Weekly Waiver Wire Roundup — April 13, 2026

Michael Soroka is the most-added player in fantasy baseball this week, and a 15.79 K/9 over the past seven days is why. With 108 rising signals detected across the player pool, the waiver wire is churning at a pace that demands attention. This week's data reveals a pitching-heavy signal environment, a catcher position suddenly flush with options, and several buy-low bats sitting at near-zero ownership that could define your roster by May.

Top 5 Adds of the Week

Michael Soroka (P, AZ) — 52% Owned (+33.7% 7d)

Soroka is the runaway top add this week, and the strikeout data is what jumps off the page. His K rate surged to 40.0% over the past seven days against a 31.1% 30-day mark, and his FIP sits at a sharp 2.92 — a significant disconnect from his 6.32 ERA in the same window. That gap screams regression toward better results. He logged 5.7 innings over the past week, confirming rotation workload, and the ownership spike of nearly 34 percentage points signals a closing window. This is a four-game sample, so temper expectations for volatility, but the underlying pitch-level metrics are exactly what you want to see from a bounce-back arm. Add now before the window shuts entirely.

Royce Lewis (3B, MIN) — 42% Owned (+26.6% 7d)

Lewis stacked signals this week in a way few hitters can: a .392 wOBA (up from .332 over 30 days), a 98.4 mph average exit velocity, 70.8% hard-hit rate, and a strikeout rate that dropped to 18.8% while his walk rate ballooned to 25.0%. A 148 wRC+ across five games confirms this isn't hollow production. The plate discipline improvement — walks up, strikeouts down — is the most sustainable signal here. At 42% ownership and surging, Lewis is on the verge of being universally rostered within a week. If he's available, this is your last call.

Francisco Alvarez (C, NYM) — 38% Owned (+18.7% 7d)

Alvarez delivered a .316 average, a home run, and a .385 wOBA over five games with 23 plate appearances — consistent playing time that makes the underlying data more trustworthy. His strikeout rate held steady at 17.4% while his walk rate climbed to 13.0% from 9.8% over 30 days, suggesting improved pitch selection. A 62.5% hard-hit rate and 94.7 mph exit velocity round out a strong profile. At the catcher position, where quality bats are scarce, Alvarez at 38% ownership is arguably the best positional value on the wire right now.

Garrett Mitchell (CF, MIL) — 18% Owned (+15.6% 7d)

Mitchell is flashing the upside that made him a first-round pick. His .429 wOBA over the past week — up from .352 over 30 days — is backed by a 70.0% hard-hit rate, 95.9 mph exit velocity, and a monster 175 wRC+ in the sample. A 19.0% walk rate paired with 21 plate appearances across five games demonstrates both discipline and daily playing time. At only 18% owned, Mitchell has far more runway than the other top adds this week. The power-speed combination from the center field position makes him a potential league winner if this approach sticks.

TJ Rumfield (1B, COL) — 19% Owned (+14.7% 7d)

Rumfield quietly put together the most workmanlike week of the top five: a .304 average, a homer, a .359 wOBA, and 26 plate appearances — the highest volume among the top adds. His strikeout rate fell to 15.4% from 18.2% over 30 days, and his hard-hit rate checked in at 55.9% with a 93.5 mph exit velocity. The Coors Field factor adds a layer of context to the production, but the contact quality and discipline trends are real regardless of park. At 19% ownership, he's an easy add in leagues where first base is thin.

Biggest Risers in Ownership

Michael Soroka (P, AZ) — +33.7% to 52%

The biggest ownership jump of the week is fully justified by the data. The FIP-ERA gap (2.92 vs. 6.32) suggests his results are about to catch up to his stuff, and a 40.0% strikeout rate is elite regardless of sample size. The roster rush is warranted.

Royce Lewis (3B, MIN) — +26.6% to 42%

Lewis's ownership surge matches his production surge. Seven different signals fired this week — more than any other hitter — covering contact quality, plate discipline, and overall offensive value. The 98.4 mph exit velocity is the kind of hard data that survives small samples.

Bryce Elder (P, ATL) — +24.6% to 33.2%

Elder's ownership jumped significantly this week as the third-largest riser. The pitcher signal environment is dense right now — 63 of 108 total signals came from pitchers — and Elder is riding that wave in an Atlanta rotation that provides run support. Monitor his next start closely to see if the underlying metrics hold.

Francisco Alvarez (C, NYM) — +18.7% to 38%

The catcher position is notoriously barren, which makes Alvarez's surge logical. The walk rate improvement from 9.8% to 13.0% is particularly encouraging — it signals a mechanical or approach adjustment rather than a lucky batting average.

Garrett Mitchell (CF, MIL) — +15.6% to 18%

Mitchell's ownership rise is the most modest among the top risers, which actually makes him the most interesting. A 175 wRC+ and .429 wOBA at only 18% ownership means the market hasn't caught up yet. This is the add with the most remaining upside relative to cost.

Buy Low Candidates

This is where the next wave of pickups lives. These players carry "Watch" classifications — their ownership hasn't moved yet, but the underlying Statcast and plate discipline data suggest breakouts are forming beneath the surface.

Josh Jung (3B, TEX) — 3% Owned

Jung's week was extraordinary by any measure: a .514 wOBA (up from .238 over 30 days), a .500 batting average, a 6.7% strikeout rate, and a 20.0% walk rate. The 70.8% hard-hit rate and 93.6 mph exit velocity confirm real contact quality. At 3% ownership, the fantasy world has not noticed. This is the single best buy-low on the board.

Gabriel Arias (SS, CLE) — 0.6% Owned

Arias posted a 103.0 mph average exit velocity and a 90.0% hard-hit rate — the most extreme Statcast numbers of anyone on the wire this week. He hit two homers with a .466 wOBA across five games. The 33.3% strikeout rate is a concern, but when you're hitting the ball that hard that often, the production can sustain even with swing-and-miss. He's the lone shortstop signal this week, adding positional scarcity value.

Gary Sánchez (C, MIL) — 1.4% Owned

Sánchez's raw power showed up in a big way: 101.3 mph exit velocity, 83.3% hard-hit rate, two homers, and a .552 wOBA. His strikeout rate remains elevated at 27.3%, but it's down from 33.3% over 30 days, and his walk rate jumped to 27.3%. This is a power-first profile with real thump at a shallow position.

Curtis Mead (1B, WSH) — 1% Owned

Mead posted a .442 wOBA with a homer, a declining strikeout rate (11.1% vs. 12.5%), and a 16.7% walk rate across five games. The 94.4 mph exit velocity supports the production. At 1% ownership, he's essentially free and profiles as a consistent contributor if the playing time holds.

Thomas Saggese (2B, STL) — 1% Owned

Saggese's strikeout rate cratered from 26.5% to 19.0% in the past week while his wOBA climbed from .291 to .393. He hit .368 with consistent playing time (21 PA) and posted a 94.6 mph exit velocity. The approach change is the key indicator here — when a young hitter's contact rate improves this dramatically, the production often follows.

Nick Yorke (2B, PIT) — 0.1% Owned

Yorke is the deepest sleeper on this list: a .460 wOBA, 70.8% hard-hit rate, and 96.7 mph exit velocity at 0.1% ownership. The 15.4% strikeout rate and 15.4% walk rate show balanced plate discipline. This is a former top prospect with elite contact metrics hiding in plain sight.

Richie Palacios (LF, TB) — 0.2% Owned

The .589 wOBA looks absurd, and it is — this is an early-signal sample. But a 6.7% strikeout rate, 26.7% walk rate, and a homer in the mix suggest Palacios is making the most of every plate appearance. At 0.2% owned, there's zero acquisition cost.

Carter Jensen (C, KC) — 17.1% Owned

Jensen launched two homers with a .466 wOBA and 94.7 mph exit velocity over five games. His strikeout rate dropped from 32.6% to 27.8%, and the walk rate ticked up to 11.1%. The prospect pedigree is real, and the production is starting to match. He's the highest-owned player in the buy-low tier, which means the market is beginning to price him in.

Max Muncy (3B, ATH) — 18% Owned

Muncy slashed .440 with a homer, a .488 wOBA, and a 67.8% hard-hit rate over 25 plate appearances. His strikeout rate fell from 32.7% to 24.0% — a significant improvement. At 18% ownership with consistent playing time, Muncy is a proven veteran whose bounceback is being underpriced.

Tyler Stephenson (C, CIN) — 2% Owned

Stephenson clubbed two homers with a .376 wOBA and a 97.3 mph exit velocity backed by a 62.5% hard-hit rate. The catcher position depth is unusually strong this week, and Stephenson is one of the better power options available at 2% ownership.

Evan Carter (CF, TEX) — 5% Owned

Carter's surface stats (.176 average) mask real underlying gains: a .364 wOBA driven by two homers, a strikeout rate that dropped from 26.7% to 14.3%, and a 19.0% walk rate. He logged 21 plate appearances across five games, confirming everyday status. The strikeout improvement is the most encouraging signal for a player whose swing-and-miss has been the primary concern.

Josh Bell (1B, MIN) — 10.2% Owned

Bell hit .391 with a homer, a .455 wOBA, and a 207 wRC+ in 26 plate appearances — the highest wRC+ among all players in the buy-low tier. The 87.6 mph exit velocity is the only soft spot, but 57.1% hard-hit quality and a proven track record make this a safe floor play at a position with options.

Iván Herrera (C, STL) — 10.3% Owned

Herrera's wOBA spiked from .304 to .421 with a 29.6% walk rate over 27 plate appearances. The 92.7 mph exit velocity isn't elite, but the discipline and playing time are real. In catcher-thin formats, he's a legitimate top-12 option right now.

Position Scarcity Report

This week's 108 signals broke down heavily toward pitching, which dominated the landscape with 63 signals — more than all position player signals combined. The waiver wire for arms is deep and active, with both rotation options like Michael Soroka and bullpen pieces generating pickup interest.

Catcher (12 signals) produced a surprising bounty this week. Francisco Alvarez, Carter Jensen, Gary Sánchez, Tyler Stephenson, Moisés Ballesteros, Iván Herrera, Carson Kelly, Luis Campusano, Bo Naylor, and Hunter Feduccia all showed improved underlying metrics. If you've been punting catcher, now is the time to invest — the position is rarely this deep on the wire.

First base (7 signals) and second base (6 signals) offered solid depth, with TJ Rumfield, Curtis Mead, Jake Bauers, Thomas Saggese, Lenyn Sosa, and Nick Yorke all surfacing as viable options. Third base (6 signals) was similarly healthy, led by Royce Lewis and Josh Jung.

The outfield corners are thin. Left field generated just 6 signals, right field only 3, and center field had 4. Garrett Mitchell and Evan Carter are the premier outfield options, but beyond them the pickings get slim. Shortstop (1 signal) is a wasteland — Gabriel Arias was the only shortstop to trigger any rising signal this week. If you need help up the middle, you may need to explore the trade market rather than the wire.

Looking Ahead

The pitching signal dominance (63 of 108) suggests we'll see significant roster churn among arms this coming week, particularly as rotation spots solidify and early-season bullpen roles crystallize. Watch for Josh Jung and Nick Yorke to be next week's breakout adds — both sit under 3% ownership with elite underlying metrics that can't stay hidden much longer. The catcher position had its best signal week of the young season; if players like Moisés Ballesteros (65.6% hard-hit rate, 97.4 mph exit velocity, strikeout rate dropping from 21.7% to 8.3%) and Luis Campusano (.801 wOBA in a tiny sample) sustain even half of their current production, they'll be top adds by next Monday.