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Whether it be injuries or poor execution, every MLB franchise will be making lineup and pitching changes throughout the season. Taking advantage of those opportunities on the waiver fire is key for fantasy baseball success.
Especially early in the season. Finding that diamond in the rough could be the key to a championship later in the season. The waiver wire allows for teams to add players who might’ve been forgotten on draft day. As the season shakes out, those players may become crucial to their respective teams and gain a larger piece of the piece.
Or, a player may break out when least expected. While the hype going into the year wasn’t high, a strong start to the campaign will certainly draw some eyeballs.
Each player on the list falls into one of those two categories. All four make for strong additions in Week 3 and potentially throughout the remainder of the season. Better yet, all four players on the list are owned in 25 percent or less of all available ESPN fantasy baseball leagues.
Brice Turang, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers found themselves in an interesting position entering Opening Day. They looked liked sellers, dealing Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. However, the Brewers then looked like competitors by promoting top prospect Jackson Chourio to the majors.
But regardless of Milwaukee’s 2024 intentions, second baseman Brice Turang has given them a reason to believe early in the season. Through his first seven games of the season, Turang is hitting a scorching .384 with two RBI and an MLB-leading six stolen bases.
Even if his batting average comes down, Turang’s work on the basepaths make him a valuable fantasy baseball addition. Stolen bases are on the rise across the league. If Turang can continue to take advantage of MLB’s new base rules, he will be a forced to be reckoned with in the stolen base category.
While fantasy baseball owners look for runs, home runs and RBI, stolen bases can often be forgotten. Turang is making sure no one forgets, adding a consistent approach to the plate on top of his speed. Heading into Week 3 is the perfect time to make sure no one else in the league gets Turang or his SB on their roster.
Blaze Alexander, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
Blaze Alexander is only six games into his first taste of MLB action with the Arizona Diamondbacks. And already, he is poised to take on an even bigger role.
Shortstop Geraldo suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and will be out for at least a month. While Arizona called up veteran Kevin Newman, Alexander is expected to see most of the starts at shortstop, via Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
Over those first six games, Alexander has hit .278 with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base. Now poised to take on an even larger role, Alexander’s fantasy baseball value has skyrocketed.
Adding him now on waiver wires ensures Alexander is on your roster before his ownership truly blows up. The shortstop ranked as the team’s 11th-best prospect in 2023, via MLB Pipeline. Now he’ll have an opportunity to prove he can be a difference maker at the major league level on a nightly basis. Fantasy baseball gold.
Alex Kirilloff, 1B/OF, Minnesota Twins
Injuries have held Alex Kirilloff from making a true standout impact with the Minnesota Twins. However, healthy to start the 2024 campaign, the versatile slugger has oozed potential.
Through the first seven games of the season, Kirilloff has hit .385 with two RBI and a league leading three triples. While he has yet to put one over the fence, Kirilloff is coming off a 2023 where he had 11 home runs in just 88 games.
Through his entire MLB career, Kirilloff has hit .264 with 22 home runs and 98 RBI. Hoping to have him over a full season, the outfielder/first baseman should continue to hit towards the top of the order. That’ll only increase his fantasy baseball value with more run scoring, RBI possibilities.
On top of his offensive power, Kirilloff will likely have eligibility at both first and outfield in most leagues. That’ll allow owners to mix and match their lineup without minimizing offensive output. Kirilloff will have to prove he can remain healthy over a full season. But when on the diamond, he produces.
Cody Bradford, SP, Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers opened the 2024 season with Jacob deGrom, Michael Lorenzen, Tyler Mahle and Max Scherzer all on the injured list. Texas was in desperate need of someone to step up in their absences. Cody Bradford has done just that, proving to be a potential rotation weapon even as the Rangers start to get healthier.
Through his first two starts of the season, Bradford holds a 2-0 record with a 2.13 ERA and a 10/1 K/BB ratio. His most recent start saw the left-hander throw 7.2 innings of one-run baseball against the Houston Astros, striking out four while walking none. He allowed just two hits.
Bradford didn’t have the prettiest MLB debut in 2023, leading to some concern. He held a 4-3 record with a 5.30 ERA and a 51/12 K/BB ratio. Over his 20 appearances, only eight were starts. If the Rangers weren’t so injured, it’s fair to wonder if Bradford would’ve started in the rotation.
However, he is making the most of his opportunity right now. He represents a strong short-term addition on the waiver wire who could blossom into much more. As long as Bradford is pitching as well as he is, manager Bruce Bochy won’t take him out of the rotation.
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