Evan Carter and Hunter Goodman Among Deep-League Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Options on the Rise

It's the middle of the week, and there's a decent amount of fantasy baseball waiver wire options to go over still.

Let's look at some hitting options in this article. Check back later for a pitcher article.

We won't cover any hitters who appeared in waiver stories on Monday or Tuesday.

Check out the top fantasy baseball waiver wire options everyday on FantasySP. 

Should You Add Evan Carter?

Carter was called back up to the big leagues on Tuesday. He's rostered in just 18% of leagues synced here at FantasySP, so he's available to just about all of you reading this.

Carter was coming off a down 2024 season in which he had a .188 average and .272 on-base percentage across 45 games and 162 plate appearances. The highly-regarded prospect started his career by hitting .306 and getting on base at a .413 clip across 23 games and 75 plate appearances in 2023.

He was surprisingly sent down to the minor leagues to begin the 2025 regular season. Carter hit just .221, but got on base at a .333 clip across 21 games and 90 plate appearances in Triple-A, but still got called back up to the big leagues.

In his first MLB game of the season on Tuesday, Carter went 2-for-5, singling for both of his knocks. He scored a run and also struck out once.

It's a very small sample size, but it's great to see Carter produce right away. There's a chance he becomes a highly-owned fantasy asset in short order.

I'd be really interested in adding Carter in deeper redraft fantasy leagues right now. He's got a high ceiling, and his upside is enough to take a gamble on him. Carter is a must-add asset in deep, deep leagues, and you might need to add him now in other deep leagues if you want to pick him up.

Carter could become a standard league redraft option very quickly if he continues to deliver at the plate. Fantasy owners in those leagues should tag Carter and keep very close tabs on him.

Carter still has his most value in dynasty/keeper leagues. If you aren't sold on him in the long run, maybe you could sell him high after a couple nice showings. I think Carter is going to get rolling and see his MLB career take off, so I'd be more interested in buying low on him.

Should You Add Byron Buxton?

Buxton is rostered in 73.64% of leagues after a 1.74% increase today.

He has had a solid season to this point, but isn't owned in more leagues because of some negatives. Buxton has played in 33 games and gotten 140 plate appearances - he's hitting .267 and getting on base at a .300 clip. Buxton has eight homers, five doubles and two triples among his 35 total knocks, along with 22 RBIs, seven stolen bases, 26 runs scored and four walks, but also has a whopping 46 strikeouts already.

He's a career .246 hitter with a .304 OBP, so his marks in those two stats aren't likely to move too much. If not for the massive strikeout totals, Buxton would probably be owned in most leagues already.

Buxton is on a six-game hitting streak, collecting 10 total knocks in that span. He has two homers and a double among the hits, along with five RBIs, a stolen base and walk, three runs scored and eight strikeouts.

If you can look past the strikeouts, or your league doesn't dock players much/or at all for the Ks, then Buxton is really a pretty well-rounded fantasy asset. Even with the big strikeout numbers, Buxton should be rostered in all deeper setups.

He's an OK standard league redraft asset, but not someone I'd call a must-add player. Buxton is really a better bench option in standard leagues with all his Ks, but there's plenty of fantasy outfielders to choose from, so I'd say to look elsewhere.

Should You Add Josh Smith?

Smith is up 2.61% today and is now rostered in 28.98% of leagues overall.

Smith has gotten 107 plate appearances over 30 games this season. He's hitting .330 and getting on base at a .406 clip. Smith has nine RBIs, four stolen bases, 12 walks, 16 runs scored and 20 strikeouts. He has four doubles, three homers and a triple among his 31 total knocks.

Smith has a career .238 average and .331 OBP, so regression is likely coming in both those stats. He's also just 27 years old, in his fourth MLB season and is coming off a 149-game campaign in 2024 where he hit .258 and got on base at a.337 clip, so there's also a chance Smith remains a daily fantasy asset in some setups.

Smith is a better deep-league fantasy option, but he's pretty undervalued in those leagues right now. He's not a huge power guy, but he fills the box score pretty well and doesn't hurt himself with a bunch of strikeouts.

He's also likely eligible at several fantasy positions, making him a more valuable fantasy piece. Smith has played at first, second and third base, shortstop and left, center and right field so far this season. He should at least be eligible to play at shortstop and third base.

Add Smith in deeper leagues if you are in need of a versatile fantasy bat. He's hot at the plate right now too, with seven knocks over his past two games. You could at least roster Smith while he's hot.

Should You Add Max Kepler?

Kepler has been solid in his first season with the Phillies. He's up 1.98% today, bringing his overall mark to 19.12%.

Kepler has a .255 average and .341 OBP across 32 games and 126 plate appearances so far. He has seven doubles and five homers among his 28 total knocks, along with 11 RBIs, 13 walks, 18 runs scored and 23 strikeouts.

The fantasy outfielder is a solid fantasy option in deeper leagues. He's at a stacked position, but he's also doing enough this season to roster and utilize in a few more leagues than he's currently rostered in.

Should You Add Hunter Goodman?

Goodman is owned in 58.66% of leagues after a 1.86% boost today.

He's played in 32 games and gotten 126 plate appearances so far. Goodman has five doubles and homers among his 31 total knocks, along with 17 RBIs, 10 walks, 16 runs scored and 28 strikeouts. He has a .274 average and .349 OBP.

He's a career .216 hitter with a .267 OBP even after his big numbers to start the season, so some regression is likely coming at some point. It's also possible that this is the 25-year-old catcher's breakout season.

Goodman is hitting inside a bad offense, but it hasn't affected him too much as a fantasy hitter. At a tough fantasy spot to find consistent production, Goodman is probably a bit undervalued and underowned too.

I'd call Goodman a good option in deep-league setups, and think his own percentage needs to grow several percent. He's a standard league option when he's going well at the plate.

He's in a good groove of late, with a .333 average over his past seven games and 27 plate appearances. He has six RBIs, two runs scored, no walks and six punchouts over that span, so that's why I'm not touting him as a must-add player in standard leagues. You should be utilizing him in deeper setups though.