AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

We've incorporated grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's skills and talent on an A-E scale. Julio Rodriguez would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

Starting Pitcher

Jhony Brito, Yankees: I wanted to write Brito up last week, but the Yankees shipped him back to Triple-A immediately after his first big-league start. The 25-year-old righty came back up Saturday and put together another solid outing, and New York is probably going to have to think about keeping him around for the long haul. Brito doesn't have premium stuff, but he's added velocity in the last couple years and his changeup grades out as above average. His curveball has been hugely ineffective as a third pitch so far though, so his early success seems unsustainable, but given his surface numbers he's going to draw bids, and the offense supporting him could keep him in wins even if his ratios begin to degrade. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Hunter Gaddis, Guardians: Gaddis has had one bad start and one good start so far as Cleveland's fifth starter, but the good one was the more recent one and his numbers look good, so he'll get some attention. Those six shutout innings came against the A's though, and his stuff suggests he's probably got a ceiling as a swingman at best in the long run. The Guardians have too many more talented arms knocking on the door – Tanner Bibee, for instance, looked pretty brilliant in his first Triple-A outing, and Gavin Williams is already overmatching Double-A batters – to put up with Gaddis for long if he doesn't perform. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles: There aren't going to be many leagues where Rodriguez is available, but if you happened to draft after he was sent down to begin the season and weren't allowed to roster any minor leaguers, the 23-year-old represents an early opportunity to spend big. He's got elite stuff, and the fact that the O's were willing to park Kyle Bradish on IL for a full 15 days for a foot bruise is a subtle sign they want to give Rodriguez a chance to establish himself in the big-league rotation. If he does, Tyler Wells probably gets the boot when Bradish comes back, and Rodriguez immediately becomes a favorite for AL Rookie of the Year. There is some risk he heads back down to Triple-A after a couple of starts, but even in that case, the odds are very good he'll heard from again before long. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $17; 12-team AL: $25

Chase Silseth, Angels: If you're in a league that allows minor-league stashes on free-agent bids before they actually get called up, Silseth could prove to be a very astute pickup. The 22-year-old righty struggled last year in his first look at big-league hitters, but he's been outstanding through his first two starts for Triple-A Salt Lake to begin 2023, to the point that you begin to wonder if the Bees aren't in the PCL any more. More importantly, the Angels could use help at the back of the rotation. Tyler Anderson isn't going anywhere because of his contract, but Jose Suarez hasn't looked good either, and neither Tucker Davidson nor Griffin Canning are answers. Silseth could force his way back to the majors fairly quickly. He doesn't have ace-level stuff, but when his command is on, his deep arsenal plays up. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox: The Red Sox brought Whitlock along slowly this spring after hip surgery ended his 2022 season a bit prematurely, but he appears ready to join the Boston rotation as soon as Tuesday against (gulp) the undefeated Rays. That's not a great spot for a debut, but the 26-year-old righty should be more than a streaming option. Whitlock bounced between starting and relieving last year, but his stuff is good enough for the rotation, and it's not out of the question that he emerges as the team's most dependable starter this season if he can stay healthy. That's not necessarily a high bar to clear on a staff that featured brittle pitchers like Chris Sale and James Paxton, but Whitlock has legit upside. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)

Josh Fleming, Rays (vs. BOS, at TOR)
Kyle Gibson, Orioles (vs. OAK, at CHW)
Zack Greinke, Royals (at TEX, vs. ATL)
Matt Manning, Tigers (at TOR, vs. SF)
JP Sears, Athletics (at BAL, vs. NYM)

Relief Pitcher

Matt Brash, Mariners: In deeper formats, it's never too early to stash a couple high-K relief arms without premium fantasy roles on your bench, to use when some of your depth SPs have matchups you want to avoid. Brash has only one hold in five appearances, but that comes with a 2.08 ERA and an 8:2 K:BB in 4.1 innings. The hard-throwing righty might even creep into the closing mix with Andres Munoz landing on the injured list, and while Paul Sewald will remain the top option in the ninth, but his velocity is down a bit to begin the year. As long as Brash's control stays in check, the strikeouts should come in bunches, and at least for now, any other production should be viewed as a bonus. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Aroldis Chapman, Royals: Well, look who got their first save of the season Saturday. Scott Barlow had pitched the prior two days and is still first in line to close for the Royals, but Chapman has mostly looked like his old self through his first four appearances, racking up an 8:1 K:BB in four innings and averaging over 100 mph with his fastball. If Kansas City is looking to flip him, the team will likely continue to showcase the 35-year-old lefty in high-leverage spots, and that would come with some extra save chances – and not just when Barlow is unavailable. Of course, the Royals are 3-6 already and could also be looking to trade Barlow, but if he gets dealyt first, that's hardly a bad thing for Chapman's fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Garrett Hill / Trey Wingenter, Tigers: Detroit's bullpen, predictably, is a mess to begin the year. Alex Lange, the presumed closer, doesn't just have zero saves, he has zero strikeouts in his first three appearances. Jose Cisnero, the presumed default option if Lange stumbled, has a 9.00 ERA and 2:2 K:BB through his first three appearances. In fact, there's only two Tigers relievers who have looked semi-respectable so far. Hill has the team's only save, although it came in the 11th inning (after Lange and Cisnero has both given up runs to help get the game to extras), and he's managed a 7:4 K:BB through 6.2 innings. Wingenter, a 28-year-old righty who hadn't pitched in the majors since 2019 with the Padres prior to winning a bullpen spot with the Tigers with a great spring, has a 3:1 K:BB through 2.1 innings. Neither has truly overpowering stuff and they would fit better as setup men or even middle relievers in a deeper bullpen, but in Detroit, throwing strikes in the mid-90s might be enough to get you consistent ninth-inning duty sooner or later. Hill – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 / Wingenter – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Ron Marinaccio, Yankees: If Brash is already stashed, Marinaccio is a fine alternative. The 27-year-old righty came out of nowhere least year to give the Yankees some valuable relief innings, and he's continued that performance in 2023, posting an 8:2 K:BB through 4.1 innings. He's got one hold in three appearances and isn't going to threaten Clay Holmes' job any time soon, but with Jonathan Loaisiga and Lou Trivino on the shelf and Michael King not able to find his usual velocity in the early going, Marinaccio could find himself in a consistent high-leverage role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Will Smith, Rangers: The veteran lefty surprisingly got Texas' first save of the season last Sunday, although Jose Leclerc has since also picked up his first of the year. Leclerc remains the likeliest option to be The Guy in the Rangers' bullpen, but manager Bruce Bochy could be leaning toward more of a timeshare than expected in the ninth inning, something he's not only done before with the Giants but done with Smith – in 2018, Smith tied Hunter Strickland with 14 saves each to lead San Francisco. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Catcher

Connor Wong, Red Sox: When the history of the 2023 season gets written, the first real victim of MLB's rule changes to goose basestealing could go down as Reese McGuire. McGuire was expected to be Boston's top backstop, working at worst on the strong side of a platoon, but his playing time is cratering after the opposition went a perfect 14-for-14 on stolen-base attempts through his first five games. Forget about a starting job – his roster spot could be in jeopardy if he can't stop teams from running at will against him. As a result, Wong has seen a lot more playing time than expected so far. It's fair to wonder whether anyone with Wong on their roster wants him to get more playing time, as he's got a career .195/.267/.325 slash line during his brief time in the majors, but the 26-year-old did post a far more palatable .285/.346/.486 line in 81 games at Triple-A last season with 15 homers, so there is some offensive upside here. In two-catcher formats, he's definitely worth a look. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

First Base

Ryan Noda, Athletics: The 27-year-old got exposed to the Rule 5 draft this offseason despite his prodigious power due to his massive strikeout issues in the minors, but the offense-starved A's had nothing to lose by giving him a look. Noda's batting only .222 so far (4-for-18), but he's gone yard twice in eight games and, perhaps more importantly, has struck out only eight times. He's probably just a bargain bin Joey Gallo, but if he can keep the K's relatively in check, he could prove to use a useful source of homers if you don't mind the batting average risk. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Second Base

Vidal Brujan, Rays: The Rays' system is really unfairly stacked. Imagine having Jose Siri hit the IL, and having a guy like Brujan just sitting around in the minors waiting for a call. There are a lot of teams the 25-year-old would be starting for already, or at least getting consistent big-league playing time in a utility role, but in Tampa Bay, he's only insurance. Brujan's speed remains his best asset and he'd already stolen two bags in four games at Triple-A, but the question in the majors has been whether he can get on base enough to flash his wheels. A 4:4 BB:K in 21 PAs for Durham is encouraging on that front. It's not clear where Brujan might get playing time during his latest stint in the majors, but the Rays have a way of finding room for everybody so he might get 2-3 starts a week, and he was getting a look in center field at Triple-A before his promotion. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Adam Frazier, Orioles: Frazier switched teams again this offseason, but the 31-year-old remains the ultimate floor option for fantasy rosters no matter who he plays for. He's started eight of nine games for the O's so far, all at second base, and he's hitting .333 with a homer and a steal. He's never collected more than 11 of either over a full season, but he'll probably finish the year with a solid batting average and enough counting-stat production to provide some mild positive value. In shallower formats, he's the kind of guy it's nice to have stashed on your bench to cover short-term absences, and he still has OF eligibility from last year to boot. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: The 27-year-old appears to be emerging as the strong-side platoon option at the keystone for Detroit, at least while Jonathan Schoop is struggling. McKinstry isn't doing any better at the plate though, batting .176 with a steal and two runs scored in six games, and his role could dry up in a hurry for any number of reasons – Schoop heats up, the team decides to take a look at a younger player, or even just manager A.J. Hinch wising up and realizing McKinstry isn't an asset. Still, in deep formats, the playing time has some value on its own. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Third Base

Jake Burger, White Sox: With Eloy Jimenez hurt again (sigh), Burger has been working a short-side platoon role at DH since his promotion, going 3-for-8 with a homer. Yoan Moncada's hot start also comes with a 1:10 BB:K and looks an awful lot like a mirage, so it's possible Burger could begin to work his way into the third-base mix down the road when Moncada's inevitable next slump hits. For now though, the 26-year-old is just a stash with some upside after he slugged 18 home runs in 82 games for Triple-A Charlotte back in 2021. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Shortstop

Kyle Farmer, Twins: Farmer has emerged as Minnesota's preferred option at second base while Jorge Polanco is out of action, and the 32-year-old has responded by batting .350 (7-for-20) with a homer, five RBI and six runs in seven games. Polanco could be back as soon as next week though after beginning his rehab stint Thursday, so the window to get some value out of Farmer is closing quickly. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yankees: IKF's career has been defined by position switches, and it doesn't look like 2023 will be any different. After losing the starting shortstop job to rookie Anthony Volpe, Kiner-Falefa was stuck on the bench to begin the season, but he's now played four games in center field – the first four of his big-league career – as the Yankees have struggled to find a consistent replacement for the injured Harrison Bader. IKF hasn't been the answer either so far, going 0-for-12 at the plate, but the team seems more willing to give him chances than Aaron Hicks (and who can blame them?) Bader could start a rehab assignment by next weekend, but Kiner-Falefa will probably just find his way to another spot on the diamond in that case. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Outfield

Akil Baddoo, Tigers: Austin Meadows has had a difficult last few years, and he deserves all the praise and support for being brave enough to step away from the game to focus on his mental health. Baddoo was called up to take his roster spot, and the 24-year-old was off to a great start at Triple-A Toledo, batting .321 in seven games with a homer, two steals and an eye-popping 6:5 BB:K given his prior issues controlling the strike zone. It's not clear how much playing time will get – Matt Vierling and Kerry Carpenter should also factor into the left-field mix – but if Baddoo can carry his Triple-A momentum forward, he could quickly seize the bulk of the starts. His 2022 performance highlights the risk in rostering him, but he's still got significant power-speed upside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Willie Calhoun, Yankees: Calhoun got called up Saturday when Josh Donaldson landed on the shelf. Is there much room for Calhoun to get consistent playing time at DH or a corner outfield spot? Not really. Do the Yankees have a long track record of successful reclamation projects, especially with left-handed hitters who can take aim at the short porch in right field? You betcha. The 28-year-old was once the centerpiece of a Yu Darvish trade, and he's got a 20-homer season on his resume in only 83 games from his Texas days, even if it did come in the happy fun ball 2019 campaign. Maybe New York can get something out of him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Franchy Cordero, Yankees: Of course, Calhoun might have to get in line when it comes to yankee reclamation projects this year. Cordero was released late in spring training by Baltimore, but New York decided to give him a shot and so far the 28-year-old has taken advantage of his opportunities, going 3-for-10 with a double and a homer. He'll need to get more consistent playing time to have value in shallower formats, something that will be tough as long as Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are healthy, but Cordero's athletic talent and upside have never been in question dating back to his Padres days, only whether he had the baseball skills to fully realize them. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Josh Lowe, Rays: Lowe is beginning to look like 2023's top post-hype sleeper. The 25-year-old struggled mightily to make consistent contact in the majors last year despite all kinds of preseason buzz, but so far in five games this season he's batting .333 (6-for-18) with three doubles and a homer, and a perfectly respectable 1:3 BB:K. With Jose Siri out of action for a while, there will be more playing time available in the outfield, and if Lowe stays hot with regular starts, he could be tough to dislodge from the lineup. (At least, as tough to dislodge as any other ray who isn't Wander Franco.) 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Chas McCormick, Astros: McCormick and Jake Meyers have been splitting the center-field job in Houston fairly evenly so far, but the former has been marginally better offensively and is getting a look in the leadoff role, which would provide a significant boost to his fantasy value if he can keep it. McCormick is batting only .227 (5-for-22) through six games, but he's 3-for-3 on steal attempts – an impressive performance for a player who's best year as a baserunner in the minors was a 19-for-23 showing between High-A and Double-A in 2018. The 27-year-old registered a sprint speed in the 84th percentile last season, so he could wind up being one of the surprising winners of MLB's rule change sweepstakes. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Rostered

Gavin Sheets, White Sox: The 26-year-old could end up being the biggest beneficiary of Eloy's latest injury, filling the strong side of a DH platoon in his absence. Sheets is still looking for his first extra-base hit of 2023, going 3-for-11 so far with three RBI, but he's got solid power and his 4:3 BB:K is nice to see. He hasn't quite found his swing yet – groundballs are up and flyballs down in his tiny sample of plate appearances – but when he does, he should deliver solid production. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Leody Taveras, Rangers: My personal albatross (it's a long story, but in the RotoWire Staff Keeper League, he's been on and off my roster three different times since his minor-league days) strained his oblique early in camp and began the season on the IL, but he's 12 plate appearances deep into a rehab assignment at Double-A and figures to get activated sometime this week. Taveras teased a possible fantasy breakout in 2022, swiping 11 bags in 99 games and even beginning to show a bit of power, and more importantly for the 24-year-old's outlook in 2023, none of the Rangers' other center field options showed much in his absence and the team wound up shifting Adolis Garcia over rather than give consistent playing time to the likes of Bubba Thompson. When Taveras joins the roster, he should start right away, and while you shouldn't count on him to be anything more than a cheap steals source, there's always the chance this is the year he begins to put it all together. Have I just talked myself into picking up some shares of him once again? What do you think? 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Matt Vierling, Tigers: Vierling has pushed his way out of a platoon role early in his Tigers tenure, batting .286 through seven games with a homer and a steal. The 26-year-old has never posted big numbers in the minors and profiles more as a quality fourth outfielder on a good team – think a younger Kevin Pillar – but in Detroit, he could easily hang onto a starting role, especially with Austin Meadows away from the club. Double-digit HR and SB with a palatable batting average might be his ceiling, but that's a profile with value in deeper formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Matt Wallner, Twins: Minnesota's LF/1B/DH depth took another hit this week when Joey Gallo developed some soreness in his right side, and while the team has said imaging didn't reveal anything serious, the vagueness of the descriptions of the issue do raise at least a yellow flag. With Alex Kirilloff not yet ready to play either, Wallner got called up Saturday. The 25-year-old is effectively a Gallo starter kit, offering big-time power with big-time holes in his swing, but he could run into a homer or two while on the big-league roster if he gets some playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1