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.

I'd like to say we're now in the final calm before the proverbial storm that is Monday's trade deadline, but let's be honest – it hasn't been that calm. The rumor mill has been churning out headlines without pause, several slumping teams have begun to come to terms with the fact that they'll be sellers, and the Red Sox are probably wishing they had a 48-hour return policy built into their trades. Things aren't much better on the fantasy front, as many of us have our own trade deadlines coming up to worry about, and the margin for error to contend for a championship is shrinking. But before we get too caught up in thinking about swapping players for players, let's first take a quick look at some of the best pieces you might be able to pick up for just a little bit of FAAB. 

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

Starting Pitcher

 Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks (22%)

Pfaadt struggled quite a bit during the first few months of the season, which led the D-backs to move him to the bullpen and eventually Triple-A Reno after he'd accumulated a 5.92 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 38 innings. Something finally clicked once he moved to the minors, however, and he's now back with the big club, pitching to a 1.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 34 innings while posting a 5-0 record across his last six starts. He's no longer at risk of losing his spot in the rotation again – even after Michael Soroka (glute) and Zac Gallen (elbow) return from their respective injuries – and although Pfaadt is one of the last guys you should count on to pick up a strikeout (6.1 K/9), it's hard to argue with the consistent results he's been getting. FAAB: $3

 Keider Montero, Detroit Tigers (35%)

This is normally the part where I tell you about how great someone looked in his last outing, but the reality is that Montero gave up six runs (four earned) while striking out just one batter in just 4.1 innings during his most recent start Monday against the O's. If you're now wondering why he's here, it's because he still carries a 3.34 ERA and 1.02 WHIP for the season even after that disastrous performance and hasn't gone through many rough patches this season, so his likelihood of bouncing back is high. There's also the fact that the Tigers are all but guaranteed to be selling Tarik Skubal and possibly another starter or two at the deadline, so provided that Montero isn't involved in a deal himself, his job security in Detroit's rotation is likely about to skyrocket. FAAB: $2

 Randy Dobnak, Kansas City Royals (3%)

Dobnak joined the Royals' pitching staff at the beginning of the month to make up for the loss of Stephen Kolek (forearm) and has since been a very pleasant surprise. He's made five appearances (three starts) for Kansas City and currently boasts a minuscule 1.04 ERA through 26 innings. With a fastball that hovers around 92 mph and just a 12.5 percent strikeout rate, the 31-year-old is by no means dominating hitters. That said, he hasn't allowed anybody to consistently hit the ball in the air (57.4 percent groundball rate, 0.8 HR/9), which is an excellent way to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard. If ratios are a problem and your budget is getting tight, Dobnak could make for a nice pickup. FAAB: $1

Relief Pitcher

 Clayton Beeter, Washington Nationals (14%)

After giving up at least one run in three consecutive appearances earlier this month, Beeter has quickly turned things around and notched a save in each of his last three outings, giving him four total since the All-Star break. Washington's bullpen doesn't have a lot of depth, especially while Brad Lord (side) and PJ Poulin (forearm) are both out, so Beeter shouldn't be at risk of losing his hold on the closer job anytime soon (barring an unforeseen trade, of course). FAAB: $1

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

Catcher

 Eduardo Valencia, Detroit Tigers (2%)

Saying that Valencia's first eight games in the majors have been impressive would be a severe understatement. He hit a home run in two of his first three games after being called up from Triple-A on July 9, and after heading back to the minors for a brief period, he returned to Detroit on Tuesday and belted two more homers in his first game back. The Tigers also DFA'd Jake Rogers on Tuesday, paving the way for Valencia to hold on to his spot in the majors. The 26-year-old rookie will be limited to a backup role at catcher as long as Dillon Dingler is healthy, and although he probably won't average 0.5 homers per game the rest of the way, he could begin to see an uptick in usage as Detroit's designated hitter as long as his bat is hot. FAAB: $1

 Jonah Heim, Athletics (4%)

Shea Langeliers is almost certainly done for the year after undergoing a meniscectomy Tuesday, leaving Heim as the next man up to work as the Athletics' primary backstop for the final two months of the season. He's gone just 9-for-41 (.220) in 10 games since the All-Star break, but he's smacked two homers in his last three games and delivered a three-hit performance during his most recent game against Boston on Wednesday. The 31-year-old probably isn't about to begin putting up crazy numbers, considering he has just a .621 OPS against right-handers in his career, but transitioning from a lefty specialist to a true starter should definitely help out his counting stats. FAAB: $1

First Baseman

 Jake Burger, Texas Rangers (22%)

Burger has tapped into his power early on in the second half, slugging three home runs in his last eight games while tallying seven RBI, four runs scored and an .881 OPS over 32 plate appearances in that span. The 30-year-old has now played the same amount of games this year as he did last season (103) and has already surpassed his HR, RBI and run totals from 2025 with 19, 66 and 45, respectively. He's not quite back to where he was as a hitter during his time with the White Sox and Marlins, but he remains a safe choice if you're in need of some extra thump, and batting consistently in the heart of the order should enable him to continue driving runs in regularly. FAAB: $2

Second Baseman

 Vaughn Grissom, Los Angeles Angels (3%)

Grissom's bat caught fire at the beginning of July and he's now slashing .338/.377/.521 across 77 plate appearances this month. Seeing that kind of efficiency from a middle-of-the-order bat makes it pretty easy to understand how he's managed to drive in 16 RBI over his last 18 games. The more surprising statistic is the three home runs he's supplied in that span, as he began the month having sent just four balls over the fence in his first 51 contests. Because he's never been considered much of a home-run hitter, Grissom's power surge is likely to fade, but anybody who averages nearly an RBI per game over the course of a month while boasting a 15.2 percent strikeout rate for the season is worth taking a look at. FAAB: $3

 Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres (6%)

Cronenworth was an offensive liability early in the year, turning in a .468 OPS through 114 plate appearances before suffering a concussion that kept him on the shelf for nearly two months. He returned to the lineup June 29, and has been a completely different hitter since then, slashing .291/.358/.395 while adding two homers, nine RBI, 13 runs and four steals in 25 games. Eight of those runs have come in his last seven games – a trend that directly correlates to the Padres' decision to move him up to the second spot in the order against right-handers. Cronenworth has finished a season with an OPS below .700 just once in his previous six MLB seasons, and although he currently sits at .601, history suggests that he can continue at his current pace without falling back into the cold spell he endured in April. FAAB: $2

 Pedro Ramirez, Chicago Cubs (4%)

Ramirez appears to have claimed a somewhat regular spot in the Cubs' lineup since the All-Star break, largely due to an eight-game hitting streak that was snapped Wednesday, but saw the 22-year-old rookie go 14-for-32 (.467) with five doubles, seven RBI, six runs and a pair of steals. It will be difficult for Ramirez to wrestle a true starting job away from Nico Hoerner or Alex Bregman, especially with how well they themselves have been playing, but the Cubs have been getting creative with their defensive alignments and using Ramirez as their designated hitter in order to keep his hot bat in the lineup. FAAB: $2

Third Baseman

 Hao-Yu Lee, Detroit Tigers (8%)

Before going 0-for-2 during Wednesday's contest, Lee had strung together a 12-game hitting streak, during which he slashed .375/.395/.625 with two home runs, 10 RBI and six runs scored across 43 plate appearances. He's been splitting reps between second and third base, but with the Tigers expected to deal away some expiring contracts ahead of the trade deadline, Gleyber Torres could soon be on his way out of Detroit, freeing up second base as a true home for Lee. While we wait to see what his role will be this time next week, Lee can still be utilized as a cheap asset capable of elevating your team's batting average. FAAB: $1

Shortstop

 Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles (24%)

Holliday has delivered five multi-hit performances in his last eight games, while adding five RBI, five runs and a steal in that span. He still hasn't provided much in terms of power, but he's made up for it by drawing walks at a 21.4 percent clip this month while striking out just 15.7 percent of the time (compared to his 23.8 percent mark for the season). He has a stable gig at second base in Baltimore and has gradually been moving up the batting order, but it's worth mentioning that there have been some rumblings about Holliday being discussed in trade talks. That said, I wouldn't list him among the names most likely to get moved before Monday evening. FAAB: $2

Outfielder

 Dominic Canzone, Seattle Mariners (19%)

Canzone has been demolishing baseballs all year long, logging a 14.8 percent barrel rate and a 92.3-mph AEV while crushing 18 home runs through 94 games – already well beyond his previous career-high mark of 11 from last season. Three of his homers this year have come within his last four games, and he also sports a .262/.340/.548 slash line with nine total RBI and five runs since the All-Star break. His tendency to swing and miss at pitches outside the zone leaves him vulnerable to going down on strikes, though his 20.3 percent strikeout rate isn't too hard to stomach. He'd probably have more value if the Mariners' offense as a whole wasn't massively underachieving this year, but that shouldn't stop you from adding him wherever he's available. FAAB: $8

Luis Lara, Milwaukee Brewers (4%)

Lara has played only 16 games in the majors, but he has already shown signs of becoming a key piece of the Brewers' offense. He's collected at least one base hit in each of his last four starts and has driven in multiple runs in three of those games. With Sal Frelick (shoulder) expected to remain on the IL until mid-August and Jake Bauers likely to see less time in the outfield while managing a toe fracture, Lara should continue to receive plenty of opportunities to make an impact. He could even move up toward the top of the order if his .380 OBP and 15.2 percent walk rate hold, though the Brewers seem content using him in the 6-7 range for now. FAAB: $3

 Luis Rengifo, San Diego Padres (20%)

It's been said countless times before, but sometimes all a player needs really is just a change of scenery. Rengifo has become the latest example of this, slashing .361/.425/.556 with two homers, eight RBI, seven runs and a steal in his first 11 games with the Padres after managing just a .534 OPS and failing to go deep once in 57 games with the Brewers. His hot streak, paired with injuries to Miguel Andujar (wrist) and Samad Taylor (oblique), has opened the door for Rengifo to take on an everyday role working primarily as an outfielder for the Friars. There's a good chance the 29-year-old's performance regresses to what we've grown accustomed to this year, but then again, he's only two years removed from a season in which he batted .300 with the Angels, so perhaps he remains hot for a while longer now that he's returned to SoCal. FAAB: $2