2025 NFBC 15-Team Waiver Wire (4/6 – Week 3)
Every Sunday, the free-agent pool has a moving range of value based on each player's success and any injury news. For late updates, I will post them in the notes area.
Note: If I’m in a league with someone, I will be aware of what I've written and also pay closer attention to your bids if I believe you may be looking for a similar player in a particular week. At the same time, our free agent spending during the year will have different paths. If I’m aggressive early and a competitor is not, they will have the advantage of buying power as the season progresses and vice versa. I’ll do my best to list all players of interest, but there will be times when waiver thread lines are backfilled with low-dollar players to ensure an unwanted or injured player is released and replaced.
Catchers
Sean Murphy, ATL (98%)
On the open weekend of free agency, I picked up Murphy in one of my main events, as I expected him to be back at least two weeks before Francisco Alvarez (injured C2 on my roster). Before the following waiver period, I lost Josh Lowe, forcing me to find a player to cut to add an outfielder. As a result, I decided to take a zero at C2 and reward this league with an excellent catching free-agent option. Murphy should return to the Braves lineup on Monday after catching a full game at AAA on Sunday.
Rating: Filling a catching void with a viable long-term upgrade is rare in 15-team formats, but they usually cost less than I expect. His bidding in this league should be above E-class market value ($45). I see six to seven teams that should be interested, suggesting a higher bid outcome than I outlined. For the record, if I bid on Murphy (the only league available), it will be in the flier range due to my outlook on Alvarez returning to the Mets’ starting lineup.
Carson Kelly, CHC (0.0%)
The cheap free-agent catcher this week should be Kelly, following his success in two of his last three starts (4-for-9 with four runs, two home runs, and 10 RBIs). He is in the waiver pool in all main events. The Cubs have six games next week against Texas and at the Dodgers (four lefties). Kelly hit both of his home runs vs. right-handed pitchers.
Rating: Last year, he had nine home runs over 281 at-bats with two other double-digit power seasons (18 HRs over 314 at-bats and 13 HRs over 304 at-bats) on his resume, giving Kelly a chance to jump Miguel Amaya on Chicago’s depth chart. If needed, I’d bid higher than the rift-raft ($1 bidders).
Other Options: Luis Torres, Freddy Fermin
First Base
Wilmer Flores, SF (30.0%)
Even after smashing two homers and driving in four runs over a short first week, Wilmer Flores remained a free agent in 70% of NFBC main event leagues. He’s managed just six hits in 28 at-bats this season with five runs, four homers, and 10 RBIs. His power surge won’t last, but Flores’s bat merits fantasy attention until his production dips enough to cost him playing time.
Rating: Flores was added in 17 main events last week with a high bid of $35 and seven unopposed investments between $5 and $1. His highest runner-up bid was $7. A teen swing seems appropriate for anyone interested in him during this waiver period.
Justin Turner, CHC (0.00%)
As I mentioned earlier, the Cubs face four lefties next week, suggesting an uptick in playing time for Turner. He has a three-game hitting streak (3-for-8 with a run and two RBIs) heading into Sunday. On the year, Turner has three hits across seven at-bats vs. left-handed pitching with two RBIs.
Rating: For a fantasy team looking to cover a short-term injury or weakness at CO or DH, Turner is worth a dollar or two this week.
LaMonte Wade, SF (12.0%)
Wade opened 2025 with no hits over his first 16 at-bats, striking out five times. His bat picked up over his last two outings, highlighted by a pinch-hit home run, followed by a great game (3-for-6 with two runs, two doubles, a triple, and two RBIs). The Giants face right-handed batters next week, creating a better-starting window for Wade.
Rating: Wade was added one main last week for $8 with no runner-up bid. He is worth a dart for a week if filling a roster hole and cost no more than $5.
Other Options: Matt Mervis (hit two home runs on Saturday night, but he needs four more games at first base to qualify).
Second Base
Brendan Rodgers, HOU (2.0%)
The bat Rodgers started to round into form over his last four games, highlighted by a four-game hitting streak (5-for-13 with three RBIs). He has yet to have an impactful major league season, despite having a first-round pedigree (2015), and offers no speed. Rodgers won a Gold Glove in 2022, inviting regular at-bats in the Astros’ lineup.
Rating: One team added Rodgers ($4) last week in the NFBC main event. I expect only flier bids this week.
Brooks Baldwin, CWS (0.0%)
Over three seasons in the minors, Baldwin hit .284 with 120 runs, 23 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases over 775 at-bats. He has only been up to the plate 35 times at AAA (10-for-29 with six runs, two home runs, four RBIs, and one steal), forcing him to earn his development time in the majors. Baldwin has a hit in all seven games played (7-for-22 with one run, one home run, and five RBIs).
Rating: There’s more here than meets the eye in the fantasy market due to his underlying speed. Baldwin is a free agent in every main event while playing 2B, 3B, SS, and OF. He is worth a flier bid for a fantasy team looking for a bridge player at 2B, and he has a chance to beat expectations, making him a longer-term add.
Other Options: Will Wagner, Kyle Farmer, Tim Tawa
Third Base
Josh Smith, TEX (47.0%)
The injury to Josh Jung (neck) led to Smith earning starting at-bats over the last five games, going 5-for-15 with four runs, one home run, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Last year, he was a helpful waiver wire add (.258/67/13/62/11 over 523 at-bats). Texas sent Jung on a rehab assignment on Saturday, giving Smith a shrinking window to start.
Rating: Last week, Smith had a high bid of $48 in the 14 main events but only two runner-up bids ($3 and $1). His low win investment was $4. More of the same at the low end of his bid range.
Other Options: Oswaldo Cabrera, Graham Pauley, Paul DeJong
Shortstop
Trey Sweeney, DET (11.0%)
The Tigers starting shortstop has a five-game hitting streak (7-for-20 with two runs, one home run, four RBIs). He has driven in a run in five of his previous six starts. Detroit selected him in the first round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft. Over four seasons in the minors, Sweeney hit .254 over 1,376 at-bats with 247 runs, 51 home runs, 190 RBIs, and 75 stolen bases.
Rating: The Tigers need someone to emerge as their leadoff hitter, and Sweeney has the walk rate (12.5) in the minors to seize that role if his swing stays hot. His power/speed combination is better than his major league surface stats. Two fantasy managers added him last week ($3 and $1). Sweeney is a viable middle infield dart while drawing flier bids.
Other Options: J.P. Crawford, Jordan Lawlar
Outfielder
Bryan De La Cruz, ATL (4.0%)
Heading into Friday, Bryan De La Cruz was hitless in his first 11 at-bats. Then he broke through, going 3-for-7 with a walk against the Marlins over his next two games, flashing fantasy upside after the Braves lost Jurickson Profar for 80 games. Over the past two years with Miami, he played 302 games, racking up 121 runs, 40 homers, 146 RBIs, and nine steals, though his .245 average carries risk. His main rival for playing time, Jarred Kelenic, is struggling—4-for-22 with a solo homer and eight strikeouts.
Rating: Last week, no one added De La Cruz in the NFBC Main event. His floor stats in 2023 and 2024 give him backend outfield value in deep formats. His slow start to the year will depress his bidding for most fantasy managers. I view him as being worth slightly more than E-class token bids.
Harrison Bader, MIN (26.0%)
Last week in an NFBC Main Event, I had Harrison Bader as my third outfield bid, but I ended up with my second choice (a stat-less dud) while Bader blasted two three-run homers. His bat’s streaky, offering double-digit pop and steal potential, though he’s yet to crack 405 at-bats in a season. Last year, Bader hit .236 over 402 at-bats with 57 runs, 12 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. The Twins have had him in their starting lineup in five of their eight games.
Rating: Two teams ($43 to $33 and $9 to $1) added Bader last week in the main event. Aside from his home runs, he has been relatively quiet, suggesting that his bidding will fall somewhere in between his two results from last week.
Jake Mangum, TB (11.0%)
Mangum is a switch-hitter with three seasons of experience at AAA (.309 with 141 runs, 13 home runs, 129 RBIs, and 44 steals over 1,009 at-bats). His walk rate (5.3) is below the league average while having a favorable strikeout rate (17.1). He turned 29 on March 8th, with no previous major league experience.
The Rays had Thursday off, and Mangum didn’t play against the Rangers on Friday. Over his previous four games, he went 9-for-16 with three runs, four RBIs, and three steals. Mangum offers help in stolen bases with minimal power.
Rating: Five wise fantasy managers ($29, $12, $11, $10, $9, and $5) added Mangum last week with no runner-up bids. Dilemma add this week, as Tampa could easily replace him over the next month with Chandler Simpson (9-for-28 at AAA with six runs, three RBIs, and four steals). I don’t see a difference-maker, making him only a speed add – $30 max, and I wouldn’t feel good about that price point (too high).
Other Options: Sean Bouchard, Hunter Renfroe, Mike Yastrzemski
Starting Pitching
Chad Patrick, MIL (4.0%)
In 2024, Patrick went 14-1 with a 2.90 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 145 strikeouts across 136.1 innings in the minors. The Brewers handed him one big-league outing last year, where he gave up two runs, three baserunners, and a homer in one inning, fanning one. His fastball jumped to 94.5 mph in spring training, with his cutter standing out as his best pitch. He showed sharp command (one walk) in March, though he surrendered five runs, 13 hits, and a homer over 8.1 innings, striking out 10.
In his major league debut, Patrick didn’t allow a run over 4.2 innings with one hit, three walks, and five strikeouts. The struggles by Elvin Rodriguez in his two starts (11 runs, 16 baserunners, and five home runs over nine innings with five strikeouts) move Patrick up a notch in the Brewers starting rotation, but Brandon Woodruff, Aaron Civale, and Tobias Myers should be back over the next two weeks to so.
Rating: Patrick drew two $5 unopposed bids last week. His long-term viability does lower his fantasy expectations and bids this week. Only a flier, even with the waiver pitching pool having tons of weakness this week.
Due to a lack of viable starting pitching options this week in the main event (50% ownership or less), I will do a rundown of names with some comments.
Martin Perez, CWS (11.0%)
Despite an outstanding 2025 debut (congrats, Mr. Greinke and five other believers – $17, $10, $7, $4, $3, and $1) – six no-hit shutout innings with three walks and nine strikeouts, Perez has a career 4.43 ERA and 1.430 WHIP in the majors across 1,581.2 innings with 1,118 strikeouts. His start on Sunday will define his bids this week. Pitching for Chicago invites minimal wins and disastrous innings. His bids will be too high this week.
Joe Boyle, TB (5.0%)
Live arm with command issues, but Tampa has a knack for fixing pitchers. His path to major league starts is blocked by Zack Littell until Shane McClanahan recovers from his triceps issue. In his AAA debut, Boyle gave up two runs, two hits, and two walks over four innings, striking out six. In my thoughts for a buy-and-hold, but I know I don’t have bench spots this week.
Jake Irvin, WAS (49.0%)
He handled himself well last year over his first 22 starts for Washington (3.44 ERA, 1.083 WHIP, and 111 strikeouts over 128.1 innings) before fading down the stretch. He struggled in his first two games (six runs, 17 baserunners, and three home runs over 10.0 innings with five strikeouts), and his next start is vs. the Dodgers, followed by Pittsburgh and Colorado on the road. Hold your breath add.
Taijuan Walker, PHI (0.0%)
The past two seasons haven’t gone well for Walker in ERA (5.27) and WHIP (1.443), but he did win 18 games over his 50 appearances. He pitched six shutout innings in his first start, allowing only three hits and a walk, striking out four. His average fastball (92.6 mph) is well below his best days but about one mile per hour higher than in 2023. I don’t like his start at Atlanta this week, but Walker looks viable in the start period (SF and MIA).