MLB FAAB Factor: Top Fantasy Baseball Waiver Targets

This FAAB article is in addition to the AL and NL FAAB articles that run Sunday. Bids are based on a $100 FAAB budget. Throughout the season, this column will have two goals:

1. Identify FAAB targets for fantasy managers in leagues with Thursday FAAB.

2. Offer a preview of FAAB targets ahead of Sunday's columns.

Okay, so we can all agree that the ABS challenge system is one of the best changes MLB has ever made, right? I've heard plenty of arguments for and against things like the pitch clock, universal DH and ghost runners in extra innings, but I don't think anybody (other than maybe a few embarrassed umpires) is complaining about this latest addition. And quite frankly, I don't think there's a logical argument to make against it. The time between a helmet tap and a final verdict is maybe 15 seconds at most, and there's no possible way to argue the call – you're either proven right or wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt. As great as it is, though, I don't think I would be in favor of going full robo-ump and leaving every pitch up to ABS. I like the idea of testing the players' knowledge of the zone and the element of strategy that the challenge system creates – do you risk a challenge on the borderline 2-1 pitch in the top of the third, or do you save it for a potential high-leverage moment later in the game? Decisions, decisions.

But that's just my two cents. Now onto the main event:

The number in parentheses represents the player's rostership rate in Yahoo leagues.

Starting Pitcher

 Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians (27%)

Messick may be a rookie, but you would have thought he was a seasoned veteran based on the way he handled the Dodgers' star-studded lineup Monday. He needed just 76 pitches to get through six scoreless innings, during which he struck out five batters, walked none and allowed just one extra-base hit. Combine his impressive start with the fact that he began his major-league career by posting a 2.72 ERA over 39.2 innings across seven starts last season, and the 25-year-old southpaw begins to look like a sleeper pick for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Perhaps that's too ambitious, though. For now, he's a solid pickup heading into a matchup against a Cubs offense that's gotten off to a relatively slow start. FAAB: $4

 Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners (46%)

For someone who just barely made the Mariners' Opening Day rotation thanks to Bryce Miller's oblique injury, Hancock sure made quite a statement to begin the regular season. He pitched six shutout innings while striking out nine batters, and the only runner the Guardians managed to put on base against the 26-year-old righty came via a walk. With Miller set to miss at least a few more weeks, Hancock should be good to make several more starts. His next opportunity will come against the Angels, who are batting just .205 as a team through the first week of games. FAAB: $3

 Randy Vasquez, San Diego Padres (27%) 

San Diego's offense has posted a shockingly low .581 OPS through their first six contests, but Vasquez picked up the slack and led the Padres to their first win Saturday over Detroit while pitching six shutout frames, fanning eight batters in the process. The eight strikeouts were particularly impressive, considering he finished with more than five Ks just once in his 28 appearances last year. His velocity is up from last year as well, as his fastball averaged 95 mph Saturday after sitting around 93.4 mph in 2025. Time will tell whether he can keep up his increased velocity and strikeout rate, but it's promising enough to justify buying into. FAAB: $2

Relief Pitcher

 Lucas Erceg, Kansas City Royals (42%)

Erceg worked primarily in a setup role for the Royals last season, but with Carlos Estevez set to spend at least the next couple of weeks on the injured list with a foot injury, Erceg will get a chance to audition for the closer job. He's proven he can handle high-leverage situations without issue, as he finished the 2025 campaign with a 2.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 61.1 frames, and he's already picked up two saves and a hold this year while pitching 2.2 scoreless innings. Between his performance and Estevez's recent velocity/delivery issues, it's not hard to imagine a world where Erceg continues to handle the ninth inning for most of the season. FAAB: $7 

Catcher

 Liam Hicks, Miami Marlins (17%)

With three homers through five games, Hicks is already halfway toward matching his season total from last year, which he accomplished in 390 plate appearances. He's also in a five-way tie atop the National League HR leader board through the first week of the season, and his 12 RBI are four more than anyone else has managed so far in all of Major League Baseball. Agustin Ramirez remains locked in as the Marlins' primary catcher, but with Christopher Morel on the injured list with an oblique strain, there's a path for Hicks to continue starting regularly at first base or designated hitter. I wouldn't expect him to continue at his 1.659 OPS pace, but even half of that would make it hard to take him out of the lineup whenever Morel is cleared to return. FAAB: $2

 Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers (22%)

Dingler began to put the pieces together at the major-league level last season, enabling him to finish the year with a .752 OPS and claim the starting catcher job in Detroit after turning in a .505 OPS the year prior. His upward trend continued into spring training, during which he slashed .314/.306/.629 across 36 plate appearances, and he's begun the regular season by recording a base hit in every game that he's started while tallying a homer, five RBI and two runs scored. The 27-year-old will retreat to the bench every once in a while to give Jake Rogers a chance to start behind the plate, but Dingler is still expected to start the majority of games this season, and his share of starts may grow even further if he continues to separate himself from Rogers as an offensive threat. FAAB: $1

First Baseman

 Jake Burger, Texas Rangers (34%)

A combination of injuries and regression hit Burger hard last season, as he finished his first year in Arlington with career lows as a full-time player in every major offensive category. However, he showed signs of bouncing back during spring training and has now begun the regular season 9-for-26 (.346) with a pair of homers, six RBI and five runs scored through six games. If he can stay healthy, the 29-year-old is easily a candidate to reach the 30-homer mark, and with the Rangers batting a solid .256 to begin the year, Burger should continue to have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs batting in the cleanup spot. FAAB: $4

 TJ Rumfield, Colorado Rockies (5%)

Rumfield arrived in Colorado this offseason through a trade with the Yankees, and it hasn't taken long for the 25-year-old rookie to emerge as a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster Rockies lineup. He hit his first big-league home run during the second game of his MLB career and has logged a base hit in all but one of his first six contests. Making his hot start even more impressive is the fact that all of Colorado's games so far have been on the road, meaning all of Rumfield's success has come without the production boost that Coors Field typically provides. The Rockies are set to return home this week and face the Phillies (5.46 ERA) and Astros (4.57), nicely setting up Rumfield for another week of dominance at the plate. FAAB: $3

Second Baseman

 Cole Young, Seattle Mariners (10%)

Young didn't offer much to the Mariners' offense last year, finishing the regular season with a .607 OPS over 257 plate appearances. That changed this spring in the Cactus League, where he batted .281 and slugged six homers over just 19 games. He's continued to swing the bat well to begin the regular season and is currently in the midst of a six-game hitting streak. That being said, it's worth bringing up the fact that top prospect Colt Emerson recently signed an eight-year, $95 million contract extension with Seattle – a record-setting value for a player without any MLB experience – so while Young is currently in place as the everyday second baseman, the Mariners may not hesitate to replace him if his production begins to dip. FAAB: $1

Third Baseman

 Colt Keith, Detroit Tigers (20%)

The promotion of Kevin McGonigle at the start of the season has created a battle for playing time amongst Detroit's infielders, but Keith has done a great job hanging on to his spot by tallying eight hits – three of them for extra bases – through the team's first six games while driving in two runs and coming across the plate four times. The Tigers may move Keith to the bench against left-handed starters as a way to give opportunities to some of their other players, but the upcoming schedule shows nothing but righties in the near future. That should give Keith plenty of opportunities to extend the run he's been on recently and possibly earn him the right to face a lefty every once in a while. FAAB: $1

 Carlos Correa, Houston Astros (41%)

Correa's offensive production ticked upward after he returned to Houston from Minnesota last season, and he's looked much more like his usual self to begin the 2026 campaign, posting a .296/.367/.444 batting line with a home run, seven RBI and five runs scored through the Astros' first seven games. He probably won't achieve the 162-RBI season that he's on pace for, but batting fourth or fifth in a lineup that usually features Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez at the top likely will provide Correa with consistent RBI opportunities over the course of the season. The 31-year-old has bounced around between the hot corner and shortstop while Jeremy Pena eases his way back from a finger injury, but Correa figures to stick as Houston's everyday third baseman once all its infielders are back to full health. FAAB: $1

Shortstop

 Andres Gimenez, Toronto Blue Jays (31%)

It would be hard for Gimenez to do much worse at the plate than he did last year, which saw him finish the regular season slashing .210/.285/.313 with 12 stolen bases through 369 plate appearances while battling leg injuries. He looked much healthier while posting a 1.297 OPS in the Grapefruit League this spring and has now begun the regular season 8-for-22 (.364) at the plate with a home run, five RBI and already two stolen bases through six games. His elite defense will ensure he remains in the lineup every day, no matter how cold his bat gets, but as long as he's back to making consistent contact and swiping bags like he is right now, he's worth a cheap add. FAAB: $2

Outfielder

 Owen Caissie, Miami Marlins (22%)

The Marlins gave up Edward Cabrera during the offseason in order to bring in Caissie from Wrigleyville, and it's already beginning to look like a smart investment. The 23-year-old has gone 7-for-20 (.350) to begin the season with eight RBI, three runs scored and a steal through six games, and his first home run in a Marlins uniform gave his new team a walk-off win over the Rockies on Sunday. There are sure to be plenty more homers from the left-handed slugger over the course of the season, as well as a high average/OBP, but his counting stats will be limited by the fact that the Marlins are expected to keep him on the bench against same-handed pitching. FAAB: $4

 Ryan O'Hearn, Pittsburgh Pirates (27%)

O'Hearn went deep during his first game with the Pirates, kicking off what has grown to become a five-game hitting streak to begin the regular season. He's posted a 1.259 OPS in that time, but even more encouraging is how he's been equally as successful against lefties as he has been against right-handers, combating the narrative that he's struggled against southpaws throughout his career. Of course, one week of games isn't enough to make a firm prediction about how the rest of the season will go, but it's a positive sign nonetheless. O'Hearn is expected to spend most of his time batting in the heart of a lineup that received a handful of other notable additions this winter, such as Brandon Lowe and Marcell Ozuna, which should give a bump to his potential for RBI. FAAB: $2

Joey Wiemer, Washington Nationals (31%)

Wiemer hasn't gotten an extended look in the majors since his rookie season with the Brewers in 2023, during which 116 of his 367 at-bats resulted in a strikeout. That's why it was a bit surprising to see him begin his tenure with the Nationals by reaching base 10 consecutive times, tying the MLB record for the most to begin a season. He's proven to be human since then and is now batting a cool .588 with two homers, four RBI and seven runs scored through five games. He appears to have played his way into an everyday role in Washington's outfield, though he could just as easily lose it if he begins to return to his previous form. But until then, why not bid on a player who owns the hottest bat in the game and has the speed to steal bases with ease? FAAB: $2

Find out whom to target the rest of the way with RotoWire's MLB Rest of Season Projections!