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 upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook. Wyatt Langford 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

Logan Allen, Guardians: The 25-year-old lefty was mostly forgotten about after a rough 2024 that saw him serve up 22 homers in 97.1 big-league innings, but Allen looked much sharper this spring – 19:4 K:BB in 19 Cactus League innings, and just one long ball allowed – to claim Cleveland's fifth starter gig. His leash will be short, but if Allen's figured out how to keep the ball in the park, he's capable of providing solid ratios. He also gets a juicy two-step next week (April 7-13) with home starts against the White Sox and Royals, so stashing him now could pay off big. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Sean Burke, White Sox: The default ace on the South Side, Burke looked the part to kick off 2025 by blanking the Halos over six innings in an Opening Day win. The 25-year-old righty has some strikeout upside, but he had trouble keeping the ball in the park even at Triple-A and his team context couldn't be worse, especially if he starts running into actual aces on other teams. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Kris Bubic, Royals: Bubic won a rotation spot with Kansas City on the strength of a 17:5 K:BB over 16.2 Cactus League innings. (He also had a 6.48 ERA, but hey, it's the Cactus League.) The 27-year-old southpaw struggled in his prior stints as a starter in the majors, but he may have figured something out while working in the bullpen last season. He gets a two-step this week, but it's a risky one – on the road in Milwaukee, then at home against the O's. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Richard Fitts, Red Sox: Headline writers are already salivating over all the "BoSox give opponent Fitts" possibilities if this guy pitches well. The 25-year-old righty has a potentially plus slider to build around, and his strikeout numbers in the high minors were better than what he managed in a 20.2-innings audition with the big club last year. Boston's rotation will start getting healthier in mid-April, so his window to establish himself will be a narrow one, but Fitts has some intriguing upside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Jackson Jobe, Tigers: Early-season roster rates can be funny. Jobe was 100 percent rostered in 12-team formats in the NFBC when I wrote him up last week, but he was under 20 percent on ESPN. Even after the final wave of drafts last weekend, he's only up to 24.1 percent. Detroit's top pitching prospect was expected to win a rotation spot in camp and didn't do anything to lose it, posting an 3.65 ERA and 8:4 K:BB through 12.1 Grapefruit League innings. There are warning signs his rookie season could be a bumpy one – he got tagged for four homers this spring, which is worrying in Florida – but keeping the ball in the yard wasn't an issue for the 22-year-old right-hander as he worked his way up the ladder, although he does carry control/command concerns. Jobe might have four plus pitches at his peak, which is just silly, and even in re-draft formats the upside here warrants an investment. He could come out of the gates quickly – Jobe gets a two-start week that features a road start in Seattle's friendly park, and then a home tilt against the White Sox. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Rostered

Jack Leiter, Rangers: Texas is one of the many, many teams dealing with a rash of rotation injuries to begin the season, and that's opened up a spot for Leiter (as well as fellow young flamethrower Kumar Rocker.) I like Rocker a little better for 2025 purposes, but Leiter has plenty of upside too. The 24-year-old righty fanned 110 batters in 77 Triple-A innings last year but gave up 10 homers while walking 35, and those control and command issues got exacerbated in the majors. Leiter was been on the dominant end of that scale this spring, posting a 21:10 K:BB while serving up just one long ball in 20.2 Cactus League innings, and he carried that forward into the regular season with five innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox on Friday. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Zack Littell, Rays: With Shane McClanahan going down in camp, there was room in the Rays' rotation for both Littell and Drew Rasmussen rather than one or the other. Littell is coming off a breakout 2024 that saw him post a 3.63 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 156.1 innings and 29 starts, and he took advantage of a soft first matchup in 2025, holding the Rockies to one run over six innings with a 7:0 K:BB at Steinbrenner Field. The 29-year-old right-hander doesn't have the stuff or strikeout upside to make finding another level likely, and the temporary home park is a bit of a worry, but he'd still be useful even with a slight regression from last year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Casey Mize, Tigers: I meant to write up Mize last week, but he slipped through the cracks. The 27-year-olf righty has never lived up to his billing as the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, but Mize has a rotation job and looked very good this spring with a 1.89 ERA and 25:8 K:BB in 19 Grapefruit League innings. He revamped his slider over the offseason, and if the new pitch can be an effective complement to his mid-90s fastball and splitter, a breakout campaign could follow. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Kumar Rocker, Rangers: To say Rocker has had an erratic start to his pro career would be like saying the White Sox endured some challenges in 2024. You don't need to sugarcoat it, we can all see what's going on. Rocker was drafted 10th overall by the Mets in 2021, only for the team to basically walk away from the pick as a sunk cost after getting a look at his medicals. After arthroscopic shoulder surgery, he went third overall to the Rangers the following year, and it looked like the decision had blown up in their faces when he underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023. The right-hander was back on a mound a little over a year later though, and instead of getting eased back into things while trying to find his control and command – the usual pattern right after TJ – Rocker decided he's just look like a future ace right away, if you don't mind. He raced up the ladder and posted a 0.91 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 47:4 K:BB over seven starts in the high minors before fanning 14 in his first 11.2 MLB innings in September. He then comes into camp this year and looks terrible before working on his mechanics on a back field and reassuring the Rangers he was ready to begin the year in the big-league rotation. If the Texas staff was healthy, Rocker would be starting the season back at Triple-A, but instead he begins the year on the 26-man roster. This is a high-volatility, boom-or-bust kind of play, and investors could get an answer on which it will be right away -- the 25-year-old gets a two-step this week with a road start at Great American Ball Park in Cincy, and then a home start against the Rays. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Yariel Rodriguez, Blue Jays: Max Scherzer didn't make it through his Blue Jays debut intact, leaving early due to a sore lat, and the 40-year-old is now headed to the IL due to a persistent thumb issue. Toronto kept Rodriguez stretched out this spring for a reason, and he should slot into the rotation Friday in a road start against Juan Soto and the Mets, which isn't exactly the softest matchup. Still, the 28-year-old righty should get at least a few turns, although if he really struggles the Jays could turn to someone like Jake Bloss instead. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shane Smith, White Sox: A Rule 5 pick out of the Brewers' system, Smith pitched well enough this spring to earn a rotation spot with the White Sox (granted, that's an incredibly low bar to clear) rather than being hidden at the back of the bullpen. The 24-year-old right-hander doesn't have premium stuff and his long-term future is probably in middle relief, but he struck out 106 batters in 87.2 Double-A innings last year, for what that's worth. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jeffrey Springs, Athletics: The 32-year-old lefty couldn't have asked for a better debut with his new team, as Springs blanked Seattle over six innings Friday with a 9:1 K:BB. He's made only 10 starts over the last two seasons, so he can't be counted on for a big workload, but Springs could deliver good ratios until his next IL stint – since moving into the rotation for the Rays in 2022, he's posted a 2.44 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 205:46 K:BB in 184.1 innings. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Hayden Wesneski, Astros: Part of the haul Houston got from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Wesneski will open the season in the rotation and could be there a while, as neither Lance McCullers not Luis Garcia look like they can be trusted to handle significant innings this year. Wesneski struck out 14 batters in 9.2 Grapefruit League innings this spring but walked seven, and given the way the Astros' pitching lab operates, I tend to look at that with some optimism – i.e., the walks are more likely to go down than the Ks as he grows more comfortable with whatever arsenal tweaks he's been working on. The 27-year-old righty gets a fantastic two-step next week (April 7-13) with a road start in Seattle and a home start against the Halos. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

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

Tyler Anderson, Angels (at STL, vs. CLE)
Joey Estes, Athletics (vs. CHC, at COL)
Emerson Hancock, Mariners (vs. DET, at SF)
Sean Newcomb, Red Sox (at BAL, vs. STL)
Luis L. Ortiz, Guardians (at SD, at LAA)
Chris Paddack, Twins (at CHW, vs. HOU)
Martin Perez, White Sox (vs. MIN, at DET)
Cade Povich, Orioles (vs. BOS, at KC)
Drew Rasmussen, Rays (vs. PIT, at TEX)
Will Warren, Yankees (vs. ARI, at PIT)

Relief Pitcher

Beau Brieske / Tyler Holton / Tommy Kahnle, Tigers: Detroit's closer situation seemed to get some brief clarity when Jason Foley was sent to Triple-A Toledo to begin the season, but Brieske made it murky again by blowing his first save of the season in spectacular fashion by serving up a walkoff homer to Mookie Betts on Friday. The right-hander has never really put together a sustained period of success, so I'm skeptical he's the answer for the Tigers in the ninth, but stranger things have happened. If Brieske keeps spitting the bit, Holton's the most likely next man up in the current bullpen, but the team would probably prefer to keep the southpaw in a flexible high-leverage role. Kahnle might have some save chances fall in his lap as a result, and while his arsenal is more setup man than closer, his main issue over the years has been staying healthy, not getting guys out. Brieske – 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11 / Holton – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4 / Kahnle – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Luke Jackson, Rangers: Bless the Rangers for always keeping everyone guessing with their bullpen. Jackson signed a cheap one-year deal with the team just before camp started in mid-February and seemed like he might be on the bubble to even make the Opening Day roster. Fast forward to late March, and suddenly Bruce Bochy is mentioning him as a closer candidate even though his last big-league save came back in 2019 with Atlanta. Sure enough, the 33-year-old has seen high-leverage usage right away, and after a bumpy debut Thursday while working the ninth inning in a tie game, Jackson notched a save against the Red Sox on Friday. Chris Martin got the call in the ninth Saturday, so the situation is still at least a little up in the air, but it certainly looks like Jackson is Bochy's first choice right now – and when it comes to finding saves on the waiver wire, opportunity is 90 percent of the battle. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $21

Justin Slaten, Red Sox: On the flip side of that season-opening series, Aroldis Chapman was expected to close for Boston to begin the year, but he worked the eighth inning in that Opening Day victory, while Slaten capably handled the ninth after the Red Sox took the lead. Chapman investors aren't going to complain too much about a win instead of a save, but if the veteran fireballer is going to be going in more of a highest-leverage role rather than reserved for the ninth, there could be a lot of loose saves available for Slaten, and maybe guys like Garrett Whitlock too. I'm even considering holding onto my one Liam Hendriks share for a bit – at least until he's back from the IL. Chapman's still the best play in this 'pen for saves, but Slaten's chances of getting to double digits before the end of the year are a lot better than they looked last week. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Catcher

Dillon Dingler, Tigers: I wrote up Dingler last week, and all he did in his season debut is nearly win a game single-handedly against the defending champs, going 2-for-5 with a triple (on a misplay in left field by Michael Conforto, to be fair), a homer and three RBI. Jake Rogers has two hits and three strikeouts in seven ABs to begin the year, and he's still viewed as the better defensive option behind the plate, but Detroit may just keep alternating the two until one of them makes the choice for them. Even a 50/50 split would be an upgrade on preseason expectations for Dingler, but if he starts raking, he's got by far the most fantasy upside of the duo. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Mickey Gasper, Twins: Teams are beginning to experiment with carrying essentially 2.5 catchers on their 26-man roster, by having a guy like Gasper (or David Fry in Cleveland when he's healthy, or J.C. Escarra with the Yankees) who can catch in a pinch but also move around the diamond when needed, while giving the team the flexibility to use a good-hitting starting catcher as a DH or pinch hitter. Gasper slashed .367/.471/.592 with eight homers in 48 games for Triple-A Worcester in the Boston system last year before being dealt to Minnesota in December, and while he may not see a lot of playing time behind the plate on a team that already has Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez, in deep two-catcher formats he could see enough overall to have a bit of value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jonah Heim, Rangers: Heim couldn't follow up his breakout 2023 campaign last year, and as a result he was yesterday's news in shallow drafts this spring. The 29-year-old reminded everyone of his upside with a two-homer game Friday though, and he should still see the majority of the playing time for Texas, even if Kyle Higashioka will take on more work than the typical backup. If that keeps Heim fresh and more productive when he is in the lineup, so much the better. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

First Base

Nick Kurtz, Athletics: Once the season starts, I rarely write up top prospects unless their promotion seems imminent. Well, while fellow 2024 draft class members Travis Bazzana and Jac Caglianone will begin their pro careers at Double-A, the Athletics are planting Kurtz at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he could post very silly numbers in the desert. There's no clear path to a big-league starting spot right now with Tyler Soderstrom at first base and Brent Rooker at DH, but the Miguel Andujar/Seth Brown platoon in left field won't be much of an obstacle if the Sacramento Exiles decide to give Rooker defensive duties again. Kurtz could be up in a matter of weeks, not months, and that makes him stashable. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Rowdy Tellez, Mariners: The burly slugger is notorious for being streaky, but Tellez was hot enough this spring to not only win a roster spot, but win a spot in the regular lineup for the M's against right-handed pitching. Even in his big 2022 campaign when he launched 35 homers for the Brewers, Tellez slashed just .219/.306/.461, so don't expect anything more than some taters. If you've got a deep bench though, he's a fun guy to have around for the couple weeks when he gets hot. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Second Base

Ryan Bliss, Mariners: Bliss won the starting job at second base over Dylan Moore and has some real fantasy upside thanks to his speed. He swiped 50 bag in 63 attempts in only 93 games at Triple-A Tacoma last year, and he's already got two in two games for Seattle to kick off 2025. The 25-year-old isn't a complete zero in the power department either. The big issue will be making enough contact and getting on base consistently, and on that front his 1:10 BB:K this spring was a little worrying, although he's drawn two walks against only one strikeout so far. Seattle knows what Moore is about though, and doesn't have much to lose by seeing if Bliss is an upgrade. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Kristian Campbell, Red Sox: The 22-year-old top prospect tore up the lower levels of the minors last season before posting a .286/.412/.486 slash line in 19 games at Triple-A with four homers and four steals, and he's got 20-20 potential even as a rookie. Campbell had a bumpy spring at the plate, batting .174 (8-for-46) with an 8:17 BB:K, but the Red Sox wouldn't have started his clock if they weren't committed to him, and there's chatter about a long-term contract to buy out his arb years already. Oh, and he has five hits in his first three big-league games, including his first homer Saturday. Last week I said his leash might be short, but I'll eat crow on that one – Campbell isn't going anywhere, and you should bid accordingly if he's still available. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $35 

Brendan Rodgers, Astros: Rodgers is getting an early chance to secure the starting job at second base while Jose Altuve adjusts to life in left field. The former Rockie's swing isn't geared toward exploiting the Crawford Boxes though and he struggled to post useful numbers when calling Coors Field home, so expecting fantasy value from Rodgers closer to sea level is probably asking too much. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Lenyn Sosa, White Sox: With Josh Rojas on the shelf to begin the season, Sosa's getting yet another chance to establish himself as a viable starting option for the White Sox. The 25-year-old had a big finish to 2024, slashing .321/.338/.450 over his final 35 games with four homers and 18 RBI, and he doesn't have anything left to prove at Triple-A. Team context limits his fantasy ceiling pretty severely, but Sosa could be useful while he's seeing regular playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Will Wagner, Blue Jays: The Blue Jays seem to fall in love with one utility player every year – it was Davis Schneider in 2023, and Ernie Clement last year. This year it looks like it might be Wagner, yet another scion of a big-league star to pal around with Vladimir Guerrero and Bo Bichette. Wagner's started all three games to begin the season, two at DH and one at third base, and he's gone 4-for-9 with a couple doubles. The 26-year-old will hit the bench against most left-handed pitching, but he slashed .315/.432/.444 at Triple-A last season between Sugar Land and Buffalo with an impressive 59:37 BB:K, and he's got legit skills at the plate. Even in a strong-side platoon role, he could provide mixed-league value, especially in formats with daily or biweekly moves. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Third Base

Ezequiel Duran, Rangers: Texas' infield depth might be tested this week, with Josh Jung battling neck spasms and Josh Smith straining his quad Saturday. That opens the door for some playing time for Duran. The 25-year-old has a solid 2023 in a utility role but his offense cratered last year, so it's questionable whether he'll be able to do much with additional ABs. If you're scrambling to fill a roster hole though, you could probably do worse. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Yoan Moncada, Angels: Moncada has looked a lot more motivated to begin the season, and while facing his former White Sox club in the first series of the year likely has a lot to do with that, it's easy to forget that the guy is only 29 years old and looked like a budding superstar once upon a time. His last truly healthy campaign was 2021, and in general he hasn't looked the same since the pandemic season, but a change of scenery might be just what he needs. Then again, the Angels' track record with injury-prone third basemen is, uhh, not good. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2 

Cam Smith, Astros: This year's breakout star of spring training went from prospect headliner in the Kyle Tucker trade in December to Opening Day starter in right field for Houston after a blistering camp. Smith consistently made hard, loud contact this spring and looked nothing like a 22-year-old kid who hasn't even played at Triple-A yet. He hasn't made a big impact yet, going 1-for-5 with two walks against one strikeout through his first two MLB games, but his upside is very, very real. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $25

Ramon Urias, Orioles: Urias is getting some early playing time with Gunnar Henderson on the shelf for a brief spell, but that tends to be how it goes with the 30-year-old. Every year he's dismissed as a veteran placeholder who will for sure be left in the dust by all of Baltimore's new prospect toys, and every years he winds up with 300-plus plate appearances. Urias went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI in his second start of the season Saturday, and there's no reason to think he won't be productive with his opportunities once again. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Shortstop

Jacob Amaya, White Sox: Somebody's got play shortstop for the White Sox – the new anti-shifting rules say so – and Amaya will be that guy to begin the season. The 26-year-old showed some adequate power in the minors in the Marlins' system, but there's no reason to expect him to do much from a fantasy perspective even with everyday playing time, and especially not in this lineup. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Ryan Kreidler, Tigers: The 27-year-old shortstop wasn't even supposed to begin the season in the majors, but Detroit's rash of injuries have made Kredler the regular center fielder instead. Over 822 career plate appearances at Triple-A, he's got 31 homers and 38 steals but a thoroughly mediocre .234/.354/.426 slash line, so expectations should be kept low. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Max Muncy, Athletics: Zach Gelof's wrist injury opened the door for the Other Muncy to be the A's second baseman to begin the season. The 22-year-old may not be quite ready, striking out four times in his first three MLB games, but he also slugged his first career homer Friday. If he can stay healthy and productive, there's a path to Muncy staying in the majors even after Gelof returns, as Gio Urshela is the very definition of a placeholder at third base. Muncy's definitely risky, but something like a 20-10 rookie season is possible. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Kyren Paris, Angels: Tim Anderson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his Halos debut Thursday, while Kevin Newman has gone 0-for-6 in two games. Jo Adell also checked up with a hip or quad issue Saturday while running to first base. Paris swiped a bag after pinch running for him, and it seems only a matter of time before the 23-year-old gets a real look, either in CF or at a middle infield spot. Paris was a total zero at the plate last year even in the minors – I don't know how it's possible to slash .209/.287/.360 in any kind of decent sample at Triple-A Salt Lake, but Paris managed it – but he completely retooled his swing in the offseason, emulating Taylor Ward's mechanics in the box, and it seemed to pay dividends this spring. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Daniel Schneemann, Guardians: Jose Ramirez is dealing with a wrist sprain, and while the issue appears to be minor, it could cost him some playing time in the short term. That would give Schneemann some extra work, either as JRam's direct replacement at the hot corner or filling it for whoever on the infield shifts to third base. If Ramirez's injury ends up requiring an IL stint though, Juan Brito might get the call instead, keeping Schneemann on the bench. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Taylor Walls, Rays: Walls has started both of Tampa's games so far, going 1-for-6 with a walk and a steal. The Rays could be focused on giving Junior Caminero as much defensive support as possible, or maybe the team just doesn't think Jose Caballero can be an everyday shortstop. If that playing time pattern holds though, Walls could be a cheap source of speed, even if he doesn't offer much of anything else. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

DaShawn Keirsey, Twins: The 27-year-old won the final spot on the Minnesota roster and should mainly be used as a pinch runner and late-inning defensive option. The Twins might be one more injury away from finding out of Keirsey can be more than that, though – Willi Castro is needed on the infield right now, and might not be available to cover center field if Byron Buxton breaks down. (What are the odds of that happening, though? Wait, I have Buxton shares this year. Knock on wood! Knock on wood!) Keirsey's .302/.372/.478 slash line in 111 Triple-A games last season, with 14 homers and 37 steals, offers some fantasy intrigue if he finds himself in a bigger role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Nathan Lukes, Blue Jays: While Daulton Varsho wraps up his recovery from shoulder surgery, Lukes will help fill the gap in center field. The 30-year-old has started two of the Jays' first three games, going 1-for-5 but drawing two walks and scoring three runs, and another week of strong-side platoon action could yield a little fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jake Mangum, Rays: Josh Lowe didn't even last one game before getting hurt and landing on the IL. Mangum, a 29-year-old switch hitter, will fill Lowe's roster spot, but Kameron Misner might get first crack at the open starting job after cracking a walkoff homer against the Rockies on Friday. Mangum has yet to make his big-league debut, but he's posted interesting numbers at Triple-A in three different organizations over the last three years, slashing .309/.352/.437 in over 1,000 PAs with 44 steals in 59 attempts. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Manuel Margot, Tigers: The 30-year-old was picked up off the scrap heap to help cover for all of Detroit's outfield injuries. It says something about how quickly Margot's athleticism is fading that the Tigers don't view him as a viable option in center, but he's gone 5-for-9 with three RBI in his first three games for Detroit, so that's something. He hasn't recorded double-digit homers or steals in a season since 2021, though, and the days of him being that kind of fantasy asset are probably gone. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kameron Misner, Rays: A former Marlins farmhand, Misner has never solved his contact issues – 11 of his first 20 big-league plate appearances have ended in a strikeout – but he's got power and speed, and he became the first Ray to take advantage of the right-field short porch at Steinbrenner Field with his walkoff solo shot Friday. With Josh Lowe on the shelf, Misner should get some playing time, but he could be a serious batting average liability while you chase those steals and homers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kevin Pillar, Rangers: It feels like Pillar keeps trying to retire every offseason, only to get Pacino'ed by some team looking for outfield depth. The 36-year-old will provide Leody Taveras with a short-side platoon partner to begin the season while the Rangers wait to see if Evan Carter ever figures it out. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Alan Roden, Blue Jays: The 25-year-old was the star of camp for the Jays, and his on-base skills have been on full display as he's climbed up the ladder. Roden is a perfect fit for the leadoff role eventually, but the team has eased him into facing big-league pitching at the bottom of the order. It would be weird for Toronto to add him to the Opening Day roster only to send him down to Triple-A a week later when Daulton Varsho comes off the IL – Myles Straw or Nathan Lukes is more likely to be the roster casualty at that point – but how much playing time Roden can find around Varsho, Anthony Santander, George Springer and whoever might be at DH once the team is healthy is tough to say. A .314/.406/.510 slash line in 70 Triple-A games last year, with nine homers and eight steals, is tough to ignore though, especially in OBP formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Leody Taveras, Rangers: With Evan Carter beginning the season at Triple-A Round Rock, the switch-hitting Taveras will get the majority of the playing time in center field. The 26-year-old offers some speed and modest power in a full-time role, but his .229/.289/.352 slash line from 2024 highlights his downside, as does his 24th percentile hard-hit rate. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Designated Hitter

Kyle Manzardo, Guardians: While he's got enough prospect pedigree to be long gone in really cutthroat leagues, Manzardo may have slipped though the cracks in some drafts after a disappointing 2024 debut, as well as being locked into the Ut spot to begin the year. (His ESPN roster rate is 11.4 percent, which is absurdly low.) He quickly reminded people of what they were missed with a dazzling Opening Day performance that saw the 24-year-old go 3-for-4 and fall a single shy of a cycle, subbing in a walk instead. He's DH'ed in his first two games this year, so it could be a while before he gains any positional flexibility – even at 38, Carlos Santana doesn't need a lot of days off – but if Manzardo is hitting the way his talent and minor-league numbers suggest he can, it won't matter. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Rostered