Fantasy baseball: Snatch these potential waiver wire gems

Fantasy owners are generally quite good about plucking talent from the waiver wire in a timely fashion. As we’ve discussed before, this skill is arguably the most important ingredient for a winning season. Yet every year, there are players who for whatever reason linger in limbo for much longer than they should. The following players have ownership rates far below where they should be, given their production. Each has solid overall numbers and has been particularly excellent in recent weeks, making them valuable additions to your fantasy roster as we barrel toward the dog days of summer.

For more potential waiver wire gems, remember to check out RotoBaller’s waiver wire rankings assistant, updated daily.

Marcus Semien, SS, Oakland Athletics

Before the season began, I identified Semien as a good bet for at least 20 homers and 10 stolen bases. He’s already reached the former benchmark, and his next swipe will give him the latter. He’s also managed 95 runs plus RBI in 94 games. That’s pretty fantastic production from a shortstop, and yet he’s only owned in about a third of ESPN leagues and half of Yahoo leagues at the moment. Sure, his .241 batting average doesn’t do you any favors, but Semien is on pace to be the only player at his position to hit 30 homers and steal 15 bags. He’s also red-hot right now, ranking sixth overall among hitters on both Yahoo and ESPN over the last 30 days.

Yangervis Solarte, 1B/2B/3B, San Diego Padres

Over the past calendar year, only six third basemen have a higher OPS than Solarte’s .848 mark. His .295/.351/.497 line during the last 12 months compares favorably to stalwarts like Adrian Beltre, Evan Longoria, and Kyle Seager. He can’t match them in the counting stats, but you’re also not going to find any of those players on the waiver wire in any competitive league. Solarte has increased his average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and hard-hit rates each season of his career. The versatile veteran is eligible at three infield positions and has hit .341/.396/.614 with five homers in the past month. He’s free for the taking in nearly two-thirds of Yahoo leagues and half of ESPN leagues.

Adam Conley, SP, Miami Marlins

Outside of the incomparable Jose Fernandez, the Marlins have rarely gotten quality work from their starting pitchers this season. Conley’s been the best of the bunch, however, and he’s recently made strides toward addressing his issues with inconsistency and wildness. In his last six starts, Conley has gone 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, while striking out a batter per inning. Miami has won five of those six games, which has helped propelled them ahead of the Mets in the race for the National League’s second wild card. Conley can help your fantasy team pull off a similar feat, and he’s available on the wire in over 60 percent of leagues on both ESPN and Yahoo.

Kyle Bishop is a lead MLB columnist at RotoBaller.com. His articles are your secret weapon for winning fantasy leagues.