Fantasy managers ought to all the time be looking for pickups with the potential to leap two or three tiers within the rankings within the foreseeable future, prioritizing these sorts over these with shorter-term attraction (with just a few, schedule-oriented, exceptions). Monday’s really useful pickups comply with this elevated-upside theme, starting with a Toronto Blue Jays hitter who is likely to be an unfamiliar title to most.
Addison Barger, 3B/OF, Blue Jays (accessible in 83.9% of ESPN leagues): One of many 12 months’s most under-the-radar improved hitters, Barger’s emergence has earned him begins in 27 of the Blue Jays’ previous 29 video games (with appearances in all 29) and has saved him within the lineup regardless of the wholesome return of Andres Gimenez, the person he initially changed. Since Barger’s Could 8 arrival as a Blue Jays common, his 81 fantasy factors have been exceeded by solely 23 hitters, his seven dwelling runs exceeded by simply 15, and his 57.7% Statcast hard-hit charge exceeded by a mere seven.
Barger’s arrival as a fantasy-relevant hitter traces again to the changes he made coming into 2025, together with widening of his stance, flattening his swing path and including a full 1.5 mph to his common bat pace this season in comparison with final. He is making a lot tougher contact on pitches within the zone, with the collective sum of his tweaks elevating his fantasy worth to being worthy of hypothesis in all codecs.
Lance McCullers Jr., SP, Houston Astros (accessible in 78.8%): Contemplating his in depth damage historical past — he did not throw a single skilled pitch in 2019, 2023 or 2024 and has made 12 journeys to the IL since his Could 18, 2015 MLB debut — McCullers is a tricky pitcher to belief in fantasy leagues, regardless of how effectively he is throwing. When pitching at full well being and at his expertise peak, nevertheless, he will be one of many higher sources of strikeouts within the sport, which is why his efficiency over his final three begins warrants consideration. Throughout that point, he has a mixed 27 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings and a 39.1% Okay charge.
McCullers’ knuckle-curve was liable for 9 of these 27 strikeouts, and a 60% miss charge on swings — the latter paying homage to the 38% profession charge he had with the pitch main as much as that three-start scorching streak. The league as a complete, by the best way, has solely a 32% miss charge on curveballs this season. If he has really recaptured the texture for his secondary pitches simply 10 skilled begins (protecting each the minors and majors) into his return from flexor tendon surgical procedure, he may ship top-25 positional fantasy numbers on a per-start foundation. That is effectively price a speculative add in all codecs.
Jack Leiter, SP, Texas Rangers (accessible in 80.7%): A fellow pitcher who works his dwelling video games within the state of Texas, Leiter’s upside is not far off that of a wholesome McCullers, however he is a lot much less the damage threat between the 2. Blisters price Leiter three rotation turns in April, which is a priority since his father, Al, struggled with blisters as effectively early in his personal profession. Nonetheless, in Jack’s previous 5 begins, he has managed a strong 2.10 ERA.
Leiter has additionally averaged an elevated 97.4 mph along with his four-seam fastball (throwing 17 of them at 98 mph or sooner) in his final two begins alone — a sign that his improved velocity throughout spring coaching has returned. The 2021 No. 2 total choose now seems to be a mainstay within the Rangers rotation following the demotion of Kumar Rocker. The previous excessive regard from scouts for Leiter’s talent set make him worthy of a pickup in all codecs.
Rotisserie-style participant so as to add
Andres Gimenez, 2B, Blue Jays (accessible in 56.4%): Barger’s emergence hasn’t utterly stunted Gimenez’s fantasy utility, although it has pushed the previous Guardian to the underside third of the Toronto lineup and into extra of a matchups-oriented position. However, Gimenez’s lofty contract (4 years and practically $90 million remaining), alongside along with his defensive chops and a contact-oriented method on the plate ought to nonetheless earn him pretty common at-bats. He is 4-for-13 (.308 BA), with out a strikeout and with solely 5 complete swings-and-misses in his 4 video games since being activated. Rotisserie league managers ought to respect his contributions within the stolen base division, as he is effectively inside vary of a 3rd consecutive season with 30-plus steals.
Deeper-league pickups
Kyle Teel, C, Chicago White Sox (accessible in 96.0%): Kiley McDaniel’s No. 4 catcher and No. 33 total prospect in his midseason rankings replace, Teel joined the White Sox on Friday to presumably serve in a catcher/DH tandem alongside fellow rookie Edgar Quero. Teel hit .295/.394/.492 with eight dwelling runs and 7 stolen bases in 50 video games for Triple-A Charlotte to start the season and his balanced talent set ought to make him a very enticing No. 2 fantasy possibility for rotisserie league managers.
Jerar Encarnacion, OF, San Francisco Giants (accessible in 99.8%): Initially headed in direction of being the Giants’ Opening Day DH, Encarnacion as an alternative fractured his hand whereas making an attempt to make a catch in a March 21 sport, forcing him to overlook the season’s first two months. Now wholesome, he rejoined the Giants final Monday and he may rapidly declare that DH job following LaMonte Wade Jr.’s launch (Wilmer Flores may transfer to first base in that state of affairs). Encarnacion had a quiet first week again, going hitless in 11 at-bats, however he has the mixture of above-average pop and a capability to get on base — his profession Triple-A stroll charge is 13.0% — that ought to attraction to fantasy managers in bigger combined and NL-only leagues.
Ronny Mauricio, 2B, New York Mets (accessible in 95.6%): A longtime Mets prime prospect who loved a cup of espresso with the 2023 workforce, Mauricio bought the decision once more final Tuesday, following the position of Mark Vientos on the IL. Mauricio ought to see share of the enjoying time at third base in Vientos’ absence, the place he’ll deliver a balanced categorical talent set for fantasy managers in rotisserie leagues, having hit .306 with 26 dwelling runs and 28 stolen bases in his 125 profession video games on the Triple-A degree. He may even determine into the second base combine following Vientos’ return.