The latest Rotoworld Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire column details the arrival of a top pitcher and the emergence of a new defenseman in Milwaukee. We also take a look at two new starting specialists in Toronto and Seattle, respectively, along with an unexpected approach in Colorado.
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Robert Gasser, SP, brewers
Available on 90% of Yahoo! leagues
There’s a strong possibility Gasser would have made Milwaukee’s season-opening pitching mix if he hadn’t fallen to the shelf in the late stages of spring training due to a bone spur in his left elbow. The 24-year-old lefty threw six shutout games in his major league debut last Friday against the Cardinals and will face the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon in his next game. He offers enough strikeout upside thanks to a mix of fastball, sweeper, cutter and four-seam changeup that is enough to keep right-handed hitters from getting too comfortable. There will be some bumps in the road as he adjusts to pitching at the highest level, but there is enough potential to warrant consideration for a roster spot in deeper mixed leagues, especially if he remains in Milwaukee’s starting rotation permanently.
Davis Schneider, 2B/OF, Blue Jays
Available on 77% of Yahoo! leagues
Schneider was an early Statcast standout thanks to his combination of an immaculate 12.1 percent barrel rate, which represents the fifth-best mark among qualified hitters, and his impressive plate skills, which led to a .387 percentage. at the plate in 69 career games. since last year in the majors. The unheralded 25-year-old has recently had the opportunity to lead the Blue Jays in three of their last four contests, with George Springer dealing with an illness and getting off to an extremely slow start in this plate. Toronto coach John Schneider (no relation) has been noncommittal in terms of returning Springer to his usual leadership spot once he overcomes his recent viral illness, which appears to signal that Schneider could oust him from the role permanently. It’s hard to predict Schneider as a stalwart fantasy prospect, but his on-base skills offer an extremely high level and he projects as a double-digit threat with the ability to snag a handful of stolen bases. He’s worthy of a speculative spot in every fantasy format right now, especially with all the recent injuries to superstar-caliber outfielders.
Trevor Megill, RP, Brewers
Available on 58% of Yahoo! leagues
We’re reluctant to commit to a long-term job, but we’re pretty confident that Brewers manager Pat Murphy will continue to call up Megill in the ninth inning until All-Star slugger Devin Williams (back) is ready to return sometime mid-season. The 30-year-old right-hander, who missed time last month after suffering a concussion, has thrown six consecutive scoreless games since April 24 and has converted all four of his save chances this season to go along with a microscopic 0.93 ERA, 0 WHIP .93 and 8 /3 K/BB Ratio in 9 2/3 innings (nine appearances). Simply put, Megill needs to be rostered in every fantasy format until Williams, who is just starting a throwing program this month while recovering from stress fractures in his back, is ready to reclaim the role sometime later this summer.
Josh Rojas, 2B/3B, Marines
Available on 73% of Yahoo! leagues
Previously a fantasy darling thanks to his stratospheric minor league numbers and power/speed combination, Rojas is finally emerging as a viable contributor in the mixed leagues in his full-season debut in Seattle. The extremely versatile 29-year-old is batting .375/.426/.571 with two home runs and three steals in 16 contests since taking the lead on April 24. flocked to him early in his career. He expects to continue leading against right-handed pitching and the movement at the top of the Mariners lineup should increase runs scored while also leading to more opportunities to steal bases. He is eligible for multiple positions and is quickly emerging as an intriguing option for fantasy managers, especially in deeper mixed leagues.
Jalen Beeks, RP, Rockies
Available on 91 percent of Yahoo! leagues
Don’t look now, but the Rockies might be closer. There has been almost zero stability in Colorado’s bullpen over the past few years, but Beeks appears to be solidifying his status as their top outfielder with saves in three of the last four days. The 30-year-old lefty was once an intriguing starting pitching candidate with the Red Sox and Rays, but never really distinguished himself in the role, eventually establishing himself as a multi-inning reliever. Somehow, he managed to tame Coors Field in his Rockies debut, converting four of five save chances to go along with a stellar 2.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 14/11 K/BB ratio in 20 1/3 innings (18 appearances). The Coors Field factor and lackluster control are glaring red flags, but he’s making it work now, and coach Bud Black clearly trusts him with the role now. That’s more than enough to put him on fantasy managers’ radar until further notice.
