By this point in the fantasy baseball season, most managers have a pretty good idea where they stand. Some are searching for a small boost to maintain their place near the top of the standings, while others are looking for a spark to climb back into contention.
As the calendar turns to June, here are a few players worth considering on the waiver wire.
Jacob Gonzalez
The White Sox losing Munetaka Murakami to the injured list could be our gain. Gonzalez struggled in the minors until this year, where he’s erupted for 19 homers in 232 plate appearances.
Gonzalez projects as an everyday infielder for the ChiSox while Murakami is out. He was in the 91st percentile in xwOBA in Triple-A and had solid strikeout, whiff, walk, and hard-hit rates.
Charles McAdoo
Another recent prospect call-up, and admittedly with less offensive upside than Gonzalez, McAdoo has the positional versatility to ensure he finds playing time in the big leagues with Lenyn Sosa sidelined by a wrist contusion.
McAdoo was on pace for a 20-20 season in Triple-A. He posted a 9.7% barrel rate and has shown a disciplined approach at the plate, traits that could help him keep the strikeouts at a manageable level as he adjusts to major league pitching.
Jonah Cox
This was a clear desperation call-up by the Giants. Cox, a speedy outfielder with 27 stolen bases in 44 games, skipped Triple-A as San Francisco looks to kickstart its offense.
Cox was hitting .400 in Double-A and has value in a variety of league formats if his speed translates to the majors. There should be playing time available in the short term with Harrison Bader on the injured list.
Scott Barlow
It’s hard to get excited about two saves in a week in an uncertain bullpen hierarchy for the Athletics. Barlow’s command has been poor, but he’s generating whiffs at an elite rate and owns a 3.60 xERA.
Beyond an effective curveball, there’s not much to suggest Barlow can be anything more than an average reliever. Still, saves are valuable in most fantasy leagues, making him worth a look in the short term.
Troy Melton
Melton had a 1.71 FIP and 31.1% K-BB rate in four minor-league starts. It hasn’t been the most exciting start to his big-league season with four strikeouts in 12.2 innings across two starts, but Melton has an excellent splitter and a wide arsenal.
There’s every chance he can push his fastball velocity up near 97 mph (currently 96.1). If he can begin locating the splitter, Melton becomes a 110 ERA+ type pitcher. As it stands, he has what it takes to be at least league average and possibly better.
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