Working The Waiver Wire: May 19th

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  • By Paul Williamson

    Last Updated on May 19, 2025 2:50 pm by Paul Williamson | Published: May 19, 2025

    In my first time writing this column this year, I have provided a list of excellent pickups to boost your offense. I got one streamer for Coors Field, some rookies that don’t have the full on trust of fantasy managers as they probably should and a lot of players that are eligible at multiple positions and can really be a major boon to any fantasy bench.

    Let’s dive in!

    Agustin Ramirez – C, 1B – 34% (Yahoo)

    The Marlins are finding this man at-bats as he regularly gets time at designated hitter when he is not behind the dish. He also has eligibility at first base in Yahoo leagues, adding more to his value.

    In his first 91 plate appearances in MLB, he has done nothing but rake. Ramirez has five homers, a steal (he stole 22 in the minors last year and swiped five to begin the year in AAA… just sayin’), 10 runs, 11 RBI to go with a slash of .268/.341/.573. The wOBA is .391 (xwOBA is .361) and he has a 147 wRC+.

    He has kept the strikeouts at bay with a very nice 18.7% K rate and the walks are there too with a 9.9% BB rate as he looks like a mature MLB hitter at the age of 23.

    Statcast also loves him with a 12.3% barrel rate, 52.3% hard-hit rate, .272 xBA and a .495 xSLG.

    If you are streaming your catcher spot. Stop and just add him.

    Or if you need CI depth, add him.

    He is worth a pick up in all fantasy formats.

    Alec Burleson – 1B, OF – STL – 29%

    Burleson is a platoon bat but don’t let that scare you off (he also gets right-handed pitching all week but one game).

    He started out the season very cold but in the month of May, he has turned it on as he is slashing .306/.342/.667 with a .429 wOBA and a 177 wRC+.

    He has hit four homers in 38 plate appearances with a steal. He has limited the K rate to just 10.5%.

    Burleson also has returned a 92.1 MPH avgEV, 18.8% barrel rate and a 53.1% hard-hit rate.

    He was a very popular waiver wire add last year and he should be equally as popular right now.

    Especially in daily change leagues, get him while you still can.

    The multiposition flexibility is nice, too.

    Consider him a 12-team option.

    Josh Smith – 1B, 3B, SS, OF – TEX – 30%

    How many players can you place into seven different spots in your lineup (if you include CI, MI, and UTIL) and have confidence he will be a viable option?

    It is a very short list and Smith is on it.

    He has just been steady as they come with a .295/.365/.432 slash to go with four homers and four steals. The wOBA is .350 (xwOBA .353) and the wRC+ is 128.

    The month of May has been pretty much the same from Smith as a cool down is nowhere in sight as the xStats are all there to support the production (.293 xBA, .453 xSLG).

    He is the ultimate fantasy baseball swiss army knife that you can add and start whenever you have an injury or a main players gets a day of rest.

    Smith is a 12-team option.

    Hyeseong Kim – 2B, SS – LAD – 36%

    Ever since getting the call up, Kim has be absolutely incredible and why he isn’t rostered all over the place is beyond me.

    He is slashing .452/.485/.581 with a homer and three steals in his first 33 plate appearances as an MLB player.

    Kim is a platoon but he only faces one lefty this week per Fangraph’s probable grid.

    The one question surrounding his value is playing time once Teoscar Hernandez returns. He will play second base until that happens but Tommy Edman will take back over second once Hernandez returns.

    My guess is Michael Conforto will be forced out. He has been struggling all season and a .200/.310/.300 slash in May is not helping his cause.

    Unsurprisingly Kim has limited the K rate to just 15.2% and, obviously a .452 average can’t possibly be sustainable, but with an xBA of .284 and a good 23.1% line drive rate, we can expect his batting average to be more than OK for fantasy managers.

    He’s got speed to boot with three already in the majors after notching 13 in the minors and getting 30 his last season in Japan. Add on the run-scoring potential batting in an elite Dodger lineup and you have a solid fantasy asset.

    Pick Kim up in all 10-team formats or deeper.

    Ryan McMahon – 3B – COL – 33%

    He has been on absolute fire lately.

    In the month of May has has four homers in 65 plate appearances with a .321/.446/.642 slashline with a .459 wOBA and 183 wRC+.

    Yes he’s been doing his damage at Coors, but guess what?

    He gets seven straight games there starting Monday.

    Go pick him up for the week.

    You won’t regret it.

    Otto Lopez – 2B – MIA – 9%

    Lopez made his return from the IL and promptly hit a homer off Shane Baz.

    But any power you get from Lopez will just be gravy.

    You’re here for the average and steals.

    Yeah sure, he is hitting just .230 but the xBA is .295 as he has a near 20% line drive rate. He also has shown incredible bat-to-ball skills with a 7.8% SwStr% and an 83.0% in-zone contact rate.

    And hey, maybe Lopez has turned a corner on the power as he now has three homers supported by a 9.4% barrel rate and an xSLG of .488.

    But that was never his game as he never hit more than five homers throughout his minor league career so, we shall see if that continues.

    But a .290-.300 average with a good amount of steals (he got 20 last year in 434 plate appearances) makes him more than viable in 12-team formats, if not shallower.

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    May 19, 2025, 1:52 pm