the intriguing thing for his fantasy potential – the 24-year-old right-hander walked 16 batters over 39 innings in the majors last season, and issued 40 free passes in 98.1 frames at Triple-A. If he's learned to find the strike zone more often, he has the stuff to put together a breakout given his 96 mph four-seamer and plus curve, which had a 37.5 percent whiff rate in the big leagues in 2025, as well as a sinker and slider. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Ryan Johnson, Angels: I sometimes wonder why the Angels bother to have minor-league affiliates at all. Johnson, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft who didn't pitch in the minors that year after being selected 74th overall, surprisingly made the big-league bullpen out of camp last year and unsurprisingly looked overmatched in his first 14.2 professional innings. He eventually got sent all the way down to High-A in May to get stretched back out as a starter. The right-hander out of Dallas Baptist dominated the Northwest League with a 1.88 ERA and 65:10 K:BB in 57.1 innings, and that might be all the development the Halos think he needs, because here he is again set to make the initial 26-man roster, this time potentially in the rotation. Johnson has looked good in the Cactus League with an 18:4 K:BB over 16.2 innings, and with Grayson Rodriguez (arm) and Alek Manoah (finger) both iffy for Opening Day, there could be two vacancies in the rotation out of the gate. Johnson's splitter appears to have taken a big step forward this spring, giving him another viable out pitch to go with his sweeper, and the deception in his delivery allowed his four-seamer to play up a bit. Even if he winds up in the bullpen, he could find himself in a useful fantasy role given the unsettled high-leverage situation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Eric Lauer, Blue Jays: Attrition hit the Toronto rotation hard this spring. Shane Bieber was held back due to concerns about his forearm, and then both Jose Berrios (elbow) and Trey Yesavage (shoulder) wound up with issues that will land them on the IL to begin the year. That puts Lauer back where he wants to be, in a starting role. The veteran southpaw had more success last year out of the bullpen, but as a starter he still delivered a respectable 3.77 ERA and 74:18 K:BB in 74 innings, although his 14 homers allowed is a definite red flag. It's not yet clear when any of the injured guys will be ready for their 2026 debuts, and the Jays' pitching depth has been pushed about as far as it can go, so Lauer should be locked into a rotation spot for at least the first few turns regardless of how he performs. He also lines up for a fairly cushy early schedule, with the A's, White Sox and Twins as his initial potential opponents. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Johan Oviedo, Red Sox: While prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle had all the buzz early in camp, Oviedo just went about his business and looks set to claim a spot in the Boston rotation. The 28-year-old righty has a 1.59 ERA and 14:6 K:BB through 11.1 Grapefruit League innings, and his 95 mph four-seamer is now a plus pitch thanks to a radically re-worked movement profile and his 98th percentile extension. He threw just 66.1 innings across all levels last year in his return from Tommy John surgery, but he shouldn't have any workload limitations in 2026. The Red Sox gave up a legit prospect in Jhostynxon Garcia to get Oviedo, and he looks ready to justify that investment. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Kumar Rocker, Rangers: The 26-year-old right-hander remains a frustrating blend of upside and inconsistency, but with Jacob Latz struggling to maintain his velocity deep into games this spring, the Rangers don't seem to have any better options for their No. 5 starter spot. I still believe in Rocker in the long term, to be clear; he just seems like the kind of prospect who's going to have a very bumpy path to being a useful fantasy asset. Rocker has produced a 14:3 K:BB over 12.2 Cactus League innings this spring, and his focus in camp has been building confidence in his changeup as an effective complement to his otherwise hard arsenal (four-seamer, two-seamer, slider and cutter). The tools are there for Rocker to break out if it all finally comes together, though. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Others:

Emerson Hancock, Mariners 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2
Jack Kochanowicz, Angels 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Steven Matz, Rays 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Relief Pitcher

Scott Barlow, Athletics: The initial speculation on the A's closer situation features names like Justin Sterner and Hogan Harris, but it's Barlow who may have emerged as the nominal favorite this spring. The veteran righty has more experience in the job than anyone else in the Sacramento Exiles bullpen, even if his last double-digit save season came back in 2023, and he's had an effective camp with a 7:1 K:BB over five Cactus League innings. Reading the tea leaves on spring reliever usage is always risky, but in his last two appearances, Barlow has been the first guy out of the 'pen after the starter – in other words, facing the highest-quality opponents, before benches get emptied – and he hasn't given up a hit or a run while posting a 4:1 K:BB in two innings. On the other hand, he's generally sat 89-90 mph with his two-seamer, down a couple ticks from last season with the Reds, but he's always leaned heavily on his curve/slider/sweeper combo for whiffs anyway. It's not a classic closer profile, but Barlow may be the default option in the ninth to begin the season until someone younger muscles him aside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Ian Seymour, Rays: We could see the return of the Tampa Tandem this season. Ryan Pepiot seems like the only starting pitcher the team has who can reliably deliver 5-6 innings, while guys like Steven Matz and Nick Martinez could be limited to a strict twice-through-the-order usage. That opens the door for someone like Seymour to have real fantasy value, either in a piggyback role or working behind an opener – Ryan Yarbrough won 16 games in 2018 despite officially starting only six of his 38 appearances, and while that's the extreme high end of Seymour's possible production, double-digit Ws certainly isn't off the table. The 27-year-old lefty is coming off a solid rookie season in 2025, and he's posted a 2.19 ERA and 13:3 K:BB through 12.1 Grapefruit League innings this spring. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Kirby Yates, Angels: Somebody's got to close for the Halos, and it won't be Ben Joyce or Robert Stephenson to begin the season, as they're both headed for IL stints. Yates was a disaster for the Dodgers in 2025, but the year before he was dynamite for the Rangers, racking up 33 saves with a 1.17 ERA and 85:28 K:BB in 61.2 innings. The right-hander is a classic fastball-splitter reliever, and you can't rule out the personal angle here – Yates and new manager Kurt Suzuki both grew up in Hawaii, so state pride could be on the line. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Others:

Lucas Erceg, Royals 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2
Jordan Romano, Angels 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Edgar Quero, White Sox: With Kyle Teel likely out until mid-April due to a hamstring injury, Quero will be the top backstop for the White Sox to begin the season. The 22-year-old switch hitter was already going to see consistent at-bats between C and DH, but he could be a full-time player out of the gate. Quero's had a decent spring, batting .300 in 50 Cactcus League at-bats with a homer, and at this stage of his career he's more about his hit tool and contact than power, giving him some rare batting average upside for a No. 2 fantasy catcher. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

First Base

Coby Mayo, Orioles: Half the Baltimore infield will begin the season on the IL with Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday both on the mend, and that's giving Mayo another chance to prove he belongs. The 24-year-old had a strong finish to 2025, slashing .301/.393/.548 in September with five homers in 24 games, and his upside's never been in doubt, only his ability to make adjustments in the majors. Mayo's batting .412 in 34 Grapefruit League at-bats, and he should see regular playing time at the hot corner out of the gate. If he keeps hitting, the O's may some a tough decision to make once Westburg is healthy. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Second Base

Adam Frazier, Angels: The Angels didn't like what they saw from Christian Moore this spring, so he'll begin the season back at Triple-A Salt Lake while Frazier acts as a placeholder at the keystone. Frazier offers little power, although he did hit 13 homers for the Orioles in 2023, and that was also the last time he stole double-digit bags in a season. the veteran utility player doesn't have much upside in what's expected to be a second-division offense, but he could provide some short-term value if you have to cover your MI spot early in the season. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Others:

Leo Rivas, Mariners 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Third Base

Blaze Alexander, Orioles: The other temporary starter on the Baltimore infield, Alexander will cover for Jackson Holliday at second base. The former Diamondback has a career .283/.394/.462 slash line at Triple-A with 23 homers and 17 steals in 185 games, but that's come in a boosted offensive environment at Reno. Alexander could still run into a homer or two and swipe a couple bags while part of the starting nine. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Marcelo Mayer, Red Sox: After dallying with the likes of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kristian Campbell this spring, the Red Sox have finally circled back and made Mayer their starting second baseman to begin the season. Mayer didn't exactly force the issue, batting .214 in camp, but his 8:8 BB:K is much more encouraging after he stumbled to an 8:41 BB:K in 44 games during his big-league debut last year. The 23-year-old has yet to put everything together after being the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, but the tools are all there. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Shortstop

Kevin McGonigle, Tigers: While Konnor Griffin fell short in his bid to make the Pirates' roster, there's still an elite infield prospect who has yet to be optioned to the minors, and that's McGonigle. The 21-year-old is batting .250 this spring, but half his hits have gone for extra bases and he has more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight). McGonigle's glove is a bigger concern than his bat, but he flashed some impressive leather this week, albeit at third base and not shortstop. That problem could solve itself if Gleyber Torres' sore back lands him on the IL, as Colt Keith could cover second base while McGonigle gets his feet wet at the hot corner. If not, the Tigers may have to decide whether they'd rather have Javier Baez's defense and awful plate discipline (1:46 BB:K in 48 games after the All-Star break last year) at short, or McGonigle's better bat and unproven fielding skills. Even if he ultimately falls short of the Opening Day roster, he likely won't be in the minors for long. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Carson Williams, Rays: The 22-year-old is set to open the season as the Rays' starting shortstop with Taylor Walls out until at least mid-April with an oblique strain. Williams has struggled to make contact throughout his career, muting his power-speed profile, but his 1:6 BB:K through 29 Grapefruit League plate appearances this spring hasn't been awful. If Williams locks down the starting job and doesn't give it back, he'll be a batting average risk, but he could also hit four double digits in homers and steals, with a 15-15 or even 20-20 campaign not off the table. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Others:

Zach McKinstry, Tigers 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

CJ Kayfus, Guardians: Kayfus has had a roller coaster spring when it came to his job prospects. The Rhys Hoskins signing in February seems to lock him out of a starting job, with the Guardians intent on giving Chase DeLauter a chance to prove he could stay healthy. DeLauter's done so and had a strong camp, as expected, but rather than being the starter in right field, it's now looking like he might spend most of his time in center. With George Valera sidelined due to a calf strain, that's put Kayfus back in the picture as the likely Opening Day starter in right. Kayfus hasn't done a whole lot at the plate in the Cactus League, batting just .216 in 16 games, but five of his eight hits have gone for extra bases and he's produced a 7:11 BB:K. Kayfus has little left to prove in the minors, slashing .283/.367/.526 over 68 games for Triple-A Columbus with 13 homers after tearing up Double-A to begin the year, and the 24-year-old could surprise. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Others:

Zach Cole, Astros 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Joey Loperfido, Astros 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Ryan Vilade, Rays 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1