The second half of the MLB season is upon us. Whether you're in first or last place, there is still a lot of talent available on the waiver wire for managers in shallow, deep, points, or rotisserie leagues. Take a look at the following six players who could make an impact for your fantasy baseball team in the latter half of the 2025 season, sorted by availability and projected ceiling/floor!
0-20% Rostered
High Ceiling: Alejandro Osuna
(OF, Texas)
While he only has 80 plate appearances in MLB so far, it’s easy to dream about Alejandro Osuna’s offensive ceiling. After being named the Rangers’ Minor League Player of the Year last season, he debuted early in 2025 and kicked off his career on the right note with an .862 OPS in May.
He struggled mightily to the tune of a .337 OPS in June and a .638 mark in July, and he enters today with significantly below-average offensive numbers.
Despite his slow start, it is easy to see Osuna’s immense potential. He’s done an excellent job limiting whiffs and not chasing pitches outside the strike zone, which is rare for a hitter with as little big-league experience as he has.
Osuna also has a 13.8% walk rate in 80 plate appearances, meaning his plate discipline is translating to on-base ability. Even more impressive? The Rangers outfielder is balancing his selective plate approach with solid bat speed and power output, which has helped him post excellent expected statistics.
Given his .280 xBA and .442 xSLG, it’s reasonable to expect the back of Osuna’s baseball card to catch up to his batted-ball quality. When that happens, he has the potential to be a .260 hitter with 15 home runs who has a role on both rotisserie and points-league fantasy baseball rosters.
High Floor: Liam Hicks
(C/1B, Miami)
It may seem odd to consider a 26-year-old Marlins catcher a high-floor hitter, but Liam Hicks is just that. After being drafted in the 9th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Arkansas State, he slashed .274/.405/.374 over four seasons in the Minor Leagues.
In 202 big-league plate appearances this season, the backstop has posted numbers that align fairly well with his minor-league production. While his expected statistics lag slightly behind his actual slash line of .273/.365/.407, Hicks does have excellent plate discipline. That should help him hit at least .250, which is of significant benefit in rotisserie leagues for managers lacking in the batting average department.
Trading bat speed for contact has worked well this season for Hicks, who has the 6th-lowest chase rate among 255 batters with at least 200 plate appearances. Among the same group, he has the 43rd-lowest strikeout rate, the 49th-highest walk rate, and the 35th-lowest whiff rate. All are excellent marks that are encouraging for fantasy managers looking to improve their batting average with a high-floor bat.
21-40% Rostered
High Ceiling: Colby Thomas
(OF, Athletics)
Colby Thomas is the definition of a high-ceiling fantasy baseball player. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the third-best prospect in the Athletics’ system, and for good reason. After being drafted in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Thomas posted an .844 OPS in 2023 across Single-A and High-A.
He one-upped himself in 2024, slashing .277/.342/.563 and climbing the ladder up to Triple-A. Thomas made his debut for the Athletics on June 30th and only has 11 plate appearances so far this season, but he is a great addition for fantasy baseball managers who need a high-upside power bat. Take a look at the following excerpt from his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
“Thomas’ raw power that scouts raved about during his college days has translated to the professional ranks. His compact swing allows him to drive the ball to all fields with some serious force. His selectivity at the plate has improved some as he has shown capable of working counts and drawing a decent amount of walks, though the A’s would still like to see him cut down the swing-and-miss and chase a little bit more.”
While his tendency to whiff - he's swung and missed on 43.5% of the pitches he’s swung at in his very short MLB career - could prevent him from reaching it, his power ceiling is as high as almost any player in the sport.
High Floor: Jeff McNeil
(2B/OF, New York Mets)
Jeff McNeil has a .287/.352/.433 slash line in nearly 3,500 career plate appearances. From 2018-2022, he was consistently one of the best hitters in baseball; over that timeframe, he slashed .307/.370/.458 in 2,039 trips to the plate.
After a rough season last year where he hit just .238 and posted a .692 OPS, McNeil is bouncing back in 2025. He’s pulling the ball in the air more than he ever has, and his slugging percentage is the highest it has been since 2019. That adjustment makes him especially valuable in points leagues where extra-base hits more directly impact your team’s performance. His xBA is to .271 after it fell to an abysmal .235 last season, which makes him a solid (albeit not as impactful) addition to a rotisserie-league roster.
Because he’s a veteran with strong career numbers, Jeff McNeil is a great add off the waiver wire for points league managers looking for above-average offensive production from second base. He isn’t a regular home run threat and doesn’t hit for an extremely high average, so he won’t be as effective in rotisserie leagues but could still be worth a pickup if your team is really struggling for batting average at second base.
41-60% Rostered
High Ceiling: Travis Sykora
(SP, Washington)
I’ve been a fan of Travis Sykora since he was drafted in 2023 because of his completely overpowering stuff. The right-hander has three pitches that all grade out as plus according to MLB Pipeline: a fastball, a slider, and a splitter.
The Nationals farmhand has completely dominated minor-league hitters during his time in pro ball. Sykora posted a 2.33 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched last season at Single-A. This season, he’s one-upping himself with a 1.79 ERA and .120(!) opponent batting average to go with 79 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched. Working his way up to Double-A means he may arrive in the Major Leagues sooner than some anticipated, which makes him ideal for dynasty fantasy baseball leagues.
Once he gets called up, he will instantly be one of the most sought-after starting pitchers due to his electric stuff and immense potential.
High Floor: Matt Wallner
(OF, Minnesota)
While he does play the role of a strong-side platoon bat, Minnesota’s Matt Wallner is a great high-floor option for fantasy baseball managers seeking home runs in rotisserie leagues. Throughout his career, the Twins outfielder has performed significantly better against right-handed pitching than left-handed pitching.
That has changed this season. While seven of Wallner’s 10 home runs have come against right-handed pitching, his .930 OPS against southpaws trumps his .701 mark against right-handers. For now, he is a great lineup piece whenever he’s playing for fantasy managers in rotisserie leagues.
Wallner’s high strikeout rate might deter managers in points leagues, but his extremely high bat speed (76.6 MPH) and elite exit velocities are worth the trade-off for managers who need regular power in the outfield.