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 can't tell you how many games I've seen with my dad, but I can tell you the one game I'll never forget. As a present for my seventh birthday, he took me to what was then (and will always be) known as Miller Park for a game against the Pirates. Ryan Braun – my favorite player at the time – threw a ball in the stands that somehow avoided the sea of hands and landed on the bleachers right next to me. Of course, I was seven years old, so I could barely process what was happening, but my dad was fast enough to reach across my lap and grab the ball before the other people sitting in our section. It didn't take any feat of superhuman strength or speed, but in that moment, I could've sworn my dad was Superman. Almost 17 years later, the ball is still one of my prized possessions, and that day is one of the highlights of my childhood.

For all the dads who make memories like that one possible, happy (early) Father's Day.

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

Starting Pitcher

Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers (37%)

With an 80-grade fastball that regularly registers triple digits on the radar gun but 40-grade control, it feels like Misiorowski is only a haircut away from becoming the real-life version of Ricky Vaughn. His shaky command hasn't stopped him from dominating in Triple-A, however, as he posted a 2.13 ERA and 1.09 WHIP alongside an 80:31 K:BB across 63.1 innings in the minors this year, and he's now set to make his MLB debut against St. Louis on Thursday. The 23-year-old righty certainly has the stuff necessary to become a strong fantasy asset, but much like fellow pitching prospect Logan Henderson, Misiorowski could struggle initially to stay in the majors simply due to the abundance of depth in Milwaukee's rotation – an issue that will only get worse once Brandon Woodruff (elbow) is finally healthy. FAAB: $5

 Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves (19%)

Elder turned in one of the best performances of his career during his most recent outing, giving up just one run in eight innings while punching out 12 batters without walking a single batter. Backing up a bit further, the 26-year-old owns a 2.97 ERA and 0.96 WHIP across his last five starts in the big leagues. In addition to having plenty of momentum on his side, he's due to make his next start Friday against the miserable Rockies offense, and he's likely to stick around in Atlanta for a while with Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) both facing extended absences. FAAB: $3

 Adrian Houser, Chicago White Sox (17%)

Houser earned a spot in this column two weeks ago by pitching 12 shutout innings in his first two starts with the White Sox. He's proven to be human since then, but he still boasts an impressive 1.48 ERA and 1.03 WHIP on the year and is a perfect 4-for-4 in quality starts. I'm still a bit skeptical about him, mostly because he hasn't finished with a sub-4.00 ERA since 2021, though he's slowly starting to win me over, and I trust him to at least remain strong Friday against a Rangers lineup that owns the second-lowest OPS in baseball (.646). FAAB: $2

Relief Pitcher

 Shelby Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks (31%)

With Justin Martinez out indefinitely due to a UCL sprain, Miller is next in line to serve as Arizona's primary closer going forward. The 34-year-old righty has been one of the most reliable members of the Diamondbacks' bullpen all year, turning in a 1.63 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 27.2 innings, and he recorded a save Wednesday in his first appearance since taking over for Martinez. Miller's long-term value is highly dependent on the severity of Martinez's injury, but the former should at least be a trustworthy source of saves in the short term. FAAB: $3

 Calvin Faucher, Miami Marlins (9%)

Faucher picked up a save Wednesday to become the team's leader with five on the season, and no other Marlins reliever has collected a save since late May. That may be partially due to the fact that Miami hasn't done a whole lot of winning this year, but it seems safe to assume at this point that Faucher has become the Marlins' preferred ninth-inning option after giving up just one run across his last eight appearances. FAAB: $1

Catcher

 Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays (30%)

Kirk hasn't slowed down at all since getting a nod in last week's article, going 14-for-27 (.519) while blasting two more home runs, driving in seven RBI and scoring five runs himself across his last six games. Now batting .323 on the year with an .807 OPS, the 26-year-old backstop is due to face the Phillies and Diamondbacks over the next week, both of whom possess below-average pitching staffs. He's definitely worth a look if you've been struggling to get production out of your catcher recently. FAAB: $5

First Baseman

 Abraham Toro, Boston Red Sox (27%)

Many people in Boston had their hands hovering over the panic button after Triston Casas went down for the season with a knee injury, but Toro has done an excellent job filling in at first base. His on-base streak is now up to a dozen games, and he's slashing an outstanding .382/.411/.662 with four homers, 11 RBI and 13 runs scored in 73 plate appearances since May 23. Given his career .655 OPS in the big leagues, it's worth wondering how much longer Toro can keep up his hot streak, though I wouldn't advise holding out and waiting for an answer to that question. FAAB: $3

 Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati Reds (41%)

Encarnacion-Strand posted a 1.036 OPS in 50 plate appearances during his rehab assignment while working his way back from a lower-back injury. He's remained hot since being activated, going 8-for-24 with three homers and seven RBI in his first six games back from the IL. With Cincinnati also making an effort to get the 25-year-old reps at the hot corner recently, he could pick up fantasy eligibility at third base in the near future, which would provide a nice value boost to a player who is already trending upward. FAAB: $3

Second Baseman

 DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees (3%)

It seemed like Father Time finally got the best of LeMahieu last season after he finished 2024 with a .528 OPS across 228 plate appearances. However, the 36-year-old veteran has punched back in a big way since the start of June, going 12-for-27 (.444) at the plate while driving in six RBI and scoring six himself over his last eight contests. It's worth noting he was batting just .171 before June 1, so there's still plenty of reason to be cautious with LeMahieu, but there are worse strategies than picking up a low-cost bat that starts nearly every day in MLB's most dynamic offense. FAAB: $1

 Jeff McNeil, New York Mets (10%)

A 1-for-4 performance Wednesday extended McNeil's hitting streak to five games, during which he's gone 8-for-20 with three home runs, seven RBI and four runs scored. The 33-year-old has also recorded 15 hits in his last 12 contests and currently owns an .891 OPS – the highest mark of his career since 2019 (.915). Fantasy managers can expect McNeil to continue hitting for a high average, and with six homers through 36 games, he may be on his way to improving upon the dozen he slugged in 129 contests last season. FAAB: $1

Third Baseman

 Marcelo Mayer, Boston Red Sox (17%)

Mayer's MLB career got off to a slow start, but he's begun to find his footing in The Show since the beginning of the month. The 22-year-old prospect is 5-for-17 (.294) at the plate and has slugged three home runs across his last eight games, including his first multi-HR game Wednesday against the Rays. Now slashing .250/.313/.523 through his first 15 big-league games, Mayer should continue to work as Boston's primary third baseman as long as Alex Bregman (quad) is out, and figures to have strong RBI potential while batting near the middle of the Red Sox's lineup. FAAB: $2

 Zach McKinstry, Detroit Tigers (35%)

McKinstry lost his seven-game hitting streak after going 0-for-1 with a walk Wednesday, but he's still been extremely effective recently, slashing .323/.382/.581 with five runs scored and two stolen bases since June 1. The 30-year-old utility man is enjoying the best season of his career to the tune of a .799 OPS through 61 games, and the fact that he has eligibility in four different positions only benefits his fantasy value. FAAB: $1

Shortstop

 Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox (31%)

A prolonged slump in May caused Story's OPS to fall from its peak of .876 on April 18 down to .581 on May 28. However, the veteran shortstop is now seemingly back on the rise after turning in four multi-hit performances across his last five games, swatting two homers, driving in eight ribbies and scoring four times in the process. Perhaps even more encouraging is the fact that Story has remained healthy all season – something he has struggled to do since joining the Red Sox in 2022. FAAB: $2

Outfielder

 Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels (21%)

Are we finally starting to see the breakout campaign the Angels (and fantasy managers) have been waiting for Adell to have since he reached the majors in 2020? Across his last 15 games, the 26-year-old outfielder is slashing .333/.418/.813 with seven round-trippers, 14 RBI and 11 runs scored over 55 plate appearances. Thanks to his recent surge, Adell is sitting at 12 home runs this season through 59 games, putting him just eight shy of his career high of 20 homers, which he set last season across 130 contests. He hasn't been nearly as aggressive on the basepaths as he was in 2024, but that's hardly a reason not to take advantage of a player who has been trending upward at the plate for quite some time now. FAAB: $2

 Evan Carter, Texas Rangers (14%)

Carter's OPS sat at .543 when he landed on the injured list in May with a quad strain, but after tallying eight hits in his last three games – including two home runs – the 22-year-old is back up to an .831 OPS through 60 plate appearances. Admittedly, that is a pretty small sample size to work with, but we know from his run in late 2023 that Carter can be a great hitter when healthy, and his incredible speed will always make him a viable source for steals. FAAB: $1

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