Every MLB team has now played at least 81 games. The Miami Marlins and Cleveland Guardians marked the occasion tonight with an extra-innings win and a tough loss, respectively, and the Athletics shut out the Yankees in their MLB-best 85th game.
Here are three of the best waiver wire pickups for fantasy managers in Week 15 of the fantasy baseball season, broken down by statistic group. The following three statistics are used in rotisserie fantasy baseball leagues, and each has a player who could significantly improve your performance in each category. Make sure to check back next week, when our waiver wire breakdown will focus on the best pitchers to pick up based on rotisserie league pitching statistics.
Batting Average
Otto Lopez
(2B, SS, Miami)
Percent Rostered (Fantrax): 57%
Marlins middle infielder Otto Lopez certainly fits the typical offensive profile for players of his position. Although he’s batting just .260 this season - below his career mark of .272 and significantly below a solid chunk of big leaguers - his .299 expected batting average (per Baseball Savant) ranks in the 93rd percentile among qualified MLB hitters.
Lopez almost never strikes out, which gives him extra value in points leagues. His 13.8% strikeout rate this season ranks in the 88th percentile among all batters, and is the fifth-lowest mark among qualified second basemen - trailing Nico Hoerner, Gleyber Torres, Brendan Donovan, and Luis Garcia Jr., all of whom are rostered in at least 90% of Fantrax leagues.
While his quality of contact doesn’t jump off the page, it’s his bat-to-ball ability that has helped him consistently post a high batting average. Here’s an excerpt from his 2022 MLB Pipeline scouting report:
“As Lopez’s numbers would indicate, he shows ample offensive promise with his ability to make consistent contact. He has posted groundball rates above 50 percent with each of his last three affiliates, but his plus speed means he can earn plenty of hits with his legs. Lopez’s best value might be as a speedy contact hitter worth carrying in the lineup in any way, regardless of where his glove plays.”
According to Baseball Savant’s player similarity tool, Lopez is most comparable to Jeremy Pena, Trea Turner, and Alec Bohm. For fantasy baseball managers looking to boost their batting average - especially from the position with the lowest cumulative batting average across MLB infields - Lopez is a great waiver wire add in Week 15.
Home Runs
Mickey Moniak
(OF, Colorado)
Percent Rostered: 32%
Moniak, who was drafted first overall in 2016 by the Phillies, has just 43 home runs in over 1,000 MLB at-bats. But his HR/PA has soared in Colorado this season, up from 0.33 last year to a career-high 0.51 mark this season.
While Moniak does have below-average plate discipline - his walk, strikeout, whiff, and chase rates are all in the bottom third of qualified big leaguers - he’s made solid improvements in each of those categories since last season without sacrificing much power. In fact, he’s mashing home runs at a faster pace than he ever has this season.
The Rockies outfielder has 11 home runs through 83 team games this season, which puts him on pace to eclipse the 20-home run plateau for the first time in his still-young career. His numbers have also picked up in June - he’s batting .292 with a 1.108 OPS. Perhaps moving to Colorado was what he needed to live up to the expectations he had back in 2017 after being drafted, when MLB Pipeline wrote the following about him:
“He can flat-out rake, making consistent hard contact from the left side of the plate. He started showing more power during his senior year and he could approach Major League average pop as a pro. Perhaps more impressive than his innate ability to barrel up the ball is his IQ at the plate, with an approach far advanced for his age and a willingness to use all fields. Moniak runs very well, allowing him to be a threat on the bases and to cover a lot of ground in center field, where he has the chance to be an elite defender.”
Among 272 MLB hitters with at least 50 plate appearances in June, Moniak has the 5th-highest OPS and 14th-highest barrel rate. He’s heating up at just the right time, and playing his home games at Coors Field certainly doesn’t hurt his home run totals.
Stolen Bases
Jake Meyers
(OF, Houston)
Percent Rostered: 51%
The Astros are yet again at the top of the American League West, and Meyers has played a critical, if underrated, role in their success. While he’s always been quick - his sprint speed has consistently ranked in the top quarter of MLB players throughout his career - getting on base more often this season has allowed him to put up excellent stolen base totals.
The Astros outfielder has a career-high walk rate and is batting .307, which has helped him post a .364 on-base percentage. Meyers cut his chase rate on fastballs down from 33.3% last season to 18.1% so far this year, which has led to more walks and stolen bases.
Having swiped 13 bags so far this season, he ranks in front of notorious base stealers like Shohei Ohtani, Lawrence Butler, and Corbin Carroll. Fantasy baseball managers who are in need of stolen bases need look no further than Meyers.
Rotisserie baseball is one of the most common formats for fantasy baseball leagues. Jake Meyesr will help fantasy baseball managers boost their stolen base totals, and former first overall pick Mickey Moniak is slugging the ball significantly more this season now that he’s playing his home games in Colorado.
Marlins infielder Otto Lopez has also been a pleasant surprise for fantasy baseball managers this year, and any of the three are perfect waiver wire additions for fantasy baseball managers in Week 15 of the fantasy baseball regular season. Remember to check back next week for more fantasy baseball content and waiver wire pickups!