Bryce Eldridge Is Surging Again — And the Window to Add Him Is Still Open

Bryce Eldridge just posted a .401 wOBA over his last 7 days, backed by a 66.7% hard-hit rate and a 98.1 mph average exit velocity. At 22% rostered, he's available in the majority of leagues. The data is clear: this is one of the best pickups on the wire right now.

The Rolling Window Tells the Story

Look at the trajectory across Eldridge's rolling splits and you'll see a hitter ramping up, not cooling off:

  • 30-day: .216 AVG / .302 wOBA / 50% HardHit% / 92.8 mph EV
  • 14-day: .243 AVG / .368 wOBA / 55.6% HardHit% / 93.5 mph EV
  • 7-day: .273 AVG / .401 wOBA / 66.7% HardHit% / 98.1 mph EV

Every meaningful indicator is climbing. His wOBA has jumped nearly 100 points from his 30-day mark to his 7-day mark. His exit velocity has surged over 5 mph in that same span. The 14-day window — 42 PA over 5 games — gives us a solid sample to work with, and those 3 homers with an 11.9% walk rate tell you this isn't noise. He's making harder contact, he's taking walks, and the results are catching up to the quality of contact.

The Skills Are Real

A 66.7% hard-hit rate over the last week is elite-level contact quality. Pair that with a 98.1 mph average exit velocity and you're looking at a hitter who is squaring the ball up consistently, not just getting lucky on a few swings. His strikeout rate at 33.3% over the last 7 days remains elevated, but context matters — he's walking at an 8.3% clip in that window and 11.9% over 14 days, showing plate discipline that offsets the whiffs. When he connects, the ball is leaving the bat with authority.

The broader fantasy community has taken notice. Yahoo Sports identified him as a buy-low target back in late June, and ESPN listed him among their top free agent pickups in mid-June. Pitcher List wrote about him breaking the mold as a young prospect finding his footing quickly. The consensus is building — but the ownership hasn't caught up yet.

WaiverScout Called This Early

We first flagged Eldridge as a Watch back on May 27 when he was rostered in just 6% of leagues. By May 30, we'd escalated to Add Now. We've issued three Add Now classifications on him since then — including on July 9, right before his 2-for-3, 1 HR, 2 BB game that kicked off this latest surge. The signal has only strengthened.

Yes, we classified him as Deprioritize on June 26 when the numbers dipped — and that's exactly how this system is supposed to work. We follow the data, not the narrative. The data turned back in his favor, and here we are again.

The Ownership Window

At 22% rostered with just a +-1% change over the past week, the velocity is stable — meaning the rush hasn't started yet. Compare his potential upside to the 1B options on your wire. If you're running out Jonathan Aranda or streaming first basemen, Eldridge's combination of raw power and improving approach makes him a clear upgrade target. Even in leagues where Matt Olson or Pete Alonso are rostered, Eldridge belongs on your bench at minimum as a power ceiling play.

Verdict: Add Now

This is real. A .401 wOBA, 66.7% hard-hit rate, and 98.1 mph exit velocity over the last week — supported by 3 homers and an 11.9% walk rate over 42 PA in the 14-day window. The numbers back it up across every rolling window. Eldridge is available in nearly 4 out of 5 leagues. Go get him before the ownership catches up to the performance.