Rotoworld Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire’s latest column details the long-awaited arrival of prospect Kyle Manzardo, a strong step forward from veteran Jameson Taillon since returning from the injured list, and talented pitcher Christian Scott’s strikeout advantage as he continues his rapid climb .
Listen to the Rotoworld Baseball Show for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Guardians
Available on 72% of Yahoo! leagues
Manzardo finally arrived in Cleveland earlier this week, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts during Monday’s series opener against the Tigers after a sizzling 29-game stretch to Triple-A Columbus to open the year where he posted a stratospheric 1.017. OPS with nine homers and 20 RBI in 128 plate appearances. The 23-year-old hitting prospect projects as an instant four-tier fantasy contributor given his pop and solid skills. However, there could be some initial turbulence as he adapts to life in the big leagues. It’s worth noting that he got off to a slow start at Triple-A this season before really heating up in recent weeks. If there’s one big reason to believe Manzardo will remain for the Guardians, it’s that he’s clearly the superior option as a designated hitter in the future, while also occasionally starting at first base when Josh Naylor needs a maintenance day, rather than internal alternatives in difficulties. like Estevan Florial and Bo Naylor. If you’re rolling the dice on raw talent, Manzardo is one of the most intriguing offensive prospects in fantasy, making him worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats.
Jameson Taillon, SP, Puppies
Available on 55% of Yahoo! Leagues
It’s quite remarkable that Taillon remains on the ropes in most fantasy formats after putting together a sublime four-game run since returning from a three-week absence at the start of the regular season, recovering from a back strain that sent him to injured list at the end of spring training. The 32-year-old veteran right-hander hasn’t been overpowering in terms of generating whiffs, but his precise command has allowed him to throw strikes consistently and avoid hard contact. He has compiled a sublime 1.13 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 16/5 K/BB ratio in 24 innings (four starts) since making his season debut on April 19. Despite lacking immense strikeout upside, Taillon offers great appeal to fantasy managers as a back-end rotation stabilizer and finds himself in line for a tasty road showdown on Friday against the division rival Pirates, who scored the sixth-fewest runs in baseball and also threw the third-fewest homers in the first couple weeks of the season. Simply put, Taillon needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats until further notice, even if he is overdue for some slight regression from a run prevention standpoint.
Christian Scott, SP, Mets
Available on 66% of Yahoo! leagues
It’s a scary matchup on paper, but Fantasy managers should strongly consider signing Scott on Friday when he takes the ball against Atlanta’s formidable lineup for his second big league start due to his immense strikeout advantage. The 24-year-old top pitcher wrote an extremely impressive opening chapter in his major league career last Saturday against the Rays, recording six strikeouts and allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings. He generated an impressive 18 hits and finished with a robust 35 percent CSW. That will work. He is worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats as he projects to make an immediate impact thanks to stellar control and the ability to consistently miss bats. He’s had some home run issues in the minors, but it’s a relatively minor concern at the moment. He completed his meteoric rise to the majors this season by compiling a brilliant 3.20 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 36/6 K/BB ratio in 25 1/3 innings (five starts) for Triple-A Syracuse. He possesses the raw talent needed to make an immediate impact on fantasy managers, especially since it appears he will have an extended runway to prove he belongs in New York for good.
