We have officially arrived at the MLB All-Star break. For this week’s article, we’ll be breaking the waiver wire down into three availability categories and identifying a high-ceiling and high-floor player from each. Whether you’re in a deep or shallow league, the following six players will make a difference on your team in the second half of the season (all rostered percentages via Fantrax):
0-20% Rostered:
High Ceiling: Will Benson
(OF, Cincinnati)
I wrote about Reds outfielder Will Benson earlier this season, but his upside is too high to ignore. While he’s only slashing .223/.276/.427 this season, his expected stats (based on launch angle and exit velocity) are significantly higher.
With a .538 xSLG (per Baseball Savant), Benson’s batted-ball quality in terms of expected power output has been better than that of Bobby Witt Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong, Riley Greene, and Kyle Tucker. While Jake Fraley’s imminent return from the injured list could bite into his playing time, Benson has accrued 174 plate appearances this season and stands to get a solid number of at-bats in the second half of the year.
As a prospect, Benson was always heralded for his outstanding power potential. He’s continued to tap into that this season while significantly lowering his strikeout rate, which shot up to a career-high 39.7% clip last season. While he is by no means a finished product, his 29.3% strikeout rate makes his power potential a profitable tradeoff. For fantasy managers with stable batting averages in rotisserie leagues, Benson is worth adding to boost home run totals.
High Floor: Alex Call
(OF, Washington)
Nationals outfielder Alex Call is a viable pickup for managers in deep points leagues. While he doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, he does everything well enough. With a career batting average of .243 and a .712 OPS, he has a track record of providing roughly league-average production.
This season, he is batting .279 in 217 plate appearances. If you have a righty-mashing outfielder who struggles against left-handed pitching, Call is a great option to balance out your offensive production; the former third-rounder has a .349/.394/.492 slash line against southpaws this season.
Another reason he’ll excel in points leagues? Call rarely strikes out and draws a lot of walks, which boosts his on-base percentage even when he isn’t racking up base hits. With a 100-PA rolling xwOBA between .301 and .340 all season long, Call has been as consistent as they come for the Nationals.
21-40% Rostered:
High Ceiling: Cole Young
(2B, Seattle)
Cole Young, who debuted for the Mariners earlier this season, is MLB Pipeline’s #33 overall prospect and possesses a lot of offensive potential. While he is currently a hit-over-power type of player, he has heated up as of late. With two home runs and a .779 OPS so far in July, it’s looking as if Young might be adjusting to big league pitching.
Young, as expected when he debuted, has shown impressive plate discipline for a 21-year-old. With an above-average chase rate and recently improved performance against secondary pitches, the only thing holding Young back from his offensive ceiling is production against fastballs. Keep an eye out for the Mariners’ young infielder as the second half progresses.
High Floor: Mike Tauchman
(OF, Chicago White Sox)
Mike Tauchman has played in parts of eight seasons with the Rockies, Yankees, Giants, Cubs, and White Sox. After slashing .252/.363/.377 in 2023, Tauchman hit .248 and posted a similar OPS last season. Given his xBA of .267 so far this season, look for the veteran to continue performing at a slightly above-average level.
Because he doesn’t hit many home runs, Tauchman is a better fit for fantasy managers in deep points leagues. Most of his power comes from his pull side, making it difficult to access in-game on a regular basis. His bat-to-ball skills, however, have stayed relatively constant throughout the last few years.
Tauchman has performed very well this season against right-handed pitching, so slotting him into a similar role as Call makes sense for those looking for steady outfield production.
41-60% Rostered:
High Ceiling: Brady House
(3B, Washington)
Like Benson, I wrote about Nationals infielder Brady House earlier in the season. He ranks 81st on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list and performed very well at Triple-A (.304/.353/.519 with 13 home runs in 260 at-bats) before being called up to Washington in mid-June.
House has an immensely high offensive ceiling, one that he will likely tap into more in the second half of the season. His xBA is sitting at a lofty .291 in his first 93 at-bats entering the break. But with just two home runs and a 4.2% barrel rate, his power hasn’t shown up yet at the big-league level.
Given raw power was his calling card as a draft prospect and throughout pro ball thus far, House could pair his surprising bat-to-ball skills with power as the season progresses. Take a look at his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
“Listed at 6-foot-4, House stands tall in the box and brings promising thump to the plate. His 104 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity was comfortably above average in Triple-A, and that’s without adjusting for age. He finished with 19 homers in his first season of playing 100+ games, and he could easily clear 25+ dingers in future campaigns.”
If House reaches his lofty power potential, he will be one of the best third basemen in baseball during the second half of the season. Managers in points and rotisserie leagues should be on the lookout for signs of improved power performance.
High Floor: Kyle Manzardo
(1B, Cleveland)
Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo has a high floor despite being just 24 years old. While his low batting average makes him less-than-ideal in points leagues, his power production means he’s a great option for rotisserie managers in deep leagues.
Manzardo knocked 15 home runs in the first half this season, which put him ahead of noted sluggers like Bobby Witt Jr., Will Smith, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. With a roughly league-average walk rate, chase rate, average exit velocity, and expected slugging percentage, we can expect Manzardo to keep up his power performance regardless of his relatively subpar bat-to-ball skills.