Kyle Tucker OF, Astros (Yahoo: 10 percent rostered)
Yes, we all know about the amazing numbers from Yordan Alvarez, but remember this guy? Tucker might not be at the front of mind of fantasy owners right now, but he’s also knocking on the door for a call-up. And with the injuries the Astros are dealing with, it’s easy to see the potential for an opening soon. After getting off to a bit of a slow start this year in Triple-A, the 22-year-old is batting .339 with 14 home runs and a 1.219 OPS over his last 31 games. He’s also 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts during that time. He’s hit safely 11 out of his last 12 games while slugging five homers. Whether a function of his uneventful debut last year, Alvarez’s presence, or some combination of the two, Tucker is being overlooked right now. Don’t make that mistake. One advantage he has over Alvarez is that he’s already on the 40-man roster. Stash away.
Keon Broxton OF, Orioles (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
Broxton struggled in sporadic at-bats with the Mets before being designated for assignment earlier this month, but he landed in a great situation with the Orioles, where he should see plenty of playing time while getting half of his at-bats in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the majors. He’s enjoyed his new home so far, popping a couple of homers while going 7-for-22 with four RBI and three runs scored. Broxton largely is what he is. He’s going to strike out a ton, so this batting average isn’t going to last. But as we saw a couple of years ago with the Brewers, there’s enough pop and speed here to warrant paying attention.
AL ONLY
DJ Stewart OF, Orioles (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
Stewart received his latest opportunity in the majors this week with Chris Davis going down with a hip injury. Davis might not be gone for long, but Stewart probably deserves a look regardless of the circumstances. After an underwhelming 2018 in Triple-A, the 25-year-old has bounced back so far this year by amassing more walks (29) than strikeouts (27) while batting .316/.425/.586 with eight homers over 43 games. He had a three-hit game against the Tigers on Tuesday. There’s a chance Stewart’s roster spot will become vulnerable when Davis returns from the injured list, but there’s enough pop and patience for him to be interesting in these sorts of formats.
Myles Straw OF, Astros (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
Go crazy on Devin Smeltzer and Zach Plesac if you’d like. You don’t need my help to speculate on those guys in this sort of format. However, I would like to direct your attention to Straw, who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday with Carlos Correa suffering a broken rib. Straw has mostly played the outfield during his pro career, but he split time at shortstop this season, giving the club some options about how to utilize him. The 24-year-old doesn’t have any power in his bat, but he beings serious speed to the table. He’s swiped 167 bases over 449 minor league games.
NL ONLY
Aaron Altherr OF, Mets (Yahoo: 0 percent rostered)
Altherr landed in a bad environment when the Giants claimed him off waivers from the Phillies earlier this month, but at least things are somewhat more promising after his move to the Mets. Given the team’s numerous injuries, he should play quite a bit, especially against right-handed pitching. Altherr hasn’t done much in the majors dating back to the start of last season, but he had 19 homers and an .856 OPS as recently as 2017.
Will Smith C, Dodgers (Yahoo: 2 percent rostered)
Smith might not be anything more than a stopgap option while Austin Barnes makes his way back from a groin strain, but he’s sharing playing time with Russell Martin for now and the upside is appealing. After adding more power to his game with 20 homers in 98 games, the 24-year-old was batting .290/.404/.551 with eight homers and 28 RBI over 38 games prior to his call-up. He’s always been a patient hitter, but the increase in power gives him a chance to be interesting.
