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.
It came as a surprise to see the Mariners send Daniel Vogelbach down to Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season, but his stint in the minors didn’t last long. With Danny Valencia off to a very slow start, Vogelbach was called up on Sunday and appears poised to see most of the at-bats at first base against right-handed starters. Acquired from the Cubs last July, the 24-year-old has consistently posted solid power and on-base numbers in the minors, including a .309/.409/.473 batting line through 16 games in Triple-A this year. Vogelbach might end up being a platoon bat, but that sort of situation can still pay off in fantasy leagues. Keep him in mind if you need a corner infield option in deeper formats.
