Sports

Waiver Wire: The 3 Adds That Will Win Your Week In Fantasy Baseball

By Tim Heaney Lindys Sports

Updated June 24, 2026 10:34 AM

You can feel it, can't you? The fatigue of a long fantasy baseball season is starting to kick in, and trolling the waiver each week is already starting to become a chore.

Hopefully, you have developed a weekly system to track your own players and possible replacements.

As I continue to try finishing as high as possible in the rigorously competitive industry showcase leagues like Tout Wars (I was fortunate to have won the mixed auction in 2018), keeping track of the streams of news remains significant.

For this edition of the fantasy baseball waiver wire report, I'll focus on three players who fit the bill of "forgotten": post-hype prospects who finally have acquired skills and an opportunity to make a difference in your league.

Stay tuned every Wednesday for more fantasy waiver wire tips and for a weekend update for this post before your league's transactions run.

Best fantasy pickups this week

1. Dylan Crews, OF, Nationals (41% rostered on CBS Sports)

The No. 1 overall Pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of LSU had done little to build confidence before he was demoted to Triple-A before the start of this season.

He's resurfaced from the farm, and while he's still carried strikeout issues with him back up, he's clearing the fences more often, including a stretch of three homers in eight games:

Dylan Crews destroyed this ball. 442 feet. Second 440 FT HR in the last week and a half. pic.twitter.com/3e10HxJ93T
— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) June 20, 2026

While Crews only has 90 batted-ball events this year, he boasts hints of changes made in the minor leagues that could tap into the power he showed in college:

This likely bubbling increase in thump accentuates his intrigue as an upside buy in dynasty games and should add to his existing speed-only interest in redrafts. He could have a big explosion in homers this summer.

2. JR Ritchie, SP, Braves (27%)

Atlanta's top prospect by many lists has hopped on the shuttle to the majors several times this year -- and it hasn't gone well.

The righty hasn't yet delivered on the top-end strikeout rates from his stops last year (9.0 K/9 overall), and he's walking too many.

But the bugaboos of a raw pitcher with tantalizing stuff emerged Tuesday, when a rough second inning doomed the 22-year-old to a five-inning, four-earned-run day that otherwise saw a tantalizing 33% Called Strikes + Whiffs rate (CSW) -- an elite number.

Despite this rough patch, remains in a Braves rotation that has been set up for wins thanks to one of the league's top offenses and a resurgent bullpen.

As of Wednesday, Ritchie carries a two- start schedule for the upcoming week in favorable matchups with the Cardinals and Mets.

It's a fine time to take a chance if your mixed-league pitching depth is hurting.

3. Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B, Cardinals (49%)

The former Red Sox prospect was dealt last summer for a rental of pitcher Steven Matz. The Cardinals may have found a well-rounded bat who could also help fantasy players.

Jordan lept onto the fantasy scene with a homer soon after his call-up.

His minor-league strikeout didn't eclipse 12.1% in any stop since the start of the 2024 season, showing he's capable of contact rates that could help deep-league fantasy players in need of batting-average help.

The 23-year-old's clear path at third base should provide short-term potential for run and RBI help, even if his power doesn't scream "elite."

Drop this player from your fantasy team

Bryce Elder, SP, Braves

I understand hanging on in, say, a 15-team mixed league, but anything shallower than that may have squeezed the juice out of him already.

While workouts and rap sessions with legendary Braves hurler Greg Maddux produced early success with his paint-heavy arsenal, the statistical kickback has hit many fantasy players hard.

His current 3.71 ERA unfortunately hasn't yet accounted for his upcoming journey toward his 4.01 FIP, the stat which more closely represents how well he's pitching.

Elder continues to rely on weak contact and fewer strikeouts (7.51 K/9) than you would want to see out of a fantasy rotation anchor.

If you're in a deep league with innings and/or wins categories, you should be more willing to ride this rough stretch out. For those in shallower leagues who constantly stream and churn starting pitchers, Elder qualifies as a cut candidate due to the possibly horrific statistical regressions yet to come.

Call-up candidate worth a waiver-wire stash

Walker Jenkins, OF, Twins

The Twins sit two games out of a wild-card spot and could turn to the 21-year-old who boasts plate discipline beyond his age to go with a power-speed base that could make him a fantasy riser for the next few seasons.

Walker Jenkins gets things rolling for the Kernels with an RBI single! #crkernels #gokerns #onlyincr pic.twitter.com/Uf5A7O5ZVs
— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) June 20, 2026

A young player who can take walks and make ample contact would be invaluable for a postseason chase.

While the Twins could summon the likes of Matt Wallner to provide depth or a replacement for an injury, Jenkins' enticing profile could prompt the TWins to finally see what he's made of after his early farm career was derailed by injuries.

This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 10:17 AM.