Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Rookie hitters steal the spotlight

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For the second week in a row, hitters are stealing the waiver-wire spotlight. This week's group is dominated by youngsters, as every hitter option is a rookie. There is also a terrific list of one-start streamers for those who need to make a late push in a head-to-head league.

Hitters to add

Carson Benge, OF, Mets, 48%: After Benge was mentioned in this column last week, he went out and had a 5-hit game against the Padres on June 7. The rookie was excellent in May (.801 OPS) and even better so far in June (.910 OPS). Benge has a nice blend of power and speed (7 HR, 10 SB), and as the Mets' leadoff hitter, he should score plenty of runs. He has also hit .303 since May 1 and should be added in 3-OF leagues.

Cole Carrigg, OF, Rockies, 6%: With 142 steals in 331 minor-league games, Carrigg became one of baseball's best base-stealing threats as soon as he arrived to the majors on June 9. The speedster could also be an asset in the batting average category, as he was hitting .338 in Triple-A this year and will have the benefit of playing half his games at Coors Field.

His long-term usefulness remains in question, however, as outfielders Brenton Doyle and Mickey Moniak should come off the IL at some point in June. But those who need speed should add Carrigg and worry about his long-term viability later.

Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox, 37%: In comparison to Carrigg, Montgomery offers a more balanced profile but less potential to dominate a single category. The 2024 first-round pick has played in just 177 minor-league games but was dominant this season by hitting .314 with 10 homers and a .970 OPS in 56 contests.

He may have more staying power than Carrigg, as the White Sox have a greater permanent need in the outfield. The two prospects are similarly desirable in fantasy leagues, with managers basing their preference on the skill set they require. It's also worth noting that Montgomery's hot start — he has a 1.444 OPS and hit a walk-off homer in his MLB debut — will earn him immediate opportunities.

Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants, 26%: One of baseball's most powerful prospects, Eldridge has found his stride in the majors. The 21-year-old has hit .426 with a 1.266 OPS since May 29, and a Giants offense that has been let down by multiple veterans and ranks 19th in runs scored is now being sparked by its youngest members.

He put an exclamation on his coming-out party when he hit a walk-off grand slam against the Nats on June 10. Eldridge is a must-add player in 12-team leagues and can be considered in 10-team formats while he is swinging a hot bat.

Pitchers to add

Noah Cameron, SP, Royals, 47%: Cameron had logged a 5.55 ERA as of May 10, but over his past four outings, the right-hander has recorded a 1.13 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 27:3 K:BB ratio. Those are eye-popping numbers from someone who was once a notable prospect and produced a 2.99 ERA and 1.10 WHIP as a rookie last season.

One of the hottest pitchers in baseball, Cameron needs to be rostered in 10-team leagues until he cools off.

Dustin May, SP, Cardinals, 32%: May was mentioned in this space last week, and he is an even more appealing option after he tossed six shutout innings against the Mets on June 9. Following two disastrous starts to open the season, the right-hander has logged a 2.89 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 59:17 K:BB ratio across his past 11 outings. He has allowed just three homers over that stretch, which makes sense given his solid 47.5% groundball rate. Like Cameron, May has become an option in 10-team leagues.

Alex Lange, RP, Royals, 24%: After Lucas Erceg proved unable to hold the closer's role, Royals manager Matt Quataro pivoted to a ninth-inning committee. It seems that those plans didn't last long, as Lange has earned four of the team's past five saves.

The former Tiger isn't a dominant reliever, as is evidenced by his 4.06 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 34:18 K:BB ratio. But he may be just good enough to hold the role for a while, which makes him an option in leagues where saves are scarce. He's my No. 2 waiver wire reliever this week, behind Rangers reliever Jacob Latz (43%), who was covered in last week's article and still has a roster rate below 50%.

Hitters with favorable weekend matchups

Zack Gelof, 2B/3B/OF, Athletics, 23%: Gelof has played regularly of late, as a reduced strikeout rate has helped him to post a respectable .266 average. He has always had an intriguing blend of power and speed that was limited by his frequent whiffs, and this season he has produced eight homers and six steals in 173 at-bats. The multi-position asset could be part of three high-scoring games this weekend, when the below-average pitching staffs on the Athletics and Rockies meet up for a series at the homer-happy Las Vegas Ballpark.

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Jackson Holliday, 2B/SS, Orioles, 40%: Throughout his brief career, the left-handed hitting Holliday has fared well against right-handers while being overmatched versus southpaws. As such, he will be well-positioned for success this week, when he plays a home series against three unimposing San Diego righties. Although the 22-year-old hasn't excelled since he returned from a season-opening IL stint, he has still managed to accumulate three homers and three steals in 21 games.