The fantasy baseball season is grinding into August. Now is the time when adding the right hitters can mean the difference between contending and collapsing.
Trades and promotions opened up some opportunities for fantasy managers hunting production on waivers. This week, my recommendations are a combination of callups and hot hitters emerging into everyday roles as we enter Week 18.
Andrew Vaughn – 1B, Milwaukee Brewers (45% rostered)
It took a demotion and a trade but, finally, Andrew Vaughn is consistently delivering for fantasy managers. Vaughn is on a torrid pace since joining the Brew Crew, getting a hit in nine straight games, and his Savant page is a sea of red in the batting department. In just 18 games with the Brewers, he’s slashed .371/.431/.726 with a 1.156 with 6 HR and 24 RBI, including a six-RBI night with a grand slam in the Cubs series.
His early-season struggles (.189 avg in 48 games with White Sox) are long behind him, and now that Rhys Hoskins is injured, Vaughn has secured regular playing time in the Brewers’ strong lineup. Vaughn’s sniffing out the back-half-of-the-year league-winner energy for this recent surge in power, run support and power heading into Week 18.
Jordan Beck – OF, Colorado Rockies (26% rostered)
Beck has been scorching hot since rejoining Colorado in late April. He finished Week 17 as the ninth-best player in fantasy baseball, knocking in 3 HRs and 7 RBI with 5 runs, a steal and a .381 batting average. Beck’s hit safely in five of his last six outings and is alternating between the 3 and 4 spots in the lineup due to his recent power surge.
And he’s got wheels, ranking in the 85th percentile in sprint speed per Baseball Savant. The Rockies have a three-game homestand at Coors Field. I’d add Beck if you need an outfielder with power and speed upside.
Spencer Horwitz – 1B/2B, Pittsburgh Pirates (5% rostered)
The Pirates’ leadoff man is hitting a ridiculous .395 over the past two weeks (17- for-43), producing 3 HRs, 15 RBI, 9 runs in that span. He’s coming off the game of his life on Sunday, where he hit two homers while driving in a career-high 6 RBI.
The Pirates are tentatively scheduled to see five RHPs across the Giants and Reds this week. Not bad for a guy who has been far more successful when going up against right-hand pitching. Since the All-Star break, Horwitz is batting .346 (18-for-52), so you’d be hard-pressed to find too many infielders putting in that kind of production on waivers.
Lenyn Sosa – 1B/2B/3B, Chicago White Sox (21% rostered)
I’m mad I don’t have more shares of Sosa because he’s been outstanding over the past month, slashing .294/.333/.482 with a .812 OPS. The mini breakout has arrived and he’s generating a ton of counting stats to match the average, driving in 20 RBI and smashing five longballs in his last 30 days.
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The Baseball Savant data isn’t glowing for Sosa, which makes me think this is more of a hot, short-term hot streaming option that offers three position eligibility.
Colson Montgomery – 2B/3B, Chicago White Sox (29% rostered)
Touting two White Sox players seems sacrilegious, but I’m going back to the well of rookie Colson Montgomery. I talked him up last week and it’s only gotten better. He ranked in the top-5 last week and is still in the top-15 in fantasy baseball over the past two weeks.
The White Sox begin their week on the road against a tough (but beatable Seattle team.) Then, the White Sox will fly back to Chicago to close out the weekend with the Guardians. Montgomery is displaying unique power, slugging .547 despite his .256 average at the dish. He’s blossoming into a good fantasy asset in 12-team leagues, and fantasy managers should for sure ride this wave until it comes crashing down.
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