Last Updated on July 15, 2026 5:58 am by André Lemos | Published: April 6, 2026

Two weeks into the season, we aren’t quite at panic time yet, but we’re getting there, so be aggressive with your waiver wire additions, especially when dropping low-ceiling players. We’ve got four options for you today to raise that ceiling on your roster, featuring a couple of power bats, a top pitching prospect on the doorstep of the big leagues and a starter who won’t count against your weekly start limits.

Francisco Alvarez – C – Mets – 34% Rostered

Catchers are at enough of a premium in two catcher formats that Alvarez should already be rostered in all of them, but if he’s not, here’s your reminder to grab him immediately before someone else does.

While his extensive injury history has seen stagnated application of his #1 prospect in baseball pedigree, he showed his offensive potential in the second half of 2025 when he OPS’d .921, and he’s of to an even better start in 2026.

Plenty of players could fluke a .292/.370./.708 line, with 3 HR over 29 PA, but his production checks out with his natural talent and the peripherals so far. It would be disingenuous to quote his off the charts composite peripherals, which are generally misleading in small samples, but that 30% barrel rate should catch eyes with his ability. He’s worth an add everywhere with this potential, and could easily find himself as a top 8 catcher at season’s end.

Sean Burke – SP – White Sox – 4% Rostered

Sean Burke has been great so far, cutting his walk rate to nearly a third of what it was last season, but his fantasy value will come from the nature of his use by the White Sox.

Burke pitched as the bulk reliever behind Grant Taylor as an opener in his last outing, and that strategy seems to be one that the Sox will utilize with him on his day to pitch. Even with streamer level pitching quality and ratios, Burke becomes extremely valuable in points leagues, where his volume and counting stats can rack up points without counting against your weekly start limit.

It’s possible that Anthony Kay could also benefit from the utility of Taylor as an opener, but unfortunately it’s Taylor himself who loses all of his fantasy value in most formats as a result of this strategy despite his incredible stuff.

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Nathan Baker

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