Five Waiver Wire Adds to Make Before the MLB All-Star Break

Jordan Westburg – Baltimore Orioles 2B/SS/3B

Yahoo ownership: 39%

Jordan Westburg is an Orioles top prospect who made his debut on June 26th. In Triple-A this year, Westburg hit .295 with 18 home runs in 67 games with a strikeout rate near 20%. In seven games since being called up, Westburg has shown the ability to make contact and has struck out just twice in 26 plate appearances.

He’s also putting hard contact into play so far with a 48% hard hit rate albeit in a small sample. It’s a very promising start for Westburg ,who will likely gain shortstop, second base and third base eligibility in short order. He is a must add in 10-team leagues.

Colton Cowser – Baltimore Orioles OF

Yahoo ownership: 21%

If you missed out on Jordan Westburg, Cowser is the other Orioles top prospect that was just called up, on July 4th. Cowser is an outfielder that could make quite a serious fantasy impact right away. He’s taken Triple-A by storm this year, hitting .330 with a .459 on-base percentage and has mixed in 10 home runs and 10 doubles in 56 games.

Cowser’s ability to hit line drives at such a high rate will allow him to maintain a high batting average despite striking out around 25%. Cowser has the potential to hit lead off in the Orioles lineup and as an on-base machine in a high-powered offense, he should be a run scorer. He’s a must-add in all leagues.

Anthony Volpe – New York Yankees SS

Yahoo ownership: 60%

Volpe has turned the corner! Since I wrote an article highlighting his struggles on June 9th, Volpe is hitting .329 with two home runs, five doubles, and two stolen bases. Most encouragingly, his walk rate over that span is around 10% and his strikeout rate is a more reasonable 25%. He’s rocking an unsustainable .438 BABIP over that span, but regardless, this is a very encouraging stretch heading into the All-Star break and if Volpe was dropped in your league, I’d highly consider picking him up.

Ezequiel Tovar – Colorado Rockies SS

Yahoo ownership: 40%

Tovar was victim to being rushed to the major leagues. In his first 154 plate appearances this year, he hit .212 with a strikeout rate north of 30% and for the most part, looked lost at the plate. In 152 plate appearances since, Tovar is hitting .322 with a 22% strikeout rate and five home runs and 11 doubles. He’s returning to the player I was so excited about in the minor leagues and is definitely an option at shortstop, especially if you missed out on Volpe.

Tanner Bibee – Cleveland Guardians RHP

Yahoo ownership: 49%

Amongst the young group of Guardians arms that have debuted this season, including Gavin Williams and Logan Allen, Bibee has proved to be the most promising of the bunch out of the gate. In 12 starts, he owns a 3.46 ERA and a 3.38 xERA, which ties him with Ohtani in xERA.

What most impresses me about Bibee is his pitch mix. He leads with a four-seam fastball that he commands well up in the zone, which batters have hit just .240 against this year. The fastball sets up two plus secondary pitches in a slider and changeup. His slider is getting a decent amount of whiffs, but is a weak flyball machine and batters have only mustered five extra base hits off of it this year. His put away pitch to lefties is a changeup that’s getting 44% whiffs and just one extra base hit against it all year. He’s a must-roster player in all leagues.