While Week 11’s fantasy baseball waiver wire was all about hitting, Week 12 focuses on the arms. With plenty of pitchers making their mark across the league, fantasy baseball players should keep their eyes peeled the next time they take to the mound.
Finding pitching value can sometimes be hard. Since they don’t play everyday, owners must wait between appearances. If a pitcher is shaky, they’re commanding a roster spot without much return.
However, if you can find a consistent starting pitcher off of waiver, it takes your roster to a whole other level. Landing high quality pitching after draft day doesn’t come often. Hunting the waiver wire for the right fit is key to fantasy baseball success.
While not all pitchers, every player on this list would help bolster any roster. Entering Week 12, they make up the four most promising waiver wire pickups.
Every player on this list is owned in 25 percent or less of ESPN fantasy baseball leagues.
Hurston Waldrep, SP, Atlanta Braves
With the Braves calling top prospect Hurston Waldrep up to start on Sunday, fantasy baseball players had to be quick to get them on their roster. However, if he slipped through the cracks, the righty makes for a solid long-term investment.
Waldrep caught Atlanta’s eye due to his work the minor league level in 2024. Over 10 total starts, Waldrep held a 3.09 ERA and a 59/18 K/BB ratio. He has been dominant throughout his entire minor league career, posting a 2.55 ERA and a 100/34 K/BB ratio over 18 starts.
It didn’t take long for him to reach the majors, as Waldrep was the Braves’ first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He soared up the prospect charts, ranking as the team’s second-best and the 72nd best in all of baseball, via MLB Pipeline.
The Braves now feel he is ready for the big leagues. They’ll be watching careful as he makes his debut. But barring anything unforeseen or a demotion, Waldrep is a player you can add in Week 12 that could still be paying off come playoff time.
Matt Waldron, SP, San Diego Padres
Matt Waldron was traded alongside Mike Clevinger in the deal that sent him to the Padres. Years later, Clevinger is floundering with the Chicago White Sox while Waldron is shining in San Diego.
Over his 13 starts in 2024, Waldron holds a 4-5 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 68/21 K/BB ratio. Already a stark improvement over his 2023 performance, the knuckleballer has only gotten better as the season has gone on.
Through his last five starts, Waldron has put up a 3-0 record with a 1.50 ERA and a 33/6 K/BB ratio. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in his past six starts, all but one in which Waldron also recorded four or more strikeouts.
His knuckleball may be unconventional, but it has been working. As long as Waldron is pitching as he is, he deserves a spot on your fantasy baseball roster.
Heliot Ramos, OF, San Francisco Giants
Heliot Ramos is the only hitter on the list, but he has certainly earned his placement. One of the hottest hitters in the league, Ramos is a prime Week 12 waiver wire pickup.
Through his last 12 games, Ramos is hitting .405 with four home runs and 14 RBI. It has brought his season totals to a .327 batting average with six home runs, 23 RBI and one stolen base. Ramos has also scored 13 runs over his 28 games.
Which makes sense based on whenever manager Bob Melvin has put the outfielder in the lineup. Over his last five games, Ramos has hit second or first. If he continues the torrid pace he is on, Melvin will have no choice but to keep Ramos atop the lineup.
But if that streak continues, fantasy baseball players will be taking notice. Week 12 could be the last time Ramos is free available off of the waiver wire.
Yimi Garcia, RP, Toronto Blue Jays
It isn’t often fantasy baseball players can find startable closers available on the waiver wire. However, Yimi Garcia of the Toronto Blue Jays have been given an opportunity. And those managers must take notice.
Toronto placed closer Jordan Romano on the injured list with a elbow inflammation at the start of June. While he will soon resume throwing, there is no timetable for Romano to return. In the meantime, Garcia has been taking his reps in the ninth inning.
The right-hander has two saves and a win over his last four appearances, all coming in the ninth inning. Both times the Blue Jays needed a save since Romano’s injury, Garcia’s name was called. In both those instances and throughout the season, Garcia has prevailed has he holds a 2.16 ERA and a 33/7 K/BB ratio over his 24 appearances. He has converted four saves total.
When Romano returns, it’s likely Garcia will return to a setup role. But as long as he is getting save opportunities, the reliever holds fantasy baseball value.
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