With four weeks of the 2023 fantasy baseball season in the books, the roster-worthy hitters have started to separate themselves from the players better left on the waiver wire. Similarly, nearly every fantasy manager should know their teams' offensive strengths and weaknesses by now. Our Week 5 cheat sheet will make things easy for you, pinpointing the free agents who should be owned, the top potential waiver pickups and streams, and the best prospects to watch.
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Everyone thinks the sluggers, top contact hitters, and steals specialists you draft will lead you to the fantasy promised land, but in actuality the work you do on the waiver wire throughout the season matters much, much more to your team's fate. And sometimes the high-profile drops you make for emerging breakouts can have simultaneous 'addition by subtraction' and 'addition by addition' effects (does that make sense? Sorry, speaking of effects, I'm fighting a bronchial infection that literally has me on four different medications). But let's not dwell on that — let's talk hitters!
Check out our cheat sheet, and let us help you determine how you can improve your team right here and right now. Here's our must-roster hitters under 65 percent owned, our favorite waiver adds and streams under 50 percent owned, and our top prospects to watch.
All rostership data is from Yahoo and based on 5x5 or 6x6 category leagues.
Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Cheat Sheet: Must-roster hitters
The following hitters are available in at least 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and should be added in all formats.
Justin Turner, 3B, Red Sox (64 percent rostered) — Now that Turner's face has fully recovered from the beanball that hit him during Spring Training, he's been awesome for the Sox. We've always liked him as a Fenway Park hitter, with that big ol' monster in left likely to keep his average and OPS as burly as his beard. He's got two dingers over the past eight games and his slash line is up to .286/.390/.417. Scoop him while you still can.
Brian Anderson, 3B/OF, Brewers (60%) — Anderson has found his way in Milwaukee, and he's driven in eight runs over the past nine games to up his total to 16 RBI on the season (just outside the top 12 in the NL). He's slashing .280/.364/.533 on the season, and his multi-positional eligibility makes him even more enticing.
Brandon Marsh, OF, Phillies (60%) — Marsh has been destroying right-handed pitching this season, slashing .383/.463/.723 with two home runs and seven RBI. His OPS over the past week: 1.062. This Marsh isn't sinking anytime soon, and neither will his ownership levels!
Jorge Polanco, 2B, Twins (60%) — We love Polanco around here — dude can flat-out hit. And now that he's back from his stint on the injury list for knee issues, he's batting 5-for-13 with a homer, two RBI, and two runs through three games. Second basemen aren't growing on trees, so if you need one, say hey to Jorge.
Riley Greene, OF, Tigers (60%) — Greene started hot this season, but has since simmered down. We still like his power-speed combination and think he'll come out of his mini-slump soon. Then your fellow managers will be Greene with envy that you plucked him off the wire.
Jonah Heim, C, Rangers (59%) — Heim should fill in nicely for Logan O'Hoppe owners who just lost their rookie to the IL10. The Texas catcher has solid contact skills — he's hit safely in nine of the past 10 games — and plenty of pop — he has four games with a homer in that span.
Josh Jung, 3B, Rangers (56%) — Jung has looked like one of the most impressive rookies in the Majors, and his power numbers will only rise with the mercury in the Texas thermometers as the season progresses (his OPS at home is .983). He's hitting .286 on the year, but his numbers against southpaws are otherworldly: .400/.400/.667 with one home run and two RBI.
Brett Baty, 3B, Mets (51%) — Baty finally got the call, and we can't wait until he shakes off the big-league jitters. Not many kids can wield the kind of power Baty can at 23 years old — he hit .400/.500/.886 to go with five homers and two steals across 42 triple-A plate appearances — and you will have FOMO if you leave him on the wire.
Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Cheat Sheet: Best waiver options & streams
The following hitters are available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and should be considered in all formats.
Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates (49 percent rostered) — McCutchen seems happy to be back in the 'burgh, where expectations are low just like the Pirates' average base salaries (sorry, low blow). But life is good for the vet — he has three long-balls over his past seven games, a .927 OPS over the last 14, and he's crushing right-handed pitching to the tune of .304/.414/.478 on the season.
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Jon Berti, 2B/3B,SS/OF (46%) — Berti started slow out of the gates this season, but he has come along strong over the past couple weeks. He's flashed signs of strong power-speed skills, and he should continue to improve as the Marlins get better and the weather gets warmer. Four-position eligibility serves as icing on an already-sweet Berti cake.
Esteury Ruiz, OF Athletics (38%) — Ruiz seems to be more than just a steals streamer, but his speed will almost be his biggest strength. The young outfielder has five stolen bases to go with a .296 average, and we think he will only improve as the season progresses.
Joey Gallo, 1B/OF, Twins (39%) — All Gallo does when he's fully healthy is rake, rake, rake. He rakes more than the field crew during a downpour. In five games since coming off the IL with an intercostal strain, the veteran slugger has mashed two homers, driven in four runs, and scored three times. I dropped Jose Abreu for him in one of my power-lineup builds, and I don't think I'll ever regret it.
Harold Ramirez, 1B/OF, Rays (35%) — Commonly referred to by teammates as "Barreled Ramirez" because he always gets good wood on the ball, HRam seems to grace our pickups and streamers columns year in and year out. Well, we mean it this time — Ramirez is hitting .382 with four round-trippers and nine RBI. He's hit safely in nine straight games, and logged multiple hits in six of those nine games.
Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Cheat Sheet: Top prospects to watch
Jackson Chourio, 2B/OF, Brewers (7 percent rostered) — Baseball America's No. 3 ranked prospect, Chourio has a power stroke and sprint speeds that make him worthy of an NA spot right now. The Brewers don't have a spot for him just yet, but we don't see that lasting if the 19-year-old starts going on a tear at the triple-A level. He just needs to get more acclimated to hitting lefties.
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Reds (14%) — Another hopeful midseason call-up, De La Cruz has size (6-5, 200), speed (103 steals in 269 minor-league games), and power (57 dingers across that same span). For a second, I forgot I wasn't talking about another speed-power shortstop named Cruz (Oneil in Pittsburgh has similar core skills). I'm stashing him, and not just because his first name is close to my daughter's (Ellie).
Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B, Athletics (2%) — A deep stash for leagues that offer multiple NA spots, Soderstrom is being grromed as a catcher/first base hybrid since his bat packs plenty of pop on the regular. If you don't have room for him in non-active roster spots or taxis, avoid him. But as soon as he gets the call, give him some serious thought.
