Let’s take a look at the top players to add for Week 13 of your fantasy baseball season.
Catcher
10-Team League
Willson Contreras, CHC – It has only been a small sample size but the Cubs are doing whatever they can to get Contreras in the lineup whether that means he is in the outfield, catching or playing first base. He is also currently hitting in the middle of a lineup that ranks third in runs scored this season which should provide him with plenty of RBI opportunity. Catcher is a very shallow position and an offensive talent like Contreras is proving to be a rarity so having him as your starter in a 10-team league is perfectly acceptable given his upside. If my word is not good enough then take a gander at his recent play where he has hit .364 with four runs, two home runs, six RBI and an OPS of 1.182 over his last seven games.
12-Team League
Matt Wieters, BAL - I certainly would not knock you if Wieters was your catcher in a 10-man league but he should be 100 percent owned in 12-team formats as he offers up 20-plus home run potential while hitting in an offense that is capable of putting up a crooked number in a hurry. Wieters is currently owned in just over 65 percent of standard leagues which really makes me wonder about some of those owners out there in leagues where he is on the wire. On the year he is hitting .278 with 20 runs, nine home runs and 37 RBI but if that doesn’t do it for you then check out his last seven games where he has hit .364 with two runs, two home runs and five RBI.
15-Team League
Cameron Rupp, PHI - In deeper league formats you kind of just take what you can and while a player like Rupp, who finds himself in a platoon, may not be the most ideal option in shallower leagues he does offer plenty of value in 15-team and two-catcher formats. On the year Rupp is hitting a respectable .270 with 16 runs, seven home runs and 19 RBI and over the last week he has been even better, hitting .316 with four runs, three home runs and five RBI.
First Base
10-Team League
Freddie Freeman, ATL - The lineup around Freeman is certainly going to cap his counting stats but Freeman himself is on a tear of late, hitting .456 with nine runs, four home runs and 10 RBI over the last two weeks. Overall this season Freeman is hitting .285 with 36 runs, 13 home runs and 28 RBI which has him ranked within the top 10 first basemen in fantasy and therefore makes him deserving of a roster spot in 10-team leagues. He is owned in about 90 percent of standard leagues so his availability is scarce but if you see him on your wire I would suggest picking him up.
12-Team League
Justin Bour, MIA - Bour was a popular sleeper candidate heading into the season given his home run power and while he has endured an up and down campaign which has decreased his ownership levels he is currently back on the upswing and should be picked up in most formats. Over the last two weeks Bour is hitting .448 with nine runs, four home runs and 13 RBI to give him 28 runs, 14 home runs and 43 RBI on the year. There is legit power in this bat and given how shallow first base can be the fact that Bour is owned in just under 40 percent of leagues is a bit surprising.
15-Team League
Kendrys Morales, KC - Morales is an interesting case as he has DH/UTIL only eligibility in the majority of leagues but he is a natural first baseman and deserves to be on this list. After a resurgent 2015 season which saw him hit .290 with 81 runs, 22 home runs and 106 RBI, Morales got off to an incredibly slow start to the 2016 season which saw many cut bait. Hopefully fantasy owners have begun to notice, however, that Morales is starting to heat up in a big way by hitting .367 with 14 runs, four home runs and 16 RBI during the month of June. He is tuning up lefties for a .323 average and an OPS of .913 which has really helped his overall production. Production like this should make Morales more than valuable in most formats but certainly in deeper leagues.
Second Base
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10-Team League
Brian Dozier, MIN - Dozier is under 90 percent owned in standard leagues which is really a crime considering he has been among fantasy baseball's top second basemen over the past few years. After a slow start it’s understandable that some owners cut bait but he should now start trending back to being the 99 percent owned that he was likely drafted at as he has now homered four times in the last three games and on the year is hitting .259 with 39 runs, 12 home runs, 36 RBI and six stolen bases. The .259 average would be a career-high mark if the season was to end today but even if it regresses back to his career .240 average the 20-plus home run power and double-digit stolen base ability should once again have him finish among the top players at the second base position.
12-Team League
Jonathan Schoop, BAL - Schoop is ranked among the top 10 second basemen in fantasy this year yet finds himself owned in just 65 percent of standard leagues. Always considered a big power hitter, Schoop has launched 13 home runs this season to go with 41 runs, 45 RBI and a .298 batting average. His production over the last few weeks has been even more impressive as he has hit .414 with 17 runs, four home runs and 11 RBI. Schoop is a must own in all league formats so check the wire and add this power hitting second baseman as he enjoys his breakout season.
15-Team League
Devon Travis, TOR – Travis has now had 100 at-bats since coming off the disabled list and he has produced as fantasy owners should have expected, hitting .288 with 17 runs, five home runs, 19 RBI and one stolen base. Travis was a very early AL Rookie of the Year candidate in 2015 but his season ended after 217 at-bats in which he hit .304 with 38 runs, eight home runs, 35 RBI and three stolen bases due to injury. While the batting average will likely sit around .280 he should have little issue reaching double digit home runs while benefiting from the potent Blue Jays lineup hitting around him. He is currently owned in just under 35 percent of standard leagues which should make him available in most formats.
Shortstop
10-Team League
Marcus Semien, OAK – Semien is owned in just 25 percent of standard leagues despite ranking being ranked near the top 10 shortstops in fantasy. While in 10-team leagues there is likely plenty of depth available on the waiver wire, Semien is a player worth stashing as he offers 20 home run upside along with the ability to steal double-digit bases which is not that common among shortstops. On the year he is hitting .248 with 36 runs, 15 home runs, 40 RBI and five stolen bases while hitting .333 with nine runs, three home runs and nine RBI over the last seven days.
12-Team League
Jose Reyes, NYM – Ah yes, Jose Reyes is close to returning to a major league field as he inked a deal with the Mets and is currently playing a few games in the minor leagues before eventually being called back up. It’s unknown what Reyes has left in the tank but he is expected to play third base for the Mets which will give him dual eligibility and he still managed to swipe 24 bases last season over 481 at-bats so the legs are still there. Fantasy owners should not be expecting the Reyes of old to be joining the Mets but he will offer a little bit of pop and some speed which will make him a valuable asset for the remainder of the fantasy season.
15-Team League
Tim Anderson, CWS - The rookie continues to show he belongs in the big leagues and while in the minors he was known for his blazing speed it has actually been his power bat of late he has put on display. Over the last two weeks Anderson is hitting .306 with 12 runs, three home runs, three RBI and two stolen bases. He may only hit a handful of home runs the rest of the way but I would expect his stolen bases to start coming in bunches as he finds his way on base more consistently. He is still available in nearly 85 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire and see if Anderson is floating around if you need help at shortstop or are in need of some stolen bases.
Third Base
10-Team League
Jake Lamb, ARI - Lamb’s play of late has him ranked among the top five third basemen in fantasy and it’s no surprise really as over the last two weeks he is hitting .391 with 10 runs, four home runs and 13 RBI. Overall this season Lamb is hitting .286 with 41 runs, 16 home runs, 52 RBI and three stolen bases. Lamb is available in 30 percent of standard leagues which is a really a crime given his level of production this year.
12-Team League
Danny Valencia, OAK - Valencia finds himself on the waiver wire in nearly 25 percent of standard leagues but ranks among the top 10 third basemen in fantasy making him a must add in nearly all formats. Over the last week, Valencia is hitting .310 with three runs, one home run and three RBI as he continues his career year in which he is hitting .327 with 36 runs, 11 home runs and 30 RBI. The return of Josh Reddick to the A’s lineup should help lead to some additional RBI opportunities as he was having a strong year prior to hitting the disabled list.
15-Team League
Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE - The once top prospect of the Indians has had a pretty underwhelming major league career to this point but he finds himself on a real hot streak of late, hitting .357 with five runs, two home runs, nine RBI and one stolen base of the last two weeks. While Chisenhall is not likely to sustain this level of production he is worth streaming until he cools off. Chisenhall also has dual position eligibility which adds to his overall fantasy value.
Outfield
10-Team League
Melvin Upton Jr., SD - You can laugh if you want, but the numbers don’t lie and right now Upton is a top 20 outfielder who is well on his way to a 20 home run and 30 stolen base season. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .353 with 11 runs, four home runs, nine RBI and five stolen bases yet despite all of this production he is owned in just 50 percent of standard leagues. I understand the skepticism regarding Upton Jr. after he fizzled out in Atlanta but he is looking more like the player he was in Tampa where he was regularly being taken in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts and should be owned in all formats.
12-Team League
Khris Davis, OAK – Davis has always shown his tremendous power dating back to his few years with the Brewers but he is well on his way to a career year with the A’s as he has already hit 19 home runs to go with 36 runs, 53 RBI and a .253 batting average. The average will likely never be much higher than what it is currently at, but he finds himself on pace for 30 home runs and 90 plus RBI which would both be new career highs. Davis is currently owned in about 60 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire as he likely offers the most power upside of any available player.
15-Team League
Shin-Soo Choo, TEX – Choo was activated off the disabled list a little more than a week ago but he has not shown any signs of rust as he has hit .288 with 10 runs, two home runs, eight RBI and three stolen bases. He is currently hitting leadoff for the Rangers which should provide plenty of run scoring opportunities and fantasy owners have to be thrilled with his activity on the base paths as he has stolen 20 or more bases four times during his career to go along with his 20 home run power. Choo is owned in just about 50 percent of standard leagues and is certainly worth adding in all deeper formats.
Starting Pitchers
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10-Team League
Marco Estrada, TOR – Estrada continues to show that 2015 was no fluke as the Blue Jays “Ace” ranks among the top 10 starters in fantasy to this point in the season by going 5-3 with a 2.81 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP while striking out 92 over 99.1 innings. He has currently tossed eight straight quality starts and will make his next start on Saturday at home against an Indians offense that is not nearly as effective on the road as they have been at home this season. Estrada is available in 75 percent of standard leagues which is really surprising given his effectiveness and the run support he receives from the Blue Jays potent offense.
12-Team League
Matt Shoemaker, LAA – Shoemaker started off with a very rough month of April where he went 1-4 with a 9.15 ERA but since then he has gone 2-4 with a 2.57 ERA over his last 10 starts while striking out 74 over 66.2 innings. Looking deeper into Shoemaker’s stats it’s worth noting that during this recent 10-game stretch that he has a .330 BABIP against him which is fairly unlucky and should regress towards league average given the way he has pitched. Shoemaker is owned in just 50 percent of standard leagues but is definitely worth grabbing and putting in your fantasy rotation if you see him on your waiver wire.
15-Team League
Lucas Giolito, WSH - Baseball America’s No. 5 prospect made his major league debut on Thursday and tossed four shutout innings while allowing one hit, walking two and striking out one before a rain delay ended his outing. This debut performance could not have gone better and Giolito showed that he is more than ready to pitch at baseball’s highest level. His next start is slated to come at home against the Reds on Sunday where he will look to pick up his first career win. Giolito was a very popular add over the past few days but he still finds himself available in 50 percent of standard leagues so check the waiver wire and pick up this young stud.
Closers
10-Team League
Fernando Rodney, SD – Rodney is owned in under 70 percent of standard leagues despite ranking among the top five closers in fantasy this season. I understand the hesitation with Rodney as he in the past has had a tendency to blow up but he has allowed just one earned run this season while striking out 33 over 28.2 innings. He has saved 17 games for the Padres so far this season and is likely going to be moved to a contender come the trade deadline which should put him in line for more save opportunities assuming the acquiring team plans on using him in that role. The fact is a top five closer deserves to be 100 percent owned so check your waiver wire and see if Rodney is floating around and pick him up.
12-Team League
Santiago Casilla, SF – Casilla had a really rough outing on Tuesday but that ended a stretch of six straight scoreless outings and five straight games with a save. On the year he is 1-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 17 saves and is currently ranked among the top 25 relievers in fantasy this season. Casilla is available in 25 percent of leagues as some owners cut bait earlier this month due to his struggles but with no real opposition to his role as closer he is worth grabbing if on the wire and you are in need of saves in deeper mixed leagues.
15-Team League
Seung Hwan Oh, STL – With the removal of Trevor Rosenthal as the Cardinals closer manager Mike Matheny stated that a committee of Seung Hwan Oh, Jonathan Broxton and Kevin Siegrist will get some save opportunities. If I had to bet on the man to come out of this little committee as the future closer of the Cardinals it would be Oh as he racked up 357 saves over 11 seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization and was considered one of the most dominant end game relievers during his time in Korea. Oh has proven so far this season that major league hitters are no trouble as he is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA while striking out 51 over 39 innings. Oh is available in nearly 70 percent of leagues so check your waiver wire and pick him up as he should get plenty of save opportunities given the Cardinals' likely success.