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.

There are just a few days left between now and the All-Star break, which means a lot of the conversations currently happening in the baseball world are centered around players who have been snubbed from the All-Star Game. There are plenty of players who missed the cut who you could argue are deserving of playing in the Midsummer Classic (*cough* Brice Turang *cough*), but at the end of the day, there are only so many spots to go around. The same idea applies to fantasy baseball – there's always bound to be somebody on the waiver wire who is deserving of a roster spot somewhere but has been overlooked for whatever reason. The difference here is that you actually have the power to change that. So, let's take a look at a few players who have been "snubbed" from fantasy rosters heading into the break.

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

Starting Pitcher

 Logan Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers (47%)

Henderson is returning from a back injury Thursday to pitch in the majors for the first time since May 22. He's made a couple of rehab starts at Triple-A Nashville since then, allowing just two earned runs in 6.1 innings while fanning 11 batters and allowing two walks. He threw just 68 pitches during his most recent outing, so he'll likely be operating under a light restriction during his first start back with the Brewers, but he offers more than enough upside to be worthy of picking up wherever he's available. He stands alone as the only pitcher since 1898 to give up two earned runs or fewer in each of his first 10 career major-league starts, and he's done so while striking out batters at an elite 33.3 percent rate and issuing walks at just a 7.4 percent clip. If somebody in your league dropped him while he was on the shelf, now is the time to make them regret it. FAAB: $10

 Patrick Sandoval, Boston Red Sox (3%)

It's been more than two full calendar years since Sandoval last stood on a big-league mound, but he'll make his long-awaited return Thursday against the White Sox after recovering from an internal brace procedure and multiple setbacks he suffered while rehabbing. You wouldn't be able to tell that he's been out that long if you just looked at the numbers he put up during his rehab assignment: 1.96 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and an 18:6 K:BB across 18.1 innings between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. With Connelly Early (elbow) now on the injured list and seeking a second opinion, Sandoval could get a few turns in the rotation and earn a more secure role with the big club if those first couple of starts go well. FAAB: $1

 AJ Smith-Shawver, Atlanta Braves (10%)

Smith-Shawver is entering the final stretch of his recovery from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in June of last year. He's looked very sharp during his rehab assignment up to this point, giving up just one earned run while striking out nine batters and walking none across seven innings at Single-A Augusta. He still has some work to do building up his workload and will likely have to make a couple more starts in the minors before returning from the injured list, but he shouldn't have to wait very long after the All-Star break to make his season debut with Atlanta. The 23-year-old seemed to be on the cusp of putting things together in the majors last year while allowing two earned runs or fewer in seven of his nine starts, and he shouldn't have much of a problem sliding into Atlanta's rotation as long as Martin Perez (forearm) and Spencer Strider (elbow) are both on the shelf. FAAB: $1

Relief Pitcher

 Tyler Wells, Baltimore Orioles (16%)

Ryan Helsley is back on the injured list due to another bout of elbow trouble, so the Orioles are once again looking for someone to take over the ninth inning. Wells appears to be the current favorite to assume the closer position, as he's logged each of Baltimore's last two saves. He's also easily been the team's most reliable reliever as of late, allowing just one earned run while striking out 18 batters and walking three across 15.1 innings since the beginning of June. The right-hander's appeal will grow if Helsley's injury turns out to be more severe than expected, but Wells is still a decent short-term pickup if you're hunting for someone who might get you an extra save or two before the intermission. FAAB: $2

 Grant Taylor, Chicago White Sox (20%)

Taylor hasn't been getting consistent work in save opportunities this year, but with the White Sox searching for alternatives amid Seranthony Dominguez's struggles, that could soon change. After stumbling through his own rough patch in mid-June, Taylor has conceded just two earned runs while logging 10 strikeouts over his last 7.1 innings, and he picked up his third save of the season during his most recent outing Saturday. Sean Newcomb may also be in the mix for saves going forward, but Taylor's 2.39 FIP and 34.6 percent strikeout rate (Newcomb: 2.67 FIP, 24.3 K percentage) tip the scales in his favor. FAAB: $2

Catcher

 Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks (45%)

Moreno's bat has been heating up with the weather, as he's recorded multiple hits in each of his last three games and gone 10-for-26 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored in seven games since the beginning of July. Looking even further back at his last 25 contests, the 26-year-old backstop is slashing .364/.457/.511, making him one of the hottest bats in the D-backs' lineup. Arizona's offense hasn't been quite as high-scoring as it was in previous seasons, so his counting stats haven't been as eye-popping as you might expect from someone batting cleanup while seeing the ball that well, but he remains a great option if you need someone who can hit and get on base at a plus rate (especially for a catcher). FAAB: $3

First Baseman

 Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins (23%)

Bell earned a nod here a couple of weeks ago when his bat first started to heat up, and he's only continued to improve since then, slashing .286/.348/.690 with four homers, 11 RBI and seven runs scored across his last 11 games. He now sports a .739 OPS on the season, which isn't that impressive by itself but is definitely a significant improvement over the .653 OPS he held just a month ago. Batting cleanup has also been greatly beneficial for the 33-year-old's counting stats during his offensive surge, as he needs just three more RBI and seven more runs to match the totals he posted across 140 games in 2025 (63 RBI, 54 runs). Barring an injury to Bell, I think it's safe to say he'll cruise past those marks and could make a push to reach 100 RBI by the end of the season. FAAB: $2

Second Baseman

 Kody Clemens, Minnesota Twins (44%)

Clemens has been a gold mine for run production recently, tallying at least one RBI in 10 of his last 11 games while going 15-for-45 (.333) at the plate and adding five homers in that span as well. Now sporting a .255 batting average with 16 long balls, 45 RBI, 44 runs scored and six steals on the year, the 30-year-old infielder is on pace to smash his career highs in every major offensive category. He figures to have a favorable path to doing so while batting third almost daily for the Twins, and his .261 xBA and 92.7-mph AEV suggest that he can carry the success he's had this year into the second half. If you need help at either first or second base or in the outfield, Clemens is likely to be an improvement over somebody on your roster. FAAB: $5

 Jorge Polanco, New York Mets (19%)

Polanco was rather unremarkable in his first 14 games with the Mets, during which he slashed just .179/.246/.286 across 61 plate appearances. However, he spent most of that time playing through an Achilles injury that eventually sent him to the IL in mid-April. After spending multiple months getting healthy, he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in late June and homered twice in five games at Triple-A Syracuse. He rejoined the active roster Tuesday and has recorded a base hit in both of the games he's played since then. We know the 33-year-old is still capable of producing in the majors after putting up an .821 OPS last season with the Mariners, so this might be a great opportunity to buy low on someone who could take off now that he isn't bogged down by injuries. FAAB: $1

Third Baseman

 Nick Gonzales, Pittsburgh Pirates (36%)

Gonzales has quietly transformed into one of the Pirates' better hitters over the past few weeks, slashing .407/.485/.542 with a pair of home runs, eight RBI, 11 runs and an 8:13 BB:K across his last 16 games. He still has just four homers on the season, so you shouldn't be looking at him as a source of power, but his .311 batting average and multi-positional eligibility are very likely to be of use to your squad. Despite the strides he's made at the plate, he remains stuck at sixth in Pittsburgh's batting order. However, his .368 OBP and plus speed are tailor-made to thrive in the top third of the lineup, so a move up the order could come in the future, and with it, an increase in Gonzales' potential for runs. FAAB: $4

 Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers (1%)

After seeing the massive step back Ortiz took last season and the poor start he had to this year, never in a million years would I have expected him to earn a place on this list. But here we are, watching as the 27-year-old infielder slashes .351/.351/.568 across his last 13 games while adding two homers, seven RBI and five runs. David Hamilton will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break by a hamstring strain, so Ortiz will have a few more opportunities to work as Milwaukee's primary third baseman. He's undoubtedly the better defender of the pair, so if he continues to perform well with a bat in his hands through the end of the first half, he could reclaim the lion's share of starts at the hot corner when both players are healthy. FAAB: $1

Shortstop

 Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Athletics (2%)

The 23-year-old was called up for his MLB debut on June 29, and since then, all he's done is bat a cool .500 (15-for-30) while driving in a run and scoring four himself in his first eight games. Zack Gelof and Jacob Wilson have both returned from the injured list since Kuroda-Grauer was promoted from Triple-A, but his white-hot start has made it impossible for the A's to take him out of the starting lineup. He's already made multiple starts at second, third and shortstop, but he seems to be gaining traction over the struggling Jeff McNeil as the team's new primary second baseman. As long as JKG has an everyday role and doesn't look overmatched against big-league pitchers, there aren't many reasons outside of his limited power to not give him a look. FAAB: $2

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

Outfielder

 Cole Carrigg, Colorado Rockies (33%)

Carrigg has been a big-leaguer for only a month, but he hasn't had any difficulty adjusting to MLB pitchers, slashing .307/.385/.580 with four homers, 21 RBI and 23 runs scored while establishing himself as an everyday starter in his first 27 games. Perhaps his most impressive performance came earlier this week, as he logged a pair of multi-hit outings on the road against the formidable Dodgers, driving in two runs and scoring five times in the process. Like most Rockies hitters, the 24-year-old's offensive efficiency gets a nice boost when he's playing at home, but a .262/.367/.500 slash line through 50 plate appearances in games not played at Coors Field is a sign of good things to come in the future. We're still waiting on his elite speed to translate into steals at the major-league level after he swiped 29 bags in 57 Triple-A contests, but it's likely only a matter of time before those begin to pile up as well. FAAB: $7

 Luis Lara, Milwaukee Brewers (10%)

Just a couple of weeks after promoting top prospect Cooper Pratt, the already-young Brewers continued their youth movement Tuesday by calling up Lara. The 21-year-old earned his spot in the majors after slashing .324/.436/.474 with nine homers, 42 RBI, 69 runs scored and 24 steals across 78 games in a breakout campaign at Triple-A Nashville. Those nine home runs are especially significant, since he entered the season having homered just eight times combined across his last three seasons in the minors and may now be able to contribute in an area that many had thought to be a weakness. Much like Pratt, Lara signed a long-term extension with the Brewers before making his MLB debut (during which he collected his first hit, run and two RBI), so the team will likely look to get him regular at-bats fairly quickly – possibly as a replacement in right field for the struggling Sal Frelick. FAAB: $2

 Tyler Tolbert, Kansas City Royals (14%)

Tolbert has moved back and forth between Kansas City and Triple-A Omaha this season, but he made headlines earlier this week when he tied an MLB record by recording a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances. Among those 12 hits were two home runs – just one shy of the total he's amassed in Triple-A since first arriving at Omaha in 2024. His remarkable stretch has allowed him to start four of the Royals' last five games, and although the hitting will likely fade, his increased playing time will give him more opportunities to flash his elite base-stealing ability – he already has 10 pilfers in 31 MLB games this season. If your team needs help in that area, you may as well capitalize on the opportunity. FAAB: $1