Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Spencer Arrighetti returns, Jakob Marsee is delivering

NBC Sports

5 days ago

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.
The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs.
For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.
Matthew Pouliot,
Waiver Wire Hitters
Luke Keaschall - 1B/2B/OF, MIN: 42% rostered
(STARTING JOB, TOP PROSPECT PEDIGREE)
The Twins traded away everybody at the deadline, or so it seemed. Lineup spots and bullpen spots are open everywhere, but we have a good sense of who will fill them in the infield. It seems like Keaschall will emerge as the everyday second baseman for the final two months, and he's come off the IL looking strong, going 7-for-17 with one home run, eight RBI, and one run scored. Keaschall should be a solid source of batting average, but there isn't tons of power in his bat right now, and the lineup around him is fairly average, so don't expect huge counting stats. Fantasy managers in deeper formats could also look to add Brooks Lee - 2B/3B/SS, MIN (5% rostered), who will be the primary shortstop for the remainder of the season, whch should open up first base for Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/3B/OF, MIN (2% rostered), who has produced this season when given any everyday job. None of these guys are must-adds in a 12-team format, and both Lee/Keaschall are better real-life players than fantasy players. However, they are talented enough and should get enough playing time to be strong adds in 15-team leagues.
Colson Montgomery - 3B/SS, CWS: 39% rostered
(HOT STREAK, PROSPECT GROWTH?)
I'm gonna preface this by saying I don't believe in Montgomery for the remainder of 2025. This is a guy who was hitting so poorly in Triple-A that he got sent back down to the complex to fix his stance and approach. When he came back, he hit marginally better at Triple-A, but nothing like what we're seeing at the MLB level right now. In fact, he hit .215 in 60 games at Triple-A this year and .214 in 130 games at Triple-A last year. I just can't connect that with a hitter we're seeing right now, and I recorded a video on Montgomery this week to explain my thoughts on why you should add him, but not be afraid to dump him if he slows down. You may also be tempted to add Liover Peguero - 2B/SS, PIT (2% rostered) because he's had a three-home run game and is playing regularly for the Pirates, but I'd caution against that outside of the deepest leagues. Peguero was hitting .251/.312/.373 in 72 games at Triple-A with five home runs and eight steals. His offensive profile is just not an exciting one.
Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 39% rostered
(EVERY DAY JOB, HOT STREAK)
Beck has been on fire coming out of the break, hitting .333 with four home runs, 11 RBI, and three steals in 20 games. The Rockies will end next week with a four-game set at home against the Diamondbacks and then start the week after with four more home games against the Dodgers, so we can target Rockies hitters for those Coors Field games. That means we could also add Mickey Moniak - OF, COL (23% rostered), who has also been hitting well during the summer and is batting .303 with four home runs, 12 runs scored, and 11 RBI in 17 games since the break. The former number one overall pick may have found a home and a home environment that suits his skillset and covers up some of his contact issues. I should also mention Warming Bernabel - 1B/3B, COL (34% rostered), who is batting .354 with three home runs and nine RBI in 12 games since being promoted. Bernabel is a 23-year-old who was hitting .301/.356/.450 with eight homers and five steals in 75 games at Triple-A this season, so he's put up solid production before, but I don't expect this level to continue.
Carlos Correa - 3B/SS, HOU: 33% rostered
(TEAM CONTEXT AND PARK UPGRADE)
Since July 1st, Correa ranks 15th in baseball (among hitters who have seen at least 200 pitches) in Process+, which is a Pitcher List stat that shows 'the combined value of a hitter's Decision Value, Contact Ability, and Power.' Correa's 126 mark is well above a score of 100, which the league average. The veteran has also seemed right at home in Houston, going 11-for-29 (.379) with one home run and four RBI in seven games since the trade. We like the lineup in Houston, and the park is a better hitter's environment too. Plus, you know, the vibes are really good in Houston for him.
Lenyn Sosa - 1B/2B/3B - CWS: 32% rostered
(EVERY DAY ROLE, QUALITY UNDERLYING METRICS)
Sosa was just 14% rostered when I had him here last week, and I've had Sosa on here a few times now because he pops on Process+ leaderboards and has been making quality contact. Since July 1st, Sosa is hitting .278/.328/.496 seven four home runs, 106 runs scored, and 23 RBI in 31 games. He's playing every day, and the White Sox lineup is starting to wake up a little bit. He's not a bad add in deeper formats. Romy Gonzalez - 1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS (15% Rostered) is another option now that he is playing against right-handed pitching as well, taking most of Abraham Toro's at-bats. Romy has a 119 Process+ score since July 1st, which is right alongside guys like Kyle Stowers and Willson Contreras. Over that stretch, Gonzalez is hitting .303/.337/.645 with five home runs, 17 runs scored, and 19 RBI in 25 games. He will always produce more against lefties than righties, but he's worth an add in deeper formats right now, especially in daily moves leagues.
Jakob Marsee - OF, MIA: 25% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, SPEED UPSIDE)
I hope you scooped Marsee last week when he was 3% rostered and just getting called up after hitting .246/.379/.438 at Triple-A with 14 home runs and 47 steals in 98 games. That was why I featured him as a waiver wire claim in my videos on Monday. He has a strong eye at the plate and good power/speed, which is what we love for fantasy production. I don't think what we're seeing is a fluke. I do also like Jesus Sanchez - OF, HOU (8% rostered), whose trade freed up the playing time for Marsee. Sanchez will play against all right-handed pitchers in Houston, and he has a 114 Process+ score since July 1st. The power hasn't shown up in Houston yet, but he's gone 9-for-33 (.273) since the trade. I just believe in the talent and think the results will follow.
Ryan Mountcastle - 1B: 24% rostered
(OFF THE IL, POWER UPSIDE)
Mountcastle finally came off the IL this week after missing months with a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old proceeded to homer in his first game back. Nobody knows what the Orioles will do with their lineup, but what SHOULD happen is that Mountcastle and Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (7% rostered) should be the 1B/DH for the rest of the season, and that would make both worth adding. Mayo's results have been inconsistent so far, but I think regular playing time will help him. We saw what Kyle Stowers was able to do when he was given regular playing time, and Mayo is a better prospect than Stowers. Mayo has a 107 Process+ score since July 1st, and is above average in all components of that score (Decision Value, Contact, and Power), so the results should come soon. I'd be adding in deeper formats and shallower leagues if you have big benches.
Drake Baldwin - C, ATL: 22% rostered
(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, PROSPECT GROWTH)
Baldwin has a 115 Process+ score since July 1st and is hitting .305/.365/.486 in 30 games over that span with four home runs, 12 runs scored, and 25 RBI. Atlanta is playing him basically every day at catcher or DH, and I think he needs to be added even in one-catcher formats.
Isaac Collins - OF, MIL: 16% rostered
(STARTING JOB, COUNTING STAT UPSIDE)
Isaac Collins just keeps producing. Since June 1st, he has led all Brewers hitters with a 167 wRC+. In that span, he has hit .325/.431/.503 in 51 games with six home runs, six steals, 31 runs scored, and 32 RBI. Yes, the power and speed numbers won't wow you, but he contributes legitimately in five categories and rarely comes out of the lineup. He's been one of the steadiest hitters in baseball over the last three months. His teammate Blake Perkins - OF, MIL (1% rostered) has also found himself in a starting spot with Jackson Chourio on the IL. We've seen that Perkis is more batting average than anything, but he's gone 10-for-36 in his eight games in August with 10 runs scored, three home runs, and six RBI. The Brewers are one of the better teams in baseball, and Perkins may have at least two more weeks as a regular starter for them.
Kyle Manzardo - 1B, CLE: 12% rostered
(HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE)
Kyle Manzardo went through a really cold stretch earlier in the summer, but we now know that his mother was going through a heart transplant. These guys are human beings too, and it's only logical that stress and emotional turmoil off the field would impact their performance and preparation on the field. Since July 1st, Manzardo has hit .296/.389/.519 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 27 games. The Guardians are surging, and I think it's time to buy back in.
Matt Wallner - OF, MIN: 11% rostered
(HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE)
We know that Wallner is a streaky hitter who can get hot, and we seem to be in a hot streak now. He was put on the Paternity List this weekend, but he should be activated and ready to go on Monday. He's posted a 113 Process+ score since July 1st, making well above average decisions and showing off his plus power. Since the All-Star break, Wallner is hitting .259 with six home runs, 13 runs scored, and 11 RBI in 19 games. He has been hitting second in the order lately, and that's a nice boost to his fantasy value. A name to keep an eye on in deeper leagues is Alan Roden - OF, MIN (0% rostered), who was traded to the Twins at the deadline and is now one of FIVE left-handed outfielders on their active roster. Still, Roden emerged as a consistent starter for the Twins and has even started against some left-handed pitchers. He's gone just 5-for-26 since the deadline, but he hit .331/.423/.496 in 32 games at Triple-A this season and has tremendous plate discipline and contact ability, so it's a profile I'd bet on in deeper formats.
Jordan Lawlar - SS, ARI: 8% rostered
(STASH PLAY, PROSPECT UPSIDE)
I'm keeping all three of these recommendations here as stash plays. The MLB rookie eligibility rules state that a player loses eligibility after they've played 45 days on the MLB roster. That means we're going to see a handful of prospects called up after August 15th. Lawlar and Kristian Campbell - 2B/OF, BOS (17% rostered) don't apply there because they've played games earlier in the season, but I think they are both due for a call-up on September 1st at the latest. Lawlar is on the IL with a hamstring injury, but he has already started a rehab assignment, so his time is coming now that Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez are out of town. Lawlar is hitting .319/.410/.583 at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 18 steals in 53 games, and has little left to prove there. Similarly, Kristian Campbell has been on fire of late, while also playing solid defense at first base. I think he's a logical addition for Boston, who didn't add a first baseman at the deadline. Lastly, I expect Dylan Beavers - OF, BAL (2% rostered) to be called up as soon as he won't be at risk of losing rookie eligibility. Beavers is a 2022 first-round pick who has been swinging a hot bat in July and is now hitting .307 on the season with 18 home runs, 22 steals, 50 RBI, and a .953 OPS. There is just no way that the Orioles can keep playing Dylan Carlson and Greg Allen over him once the rookie eligibility risk is gone.
Tyler Locklear - 1B, ARI: 6% rostered
(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)
Locklear came to Arizona as part of the return for Eugenio Suarez and has immediately slotted in as the starting first baseman. He has gone just 4-for-24 in his first seven games with 11 strikeouts, but the 24-year-old made some legit changes to his approach this year and was hitting .316/.401/.542 in 98 games at Triple-A Reno with 19 home runs and 18 steals. Yes, some of that is influenced by the offensive-friendly environment of the PCL, but Locklear has a 44% hard hit rate and 90.2 mph average exit velocity while posting a respectable 13% swinging strike rate, so he has cleaned up his approach enough that he's not as big of a swing-and-miss risk as he seemed last year. He has a clear starting role in a ballpark that is the 2nd-best park for right-handed hitters, according to Statcast Park Factors, so Locklear is worth a gamble in 15-team fantasy leagues at least for his potential five-category upside.
Wenceel Perez - OF, DET: 5% rostered
(REGULAR STARTING JOB, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE)
With Parker Meadows on the IL, Perez has stepped in as the everyday center fielder in Detroit and has gone 10-for-24 in eight games in August with four runs scored, two home runs, three RBI, and one steal. He left Saturday's game with a bruise on his foot after fouling a ball off of himself, but all of the X-rays came back clean, so he should be back in the lineup soon. He was productive in a stretch earlier in the season and should provide enough value across the board to be useful in 15-team leagues.
Joey Loperfido - OF, TOR: 5% rostered
(STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK)
I assumed that Loperfido would lose his job when Daulton Varsho came off the IL, but then George Springer went on the IL with a concussion, and Loperfido now has a little extra time. After talking to some Blue Jays writers/fans on Twitter, the consensus is that Loperfido will remain in the lineup against righties even when Andres Gimenez comes back, with Ernie Clement shifting to a short-side platoon role. That would be nice because, since Loperfido was recalled in July, he's hitting .384 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 25 games. In Triple-A, he was chasing less and being more aggressive in the zone; however, his contact rates were about the same as they were in Triple-A last year for the Astros, and he's now dealing with a knee injury, so that pours a bit of cold water on this add. You could then pivot to his teammate Nathan Lukes - OF, TOR (6% rostered), who offers less fantasy upside, but has a more secure spot in the lineup and has 17 RBI and 14 runs scored with five home runs in 22 games since the All-Star break.
Tommy Pham - OF, PIT: 4% rostered
(STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK)
Pham has a 118 Process+ score since July 1st, but we also know that he has been dealing with a difficult situation with his contact lenses based on a rare eye condition that he has. Since he began working to correct that, around June 16th, we can see that he's hitting .362/.418/.578 in 35 games with five home runs, 18 runs scored, and 25 RBIs. That will play in any league type. His teammate Spencer Horwitz - 1B/2B, PIT (17% rostered) has also been producing since June 16th, going .284/.355/.419 with four home runs, 22 runs scored, and 25 RBI in 42 games. He's a great deep-legaue MI/CI option if you don't need speed.
Robert Hassell III - OF, WAS: 1% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, PROSPECT GROWTH)
The Nationals traded Alex Call to the Dodgers and called up Hassell already, so now the only question is whether Hassell III can beat out Jacob Young for starts down the stretch. Considering the Nationals are not contending, they should see what the 24-year-old can do. Hassell III is a former first-round pick and top prospect, who is hitting .310/.383/.456 in 76 games at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 16 steals. He struggled in his first 79 MLB plate appearances, so he'd be more of a deeper league play, but he deserves another shot. We should note that Hassell's teammate, Dylan Crews - OF, WAS (48% rostered), is more than a week into his rehab assignment at Triple-A. The former top prospect has been out since May with an onlique injury but figures to return to the Nationals lineup in the next week or two. Coming into the season, I had Crews and PCA ranked back-to-back (and took lots of Crews, which is fun), so I think there is plenty of upside here.
Kyle Karros - 3B, COL: 1% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)
The Rockies called up Karros this weekend, and if that name sounds familiar, it's because Kyle is the son of former Dodgers' third baseman Eric Karros. It shouldn't surprise you then, that Karros has an advanced approach at the plate with a strong feel for the strike zone. The Rockies' 8th-ranked prospect makes a ton of contact and was slashing .301/.398/.476 on the season with six homers, 26 RBI, and seven steals in 269 plate appearances across three minor league levels. Karros figures to get the rest of the season to stake his claim to the 3B job for 2026, and if you're in deeper formats and don't need power, I think Karros could be a solid corner infield option.
Waiver Wire Pitchers
Cade Horton - SP, CHC: 39% rostered
That's now four straight starts for Horton without allowing a run. Since the All-Star break, he has a 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 16/7 K/BB ratio in 22.2 innings. The strikeout upside we thought existed in his prospect profile hasn't carried over because his fastball is actually a fairly average pitch; however, he has shown his plus slider and a vastly improved changeup, and that raises Horton's floor a bit. For 2025, he might be more of a high-end streamer in shallow leagues who's currently riding a hot streak, but he also pitches for one of the best teams in baseball, so that works.
Spencer Arrighetti - SP, HOU: 34% rostered
Arrighetti made his season debut this week, and while the results weren't great, I broke down the start in a video this week, explaining why we should still be in on Arrighetti. I also mentioned that his teammate, Cristian Javier - SP, HOU (14% rostered), should return to the rotation next week, and their other teammate, Luis Garcia - SP, HOU (4% rostered) might be just two weeks away, so this entire Astros rotation is coming back.
Jacob Lopez - SP, ATH: 28% rostered
Much like with Cade Horton, you're rolling with a hot streak here. Lopez has not allowed a run in his last three starts, while striking out 19 in 17 innings. We've seen Lopez get hot earlier in the season and then get hit around, and he pitches his home games in a really bad ballpark, so it's not a shocker that two of his last three great starts were on the road. Still, we need to be aware of what he's doing.
J.J. Romero - RP, STL: 27% rostered
Romero was one of the big winners after the trade deadline, and he has emerged as the primary closer for the Cardinals. However, he is also the only left-handed reliever in the bullpen, so this should likely be a committee with Romero sometimes needing to get big left-handed hitters out in the eighth inning. When that happens, we've Riley O'Brien - RP, STL (2% rostered) step in and pick up a save, so they can both have some fantasy value.
Nestor Cortes - SP, SD: 13% rostered
Cortes now has a locked-in rotation spot on a playoff contender, so that's a win for him. I covered the veteran left-hander in a video I recorded this week, so make sure to check that out.
Keegan Akin - RP, BAL: 8% rostered
I covered Akin as one of my favorite waiver adds after the trade deadline, and he now has two saves in his last three appearances. On the season, he has a 3.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and 41/22 K/BB ratio in 42 innings, so he's not a dominant arm, but the Orioles are still a solid team, and he seems like the favorite for saves.
Cade Cavalli - SP, WAS: 6% rostered
I recorded a video on Cade Cavalli this week before his season debut, and I didn't necessarily think the debut would go as well as it did, shutting out the A's over 4.1 innings while striking out six. The former top prospect is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his Triple-A results have been inconsistent, but this first start showed the good velocity and plus breaking ball that we were dreaming on when he was a prospect. I wouldn't expect smooth sailing the rest of the way, but he could be a recent streamer in deeper leagues against the Royals if you need strikeouts.
Hurston Waldrep - SP, ATL: 3% rostered
I covered Waldrep in detail in my starting pitcher news column this week. A mid-season mechanics change has led to some real improvement for the former first-round pick. I know Chris Sale is beginning a rehab assignment, but the Braves really need to keep Waldrep in this rotation and see what he can do.
Luis Morales: SP, ATH: 0% rostered
The A's seem to be giving their 3rd-ranked prospect a shot at the starting rotation. I covered him after the trade deadline, so check out my write-up here.
STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS
MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order)
Week of 8/11
Strong Preference
Fairly Confident
Some Hesitation
Desperate / Uncertain Health or Role