Waiver-Wire Targets:

New York Mets Third Baseman Brett Baty

At this point in the season it’s usually the teams that aren’t in the thick of a playoff race that are bringing up prospects. However, due to injury, the Mets have promoted their 2019 first-round draft pick. Baty hit a home run in his first major league at-bat and is hoping to give fantasy owners a boost down the stretch. The 22-year-old is a consensus top-50 prospect and was having a strong minor league season, hitting .315 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs and 76 runs scored between Double-A and Triple-A.

Baty won’t add much in the stolen base category, but the offense is legit. The Mets will most likely continue batting Baty lower in the lineup, but he should still have opportunities to drive in runs. Whether he remains in the big leagues and moves up in the lineup will be dictated by how he plays, but there is talent and this late in the season, it’s hard to find that on the waiver wire.

Chicago Cubs Outfielder Franmil Reyes

After being released by the Cleveland Guardians, Reyes has caught on with the Cubs and performed well. Reyes made his Cubs debut Aug. 9 and hasn’t stopped hitting. During this span, the outfielder has collected 13 hits and two home runs. Reyes hit 30 home runs in 2021 and has shown throughout his career that he can provide power for fantasy owners. It’s been a rough overall season, but if the Cubs can fix Reyes, fantasy owners have a chance to acquire a player who will help in the power category during the final six weeks.

Kansas City Royals First Baseman Vinnie Pasquantino

The 24-year-old was recommended when he was first promoted back in June, but like most rookies, there is an adjustment period. Pasquantino seems to be more comfortable now, and he’s having a monster month of August. The first baseman is batting .362 with five home runs this month and showing the power that made him a top-100 prospect. Pasquantino had 18 home runs prior to his promotion and has eight in the big leagues, so this is a player who can help in that category. The rookie is right at the 50 percent ownership threshold, so depending on league size he may not be available, but he’s definitely worth mentioning.

Washington Nationals Shortstop C.J. Abrams

The theme of young players continues, which isn’t surprising at this point in the season. Abrams was the centerpiece of the trade that sent Juan Soto from the Nationals to the San Diego Padres. The 21-year-old is an electric talent and consensus top-15 prospect in baseball. Prior to his promotion with the Nationals Aug. 15, Abrams played 46 games with the Padres and struggled as he only hit .232.

However, Abrams has a strong hit tool, which is why he’s highly regarded, and does have the ability to hit for power and steal bases. Abrams is probably not a target for teams that are near the leaderboard as we don’t know if he will continue to struggle at the big league level. But for that team looking for a late season boost, we can bet on the talent and hopefully playing on a team that isn’t in contention will allow him to relax and showcase his talents.

Cincinnati Reds Reliever Alexis Diaz

A pitcher who has had his fantasy baseball value increase in the month of August is Diaz. The 25-year-old has pitched extremely well and has only allowed one earned run since July 8. Diaz has an impressive 12.24 strikeouts per nine innings and is being trusted to hold leads late in the game for the Reds. Diaz has picked up two saves this month along with a win and is pitching to a 1.75 ERA for the season. The Reds aren’t a good baseball team, but if they have a lead late, Diaz appears to be the pitcher they will turn to.

Phil Backert

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