Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Top Pickups: Week of April 13th

Now, a couple of weeks into the season, fantasy baseball managers have a bit more data to inform their roster decisions. We can see who is playing regularly, hitting the ball hard, and looking effective on the mound.

Some of the most informative metrics to use this early into the season are bat speed and pitcher velocity. Those are the least likely to change greatly because they are process-based statistics, not results-based.

While many stats – such as strikeout rate, walk rate, and average exit velocity – don’t have a big enough sample to definitively say whether a player will be effective throughout the entirety of the 2026 season, we can use them to see who valuable short-term injury replacements could be.

Today, I will be discussing five players owned in less than 25% of ESPN leagues that are worth monitoring for your fantasy baseball roster.

All stats as of April 13, ownership percentages via ESPN.

Willson Contreras, BOS 1B (22% owned)

2026 Stats: .302/.448/.509, 3 HR, 0 SB, 178 wRC+

ESPN decreased its default roster size from 25 to 19 a few years ago to make the game appeal more to the casual fan. I knew this to be true before putting this piece together, but was still surprised to see Contreras being rostered at such a low rate.

Contreras is an established power hitter who is playing every day in the middle of a Boston Red Sox lineup with talent. He has elite bat speed (75.8 mph) and is contributing capably, despite the team’s early struggles. If your team is in need of help at first base or in the power department, Contreras should be a priority add. I don’t see his ownership rate staying this low for long.

Braxton Ashcraft, PIT SP (22% owned)

2026 Stats: 17 IP, 2.12 ERA, 1.65 FIP, 10.59 K/9, 2.65 BB/9

In his first three outings, Ashcraft has posted an impressive 22.7% K-BB%, demonstrating his ability to command effective stuff. Boasting an enticing five-pitch mix that is led by a 96.5-mph fastball, Ashcraft is able to use his hard fastball to set up his curveball (125 Stuff+) and slider (105 Stuff+), which grade as his two best pitches.

Ashcraft’s next two starts should be pretty manageable – he lines up against the rebuilding Washington Nationals this week, followed by a date with the Texas Rangers in their pitcher-friendly ballpark the following week. He was a buzz-worthy name this draft season and has delivered on the hype, thus far.

Carter Jensen, KC C (19% owned)

2026 Stats: .238/.283/.548, 4 HR, 0 SB, 128 wRC+

The majority of the news surrounding Jensen to begin this season was not related to his play, but rather oversleeping and arriving late to the Kansas City Royals’ home opener. Don’t let this flub dissuade you from rostering Jensen; he has the makings of an impactful fantasy catcher.

The 22-year-old backstop has shown plus bat speed (74.5 mph) and has already popped four home runs in 42 plate appearances. The early 34.8% strikeout rate isn’t pleasant, but he wasn’t pegged as an extreme strikeout guy entering the season.

Joey Cantillo, CLE SP (17% owned)

2026 Stats: 14.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 1.82 FIP, 12.27 K/9, 4.30 BB/9

Cantillo is an intriguing young arm in the Cleveland Guardians’ new-look starting rotation. He’s shown a strong propensity to pick up strikeouts, punching out 108 batters in 95.1 innings last year and 20 in 14.2 innings this season.

What has held Cantillo back from taking a big leap is that he doesn’t throw hard (91.9 mph fastball) and he’s had command issues (10.5% walk rate in 2025). Cantillo lines up for a two-start week this period, which adds to his intrigue in weekly leagues. He projects to face the Cardinals in St. Louis on Tuesday and the Orioles at home on Sunday.

Noah Schultz, CWS SP (5% owned)

2026 Stats (AAA): 14 IP, 1.29 ERA, 2.04 FIP, 12.29 K/9, 1.29 BB/9

The 26th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Schultz, is slated to be called up by the Chicago White Sox for his big-league debut on Tuesday. A consensus top 100 prospect (Just Baseball’s #65), Schultz could make an immediate impact and have a long leash to find his way in the rotation of the rebuilding White Sox.

A lefty standing at 6-foot-10, Schultz has a unique build that could initially give the opposition trouble. His fastball has sat in the mid-90s, and he has demonstrated good command throughout his time in the minors. Schultz lines up for a two-start week – he’ll pitch at home against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday and then have a difficult task facing a solid A’s lineup in Sacramento.

Last Week’s Waiver Wire From April 6th

Colt Keith – 2B/3B – Detroit Tigers (10%)

2026 Stats: .417/.462/.583, 0 HR, 0 SB, 201 wRC+

Colt Keith’s improvements from 2024 to 2025 flew a bit under the radar. The power (13 HR in each season) was less than many had hoped for, but we are seeing a better hitter this season. Sure, sitting on zero home runs is a tough sell, but the power will come.

Keith has increased his bat speed by four miles per hour from last season, and his contact metrics have followed suit. Detroit has recently moved him to the leadoff spot, giving him more at-bats and more opportunities. Some positional flexibility helps his value, as well.

Parker Messick – SP – Cleveland Guardians

2026 Stats: 6.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.53 FIP, 7.50 K/9, 0.00 BB/9

Messick caught the eyes of fantasy owners late last season and was a hot name amongst sleeper discussions this winter. His first start this season still featured his ability to avoid hard contact but also came with slightly better stuff than last season.

I like Messick even if his swing and miss stuff isn’t the best on the waiver wire. You are going to get a good amount of ground balls, low walks, and soft contact. That’s a recipe for a useful fantasy arm.

Kyle Harrison – SP Milwaukee Brewers (16%)

2026 Stats: 5.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 14.40 K/9, 1.80 BB/9

Harrison is now on this third team while still being a relative unknown. We saw the same situation when the Brewers brought in Quinn Priester and look how that turned out. His first outing flashed better movement on his fastball and changeup, which helped him increase his whiff numbers and therefore his value.

Who knows if Harrison will blossom into a middle-of-the-rotation arm or not. But what we do know is that Milwaukee has a way of finding and developing these types of arms. It’s worth rolling the dice and seeing if Harrison is the next one.

Cam Smith – OF – Houston Astros (5%)

2026 Stats: .250/.382/.500, 2 HR, 2 SB, 156 wRC+

Smith’s rookie season had its share of ups and downs. A hot start before cooling down to end the season left many wondering what his fantasy value would be in 2026. So far, so good. Smith’s two home runs are great, but his three stolen bases are at a much greater pace than anyone projected.

I’m willing to bet on the upside and tools with Smith. Elite bat speed and enough physical ability to have a breakout season. I think this is a deeper league pick-up for now, but keep an eye on him in shallower leagues.

Paul Sewald – RP – Arizona Diamondbacks (18%)

2026 Stats: 4 IP, 4.50 ERA, 6.19 FIP, 15.75 K/9, 3 SV

Look, I won’t sit here and try to convince you that Paul Sewald is back to his prime and ready to lead your team to a championship. However, when it comes to finding saves, it can be slim pickings, and Sewald is the obvious closer in Arizona.

Sewald has good enough stuff to give you some strikeout upside while collecting saves along the way. Arizona’s bullpen has been a disaster, and I don’t think his competition is currently on the roster, which should make picking him up a good value.