Fantasy managers in 10-team leagues should consider beefing up rosters with a group of pitchers and hitters who are rostered in roughly half to four-fifths of Yahoo leagues but are still under-owned given their recent performance and roles. This week’s waiver-wire look focuses on players sitting in the 50–80% roster range who could provide stable ratios, saves, or category contribution — and in several cases should be owned far more widely.
On the mound, Davis Martin (White Sox) is rostered in 80% of leagues but might warrant far wider ownership. His 1.62 ERA has been backed by improved plate dominance — a 27.1% strikeout rate and a 5.2% walk rate — prompting the recommendation that he be rostered in 90% of leagues while managers judge whether the breakout is sustainable. Landen Roupp (Giants), rostered in 77% of leagues, has sharpened his swing-and-miss skills; his 2.52 xERA and ability to induce ground balls, coupled with a pitcher-friendly home park, give him a high floor. Braxton Ashcraft (Pirates), at 74% ownership, has solid ratios overall (2.77 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) and would look even better if not for one bad outing; removing that April 28 start would bring his numbers down to the kind of marks fantasy managers prize. The 26-year-old also features a heavy fastball (97.0 mph average) and a 26.7% strikeout rate.
Other starting options with clear upside include Ryan Weathers (Yankees, 67%), whose K-minus-BB percentage ranks 10th among qualified pitchers and who benefits from pitching for a 26-16 club; Kyle Harrison (Brewers, 62%), who has not allowed more than two runs in any start this season and struck out 12 batters over six scoreless innings on April 26; Payton Tolle (Red Sox, 58%), Boston’s top prospect since his April 23 recall boasting a 2.04 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and a 31.0% strikeout rate despite a shorter, bumpier outing on April 28; and Max Meyer (Marlins, 51%), a model of consistency with a 2.79 ERA and 1.10 WHIP and a recent three-start stretch (1.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 17:4 K:BB) that suggests his stock should climb.
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Closers and high-leverage arms also figure prominently. Louis Varland (Blue Jays), rostered in 68% of leagues, has emerged as Toronto’s top save option with sterling ratios (0.46 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) and a 38.2% strikeout rate; he has yet to blow a save and has benefited from a shuffle that moved Jeff Hoffman into a setup role. Bryan Baker (Rays, 61%) sits second in baseball with 11 saves and has not allowed an earned run since April 18, earning the kind of steady workload that makes him a near-must-own in save-valuable formats. Lucas Erceg (Royals, 61%) has also locked down the closer’s job, not allowing an earned run in his last eight outings and ranking among the league leaders in saves; a setback for former closer Carlos Estévez on a rehab assignment makes Erceg’s role safer for now.
Among hitters, Miguel Vargas (White Sox) stands out at 73% rostered. He’s been one of the more productive players in counting stats and has a newfound plate discipline (16.3% walk rate) that looks likely to sustain his rise into top-50 fantasy territory. Xander Bogaerts (Padres, 63%) remains an across-the-board contributor whose ownership should be higher given his steady production and potential to provide power and some speed value. Daylen Lile (Nationals, 50%) is worth adding in deeper or five-outfielder formats despite a recent slump; his .271 expected batting average and place in a Nationals lineup that ranks third in runs scored make him a potential source of runs and RBI across the season (the piece projects roughly 160 combined R+RBI).
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The column’s broader point is tactical: while weekly columns often highlight players rostered in under half of leagues, there is a middle tier of mostly owned players who still represent value in shallower 10-team formats. Managers should scan rosters and the waiver wire for the names above — several of whom, based on recent performance and role security, arguably should be owned in a far higher percentage of leagues.
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