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.

The thrill of the Trade Deadline waiver frenzy has now passed, which means the only thing left to look forward to is winning the coveted fantasy baseball championship. There's still about a month and a half left until we start placing crowns on heads, but by now you should have some idea of where you can realistically finish. Whether your goal is to win the whole thing or simply avoid spending 24 hours at a Waffle House, keep reading to discover a player or two who might be able to help get you there.

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

Starting Pitcher

 Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers (32%)

I brought up Jobe last week before he came off the injured list, but he'll get another shout here after performing about as well as you could hope from someone who had made his first start in the majors in 15 months. He recorded 10 outs before giving up his first hit, and he allowed just one other man to reach base on a walk while striking out four batters in five shutout innings — all while being limited to 71 pitches. He also averaged about 98 mph with his fastball while topping out at triple digits, so Tommy John surgery doesn't appear to have taken anything away from his heater. Job security doesn't figure to be an issue now that Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize have moved on to greener pastures, so Jobe should have plenty more opportunities to live up to the hype that made him the third overall draft selection in 2021. FAAB: $6

Sean Manaea, New York Mets (29%)

Much like his 90.8-mph fastball, Manaea's 4.13 ERA and 1.32 WHIP for the season aren't very awe-inspiring. However, he is trending upward recently after posting a 2.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 25 innings across his last four starts and recording a quality start in each one. His most impressive performance yet came during his last outing against Pittsburgh, in which he allowed just one run on three hits while punching out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings. The 34-year-old can typically be relied upon to average a strikeout per inning, so he could make for a very useful addition now that he's somewhat figured out how to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard. FAAB: $3

 Dustin May, Milwaukee Brewers (39%)

A trade-deadline mover who just missed the cut last week, May finally gets his deserved attention after delivering back-to-back quality starts to begin his tenure with the Brewers. If you zoom out a bit further to include the final two starts he made with St. Louis, the 28-year-old shows a sparkling 1.50 ERA and 0.96 WHIP to go with a 22:8 K:BB across 24 innings. His fastball is back up into the upper 90s this season after hovering around 94.8 mph last year, and although he tends to give up a good amount of hard contact, he's excelled at keeping the ball in the yard (0.6 HR/9). His value also gets a significant bump just from moving to Milwaukee — one of the better teams in baseball — after recording just five wins in 21 starts with the Cardinals. FAAB: $3

 Tyler Mahle, Atlanta Braves (29%)

Mahle seems to really be enjoying life on the East Coast, as he's given up just one run and struck out 16 batters in 12 innings across two quality starts with Atlanta after putting up a 5.13 ERA and 1.39 WHIP during his time with San Francisco. We know from last season that the 31-year-old righty is capable of delivering strong performances consistently, and he's made a strong enough first impression with his new team to justify remaining in the rotation a bit longer. However, Reynaldo Lopez's impending return from a knee injury provides reason for caution. FAAB: $1

Relief Pitcher

 Ben Joyce, Los Angeles Angels (6%)

Nearly 15 months removed from shoulder surgery, Joyce made his season debut Aug. 5 and has since fired four consecutive shutout innings while giving up just one hit and one walk. He recorded his first save since 2024 during his most recent appearance Wednesday and is likely to settle in as the Angels' closer, though he could cede a few opportunities to Samy Natera, who also has been impressive lately. With a fastball that regularly tops 100 mph, Joyce is bursting at the seams with strikeout potential to help offset the fact that the Halos aren't likely to see themselves in many save chances to begin with. FAAB: $1

Catcher

 Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays (25%)

Kirk got off to a very slow start after returning from his thumb fracture in mid-June, but he's really begun to heat up in the second half, slashing .338/.405/.426 with two homers, 10 RBI, three runs and a 9:10 BB:K across 21 games since the All-Star break. His hot streak has pushed his batting average back up to .261 for the season — a pace he should be able to maintain, considering he's batted .268 since first arriving in the majors in 2020. He also possesses great vision and discipline at the plate to keep his value elevated in leagues that value OBP, and although the current rendition of the Blue Jays' offense isn't quite what it was last season, batting in the heart of the order should continue to return positive results for those in search of RBI. FAAB: $1

See where future major league baseball starts slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2026!

First Baseman

 Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins (21%)

After going 21 games without hitting a home run, Bell now has three dingers in his last nine games and is slashing .375/.444/.625 with nine RBI, eight runs scored and a 5:4 BB:K since the beginning of August. Although the veteran slugger's power has evaded him at certain points this season, he's remained a reliable source for other counting stats while producing 72 RBI and 60 runs on the season, already surpassing his totals from last year (63 RBI, 54 runs). That trend is likely to continue as long as he continues batting third/fourth for a Twins offense that produces the second-most runs per game (4.68) in the American League. FAAB: $3

Second Baseman

 Zack Gelof, Athletics (39%)

Gelof is eager to make up for lost time after spending a month on the IL with a right knee laceration. He's played just three games since being activated but has already recorded two homers, three RBI and five runs scored in that time. Playing those three games at Sutter Health Park undoubtedly helped him put up those impressive marks, but the 26-year-old consistently has found success at the plate this year when healthy, slashing .280/.331/.502 through 259 plate appearances (70 games). His value also gets a bump from adding third base and the three outfield positions to his defensive skill set this year after working exclusively as a second baseman over the past three seasons. FAAB: $4

Third Baseman

 Nolan Arenado, Arizona Diamondbacks (28%)

Arenado has turned up the power a bit this month, mashing four home runs in his first 11 games of August while adding eight RBI, six runs and a steal. His AEV for the season still sits at just 85.2 mph, but a lack of hard contact hasn't kept him from beating the marks he set last season in every major counting stat category. He's heating up at the right time for a team that remains firmly in the race for a postseason berth. FAAB: $1

 Javier Sanoja, Miami Marlins (6%)

Sanoja ran his hitting streak up to eight games with a single Wednesday and now boasts a .375/.412/.594 slash line to go with a homer, seven RBI and four runs in 10 games since the start of August. The 23-year-old excels at maximizing his opportunities to make something happen while boasting one of the best strikeout rates in the majors at just 8.1 percent. However, he could definitely benefit from laying off more pitches, as he draws walks at just a 5.3-percent clip. He has a clear path to starting virtually every day at third base, though he's capable of moving around the infield or shifting to the outfield when necessary. FAAB: $1

Shortstop

 Kaelen Culpepper, Minnesota Twins (8%)

Going yard in your big-league debut seems to be the trendy thing to do among top prospects, as Culpepper joined George Lombard on the list of debutants to do so in the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately for Culpepper, that's about where the highlight reel ends at this point, as he's gone just 2-for-13 at the plate through his first four games in the majors. It would be unfair to write him off this early, though, since he ranks as one of the top prospects in the Twins' organization and showed he's capable of contributing in multiple areas while slashing .271/.367/.478 with 14 homers, 46 RBI, 63 runs and 17 steals in 74 games at Triple-A St. Paul. There will be growing pains as he presumably settles in as the Twins' everyday shortstop, but Culpepper has enough upside to warrant picking up early. FAAB: $5

 Andres Gimenez, Toronto Blue Jays (14%)

Now enjoying a hitting streak of seven games, Gimenez is batting .326 over his last 13 contests while adding a home run, seven RBI, seven runs scored and four steals in that span. His hot stretch has elevated his OPS up to .646 for the year, which obviously isn't all that impressive but is still almost a 50-point improvement over the .598 mark he posted during his first season with the Blue Jays in 2025. If you're not willing to buy into his hot bat, you might still find value in what he brings on the base paths, as the 27-year-old is on pace to record his fourth 20-steal season in the past five years. FAAB: $1

Outfielder

 Zac Veen, Colorado Rockies (11%)

Remember that thing I said about top prospects hitting home runs in their debut this month? Well, make room on that list for Veen, because he did just that Wednesday against the Diamondbacks to record the first hit, run and two RBI of his major-league career. He got the call to the majors in the first place after getting hotter than hot in the minors, slashing .462/.533/1.115 with eight home runs, 24 RBI, 20 runs scored and three steals across his final dozen games at Triple-A Albuquerque. A left-handed hitter, Veen will likely take a seat whenever the Rockies match up against a southpaw on the mound, but the 24-year-old figures to provide significant value as a power/speed threat when he is in the starting nine. FAAB: $6

 Cam Smith, Houston Astros (19%)

The season as a whole has been a bit of a disappointment for Smith, who currently owns a .224 average and .690 OPS through 119 contests. However, it's been a different story during his last 12 games, in which the young outfielder has gone 17-for-44 (.386) while collecting three home runs, eight RBI and 11 runs scored. His defensive abilities and strong arm make him unlikely to lose his role as Houston's primary right fielder, and although he has just 10 steals on the year, he'll always have the potential to offer more in that area while clocking in as one of the fastest players in baseball. FAAB: $2

 Jacob Young, Washington Nationals (4%)

Young is typically praised for his defensive work, but he caught fire at the plate at the beginning of August, going 11-for-30 (.367) with a home run, five RBI and five runs scored across his first 10 games of the month. His playing time has been on the rise as well, in part due to his recent performance but also due to James Wood's placement on the injured list with a strained oblique. Manager Blake Butera confirmed Tuesday that Wood isn't expected to return from the IL this week, so Young should make several more consecutive starts in the outfield before his playing time takes a slight hit. FAAB: $1