AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

This article is part of our AL FAAB Factor series.

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

We've incorporated grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's skills and role on an A-E scale. Vladimir Guerrero would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

AL FAAB | NL FAAB

PLAYERTEAMPOSGRADE12-Team Mixed $15-Team Mixed $AL-Only $
Keegan AkinBALSPDNoNo2
Jaime BarriaLASPDNoNo1
Kyle CodyTEXSPCNoNo3
Dean KremerBALSPCNoNo2
Michael PinedaMINSPB112545
Zach PlesacCLESPB3555Rostered
Robbie RayTORSPCNoNo3
Clarke SchmidtNYSPA2511
Ross

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

We've incorporated grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's skills and role on an A-E scale. Vladimir Guerrero would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

AL FAAB | NL FAAB

PLAYERTEAMPOSGRADE12-Team Mixed $15-Team Mixed $AL-Only $
Keegan AkinBALSPDNoNo2
Jaime BarriaLASPDNoNo1
Kyle CodyTEXSPCNoNo3
Dean KremerBALSPCNoNo2
Michael PinedaMINSPB112545
Zach PlesacCLESPB3555Rostered
Robbie RayTORSPCNoNo3
Clarke SchmidtNYSPA2511
Ross StriplingTORSPCNoNo3
Julio TeheranLASPDNoNo2
Jose UrquidyHOUSPB81735
Hunter HarveyBALRPC2513
Yoshihisa HiranoSEARPD149
Greg HollandKCRPD51125
Daniel NorrisDETRPCNo25
Felix PenaLARPDNo37
Cal QuantrillCLERPCNoNo1
Yohan RamirezSEARPD3715
Matt WislerMINRPDNoNo1
Willians AstudilloMINCDNoNo2
Jose BricenoLACENoNo1
Austin HedgesCLECDNoNo1
Caleb JosephTORCENoNo1
Luis TorrensSEACCNoNo3
Jose TrevinoTEXCDNo14
Nate LoweTB1BBNoNo3
Jose MarmolejosSEA1BC2511
Jared WalshLA1BCNo25
Franklin BarretoLA2BCNoNo2
Ty FranceSEA2BC3715
Dilson HerreraBAL2BENoNo1
Luis RengifoLA2BCNoNo2
Jonathan VillarTOR2BBRosteredRostered65
Eli WhiteTEX2BENoNo1
Yairo MunozBOS3BDNoNo3
Sergio AlcantaraDETSSENoNo1
Randy ArozarenaTBOFCNoNo3
Travis DemeritteDETOFDNoNo1
Phillip ErvinSEAOFDNoNo2
Derek HillDETOFCNoNo2
Oscar MercadoCLEOFC2513
Cedric MullinsBALOFDNo25
Josh NaylorCLEOFBNo37
Edward OlivaresKCOFC2511
Brent RookerMINOFDNoNo2
DJ StewartBALOFDNoNo2
Justin UptonLAOFC511Rostered
LaMonte WadeMINOFENoNo1
Taylor WardLAOFENoNo1
Miguel AndujarNYDHB149

Starting Pitcher

Keegan Akin, Orioles: The 25-year-old southpaw wasn't on the prospect radar coming into 2020, but through his first 13 big-league innings Akin has a 2.08 ERA and 15:7 K:BB, which is going to draw some attention. His stuff seems back-of-the-rotation at best – low 90s fastball, useful slider and potentially plus changeup with wavering control – but lefties with good changeups have surprised before. Still, I want to see success over a bigger sample before I'm a believer. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Jaime Barria, Angels: Barria rejoined the rotation Monday with a decent outing against Seattle, and he could be on the mound against Houston on Sunday as you read this. The 24-year-old righty has already made 40 starts in his career with middling results, and there's nothing in his stuff or profile to suggest he's taken a big leap forward. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kyle Cody, Rangers: It's been a long road for Cody to finally get to the majors. Originally a second-round pick of the Twins in 2015, his elbow got flagged during medical review and Minnesota backed out of the deal. After his senior year at Kentucky he fell to the sixth round in 2016, where the Rangers scooped him up. His arm held up until 2018, when he managed to throw only five innings before needing Tommy John surgery. Now 26 years old, Cody didn't pitch an inning last year, but he's looked pretty good since making his debut for Texas, posting an 8:5 K:BB over 7.1 scoreless innings and working his way into the rotation. The control is obviously a concern, but not a huge surprise given his layoff, and he's averaging 95.2 mph with his fastball, a solid number after he was reportedly touching 97 fairly consistently before his surgery. The big issue with Cody as a prospect is his control and command – his pitches have a lot of life firing down from a 6-7 frame, but as with most tall pitchers, keeping his mechanics in sync is an issue. There is some upside here, so he's an interesting target in deeper dynasty and keeper formats, but in re-draft all it takes is one shaky outing over the next few weeks to ruin any investment you make in him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Dean Kremer, Orioles: Part of the haul from the Dodgers in the Manny Machado deal in 2018, Kremer will make his big-league debut Sunday against the Yankees. The 24-year-old righty offers four pitches including a plus slider, and he could develop into a solid mid-rotation arm down the road. His minor-league strikeout numbers were solid and he did a reasonable job of keeping the ball in the park, which is an important skill to have if you're going to call Camden Yards, and the AL East, home. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Michael Pineda, Twins: Pineda tossed a quality start in his return from suspension Tuesday, which is about all you can ask for from a pitcher in this day and age. The 31-year-old righty has been a tease throughout his career, occasionally flashing ace-level stuff but never showing enough consistency to rise to that level, but with only a month left on the 2020 calendar he's entirely capable of putting up very strong numbers over a handful of starts. Having the Twins offense at his back doesn't hurt his win potential either. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $25; 12-team AL: $45

Zach Plesac, Cleveland: With Mike Clevinger peddled off to the Padres, Plesac rejoined the rotation Tuesday and fired a quality start in Kansas City after almost a month in exile. Cleveland's pitching magic has been in full effect for the 25-year-old this season, as his swinging strike percentage has jumped nearly five points, and with two of his next three starts scheduled against the soft underbelly of the AL Central (vs. KC, then at DET two outings later) there's no reason to think any major regression is headed his way any time soon. If he got dropped in a shallower league, bid big. 12-team Mixed: $35; 15-team Mixed: $55; 12-team AL: Rostered

Robbie Ray, Blue Jays: Picked up from Arizona at the deadline in what was essentially a salary dump, Ray made his first appearance for Toronto as a bulk reliever but will move into the rotation Sunday. The veteran southpaw's control has completely deserted him this season, but he only walked one over 3.1 innings in that relief appearance, so maybe the Jays' coaching staff spotted something in his mechanics the D-backs had missed. If he can find the plate more often, Ray still has the strikeout upside to be a fantasy asset, but he's a major ratio risk if he doesn't. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Clarke Schmidt, Yankees: The Yankees' top pitching prospect finally got called up this week and looked nervous in his debut, a relief appearance during Friday's doubleheader. It's not entirely clear what the team's plans are for Schmidt, but Michael King can't be much of an obstacle for the fifth starter job, and Deivi Garcia (the other plausible competition for the spot) keeps getting sent back to the alternate training site right after he gets any work. Schmidt has a mid-90s fastball and a slider and changeup that both could be at least above-average offerings, and he's on schedule for a start Wednesday in Buffalo against the Jays. The uncertainty over hos the Yankees intend to use him could keep the bidding reasonable despite his prospect pedigree. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Ross Stripling, Blue Jays: The other "big" pitching acquisition for the Jays, Stripling made his first start for Toronto on Friday and gave them the kind of erratic performance the Dodgers had gotten sick of seeing. The 30-year-old right-hander profiles best at the back of a rotation or as a swing man, and he's never come close to matching his numbers from 2018, so don't pay up expecting a return to form in a new uniform. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Julio Teheran, Angels: Teheran returned to the Angels rotation Wednesday and had his best outing of the season, which in his case means giving up two runs in five innings with a 2:3 K:BB. The 29-year-old has struggled to adjust to life outside Atlanta, and his fastball hasn't averaged over 90 mph since 2017, so it's tough to recommend him as anything better than a streaming option or innings sink. Teheran is scheduled for a two-start week next period, but the second turn would come in Coors Field, so caveat emptor. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Jose Urquidy, Astros: On the COVID list since July, Urquidy finally made his 2020 debut Saturday and was effective for three innings before running out of gas in the fourth. The 25-year-old looked good in his first taste of the majors last year, and he should give the Astros rotation some stability once he gets fully stretched out. 12-team Mixed: $8; 15-team Mixed: $17; 12-team AL: $35 

Relief Pitcher

Hunter Harvey, Orioles: Harvey came off IL last Sunday and started pumping heat right away, averaging 97.5 mph with a 3:1 K:BB over his first 2.2 innings this season. The fragile right-hander has the closest thing in the O's bullpen to a classic closer arsenal, but whether that nets him regular save chances for a manager that's preferred a mix-and-match approach to protect a lead during his tenure remains to be seen. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Yoshihisa Hirano, Mariners: It's been a couple weeks now, and while most people continue to expect Hirano to be Seattle's closer now that Taylor Williams is a Padre, he has yet to see a save chance since coming off the IL. Meanwhile, Yohan Ramirez has two saves during that stretch. Hmm. Hirano was a closer in Japan, sure, but this is his third season in MLB and he's blown five of his nine career save opportunities on this side of the ocean, although that's often a misleading stat for pitchers working in setup or middle-relief roles. Nonetheless, he's a 36-year-old guy with a 90 mph fastball. There really isn't a compelling case here for a big investment. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Greg Holland, Royals: Of course the Royals turned back to Holland as their closer after trading Trevor Rosenthal rather than auditioning a young stud relief arm like Josh Staumont or Scott Barlow in the role. Pure blind naivete on my part thinking that they'd do anything else, really. To his credit, the 34-year-old retread has been scored upon only once in his last eight appearances with a 9:0 K:BB (although he has plunked two batters), so Holland's been effective despite his diminished repertoire. Grab him if you need saves, but keep in mind this is not the same guy who racked up 125 saves from 2013-15 in the glory days of a dominant Kansas City bullpen. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $25

Daniel Norris, Tigers: Norris is having one of his good stretches in long relief for Detroit – he's posted a 1.13 ERA and 10:0 K:BB through eight innings over his last three appearances, coming away with the win in two of them. The southpaw has the stuff to keep that up for a couple more weeks, which at this point in the season is all you want from him, but if they foolishly decide to move him back into the rotation once again, don't be afraid to bail. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Felix Pena, Angels: The 30-year-old has worked his way into the save picture for the Angels by being their most reliable bullpen arm. Pena notched his first save of the season Thursday, but then got another chance Saturday and blew it, although he still fell into the win. Ty Buttrey has been inconsistent at best as the closer, and the team really don't have many other options, although Cam Bedrosian – who's flopped more than once in his own closer auditions – did just come off the IL. Pena's 24:4 K:BB through 20.1 innings on the season should keep him in the mix as long as he doesn't stumble again right away. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Cal Quantrill, Cleveland: Acquired in the Clevinger deal, Quantrill never found a consistent role as a rookie last year in San Diego, but in keeper leagues it's rarely a bad idea to invest early in an athletic Cleveland right-hander with some talent. Quantrill's made two relief appearances for his new club, posting a 3:0 K:B over 2.2 scoreless innings, and he still has a mid-90s fastball and potentially plus changeup. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Yohan Ramirez, Mariners: The 25-year-old got used in a long relief role initially after making his big-league debut this season, but Ramirez has since been tried in a high-leverage role and has looked OK, recording saves in his last two appearances and posting a 2.25 ERA and 6:3 K:BB over his last four one-inning outings. A Rule 5 pick in December out of the Houston system, Ramirez has limited his arsenal to a 96 mph fastball and a sharp slider, and it seems to be working. His command remains a work in progress, but given that no one has a hit off his slider yet, he can get away with a walk or two. Even if Hirano does "officially" get moved into the closer role, Ramirez should retain a key spot in the high-leverage crew, but right now he's the guy getting the save chances, and when it comes to closers, opportunity is at least half the battle. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Matt Wisler, Twins: Once a reasonably well-regarded pitching prospect for Atlanta, Wisler has struggled since his big-league debut in 2015 but may finally be figuring things out in Minnesota. He's been lights out in relief or as an opener lately, posting a 1.10 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 18:8 K:BB through 16.1 innings since the beginning of August, and he even got a save Tuesday. His flexible role limits his fantasy value as he may not get used in many high-leverage spots, but if you're just looking for ratio ballast and solid strikeouts, Wisler could be able to help you out. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Willians Astudillo, Twins: With Mitch Garver and Alex Avila now both on the shelf, Astudillo will back up Ryan Jeffers behind the plate for the Twins. As the gap between his 2018 and 2019 performances shows, surfing the BABIP wave the way he does makes for a very volatile fantasy asset, but if Astudillo gets some at-bats he could get hot. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Jose Briceno, Angels: Briceno was called up Monday to split catching duties with Anthony Bemboom until Max Stassi gets healthy, going 1-for-5 in two starts since. The 27-year-old might run into a homer or two with regular playing time, but his ceiling is limited. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Austin Hedges, Cleveland: Hedges' defense and pitch-calling will keep him in the majors for another decade, but his inability to do any damage at the plate will keep him out of a starting job. Since being picked up by Cleveland, he's started only once as the No. 2 behind Roberto Perez. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Caleb Joseph, Blue Jays: The Jays swapped out Reese McGuire for Joseph as their No. 2 catcher Saturday, deciding they needed some veteran savvy behind the plate rather than two fairly young kids in McGuire and Danny Jansen. Joseph's .621 career OPS makes him an unappealing fantasy option though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Luis Torrens, Mariners: Picked up from the Padres in the Austin Nola deal, Torrens should be Seattle's starting catcher for the rest of the year – and, the front office hopes, well beyond that. The 24-year-old's defensive reputation already makes him an improvement on the various warm bodies the M's have used behind the plate in 2020, but Torrens also has some offensive upside, hitting .300 with 15 homers in 97 games at Double-A last year. He's still a work in progress though, which makes him a better keeper or dynasty stash than re-draft target. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jose Trevino, Rangers: Texas has committed to Trevino as their starting catcher the rest of the year after dealing away Robinson Chirinos, but the 27-year-old's hot streak at the plate has already cooled, as he's gone 3-for-21 over his last seven games. The playing time should get him some runs and RBI, but don't expect an OPS of .800 in full-time duty. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

First Base

Nate Lowe, Rays: Called up Tuesday to replace an injured Yandy Diaz on the roster, Lowe has started two of the last three games for the Rays and gone 0-for-6 with two walks. The 25-year-old has upside – he slugged 23 homers between Triple-A and the majors last year – but the Tampa roster is still too crowded to afford him regular at-bats unless he forces his way into the starting nine. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jose Marmolejos, Mariners: Between first base, DH and left field, Marmolejos has been getting regular playing time lately, and he's responded with an eight-game hitting streak during which he's slashing .370/.433/.778 with three homers and eight RBI. The 27-year-old won't maintain an OPS above 1.200 for much longer, but he's hit just about everywhere he's played in the minors, and Seattle has nothing to lose by seeing if he can be a consistent contributor in the majors. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Jared Walsh, Angels: With Albert Pujols no longer able to handle a starting job, someone has to play first base for the Angels. Walsh has gotten the nod in four of the last six games, going 3-for-14 with two doubles and a homer. The 27-year-old erupted for 36 homers at Triple-A Salt Lake last year, so the power could be legit, but he's struggled to make consistent contact so far in his brief big-league career. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Second Base

Franklin Barreto, Angels: The A's finally gave up on Barreto, but with David Fletcher on the shelf the Angels can give him consistent playing time to see if something finally clicks for the 24-year-old. His tools have never been in question, but Barreto hasn't been able to make enough contact to use them in the majors, and a 1-for-15 start to his tenure in Los Angeles with eight strikeouts isn't encouraging. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Ty France, Mariners: Blocked in San Diego by the emergence of Jake Cronenworth, France gets a fresh start in Seattle and a chance at regular playing time. He was hitting well when he was dealt, slashing .343/.439/.600 with two homers and eight RBI over his final 13 games for the Padres, and that's carried forward to the M's – he's gone 3-for-6 with two walks in his first two starts for Seattle. He almost certainly won't ever match his mammoth 2019 campaign at Triple-A El Paso in the majors, but France has intriguing upside with his new club. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Dilson Herrera, Orioles: The former top prospect for the Mets and Reds gets another chance with the O's after being added to the roster Tuesday, but four strikeouts in his first five at-bats suggests Herrera still doesn't have a big-league caliber bat. Of course, Hanser Alberto didn't appear to have a big-league bat before he got to Baltimore either. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Luis Rengifo, Angels: With Fletcher out, Rengifo has started six of the last seven games, going 3-for-17 with a steal. He flashed a solid hit tool in the minors, but at this stage of the 23-year-old's career, an occasional swipe is probably the best you can hope for. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Jonathan Villar, Blue Jays: Toronto did a good job plugging its roster holes at the trade deadline, and Villar represents a huge upgrade on the likes of Brandon Drury and Joe Panik in a utility role. He hasn't exactly hit the ground running as a Jay, going 4-for-21 in five starts with zero homers or steals, but he should get regular playing time around the diamond even after Bo Bichette gets healthy, and Villar's proven what he has to offer as a fantasy asset – the 29-year-old has two homers and nine steals in 30 games for the Marlins before the trade. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $65

Eli White, Rangers: The 26-year-old made his big-league debut this week and has started four of five games since his promotion, all in left field. White showed some modest power/speed potential at Triple-A Nashville last year, but his chance to lock down a permanent starting role is slipping through his fingers with an 0-for-12 start to his Rangers tenure. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Third Base

Yairo Munoz, Red Sox: The former Cardinal got off to a blistering start for his Red Sox career, going 9-for-20 with three doubles and a homer while playing in the outfield corners. Munoz has played every position except pitcher, catcher and first base during his brief career, and while his minor-league numbers suggest he could cool off any moment, a utility player who can contribute offensively has some value. Note that he left Sunday's game with a hip injury as I was writing this column, so his hot streak could already be over if the issue proves to be serious. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Shortstop

Sergio Alcantara, Tigers: The 24-year-old was called up this week and is set to make his big-league debut Sunday with Niko Goodrum out of action. Alcantara didn't show much in the minors – his best asset is his speed, but he doesn't know how to use it on the basepaths – and even with Goodrum sidelined, Isaac Paredes and Willi Castro should get most of the available playing time on the infield for Detroit. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Randy Arozarena, Rays: Arozarena made his Tampa debut last Sunday and fit right in on the platoon-happy roster. The 25-year-old saw action in five of six games this week, going 4-for-11 with a homer and a steal. As long as he sticks to mostly facing LHP, he should hit for a good average, but of course the tradeoff is fewer opportunities for counting stats, limiting his fantasy value to deeper formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Travis Demeritte, Tigers: The 25-year-old returned to the majors Tuesday and has gotten one start since. Even with Cameron Maybin gone, JaCoby Jones injured and Christin Stewart flailing, Demeritte seems like an afterthought in the Detroit outfield. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Phillip Ervin, Mariners: Ervin was picked up from the Reds off waivers and made his M's debut Saturday. The 28-year-old has a solid reputation as a lefty-killer at the plate, and his best path to playing time might be as a platoon partner for Marmolejos. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Derek Hill, Tigers: Stop me if you've heard this one before – Hill is an athletic, toolsy outfielder with plus speed and developing power who needs to significantly improve his hit tool to succeed in the majors. The 24-year-old made his big-league debut in Friday's doubleheader and could be the Tigers' starting center fielder down the stretch with Jones injured, although another athletic, no-hit-tool prospect in Daz Cameron could also get a look at some point once he's activated off the COVID list. Hill might swipe a base or two, but don't expect consistent fantasy production. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Oscar Mercado, Cleveland: Mercado was called back up Monday and didn't get a start until Friday, but he looked good when he got the chance, going 1-for-2 with two walks, a double and a steal against the Brewers. That's the Mercado we got used to seeing last year, and in Cleveland's threadbare outfield, the 25-year-old probably only needs a couple of performances like that to reclaim a full-time job. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Cedric Mullins, Orioles: With Anthony Santander probably done for the season and Austin Hays at least two weeks away from a return, there's a lot of playing time available in the Baltimore outfield. Mullins is the most likely candidate to handle center field duties, but he's apparently day-to-day now with some undisclosed injury or issue of his own. The 25-year-old does have a modest four-game hitting streak, going 5-for-15 with a homer and a steal, but expect more of the latter than the former if he does land a starting job down the stretch. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Josh Naylor, Cleveland: Part of the Clevinger package from the Padres, Naylor joins his younger brother Bo Naylor in the Cleveland organization and is getting a long look as the team's left fielder. He's started four straight games, going 3-for-15, and as yet the 23-year-old hasn't been able to replicate his minor-league numbers in the bigs. A career something like Carlos Santana's wouldn't be a surprise, but Santana didn't break through until he was 25, and Naylor could have similar growing pains. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Edward Olivares, Royals: The prize in the Rosenthal deal, Olivares has a fairly clear path to a starting job in Kansas City, especially if Whit Merrifield sees more action at second base again. Olivares has plus speed and decent all-around upside as a hitter, but he's not a particularly instinctive defender, so center field could be a stretch in the long run. He's probably a better fit as Alex Gordon's heir in left, but for now Olivares will slot in wherever the Royals need him, and the 24-year-old has intriguing fantasy upside, going 4-for-10 with a double to begin his KC tenure. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Brent Rooker, Twins: Called up when Max Kepler got hurt, Rooker has gone 2-for-6 with begin his big-league career while seeing action in both corner outfield spots. The 25-year-old posted solid numbers over 65 games at Triple-A Rochester last year, but his defensive reputation isn't great and he could have trouble emerging as anything more than a bench bat in Minnesota. He's also has a bit of a pattern of struggling in the minors when he first gets to a new level, so don't expect immediate production here. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

DJ Stewart, Orioles: Brought back up Friday, Stewart smacked two homers against the Yankees on Saturday and could have a shot at consistent playing time with Santander and Hays both on IL. The 26-year-old has shown occasional flashes in the majors and had a solid line at Triple-A in 2019, but a .227/.335/.422 slash line through his first 220 plate appearances could be a fairly accurate reflection of his potential. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Justin Upton, Angels: The 33-year-old was probably cut loose a while ago in shallow and even deeper mixed leagues given his awful start, but Upton might have finally found his rhythm at the plate. He's gone 12-for-31 over his last nine games with three homers, and with two years remaining on his contract, the Angels have little incentive to bench him rather than give him a chance to improve his trade stock. Even at this point in his career, Upton's easily capable of going on a heater over the final weeks of the season. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Rostered

LaMonte Wade, Twins: Wade was called back up Saturday, but the 26-year-old is just bench depth even with Max Kepler sidelined. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Taylor Ward, Angels: The 26-year-old gets another look in the majors, getting called up Thursday and going 1-for-6 with two walks but three strikeouts. Ward's inability to make consistent contact has been his biggest weakness since he made his big-league debut in 2018, and unless that changes, it's hard to see him winning any kind of useful role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Designated Hitter

Miguel Andujar, Yankees: The Yankees might finally have enough injuries at the right positions for Andujar to get another chance. Called up Friday when Gio Urshela landed on the IL, the 25-year-old has gone 2-for-6 with two walks so far this weekend while getting starts at third base and in left field. Andujar's 2018 breakout remains a tantalizing indicator of his upside, but even if his shoulder is 100 percent again, the Yankees may not trust his glove enough at any position to give him consistent playing time. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erik Siegrist
Erik Siegrist is an FSWA award-winning columnist who covers all four major North American sports (that means the NHL, not NASCAR) and whose beat extends back to the days when the Nationals were the Expos and the Thunder were the Sonics. He was the inaugural champion of Rotowire's Staff Keeper baseball league. His work has also appeared at Baseball Prospectus.
Offseason Deep Dives: Hunter Greene
Offseason Deep Dives: Hunter Greene
Farm Futures: November Dynasty Mailbag!
Farm Futures: November Dynasty Mailbag!
All-Bust Fantasy Team: Relief Pitchers
All-Bust Fantasy Team: Relief Pitchers
Collette Calls: Thinking About Pitchers Returning From Injuries
Collette Calls: Thinking About Pitchers Returning From Injuries