After a long off-season of waiting, the MLB season is finally here. With baseball finally being played, it's time to start thinking about new wavier wire pickups. With that said, let's dive into the ten best wavier wire pickups for your 2024 fantasy baseball team.
10. Brady Singer, P - Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals pitcher Brady Singer is coming off a very good first outing. Against the Minnesota Twins, Singer struck out 10, gave up three hits, and 0 earned runs on 98 pitches.
Singer will have a good matchup against a weaker Chicago White Sox lineup this Friday. Singer will continue to be a mixed bag as he's always struggled with consistency, but is worth a look early in the season anytime he has a favorable matchup.
9. Oswaldo Cabrera, UTIL - New York Yankees
New York Yankees infielder Oswaldo Cabrera is off to one of the hottest starts in baseball. Cabrera currently has a slash line of .438/.471/1.346, alo homers and six RBIs.
Cabrera hits 9th for the Yankees, and with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto at the top of the order, he should see a good amount of hittable pitches. With decent matchups this week against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays, Cabrera can be a solid streaming option while he's hot.
8. Jared Jones, P - Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones more than delivered in his MLB debut. The 22-year-old struck out ten over 5.2 innings to earn the first win of his career.
Jones will have a bad matchup this week against the Baltimore Orioles, but even if it doesn't go well, Jones has the potential to be a breakout fantasy player this year for a Pirates team that badly needs it.
7. Will Benson, OF - Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson is off to a hot start and seemingly barrels every ball he makes contact with. Benson carries a slash line of .417/.462/.917 and an average exit velocity of 101.7 MPH.
Benson will most likely sit against lefties but could force himself into a permanent spot in the lineup if he keeps up this pace. Benson will have solid matchups this week against the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies and will be a steady option throughout the year for homers and RBI opportunities.
6. Garrett Whitlock, P - Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock is coming off a great spring training and a very solid first start. Whitlock picked up the win against the Seattle Mariners with an ending line of 5 IP, 8 K, 3 H, 1 ER.
Whitlock had a down year last season but will be relied on to fill out the Boston rotation. Whitlock has a very favorable next matchup against the Los Angeles Angels, and should be a no-brainer stream.
5. Connor Joe, 1B/OF - Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates player Conor Joe is an interesting streaming option because he will mostly play against lefties. Joe currently has a slash line of .316/.344/.401; he won't have great power numbers, but slotting in near the top of the lineup will lead to a good amount of plate appearances and RBI opportunities.
Look to stream Joe during weeks with more opposing left-handed pitching, but he can still get some run early while he's hot.
4. Kyle Muller, P - Oakland Athletics
Former Atlanta Braves prospect Kyle Muller is off to a terrific start this season coming out of the Oakland Athletics bullpen. Muller currently holds a 1.13 ERA and 0.50 WHIP over eight innings.
There’s not a lot to cheer for when it comes to the Athletics, but Muller has been an early bright spot. With continued success, Muller could force his way into a bad Oakland rotation, but as things stand, he could be a sneaky waiver pickup if the volume of innings stays consistent.
3. Michael Conforto, OF - San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants veteran Michael Conforto has started this season with a bang. Carrying a slash line of .368/.429/.947 was not necessarily expected but is a very welcome surprise.
In the long term, Conforto probably won't be the answer fantasy-wise, but he’s hitting for power at a high rate through the first week of games, and he can be a solid option for some injury help.
2. Paul Blackburn, P - Oakland Athletics
30-year-old Oakland Athletics pitcher Paul Blackburn continued his great spring training form with a seven-inning shutout against the Cleveland Guardians. Blackburn continues to be a decent starter and will most likely be an upcoming trade target for teams across the league.
Blackburn's next two matchups are pluses, as he’ll face the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals. Look for Blackburn to be available on the waivers later in the season, hopefully, after he’s traded to a team fighting for the playoffs.
1. Jake Cronenworth, INF - San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth is as steady as they come. With yet another solid start to a season, Cronenworth is an easy replacement for fantasy teams in need.
Cronenworth currently carries a .321 batting average and 131 OPS+ and will have a solidified spot in the Padres order all year. If another fantasy team doesn't already have Cronenworth, look to add the two-time all-star as soon as possible.
