Dan Titus reveals the top widely available hitters worth adding to the fantasy baseball waiver list in Week 16.
Fresh off hitting three dingers with six RBI against the Phillies before the All-Star break, Butler is a wreck and should be picked up across all formats.
Despite his .230 average, Butler’s recent performance is noteworthy. Over the past two weeks, he has been on fire, hitting .455 with seven runs, five homers, 18 RBI and two stolen bases. His seven home runs over the last 15 games, while not sustainable, indicate a significant increase in energy that seems legitimate.
Butler’s top exit velocity is in the 87th percentile, and his barrel (11.8%) and hard impact rates (48.7%) are above league average. Last month, he was quietly in the top 10 in MLB in both marks. His high K rate (28.5%) indicates he may struggle with plate discipline, but the hitting and power numbers he is bringing will make up for the average drop that could be on the horizon.
He was AL Player of the Week just before the All-Star break and has carried that momentum forward, going 7-for-11 with three runs and five RBI since Friday. Fantasy managers should pounce as he moves into the starting role – hurry up and make sure he’s still available.
The 23-year-old shortstop has been a top-80 fantasy player over the past month, batting .288 with three homers, 12 runs, 12 RBI and seven stolen bases in that span. Neto has shown steady improvement throughout the season, providing fantasy managers with a valuable combination of contact, speed and power. His OPS hasn’t been below .780 since April, and with Mike Trout expected to return on Thursday, the Angels could regain some welcome star power, which would only benefit Neto in the middle of the lineup.
Neto closed last week batting .500 with three runs, a home run, three RBI and two stolen bases against the A’s and he will face the Mariners and then the A’s again in a four-game homestand after that. Pick him if you need an all-purpose shortstop.
A former first-round pick in 2019, 25-year-old Toglia finally has the chance to show his power. Since becoming a regular in the Rockies’ lineup in early June, Toglia has been a force to be reckoned with, evidenced by his 12 home runs, 26 RBI and 20 runs scored in that span. His potential as a power hitter was evident when he hit his first multi-home run game just before the All-Star break, hitting three solo shots in a victory over the New York Mets.
Like Butler, you’ll have to look beyond batting average, but advanced data indicates Toglia’s tendency to be a Brent Rooker-type player in 2023. Despite hitting .197 overall so far, he’s hitting .492 with barrel , hard hit and exit velocities all well above league average. Baseball Savant is tracking his xBA at .238, which exceeds his performance over the last month. So, assuming he can sustain at least a .230 average, and if the power numbers hold up, he’ll be a productive fantasy asset in mixed leagues. He’s been a top-25 player the past two weeks, and after the All-Star break, I expect him to be rostered in more than just 24% of leagues considering he plays at Coors Field and 10 of his 16 home games. runs came on the road.
Another recent trending call-up, Yepez is slashing .367/.436/.571 with a 1.029 OPS this season. In 55 plate appearances, the Venezuelan has one home run, nine runs, six RBI and one steal. He hit his first long ball shortly after the All-Star break and moved up to the center of the lineup, batting third or cleaning up against the Reds last weekend. He’s in the middle of a 12 game streak, so ride the wave until he calms down.
Edwards has been doing his best Luis Arráez impression because all he does is make contact and get on base consistently. The June call-up is flying under the fantasy radar, hitting .344/.425/.406 with eight runs, four RBI and three stolen bases in 18 games. And it’s not that this is out of the ordinary. Edwards won the AAA batting title in 2023 and hit .295 in 30 games with the Marlins after being called up last September. Don’t expect much in terms of power, but he rarely hits, punching just 12 times in 64 ABs this season.
Edwards’ speed is a significant asset, as he converted 37 of 41 steal attempts in the minors and majors last season. With his consistent contact and on-base skills, he is likely to rise to the top of the batting order in the future. When that happens, his speed and striking ability will make him more than just a deep addition to the league.
