MLB

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds: Week 14

Matt Kupferle  —  @MKupferle Jul 3rd, 2022
Turning in his best outing of the season, Yusei Kikuchi was brilliant last time out. What other adds should we consider?

With the 2022 baseball season getting to the midpoint, nailing the waiver wire and the players available are critical to beating out your league-mates in season-long formats.

Each week we will take a look at players who are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues and can help out your season-long squads. Remember, if you aren’t scouring the waiver wire, you are falling behind.

Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, Kansas City Royals

Roster Percentage: 31%

If you are looking for a bit of a power boost to your first base or corner infield slot, the Kansas City Royals seem to be headed towards a very fun full youth movement. Vinnie Pasquantino could be up, and for good.

His triple slash line in Triple-A reads like a misprint -- 16 homers, three steals, a .280/.372/.576 line that makes him immediately rosterable once he was called up. He will likely see time at both the DH and first base slot, especially after veteran Carlos Santana was sent packing to the Seattle Mariners.

So far, he's ripped one long ball already, showcasing his massive power (112.7 MPH exit velocity). If he's available, he may be worthy of a long look.

Yuli Gurriel, 1B, Houston Astros

Roster Percentage: 45%

If the youngster Pasquantino is off of your waivers, Yulieski Gurriel has been ripping the ball as of late and deserves an opportunity.

Smacking two homers this week, Gurriel seems to be back in business at the dish after struggling a bit to start the 2022 season. Chipping in a surprising three steals (he only had one in 2021), Gurriel has a .375 OBP in the last week to go with those slam jobs.

After hitting only .211 in the first three weeks of June, the veteran has clearly been on fire at the dish. He may not be as flashy as Pasquantino, but he can certainly be valuable to your fantasy squads.

Yusei Kikuchi, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Roster Percentage: 21%

After striking out a season best eight batters in his last outing, Yusei Kikuchi could finally be turning a corner.

The lefty's last start was his first quality start since May 16, and he's really struggled this season. Looking at his season long marks, a guy with a 4.74 ERA and 1.52 WHIP spanning 52 2/3 innings pitched isn't exactly someone that we often target.

Now, where the lefty is useful is strikeouts -- in the last two weeks over 12 innings, he has 18 to his name. He also gets a very navigable two start week, so consider the southpaw if your rotation is looking for a boost.

Keegan Thompson, SP, Chicago Cubs

Roster Percentage: 39%

Keegan Thompson has season long numbers that, quite honestly, aren't overly intriguing. In the last month, he's recorded a 5.19 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 26 innings.

But, a closer look makes you realize when you take out a poor start against the St. Louis Cardinals, he's been pretty darn solid. And, we have evidence as of late to prove this. In the last two weeks (two starts), Thompson has been somewhat dominant with 16 whiffs in 12 2/3 innings pitched, including a sub-3.00 ERA.

He's a bit enticing this week as he will make two starts, so if pitching help is your jam, he's definitely one to think about.