Fantasy Baseball Week 6 Waiver Wire Adds: Joey Loperfido, Alex Verdugo, Jurickson Profar and More

Discussing the most-added fantasy baseball players heading into week 6 of the fantasy baseball season.

The MLB/fantasy baseball season is a long one. The best fantasy owners are usually the most active ones, constantly looking for ways to improve their roster.

Today, let’s look at the top waiver wire options as the sixth week of the season kicks in. I’ll try to avoid discussing players we have in the past, but the full list I’m working off of can be found at the FantasySP Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups page. I’m also going to avoid streaming SP options, as FSP’s Daniel Hepner covers those daily in streaming stories.

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Joey Loperfido Fantasy Outlook

Loperfido is the No. 6 prospect in the Astros’ organization, and is reportedly going to join the team this week.

The 24-year-old is best known for his work at the plate and on the basepaths. He’s a career .283 hitter in the minor leagues, with a .287 mark across 25 games at Triple-A this season. Loperfido also has a .393 on-base percentage this season and five stolen bases.

Loperfido has 13 home runs among his 29 total hits this season. He drove in 27 and scored 31 times. Loperfido has walked 16 times and struck out 37 times.

The prospect has played first base and left and center field so far this season. He also has experience in right field and at second base.

It remains to be seen where Loperfido slots into the Astros’ lineup, but they likely aren’t calling him up to sit the bench. He is a left-handed hitter, so he might start out in a platoon.

Those power numbers in AAA this season are hard to ignore, and although he strikes out a bunch, if he can translate some of that power to the MLB level, he could be a huge fantasy asset for teams. Much like any prospect that gets called up, you might have to be patient with him as he adjusts to the big leagues.

He should already be owned in a lot of deeper leagues and dynasties, but for the fantasy owners lacking power in redraft leagues that have a roster spot to play with, Loperfido is definitely an intriguing option. I’d personally prefer taking a gamble on a newcomer like Loperfido than some of the other guys we are about to cover. The position versatility is also pretty enticing with Loperfido.

Alex Verdugo Fantasy Outlook

Verdugo is enjoying a pretty solid season in his first go round with the Yankees. He’s played in 29 games so far and currently has a .267 batting average and .358 OBP.

Verdugo has 27 total hits, with six doubles and four homers among those. He’s driven in 13 runs, scored 17 times, stolen a base, walked 15 times and struck out just 10 times.

Verdugo is a career .280 hitter, but hit .264 a season ago, so he seems in line to finish between those two marks. His power numbers are up so far this season and he’s putting up strong numbers in a loaded lineup. He’s hit cleanup a couple times of late, which obviously boosts his fantasy value even more.

If you are in need of a boost in the outfield, Verdugo is a really solid option. When he’s going well at the plate, like he is now, he can start everyday, and when he cools off, he’s a really strong backup option.

Jo Adell Fantasy Outlook

Adell is another outfield option for you to consider.

The Angels’ outfielder has played 21 games so far this season, collecting 16 hits. He’s homered three times, doubled twice and tripled once among those knocks. Adell has driven in 10 runs, scored 10 times, stolen five bases, walked three times and struck out 13 times. A thing to also mention is that he’s been caught stealing four times already - he’s a very aggressive baserunner, and hasn’t had great results to this point of the season.

Adell hasn’t put together a full season since making his MLB debut in 2020. In fact, Adell has only played in 199 games total across those five years. He’s a career .223 hitter, with a .269 OBP. This season, he’s hitting .327, with a .382 OBP.

That high average is what’s catching the eyes of fantasy owners. He’s playing everyday, which of course is a good thing for a fantasy hitter. There’s some better options out there for sure, but in a bit deeper leagues, Adell is a fine waiver wire option. Take advantage of him while he’s hitting pretty well.

Jurickson Profar Fantasy Outlook

Profar has been a pleasant surprise for the Padres, although he also hit well in his limited action with the team in 2023.

Across 31 games so far, Profar is hitting .303 with a .407 OBP. He’s doubled seven times and homered three times among his 30 total hits this season. Profar has driven in 18 runs, scored 15 times, stolen a base, struck out 19 times and walked on 17 occasions.

Profar is a career .240 hitter, with a .325 OBP, so he’s certainly started fast at the plate this season. His best average ever was .278, and that came during the COVID season. His best mark in a full season was .254.

It’s not likely Profar will remain this hot at the plate, but it also makes sense to try to take advantage of his great hitting while you can. He’s mostly been playing left field for the Padres, but might also have position eligibility elsewhere, which makes him an even better fantasy asset. See if he’s available in your league and add him if you have a roster spot to play with. He can start until he cools off at the plate, and then be a strong backup option after that.

Jacob Young Fantasy Outlook

Young has hit extremely well in his first 20 games of the 2024 season. The outfielder has a .333 average and .375 on-base percentage so far, collecting 20 hits across 66 plate appearances. He’s doubled four times among those hits, driven in seven runs, scored 14 times and stole 10 bases. He’s only walked once, while striking out 10 times - he’s also been hit by three pitches.

Young played in 33 games in 2023, posting a .252 average and .322 OBP. His speed is clearly his best tool, and even though he’s not going to provide a ton of power (still no MLB homers), he can be a solid fantasy asset in deeper leagues.

Young has been hitting ninth in the Nationals’ order, which is not ideal for fantasy success, but also means he has the chance to score a decent amount of runs if he can get on base and have the top of the order produce after him. It’s unlikely he’d ever move to the top of the order, as CJ Abrams has a stranglehold on that role.

But even though there’s some downfalls to what Young can provide as a fantasy player, he’s still producing enough to be considered in a lot of formats. Again, I like him best in deeper leagues, but he’d also be a great fantasy option in leagues that value getting on base and stealing bases.

Keep a close eye on Young in standard leagues in case he ever does make a jump to the top of the batting order.

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