Prospects are getting called up, bullpens are being reorganized, and playing time opportunities are appearing amid injuries.
Here are our five top waiver wire picks for this week.
Spencer Jones
This marked the second straight season Jones has mashed against Triple-A pitching. The raw power is immense, and the walk rate is encouraging.
The concern comes from the high whiff rate. The question at the major league level will be whether he can make enough contact to fully tap into that power. Still, he’s worth a flyer in deeper leagues.
Robby Snelling
Snelling was simply too good in the minors this year. He struck out more than 40% of opposing hitters and earned a shot in the majors. His four-seamer stands out as his best pitch, complemented by a slider and changeup.
The young left-hander has ace-level upside and ranks among the top pitching prospects in baseball. Don’t overreact to his first big-league outing and add him now if available, regardless of league size.
Ryan Waldschmidt
Eighteen home runs and 29 steals across two minor league levels last year should draw fantasy attention toward Waldschmidt. He brings plus speed and rarely chases.
There’s no guarantee the bat fully translates to the majors given his lack of aggressiveness, but the power-speed combination offers fascinating upside.
Zack Gelof
Eligible at second base and center field, Gelof possesses elite speed, impressive bat speed, and a swing geared toward pulling the ball in the air. He’s also become noticeably more patient at the plate, helping him tap further into his raw power.
The current production probably won’t hold all season, but it doesn’t need to for Gelof to provide value. There’s legitimate 20-20 upside from premium up-the-middle spots.
Trevor McDonald
McDonald posted a 122 Pitching+ in his first start of the season and is lined up for at least a few more outings with Logan Webb heading to the injured list. His stuff looked sharper across the board compared to last year’s relief appearances, and he struck out eight hitters across seven innings.
With an uptick in sinker velocity, McDonald at least becomes a viable streaming option. If the improvements stick, there’s a path for him to provide even more value, similar to the jump Landen Roupp made into an above-average starter.
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