NL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

Bids in general are best guesstimates. With so much uncertainty at least initially, those values may be even greater estimates than usual. The FAAB chart below lets users easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The chart, which is sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's skills and role on an A-E scale. An "A" grade is reserved for a high-impact prospect stepping into an everyday role.

If you have questions on players, I'm happy to provide my thoughts in the comments.

STARTING PITCHER

Ian Anderson/Tucker Davidson/Robbie Erlin/Kyle Muller/Bryse Wilson, Braves: I profiled all these pitchers last week - save for Erlin - and they get the same mention here. Last week, they were profiled along with Huascar Ynoa due to the hole in the Braves' rotation created when Mike Soroka went down with a torn Achilles. Ynoa has made two starts in his place and looks like he will remain in the rotation. With Sean Newcomb optioned down after a wretched start to the season, Atlanta needs a fifth starter. Anderson, Davidson, Muller and Wilson are in the mix to be that starter down the road, with Wilson the only one of the four currently on the 40-man roster - although Erlin gets the nod for now. Anderson was promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett last season after a solid run with Double-A Mississippi but amassed a 6.57 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over five starts with the Triple-A club. He did rebound with a solid spring after improved control and improvement of his changeup. Davidson is up to 80 pitches and uses a mid-90s fastball, along with a curveball and improved upper-80s slider to retire hitters. He posted a 2.15 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 134:54 K:BB across 129.2 innings at Double-A and Triple-A in 2019, but like Anderson needs work on his command and control to reduce his walk rate. Erlin, called up last week, gave up four runs in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen Monday against the Phillies. He got the nod Sunday, but Atlanta would appear to have better options from the other names in this post. Muller posted a 3.14 ERA and 147:74 K:BB over 140.2 innings over the past two seasons with Double-A Mississippi but needs innings at Triple-A. Without a minor-league season, he has been pitching at the Braves' alternate site. Wilson, who struggled in a five-start stint in the majors last season, also has experienced command issues and needs to improve his slider to retire hitters consistently. He was called up this past week for Newcomb, but gave up two runs on one hit and four walks while striking out two in 1.2 innings Tuesday relieving Touki Toussaint. That poor outing could force Atlanta to call up one of the other three options. Anderson - 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $3; Davidson - 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team NL: $7; Erlin/Muller/Wilson - 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $5

Tyler Anderson, Giants: Anderson opened the season in the Giants' bullpen, but moved into the rotation and faced the Rockies on Aug. 6. He should receive a handful of additional starts due to the injuries to Drew Smyly (finger) and Jeff Samardzija (shoulder). Anderson benefits from pitching in SF, but don't overrate. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $4

Steven Brault, Pirates: Brault, who has been working in a "piggyback" role, was to start Saturday against the Reds before the game was postponed with Joe Musgrove (triceps) sidelined. He has seen a mixed bag his last three appearances with the lefty hurling three perfect innings, then failing to retire a batter while surrendering four runs, and most recently throwing two scoreless frames. Brault profiles as a long reliever, but he'll get a chance to fill a rotation spot with Pittsburgh down several starters. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $2

Daniel Castano, Marlins: Castano, a 19th-round pick by the Cardinals in 2016, was traded to Miami a few years back in the Marcell Ozuna deal. He made his major-league debut out of the bullpen last Saturday and started this Saturday against the Braves allowing one run on four hits and a pair of walks with two strikeouts in six-plus innings. Castano may continue to see starting chances until the Marlins near full strength following the COVID-19 outbreak especially due his solid outing, though he doesn't project to have a ton of value or impact. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $5

Tony Gonsolin, Dodgers: Gonsolin, profiled two weeks ago, gets another mention as he will make a second straight start for LA. He tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and one walk while fanning out eight Wednesday against San Diego to earn the upcoming turn in the rotation. Gonsolin became an option for the starter spot vacated by David Price opting out, but missed out after reporting to camp late. He got the nod at the end of July due to Alex Wood's shoulder injury landed him on the IL. Wood started throwing to hitters this past week, but is a few weeks away from returning and leaving six starters in five rotation spots. Gonsolin performed well during his first major-league stint in 2019 by posting a 2.93 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 11 appearances (six starts) despite less than optimal advanced stats. He is a decent bet to stick as a starter or reliever. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $7

Robert Gsellman/Walker Lockett, Mets: The Mets' rotation has been hit hard since spring training. Noah Syndergaard needed Tommy John, Marcus Stroman missed time with a calf strain and then opted out, Michael Wacha is out with a strained shoulder and now, Jacob deGrom missed a start with a stiff neck. Plus, Steven Matz has looked horrific. David Peterson has filled in admirably, but holes still remain. Gsellman, who missed the start of the season with a triceps injury, returned this week and was moved from the bullpen to starting allowing three runs on four hits over two innings in a no-decision against the Nationals on Wednesday. He began his Mets' career in the rotation in 2016, but regressed in 2017 and was moved to the pen the following year. Gsellman's current stint as a starter may last as long as Wacha or Jake is sidelined. Lockett started for deGrom on Friday, allowing five runs in six innings. He posted an 8.34 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB over 22.2 innings during 2019 and may remain in the majors only for as long as Jake is out. Gsellman - 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $5; Lockett - 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $3

Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks: Kelly's spot in Arizona's starting rotation became cast in stone when Mike Leake opted out. He struggled a bit in his first season back in the US, but still led the Diamondbacks in inning pitched at 183.1 while going 13-14 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across 32 starts. Kelly dealt with a wrist injury this spring, but the time off enabled him to heal. He has been brilliant to start 2020, going 4-for-4 in quality starts, posting a 1.71 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 22:3 K:BB across 26.1 innings. 12-team Mixed: $9, 15-team Mixed: $18; 12-team NL: Owned

Chad Kuhl, Pirates: Kuhl appears to have secured a spot in Pittsburgh's starting rotation, aided by the injuries to Joe Musgrove (triceps) and Mitch Keller (oblique). He limited opponents to two earned runs in nine innings over his first three appearances with a 12:3 K:BB, but surrendered three runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts over five frames Friday versus the Reds. Kuhl has dropped his fastball usage from 58.7 percent to 37.6 percent while increasing his breaking ball repertoire. Recovering from September 2018 Tommy John surgery which forced him to miss all of 2019, Kuhl looked strong this past spring and benefited from the delayed start to the regular season. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $7

Pablo Lopez, Marlins: Lopez, like many of the Marlins, has been a pleasant surprise early this season. After struggling in 2019 with a 5.09 ERA and only 95 strikeouts across 111.1 innings, Lopez has won two of his first three starts allowing just three earned runs in 16 innings with a 19:4 K:BB. With Sandy Alcantara still out due to COVID-19, Lopez is the erstwhile ace of the Miami staff and - so far this season - has looked up to the task. 12-team Mixed: $11, 15-team Mixed: $22; 12-team NL: $33 (if not owned in NL-only leagues)

Tyler Mahle, Reds: Wade Miley looked like he may have hurt himself covering first base on a groundout in his return to action Wednesday, resulting in his removal from the game. He was replaced by Mahle, who struggled in that appearance but pitched well as a starter during Miley's original absence. It would be an easy switch for the Reds to make in their rotation - whether it be for performance or health reasons - swapping Miley for Mahle, who has posted a 3.38 ERA and 16:6 K:BB, with only one home run allowed in 13.1 innings, aided by an increased use and effectiveness of his slider. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team NL: $11

Freddy Peralta, Brewers: Peralta, profiled three weeks ago, gets another mention as the possibility exists he will be reinserted into the starting rotation. Eric Lauer was sent to the team's alternate site but the Brewers don't need a fifth starter for a bit, so Peralta could remain in the bullpen where he has been effective. The Brewers moved him from the rotation into a long-relief role last week, and he has been dominant since the switch tossing seven scoreless frames over two outings while allowing just five hitters to reach base and punching out 14 of them. That usage still gives Peralta value, especially since he will piggyback starters and possibly grab a couple wins as he did Friday when he struck out five in two innings. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team NL: $11

Cal Quantrill, Padres: Quantrill, who did well before tiring late and getting shut down, opened the season in the San Diego bullpen. He projects to remain a starter in the future, but looks to fill a swingman role this season. Quantrill is pitching in a long-relief role tossing 8.2 innings in three appearances to date, but started Saturday allowing one run on five hits and a walk while striking out five in 3.2 innings. He was a starter in 18 of his 23 appearances during his rookie campaign last year, struggling to a 5.16 ERA while striking out a modest 20.1 percent of opposing batters. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $5 

Drew Rasmussen, Brewers: Rasmussen was promoted to take the roster spot of Eric Lauer, who was sent to Milwaukee's alternate site. He made a strong case to make the major-league roster during spring training and summer camp but was left off the Opening Day roster. Rasmussen, who posted a 3.15 ERA and 96:31 K:BB over 74.1 innings at High and Double-A last season, will get ready to make his major-league debut. The right-hander could replace Lauer in Brewers' starting rotation, though the team doesn't need a fifth starter for a while and manager Craig Counsell might turn to Freddy Peralta. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $4

Alex Young, Diamondbacks: Young was a candidate to open the season as Arizona's starter, but he failed to earn the spot - although he made the team in the bullpen. He began 2019 in Triple-A Reno's pen, but performed admirably across 15 starts and a pair of relief appearances following his promotion to the bigs by compiling a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 83.1 innings. Young kicked off 2020 strong before allowing runs in three straight relief appearances and replaced Mad Bum in the D-Backs rotation Saturday, allowing a run on four hits and a walk while striking out five in 4.1 innings. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $5

RELIEF PITCHER

Daniel Bard, Rockies: Bard is a feel-good story, having not pitched in the majors since 2013 due a long-list of arm injuries. He signed with the Rockies in February as a non-roster invitee and made the team out of summer camp. Bard, who notched the save Tuesday relieving an ineffective Jairo Diaz, has posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 12 strikeouts across nine innings this season. He's not expected to get many chances for saves - ninth-inning duties have typically gone to Diaz or Wade Davis this season - but his save means he might get tapped on occasion. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $5

Connor Brogdon, Phillies: The Phillies bullpen has looked terrible this season. Brogdon added to that in his first appearance Thursday by allowing three runs on a pair of home runs over 1.1 innings. But he still offers tangible upside, as he produced a 35.8 percent strikeout rate and an 8.1 percent walk rate across the three highest levels of the minors last season leading to a 2.61 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. It would be a surprise to see Brogdon pitching in important spots right away. Although even with the scarcity of reliable options in the Phillies' bullpen, he is a name to keep in mind. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $3 

Edwin Diaz, Mets: Diaz, brilliant in 2018 as a Mariner, struggled his first season in New York. His advanced metrics were a mixed bag, but what stood out were the 15 home runs he allowed last season in 58 innings. Diaz notched the save on Opening Day, but blew his next opportunity and struggled his next outing resulting in him losing the closer role to Seth Lugo. Following those poor outings, Diaz has recently recovered by tossing six shutout innings with a 12:1 K:BB in increasingly higher-leveraged situations. Manager Luis Rojas could reinsert Diaz back in the closer role as a way to use Lugo for multiple innings, partially due to the number of injuries on the Mets' starting staff. That swap has yet to occur and it's not clear it ever will, but Diaz is still worth rostering due to his current effectiveness. 12-team Mixed: $12, 15-team Mixed: Owned; 12-team NL: Owned 

Keone Kela, Pirates: Kela, sidelined the first several weeks of the season due to COVID-19, cleared all health-related protocols and was activated Thursday. He allowed a run on two hits in his first outing of the season and may need a bit of time to hit his groove. Pittsburgh has only recorded four wins on the season, so don't expect an abundance of saves. But a closer is a closer and Kela notched 24 saves last season, so he should provide some stability to the end of the bullpen for the Bucs.  12-team Mixed: $15, 15-team Mixed: $25; 12-team NL: $35 (upped bid now that he has returned) 

Drew Pomeranz, Padres: Pomeranz was profiled two weeks ago, but his current usage warrants a second mention and bid upgrade. He successfully transitioned from starting to relieving, parlaying that into a multi-year deal from the Padres. As we noted in our preseason outlook, Pomeranz's stuff played up as a reliever and he used a lethal mid-90s-fastball/curveball combination to frequently fool hitters. After moving to the bullpen, he held opposing hitters to a .165 average and racked up 50 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. Kirby Yates has struggled at times following his brilliant 2019 campaign and now will be sidelined for an extended period with bone chips in his elbow, resulting in Pomeranz already notching four saves in additional to four holds. Grab him as he should close for the Padres, but Emilio Pagan could also factor in the mix. 12-team Mixed: $25, 15-team Mixed: $35; 12-team NL: Owned 

CATCHER 

Austin Barnes/Keibert Ruiz, Dodgers: Barnes has recently shown signs of emerging from a season-long slump by going 7-for-13 with four RBI - including a home run Thursday - over the last four games. Will Smith remains the unquestioned starter behind the plate for LA, but he was dealing with a sore neck to potentially open the door for Barnes to see more time. Smith's injury landed him on the IL Saturday, prompting the call up of Ruiz who will back up Barnes. Ruiz was once thought as the catcher of the future in LA, but was eventually surpassed by Smith. Just 22, Ruiz is quite young for a catcher and he didn't dominate the upper minors last season by hitting a merely decent .261/.331/.347 in 85 games in Double-A and Triple-A. The future is still somewhat bright, but for now he likely will see minimal action and may need a trade to fulfill his potential. Barnes - 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team NL: $7; Ruiz - 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4 

Stephen Vogt, Diamondbacks: Vogt is in line for an uptick in playing time due to Carson Kelly's struggles at the plate. Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Kelly and Vogt will share the catching duties evenly going forward. Vogt has already seen a rise in action, starting five of seven contests as Kelly - who snapped a hitless streak of 15 at-bats in his last start - is slashing .167/.268/.278 over 13 games (41 plate appearances). Kelly did go 3-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in Saturday while Vogt hasn't exactly impressed at the plate, so be careful not to overinvest. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $5

FIRST BASE

Jesus Aguilar/Lewin Diaz, Marlins: Aguilar moved from Milwaukee to Tampa Bay last season before signing a one-year, $2.58 million contract with the Marlins in February. He staked his claim to the first base job this spring and is hitting cleanup almost every day. Aguilar has been incredibly productive early on, hitting .302/.333/.566 across 60 plate appearances while also racking up four home runs, seven runs scored and 15 RBI. He's enjoyed stretches of production in the past, followed up by extensive slumps. But in a shortened season, ride the hot hand. Diaz, acquired from Minnesota as part of the Sergio Romo deal, represents an above-average defender who slashed a collective .270/.321/.530 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 121 games between High-A and Double-A last season. He continued that fine play into the spring, but failed to break summer camp with Miami. Diaz received his first call-up with Corey Dickerson being placed on the bereavement list. A natural first baseman, Diaz figures to just be a depth player for the time being with Jesus Aguilar playing well. Aguilar - 12-team Mixed: $45, 15-team Mixed: Owned; 12-team NL: Owned; Diaz - 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $3

John Nogowski, Cardinals: Nogowski's combination of power and discerning eye at the plate has landed him a spot on the Cardinals' 28-man roster with the team resuming their season following COVID-19 issues. Already on the 60-man summer camp roster, Nogowski slugged a total of 27 home runs across the 200 minor-league games he logged over the last two seasons in Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis while posting no lower than a .378 OBA in each of the past three seasons. Paul Goldschmidt is locked in to first base and the Cardinals do offer many options for the DH spot. But if Nogowski hits in this current stint, he could remain with the major-league club even when they get fully healthy. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4

Jose Osuna, Pirates: Osuna was called back up from the Pirates' alternate site due to the season-ending injury suffered by Phillip Evans (jaw/concussion). He will resume his role as back up at first base and right field while seeing the occasional start at DH. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team NL: $3

SECOND BASE

Asdrubal Cabrera, Nationals: Cabrera, who finished 2019 with the Nationals, produced substantially more than was anticipated when he joined the squad hitting .323/.404/.565 with six home runs and 40 RBI over 38 games. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Washington in January and entered spring training battling for playing time at second base with Starlin Castro, while possibly starting at third base following Anthony Rendon's departure if Carter Kieboom wasn't ready to handle a starting role in the majors. Kieboom has been in and out of the lineup while Cabrera starts almost daily at either first, third or DH. He qualifies at second, since he played 31 games at the position last year and could see time there now with Starlin Castro landing on the IL Friday with a broken right wrist. Cabrera continues to hit well at the plate, showing no signs of slowing even though he will be 35 in November. 12-team Mixed: $35, 15-team Mixed: Owned; 12-team NL: Owned

Robinson Cano, Mets: Cano, profiled two weeks ago, gets another mention as he returned from the injured list Friday after missing the minimum due to a strained groin. Prior to being sidelined, he had gotten off to a hot start at the plate batting .372 with a .976 OPS through the first four weeks of the season. Cano's numbers across the board fell last season, as injuries and ineffectiveness limited him to just 423 plate appearances. One silver lining in that poor season was his ancillary starts staying somewhat static - including hard hot rate and exit velocity - providing hope for a rebound. So far, that has been proven to be the case thanks to an uptick in his plate discipline. Andres Gimenez and Luis Guillorme both did an excellent job filling in for Cano - who was the DH on Friday - allowing a red-hot Guillorme to stay in the lineup at the keystone spot. 12-team Mixed: $11, 15-team Mixed: $22; 12-team NL: $33 (if not owned)

Kyle Farmer, Reds: In leagues that play with 10-game position eligibility requirements, Farmer provides increased value. Last season, Farmer played at least that many contests at catcher, first, second and third base. He wasn't slated to see as much action this year - even prorated based upon the expected shortened schedule - due to the depth in Cincy. But Mike Moustakas's injury resulted in Farmer starting five of six games at either middle-infield spot. He no longer is seeing time at catcher, but his likely 2019 eligibility at the position makes him a perfect plug and play candidate in NL-only leagues. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $5

Luis Garcia, Nationals: Garcia was called up Friday with Starlin Castro landing on the injured list Friday with a broken right wrist. He was the youngest hitter in Double-A last year and, not surprisingly, struggled at that level. But Garcia closed strong and continued that fine play into his stint in the Arizona Fall League. He offers the size and hit tool to mature into a 20-plus home run hitter along with solid percentages, due to his eye at the plate and elite bat-to-ball skills. The potential lack of a minor leagues will hurt Garcia's development but the injury to Castro should result in time at the keystone, which was the case Friday, as he started and notched a pair of hits. Asdrubal Cabrera, Josh Harrison, Howie Kendrick and Carter Kieboom also will factor in the second-base mix. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team NL: $11

Luis Guillorme, Mets: Guillorme saw an increase in playing time while Robinson Cano was on the injured list. His fine defense at second along with a hot bat has kept him in the lineup even though Cano is back. Guillorme has started five straight games and collected a hit in each, going 9-for-15 with two doubles and two RBI. Once Jeff McNeil (bruised knee) returns to action, playing time might get scarce for Guillorme, with Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario needing to play daily. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $5

Garrett Hampson, Rockies: Hampson, profiled two weeks ago, gets another mention as he looks to have moved into the leadoff spot for Colorado after supplanting David Dahl and aided by a strong on-base average. He stole 15 bases last year, but look for Hampson to be given the green light on the bases now that he's a table-setter - which has been the case since the switch. Hampson qualifies at second base and the outfield and should regularly be involved at both positions, with most of his action coming in left field. Ryan McMahon covers first base when Daniel Murphy serves as the DH, which is when Hampson sees time at the keystone. Hampson was brilliant last September, hitting five homers, scoring 16 runs and stealing nine bases while batting .318, so we know what he can do with consistent playing time. 12-team Mixed: $35, 15-team Mixed: $45; 12-team NL: Owned

THIRD BASE

Alec Bohm, Phillies: Bohm, profiled way back when during the pandemic, was finally promoted Thursday. He started at the hot corner, batting sixth. Bohm spent his offseason working on his defense, though that wasn't readily apparent this spring as he made two errors in 10 games. The third pick in the 2018 draft, Bohm hit .311/.379/.513 with 23 home runs, a 10.2 BB% and 14.8 K% in 147 games across stops in the South Atlantic, Florida State and Arizona Fall leagues last season. He figures to see plenty of at-bats with the big club, which could push Jean Segura to second base and Scott Kingery to the bench more often moving forward - though Kingery could play CF in the short-term with Adam Haseley sidelined. With Rhys Hoskins entrenched at first base, Bohm will need to show he can handle the hot corner to remain in the lineup. 12-team Mixed: $8, 15-team Mixed: $16; 12-team NL: $24

SHORTSTOP

Nick Ahmed, Diamondbacks: Ahmed was once a glove-only shortstop but trimmed his chase rate and upped his walk rate, aiding in his material development as a hitter. He took a huge leap forward, blasting 19 home runs while driving in 82 runs last year. Ahmed got off to a horrific start, but looks to have righted this ship this week in Colorado. He might have been dumped in 12 and 15-team leagues but as per CBS, he was rostered in just 21% of leagues as of Friday afternoon. 12-team Mixed: $15, 15-team Mixed: $25; 12-team NL: Owned

Andres Gimenez, Mets: Gimenez continues to impress at the plate and in the field. Thought of originally as more of a glove-first player, he has dispelled some of that notion, driving the ball at the plate while 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts. Gimenez has taken advantage of injuries to both Robinson Cano and Amed Rosario to play daily in their absences and should carve out almost semi-regular time when both return to action at second and short as well as third base. His value is still much greater in keeper leagues, but he does offer single-season value. 12-team Mixed: $3, 15-team Mixed: $9; 12-team NL: $14

Jorge Mateo, Padres: The Padres acquired Mateo from the Athletics at the end of June in exchange for a player to be named later. But a positive COVID-19 test contributed to him failing to make the club out of summer camp. It just seems like Mateo, who still needs to work on strike-zone awareness and pitch recognition, has been around forever yet he is still just 25. He was in a bit of a roster crunch in Oakland, but should have a better chance at carving out playing time in San Diego. Fernando Tatis has shortstop locked down while Jurickson Profar and Ty France were manning the keystone - the latter spot where Mateo likely fits now that he has been promoted. Profar is under the Mendoza line and France was optioned to alternate camp, creating a playing time path for Mateo - who has no remaining minor-league options - though Jake Cronenworth has shown he deserves to remain in the lineup. In addition, manager Jayce Tingler will deploy Mateo all over the outfield as a way to get his bat in the lineup. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team NL: $9 (speed potential)

Luis Urias, Brewers: Urias, acquired from San Diego for Trent Grisham, missed the start of the season due to COVID-19. He failed to distinguish himself in 83 games for the Padres over the last two seasons by hitting .221/.318/.331 with just six homers and one steal, making him expendable. Milwaukee can roll out a plethora of utility infield candidates in Brock Holt, Eric Sogard and Jedd Gyorko, which may cut down Urias's playing time. But he has started recently at second base and been productive at the plate, moving Keston Hiura to DH. 12-team Mixed: No, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $5

OUTFIELD

Kole Calhoun, Diamondbacks: Calhoun broke through with a career-high 33 long balls for the Angels in 2019. The improvement can be attributed to a pair of changes in his approach: an increase in average launch angle from 12.0 degrees in 2018 to 14.7 degrees in 2019 and a pull rate of 47.4 percent that ranked 10th among qualified hitters. Calhoun parlayed that rebound campaign into a two-year, $16 million contract with the Diamondbacks. He got off to a slow start, but has hit safely in nine of his last 11 starts, including four in a row. Calhoun plays almost daily, sitting only versus certain southpaws. 12-team Mixed: $25, 15-team Mixed: $35; 12-team NL: Owned

Dylan Carlson, Cardinals: Carlson was added to the Cardinals' 28-man roster with the team receiving clearance to resume their season. Lane Thomas and Austin Dean are both out with COVID-19, joining others who have been sidelined, resulting in St. Louis not playing a game since Jul. 29. Carlson fully exploded on the scene last season, moving from nice to top-tier prospect. Despite just playing 18 games at Triple-A where he posted a .361/.418/.681 slash line with five home runs and nine RBI across 79 plate appearances, he made a major impression on the Cardinals' major-league coaching staff in spring training. Questions remain as to whether he is ready for major-league pitching, but Carlson did not look out of place this spring by carrying his 2019 performance forward. The starting outfield of Tyler O'Neill, Harrison Bader and Dexter Fowler hasn't tested positive and should be available upon the return to play, but it remains a prime opportunity for Carlson to receive the big-league promotion - likely in center field - and potentially secure his longer-term place on the roster. 12-team Mixed: $11, 15-team Mixed: $22; 12-team NL: $33 (up if think he plays close to daily) 

Edward Olivares, Padres: San Diego cleared some of their outfield backlog by dealing Franchy Cordero and Ronald Bolanos to the Royals for Tim Hill right before the season. Part of the rationale in making the trade was to create room and playing time for Oliveras, who enjoyed a strong spring and continues to open eyes. He has seen limited duty early this season, but could be in line for increased playing time if Wil Myers' back tightness and/or Tommy Pham's calf cramps sideline either or both outfielders. Pure speculative bid. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team NL: $9

Cristian Pache, Braves: Pache is on the short list of Atlanta prospects who could get promoted to the big-league roster in the near future. Ronald Acuna was placed on the 10-day IL on Saturday retroactive to Aug. 10 due to a sore wrist, which could result in Pache getting the call. For now, Ender Inciarte will man center field. But if Acuna misses more than the minimum, Pache might get the call especially if Inciarte's batting woes continue. Pache's defense is ahead of his offense, but he continues to improve that side of his game. He slashed .277/.340/.462 with 12 home runs in 130 games between Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi a season ago and would benefit from a year at Triple-A, but that will not be the case this year due to the pandemic. If Pache is promoted, he could see at bats and remain in the lineup due to his top-shelf defense.  12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team NL: $11

Roman Quinn, Phillies: Adam Haseley jammed his hand Tuesday after colliding with Chris Davis at first base, landing on the IL on Thursday with a sprained right wrist. Quinn and Scott Kingery figure to handle center field while Haseley is sidelined. Neither player has done much early this season, though Quinn has looked the better of the two. Quinn profiles better as a fourth outfielder, so maybe Kingery sees a larger boost in playing time to get his bat going although he is dealing with back tightness and an injured left shoulder. But Quinn was the one who got the start Thursday. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $7 

Austin Slater, Giants: Slater looked to have grabbed a solid hold on the starting right field job for San Francisco with his hot play since his promotion. But a right elbow flexor strain diagnosed Friday scratched him for two straight games. Slater was able to return to the lineup Saturday as the DH, which could be his role in the short-term. When healthy, he has shown in a limited sample he can be a source of power and speed - the latter enhancing his value seeing the difficulty in acquiring steals. If Slater remains unable to play the outfield, look for Darin Ruf and Hunter Pence to pick up the additional starts at that position for the Giants. 12-team Mixed: $5, 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team NL: $18

Jesse Winker, Reds: Winker was profiled three weeks ago, but his hot play and increase in playing time require another mention. He originally looked to be a starter for Cincinnati at either DH or outfield against righties and sitting versus lefties, as he did Opening Day. Winker spent much of the shutdown working on improving his foot to be a better outfielder. Last season, he showed a surprising power boost recently shown not to be a fluke. Winker has started against each of the last three lefties the Reds have faced, so it seems he's finally getting a chance to establish himself as an everyday player. 12-team Mixed: $45, 15-team Mixed: $65; 12-team NL: Owned