With the 2022 baseball season getting revved up, 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.
Brad Miller 1B/2B/3B/OF
Roster Percentage: 10%
In desperate need of some pop? A lot of fantasy teams are surprisingly searching for the same thing, as MLB has turned the current version of the game into hitting with what some have deemed as hitting a wet potato sack. The ball ain't flyin', y'all.
But one guy providing some serious punch at the plate is veteran Brad Miller. He's in the strong side of a platoon, and he ripped another three home runs last week, giving him an impressive count of five on the year.
Surprisingly, the vet is also running -- he has four stolen bases on the year. If the Texas Rangers are facing a righty, you can believe Miller will be in there and the opportunity for a big crooked fantasy day is certainly in store.
Spencer Strider SP/RP, Atlanta Braves
Roster Percentage: 13%
This name may be of the radar a little bit, but it won't be long before Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves becomes a household name.
Over 17 2/3 innings pitched this season, Strider has dazzled hitters to the tune of 26 whiffs, a 3.06 ERA, and 1.13 WHIP. Take a peek at his most recent relief outing -- in four innings, he struck out eight hitters, walking none and allowing four hits.
Strider regularly dots in the upper 90s with his heater (he was clocked as high as 100.7 MPH in his last outing), and it seems only a matter of time before he forces his way into the Atlanta rotation.
Danny Jansen C, Toronto Blue Jays
Roster Percentage: 14%
One offense that hasn't yet hit it's stride in the 2022 season is the Toronto Blue Jays, but maybe with the return of Danny Jansen (oblique injury) to the lineup, they can start to cook again.
Jansen, the starting backstop for the Jays, injured himself on April 10th and missed about a month of work. But, he announced his presence in Saturday's win over Tampa, launching his third homer of the season. He slugged 11 in just 184 at bats in 2021.
If you need help at the catcher slot, which is always tough to roster, peep Jansen.
Jorge Mateo 2B/SS/OF, Baltimore Orioles
Roster Percentage: 22%
The Baltimore Orioles have been far better than anticipated in the 2022 season, and part of that reason is the surprisingly adept play of Jorge Mateo.
Mateo has been known throughout the minor leagues for his speed, and so far this year, he's already racked up 10 steals on the day. That's pretty valuable in a fantasy baseball community that's always looking for more speed.
And recently, the O's have inserted him into the top of the lineup which provides an even better opportunity for racking up those counting categories. His .282 OBP is a bit rough, but with a little bit better luck, he could be a multi-category contributor with some serious speed in his arsenal.