Fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups featuring Ryan Gusto, Gunnar Hoglund and more

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Even though it’s very early into the 2025 fantasy baseball season, many of you might be looking at a roster that only partially resembles the team you drafted. Since roster churn is the name of the game, I’m running it back with your favorite speculator piece with my patented data-backed, formulaic approach to discover next week’s waiver wire headliners … today.

Going position by position, I mine my favorite obscure player statistics regarding control, batted ball quality and swing-and-miss ability. Then I mash them together to identify some cheap gems to grab before the squares figure it out next week. At the bottom, I rank my favorite available players around the diamond, two-start pitchers and speculative adds.

Access The Athletic’s guide for abbreviations used in fantasy baseball.

Hitters

When it comes to hitting, opportunity may be king, but we still need production, which comes from underlying skills. Scores of studies have proven the impact of exit velocity and its direct relationship with slugging percentage, so raw power is always a great place to start. The list below utilizes contact frequency and quality, paired with advanced statistics to identify underlying hitting skills.

Identifying available underlying hitting skills

Hitters in this table have +80% contact, +42% hard-hit, a +.335 expected weighted on-base average and at least 35 plate appearances in the past 14 days.

Pretty quiet on the hitting front this week, so just keep it simple and focus on needs. Vanilla ice cream is not always the worst choice. Sometimes balance plays best, and there’s a solid chance at just that with Detroit’s versatile Zach McKinstry. Few teams have experienced the same degree of lineup turnover this season as the Tigers, especially in the outfield. After losing Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, and Wenceel Pérez to injuries before moving on from Justyn-Henry Malloy for lack of production, it’s time for the next man up. Detroit’s now turning to the resident Swiss Army knife who is not only playing every day, but batting in the top third of a decent order.

McKinstry’s made the most of the prolonged complement of every-day PAs by combining a strong plate approach (10.5% Swinging Strike, 29.9% O-Swing) with enough power (8.8% Barrels) and speed to fill out all five categories as a replacement fantasy player — 112 PA, .323 BA, 15 Runs, 14 RBI, 1 HR, 3 SB.  Perhaps the ceiling is relatively low, but he won’t hurt you anywhere as long as he’s hitting in the top of the lineup. Plus, he’s eligible at a minimum of three positions, covering both middle and corner infield.

There’s an embarrassment of riches on the Mets roster in terms of offensive talent, and I’m always aiming to hitch my wagon to the best teams. As the dust starts to settle on the regular lineup rotation in Queens, the demotion of Brett Baty makes it apparent rookie Luisangel Acuña has won the second base job. Granted, Jeff McNeil also just returned, but the veteran is already playing the majority of games in the outfield and those ABs should come from the combination of Starling Marte and José Azocar. Despite prototyping as more of a team-dependent add since Acuña’s power has been mostly non-existent (0 Barrels), I wouldn’t give up hope for his future given the +110 mph max exit velocity. That said, with enough fantasy teams, there’s bound to be one that could use the combo of average, runs, and steals. Baby Acuña is a contact machine (94.5% Zone-contact) with a well above-average approach (19.0% K, 8.5% Swinging Strike) and a willingness to run that could make him dangerous as a second leadoff man from the nine hole.

Top hitter waiver wire adds, by position

Catcher

1. Hunter Goodman (COL): 10+ teams
2. Jonah Heim (TEX): 10/12 teams
3. Dillon Dingler (DET): 12+ teams
4. Bo Naylor, (CLE): 12/15 teams
5. Edgar Quero (CHW): 15+ teams
6. Carson Kelly (CHC): 15+ teams
7. Travis d’Arnaud (LAA): AL only
8. Jose Trevino (CIN): NL only

First Base

1. Nick Kurtz (1B, ATH) 10+ teams
2. Eric Wagaman (MIA): 10/12 teams
3. Matt Mervis (MIA): 12+ teams
4. Ty France (MIN): 12/15 teams
5. Michael Toglia (COL): 12/15 teams
6. Andrew Vaughn (CHW): 15+ teams
7. Kyle Manzardo (CLE): 15+ teams
8. Enmanuel Valdez (PIT): NL only
9. Matt Gorski (PIT): NL only
10. Rowdy Tellez (SEA): AL only
11. Mickey Gasper (MIN): AL only

Second Base

1. Gavin Lux (CIN): 10+ teams
2. Caleb Durbin (MIL) 10+ teams
3. Luisangel Acuña (NYM): 10/12 teams
4. Nolan Gorman (STL): 12+ teams
5. Jeff McNeil (NYM): 12/15 teams
6. Tim Tawa (ARI): 15+ teams
7. Edouard Julien (MIN): 15+ teams
8. David Hamilton (BOS): AL only
9. Luis Urías (ATH): AL only
10. Adael Amador (COL): NL only
11. Jose Iglesias (SD): NL only

Shortstop

1. Jacob Wilson (ATH): 12+ teams
2. Gabriel Arias (CLE): 12/15 teams
3. Chase Meidroth (CHW): 12/15 teams
4. Jackson Holliday (BAL): 15+ teams
5. Trey Sweeney (DET): 15+ teams ***
6. Javier Báez (DET) AL only
7. Taylor Walls (TB): AL only
8. Jared Triolo (PIT): NL only
9. Nick Allen (ATL): NL only

Third Base

1. Connor Norby (MIA): 10/12 teams
2. Brooks Lee (MIN): 12+ teams
3. Joey Ortiz (MIL): 12/15 teams
4. Lenyn Sosa (CHW): 12/15 teams
5. Jace Jung (DET): 15+ teams
6. Miguel Vargas (CHW): 15+ teams
7. Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT): 15+ teams
8. Oswaldo Cabrera (NYY): AL only
9. Will Wilson (CLE): AL only
10. José Tena (WAS): NL only
11. Jon Berti (CHC): NL only

Outfield, 10/12 teams

1. Andy Pages (LAD) ^^^
2. Pavin Smith (ARI)
3. Jesús Sánchez (MIA)
4. Heston Kjerstad (BAL)

Outfield, 12/15 teams

1. Zach McKinstry (DET) ^^^
2. Trent Grisham (NYY) ^^^
3. Ryan O’Hearn (BAL)
4. Kyle Stowers (MIA)
5. Alex Verdugo (ATL)
6. Jordan Beck (COL)
7. Mike Yastrzemski (SF)
8. Jordan Walker (STL)
9. Kameron Misner (TB)

Outfield 15+ teams only

1. Eli White (ATL) ^^^
2. Andrew Benintendi (CHW)
3. Drew Waters (KC)
4. Jo Adell (LAA)
5. Mickey Moniak (COL)
6. Jonathan India (KC)
7. Trevor Larnach (MIN)
8. Gavin Sheets (SD)
9. Nolan Jones (CLE)
10. Brooks Baldwin (CHW)
11. Max Kepler (PHI)
12. Tyrone Taylor (NYM)
13. JJ Bleday (ATH)
14. Harrison Bader (MIN)
15. Alek Thomas (ARI)
16. Zach Dezenzo (HOU)
17. Oscar Gonzalez (SD)
18. Andrew McCutchen (PIT)
19. Jhonkensy Noel (CLE): AL only
20. Leody Taveras (TEX): AL only
21. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (MIN): AL only
22. Jesse Winker (NYM): NL only
23. Sean Bouchard (COL): NL only
24. Kody Clemens (MIN): NL only

*** = Prioritize for speed

^^^ = Riser

Graduating class

Players from previous articles no longer under 50% rostered (Yahoo) who should be rostered first

Hitter stash candidates

Hitter drop candidates

Pitchers

As far as pitching goes, the thesis couldn’t be simpler — do our best to avoid any bias attached to surface stats (outputs) by instead focusing on underlying metrics (inputs). The most important SP skills are suppressing runs by keeping runners off base and striking out batters. Though simply showing up on this list so early may be noise, there’s an argument this combination of skills signals an immediate call to action.

Identifying available underlying pitching skills

Pitchers in this table have a ≤3.50 skills independent earned run average, ≤1.20 WHIP, +18.0% strikeout minus walk rate, with a minimum of six innings pitched in the past 14 days.

I’m forcing you to squint a little here, but adding quality starters in-season is never easy. Part of the process I trust is trusting the Astros’ pitching process — time and time again, they’ve shown the ability to maximize output from their starting arms. This time around it’s Ryan Gusto, the 26-year-old rookie righty getting stretched out from a long-reliever role. All his individual pitch diagnostics check out in terms of shape and spin, checking all the boxes. Gusto induces swings-and-misses with the four-seamer (30.0% Whiff), boasts a dangerous secondary offering (curveball — 30.8% Whiff) and, maybe most importantly, uses a changeup almost exclusively as an out pitch to lefties. I trust Houston to do the right thing and continue cultivating his current success. If things break right, we could have a keeper on our hands, and he’s still only rostered in under a third of all leagues.

UPDATE: The Athletics just announced the promotion of their No. 2 prospect, former first-round pick Gunnar Hoglund. The 25-year-old righty is already having a nice season for the Las Vegas Aviators — 29.2 IP, 2.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 20.0% K-BB. Given the new information, I’d make Hoglund my priority pick across the board wherever he’s available.

Top waiver wire pitcher adds

Finding Mr. Right: Starters who could stick all year

1. Gunnar Hoglund (ATH) ^^^
2. Ryan Gusto (HOU) ^^^
3. Tony Gonsolin (LAD) ^^^
4. Landen Roupp (SF)
5. Hayden Wesneski (HOU)
6. Andrew Abbott (CIN)
7. Matthew Liberatore (STL)
8. Colin Rea (CHC) ^^^
9. Griffin Canning (NYM)
10. Grant Holmes (ATL)
11. David Peterson (NYM)
12. José Soriano (LAA)
13. Lucas Giolito (BOS)

Team Streamers: Hold and deploy from the bench

1. Andrew Heaney (PIT)
2. JP Sears (ATH)
3. Luis L. Ortiz (CLE)
4. Emerson Hancock (SEA)
5. Mitchell Parker (WAS)
6. Will Warren (NYY)
7. Shane Smith (CHW)
8. Jose Quintana (MIL)
9. Andre Pallante (STL)
10. Mitch Keller (PIT)
11. Tyler Anderson (LAA)
12. Ben Brown (CHC)

One-and-done: Pitch-and-ditch desperation plays

1. Michael Lorenzen (KC)
2. Sean Burke (CHW)
3. Logan T. Allen (CLE)
4. Cade Povich (BAL)
5. Edward Cabrera (MIA)
6. AJ Smith-Shawver (ATL)
7. Nick Martinez (CIN)
8. Jordan Hicks (SF)
9. Jake Irvin (WAS)
10. Michael Soroka (WAS)
11. Jack Kochanowicz (LAA)
12. Taijuan Walker (PHI)
13. Zack Littell (TB)

^^^ = Riser

Pitcher stash candidates

Pitcher drop candidates

Relievers

1. Emilio Pagán (CIN)
2. David Bednar (PIT)
3. Ryan Thompson (ARI)
4. Luke Weaver (NYY)
5. Will Vest (DET)
6. José Alvarado (PHI)
7. Zach Agnos (COL)
8. Porter Hodge (CHC)
9. Justin Slaten (BOS)
10. Camilo Doval (SF)
11. Tommy Kahnle (DET)
12. Abner Uribe (MIL)
13. Fernando Cruz (NYY)

Graduating class

Players from previous articles no longer under 50% rostered (Yahoo) who should be rostered first

Two-Start Pitchers Next Week:

(Top photo of Ryan Gusto: Jack Gorman / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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