Welcome to Pickup of the Day, where every weekday we'll pick an under-the-radar player whose immediate value is on the rise. The idea here is to identify a starter who can give you some solid innings off the scrap heap, a talented backup who's been given a chance because of a starter's injury, an unheralded regular with a favorable matchup, or a potential breakout player who's starting to put it together. Unlike regular waiver-wire advice, Pickup of the Day is geared more towards interim success, but hopefully we'll have the intuition to help you snag a waiver-wire gem a few times this season.
Padres catcher Derek Norris got off to a dreadful start this season, batting just .179/.238/.331 in 164 plate appearances between April and May. But he's been one of the most valuable fantasy catchers for the last three weeks and suddenly has the look of a must-own guy even in one-catcher leagues. Norris is slashing .305/.338/.542 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 16 games since the beginning of June. He also has a stolen base and 10 runs scored in that span. A possible trade chip for the last-place Friars, he could soon be moving to a much friendlier home hitting environment. Grab him now.