It’s been an incredibly fun start to the 2025 MLB season and it’s only going to get better from here. There are no undefeated teams left, there are players in roles that have surprised us, and injured players that have allowed others to step up. The fantasy baseball season is heating up and the week three waiver wire is a great place to bolster your squad.

 

 

 

MLB Fantasy Baseball Week 3 Waiver Wire

The pitchers available on this week's waiver wire are super elite and some are even available as starters and relievers. Chase Dollander is being called up after one start in Triple-A to make his debut this weekend. Let's dive into the MLB Fantasy Baseball Week 3 waiver wire ahead of the next waiver cycle.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Jordan Hicks, SP, RP San Francisco Giants

ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 21%

FAAB: 4-6%

It was a brutal spring for Jordan Hicks but that was the complete opposite of what happened in his first start of the year. Hicks fired six scoreless innings notching a strikeout inning while averaging 98.7 MPH on his fastball, 3.2 MPH faster than it averaged in 2024. His 46% ground ball rate should also go up considering his career mark is 57% and it’s never been below 50% for an entire season. Pairing the expected rise in ground balls, elevated velocity and elite ballpark he gets to pitch at in San Francisco, I’m starting to buy into Jordan Hicks’ ability to be a valuable fantasy baseball asset. The cherry on top is that he has both SP and RP eligibility.
 

Max Meyer, SP Miami Marlins

ESPN: 11% / Yahoo: 25%

FAAB: 7-9%

Start number two for Max Meyer was just as impressive as start number one. Despite suffering a loss, Meyer has notched 15 strikeouts in his first 11.2 innings this year. It’s only been two starts, but the home run ball that bit him last season is not hurting him through two starts. After allowing 14 homers in 57 innings in 2024, he’s at just one through two starts. He pitches in a great ballpark, the strikeouts are up, and most importantly, he’s healthy. Meyer profiles best in quality start leagues because the wins will be few and far between.
 

Kris Bubic, RP Kansas City Royals

ESPN: 13% / Yahoo: 27%

FAAB: 2-4%

After coming up as a starter, Kris Bubic has spent the last two seasons as a relief pitcher, but the Royals converted him back this offseason and it looks like it paid off one start into his 2025. He’s RP only right now, but his eligibility will be gained at SP in just a couple of starts. Bubic was mostly fastball slider in his first start, both pitches that were pluses for him a year ago, so it’s great to see pitchers leaning into what works for them. Possibly the most interesting part of it all was his near 15% swinging strike rate, which is the same number he achieved as a reliever, and there’s usually a discrepancy there. Bubic is a buy on the fantasy baseball waiver wire heading into week three of the season.
 

Tylor Megill, SP New York Mets

ESPN: 13% / Yahoo: 23%

FAAB: 6-8%

Two starts, two wins, two really good outings for Tylor Megill. The wins came against the Blue Jays and Astros, so quality outings. He’s been just a tick under one strikeout per inning and has an elite offense behind him, so the wins won’t go away. He’s still available in nearly 85% of ESPN leagues and most of what he’s done in the first two games is sustainable. He has a very high strikeout ceiling after notching a 27% K-rate and 10.5 K/9 a year ago.
 

Luke Jackson, RP Texas Rangers

ESPN: 11% / Yahoo: 43%

FAAB: 6-8%

We’re going to recommend Luke Jackson once again knowing very well he won’t be available in more than 50% of leagues for much longer. He leads the league in saves with four after a shaky first outing of the year. Since that first outing, Jackson has four scoreless innings while striking out a better per inning. The problem is Jackson isn’t a spring chicken and he’s already entering uncharted territory with this role he has. If he can maintain stability at the end of games for Texas, he’s one of the better relief adds of the year, even if it’s only going into the third week of the year.
 

Chase Dollander, SP Colorado Rockies

ESPN: 4% / Yahoo: 6%

FAAB: 6-8%

With news that Chase Dollander will make his MLB debut this weekend, run, don’t walk to your fantasy baseball waiver wire to add him. He has made just one start above Double-A for what it’s worth, but my word does he miss bats. He pitched 118 minor league innings last year and racked up 169 punch outs, good for 12.9 K/9. In his one AAA outing, he averaged 11.3 K/9, 97.3 MPH on his fastball, and had a 45.5% ground ball rate, which he’ll need a lot of in Colorado. That’s the one downside to picking Baseball America’s number eight prospect in the entire game. His home games are in the best offensive park in the game.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Infielders

Hunter Goodman, C/OF Colorado Rockies

ESPN: 15% / Yahoo: 29%

FAAB: 9-11%

This is a very rare combination as Hunter Goodman has both catcher and outfield eligibility on both ESPN and Yahoo! Fantasy. Goodman’s a very powerful hitter that hit 36 and 34 home runs in the minors in 2022 and 2023 respectively. With how bad the catcher position is and how few at the position could even flirt with a 30 home run season, he’s extremely valuable on the fantasy baseball waiver wire. Not to mention he plays his home games at Coors Field and we’ve only had one game played there and yet he’s hitting .333 with two homers through seven games.
 

Ben Rice, 1B New York Yankees

ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 19%

FAAB: 6-8%

Ben Rice, speed demon. Well, that’s what he’s known for, right? RIGHT? He swiped a bag in back-to-back games and led off in each of those two games. Now look, the Yankees have already cycled through multiple leadoff hitters since Opening Day and this isn’t something that will likely stick long-term, but there’s no reason to think the Yankees stop deploying it against right-handed pitchers if it keeps working. Rice has shown an elite eye throughout his minor league career and even had an 11% BB rate in 2024 at the major league level. His run production could be through the roof on games he’s leading off and he can drive himself in too with the power Rice has.
 

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, 2B, 3B, SS Pittsburgh Pirates

ESPN: 14%  / Yahoo: 19% 

FAAB: 4-6%

The Pirates have come into 2025 deciding that they’re simply going to steal a boatload of bases. They lead the league in stolen bases thus far and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa has four of them hitting atop their order. He’s going to be a zero in the home run department and he’s not going to drive in many runs either, but if he can continue to manufacture runs himself, he’s a fantasy baseball waiver wire add. He has great eligibility as well, which bolsters his case. All of his expected numbers are basically in line with his seasonal numbers, suggesting he can continue being quite productive and is available in over 80% of ESPN and Yahoo! Fantasy leagues.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outfielders

Jordan Walker, OF St. Louis Cardinals

ESPN: 8% / Yahoo: 15%

FAAB: 6-8%

Jordan Walker has my attention. Jordan Walker has entered the chat. Walker flashed a combination of power and speed through his first six games and that’s what we’ve seen throughout his minor league career, not at the major league level however. The walks are up and the strikeouts are down, too. He’s definitely had some batted ball luck, but this has been a promising start to 2025.
 

Michael Conforto, OF Los Angeles Dodgers

ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 19%

FAAB: 2-4%

With Freddie Freeman hitting the injured list, we’re likely going to see more at-bats for Michael Conforto against left-handed pitching and we saw that on Friday, too. Conforto is off to a fantastic start this year and when you look up and down the Dodgers lineup, he’ll have plenty of pitches to hit this year. Everything Conforto has touched has been hit hard and in the air. He’s posted a 54% FB rate and 50% hard-hit up to this point in the season. Low budget add that likely plays every day for the foreseeable future.
 

Byron Buxton, OF Minnesota Twins

ESPN: 17% / Yahoo: 40%

FAAB: 

It always feels obvious when Byron Buxton is feeling good when he steals a base. That’s the barometer. He got off to a very slow start but the past three games he’s cooked. Five runs, three more driven in, one home run, and one stolen base. Nobody has to tell you the primary reason why anyone that’s ever played fantasy baseball before is skeptical about picking up Buxton; his health. That said, his health NOW is what matters. He’s healthy NOW and has been productive at that.