The following players are widely available in Yahoo Fantasy Baseball formats and may be worth grabbing, depending on your league’s depth.
Jordan Westburg, SS, Baltimore Orioles (29% rostered)
Westburg is the latest intriguing prospect to get called to the majors this year after a solid performance in Triple-A that included 18 homers, six steals and a 131 wRC+. The rookie possesses an encouraging swing path and sports strong exit velocity numbers. Westburg will likely play across the diamond (SS, 3B and 2B) in Baltimore and should see a regular role with Jorge Mateo being MLB’s worst hitter by a mile (3 wRC+!) since May 1.
Camden Yards has remained one of the league’s toughest parks for right-handed power this season since changing its dimensions, but Westburg should be added in deeper fantasy leagues given his power/speed potential. Just beware: His projections are modest.
Kenta Maeda, SP, Minnesota Twins (28%)
Maeda impressed during his first return from the IL and sits with a 3.74 FIP on the season despite pitching through injuries. His velocity was up after missing the last two months, so hopefully he’s finally healthy. Maeda’s 6.86 ERA comes with a top-25 K-BB% if he qualified, directly ahead of Yu Darvish, Lucas Giolito, Aaron Nola and Cy Young favorite, Shane McClanahan. Maeda’s .371 BABIP would be easily the highest among qualified starters and is nearly 100 points higher than his career mark (.283); his expected BABIP is just .288.
Maeda has a career 1.15 WHIP, plays for a first-place team and has ace-type peripherals yet remains available in more than 70% of Yahoo leagues (although he’s safest on your bench during his next start in Atlanta, as the Braves have the best wRC+ over the last month).
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds (34%)
Votto remains widely available on waiver wires despite smacking three homers and posting a 1.213 OPS over six games since returning from the IL. Votto finally looks healthy after a delayed start following offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and biceps. He’ll turn 40 years old in September and is something of a batting average risk at this stage of his career, but Votto is one season removed (the last one in which he played healthy) from hitting 36 homers with 99 RBI (139 wRC+ ) in fewer than 130 games.
It’s been a tiny sample, but his expected slugging (.606) would rank top-five among qualified hitters, just ahead of Yordan Alvarez, Freddie Freeman and Pete Alonso. Great American Ballpark (more like Smallpark) has increased home runs for lefties an MLB-high 63% (!) over the last three seasons and has remained the most favorable for LHB power this year as well. Votto should provide something close to a 35-homer, 100-RBI pace moving forward.
Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Baltimore Orioles (31%)
Rodriguez has 31 strikeouts over 22.1 innings in Triple-A this month and recorded the most whiffs (28) in any Triple-A outing throughout the minors this season. Rodriguez also sports a 2.42 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP since getting sent down primarily to work on his fastball command. He still needs improved control, but the former top prospect’s ugly 7.35 ERA came with a 4.06 SIERA, so poor luck has also contributed to his highly disappointing fantasy year (and demotion to the minors).
Rodriguez still has ace potential and should get another chance soon on an Orioles team leading the Wild Card race while using Cole Irvin in their starting rotation; Irving’s 8.98 expected ERA is in the bottom 1% of the league.
Brandon Pfaadt, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks (5%)
Pfaadt has rebounded and posted a 3.16 ERA since getting demoted to the hitter-friendly PCL. He’s recorded a 23:1 K:BB ratio with a 0.75 WHIP over his last three starts — all coming in extreme hitter’s parks. Pfaadt’s approach will likely continue to lead to homer problems, but some of that poor luck in the majors (20.5 HR/FB%) and in the minors is sure to regress.
Pfaadt is one of the best pitchers remaining in the minors and could get another chance in Arizona’s rotation soon with his next scheduled turn lining up with Zach Davies (5.13 SIERA).