In two months, we will have playoff baseball. Between the excitement of the trade deadline and the impending suspense of the playoff chase, it is a great time to be playing fantasy baseball. Here are six fantasy baseball waiver wire picks for Week 20 of the regular season, sorted by availability and floor/ceiling (all rostered rates via Fantrax):
6 Must Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20
0-20% Rostered
High Ceiling: Randal Grichuk
(OF, Kansas City)
Randal Grichuk was drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft and has played for the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Rockies, Angels, Diamondbacks, and Royals since debuting in 2014. Despite his status as a 12-year MLB veteran, Grichuk is a great option for fantasy managers seeking high-ceiling outfielders. Although he may not keep up his current production forever, Grichuk has a real shot to be one of the best offensive outfielders in baseball during the second half of the season.
While the back of his baseball card won’t turn any heads (he’s slashing .238/.275/.451), his elite batted-ball quality tells us his current production level is below his ceiling. Grichuk has an expected slash line of .275/.314/.510, according to Baseball Savant. That level of offensive output would be a huge boon to fantasy baseball managers looking to make up ground in the standings.
Another reason we can trust his much-improved batted-ball quality? Grichuk’s swing mechanics are among MLB’s elite. The only other hitters with a bat speed (73.9 MPH) and ideal attack angle (66.3%) matching Grichuk’s are Corbin Carroll and…
That’s it.
Grichuk’s outstanding expected stats so far this season also indicate he’s seeing the ball well at the plate. His 100-PA rolling xwOBA has stayed above league-average throughout the season, which is an encouraging omen for his second-half success.
High Floor: Brad Keller
(RP, Chicago Cubs)
Brad Keller’s performance has been nothing short of elite this season for the Chicago Cubs. A former starter who was gradually converted to a reliever by Chicago, Keller has dominated opposing batters to the tune of a 3.05 xERA and .217 xBA.
In addition to those two metrics, Keller ranks in the top fifth of qualified pitchers in fastball velocity, average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, and ground ball rate. Much of his success stems from a vastly improved fastball, which averaged 93.8 MPH last year and is up to 97.2 MPH this season.
Keller is an effective option off the waiver wire for managers in points leagues because he keeps the ball on the ground (97th-percentile ground ball rate) while also striking out more than one batter per inning. Keller’s ability to keep the ball on the ground gives him a high ERA floor, and his above-average walk rate is a benefit in leagues where walks mean lost points.
21-40% Rostered
High Ceiling: Dylan Beavers
(OF, Baltimore)
The Baltimore Orioles have the 8th-worst outfield WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in baseball this season. Luckily, they have Dylan Beavers waiting in the wings. The UC Berkeley product is tearing up Triple-A this season, slashing .302/.418/.498.
MLB Pipeline ranks Beavers as the third-best prospect in Baltimore’s system. He’s very athletic and has solid power to go along with above-average speed. Beavers reminds me of a left-handed Randy Arozarena, who recently became the 10th player in MLB history to record five straight 20-20 seasons.
Beavers will be especially impactful for managers in points leagues due to his well-roundedness. Take a look at the following excerpt from his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
“His two-plus years in pro ball showed Beavers’ ability to do a little bit of everything -- he’s paired 26 homers with 64 steals -- while revealing he might not have one truly elite tool, and how his production can come more in the aggregate than in dominant performances.”
Beavers has a pretty good shot to crack the big-league club in the final two months of the season. On Friday, Orioles general manager Mike Elias suggested that a call-up “would be a good thing for all parties”. When he does get the call, Beavers will instantly be one of the more sought-after power-speed threats among outfielders.
High Floor: Edgar Quero
(C, Chicago White Sox)
Edgar Quero made his MLB debut on April 17th. Since then, he’s done nothing but hit. His .278 batting average ranks fourth among 19 catchers with at least 250 plate appearances in that timeframe, trailing only Alejandro Kirk, Will Smith, and Hunter Goodman. All three of those players were All-Stars this season.
Quero’s bat-to-ball skill and remarkable plate discipline have been obvious throughout his professional baseball career. He owns a .282 batting average in over 1,300 minor-league at-bats and has an on-base percentage of nearly .400. Quero’s keen batting eye has translated to the Major Leagues this season; his chase rate of just 17.5% ranks in the 98th percentile of qualified big-league hitters.
Quero is an effective add in all leagues, but is especially so for rotisserie managers with stable home run totals looking to boost their batting average.
41-60% Rostered
High Ceiling: Samuel Basallo
(C/1B, Baltimore)
Samuel Basallo is linked to his outfield counterpart Dylan Beavers as another player who could debut for the O’s this season. Basallo has a great hit tool that will play well even if he moves to first base defensively. His power is just as potent, which has excited scouts and evaluators given the relative lack of pop at first base this season.
If he does get called up to Baltimore this year, Basallo will be a great addition to any fantasy baseball roster. His all-around offensive ceiling is extremely high, which is why he’s rostered in nearly 60% of leagues despite not having debuted yet.
High Floor: Ramon Laureano
(OF, San Diego)
Like many fantasy baseball managers, the San Diego Padres are excited to pencil Ramon Laureano into their lineup on a daily basis. The former Oakland center fielder has re-emerged as a legitimate offensive threat this season and is on pace for a career-high 22 home runs.
Laureano is pulling the ball in the air significantly more often than he has in the past. That has boosted his power output. His performance against sliders has also skyrocketed in a positive direction; last season, his -6 Run Value against said offerings was easily his worst performance against any pitch. This year, it’s been his third-most valuable pitch type. He's worth picking up off your fantasy baseball waiver wire if you're looking for a dependable outfielder in a points league.