Weekly Waiver Wire Roundup — Monday, August 17, 2026

Griffin Conine posted a 105.5 mph average exit velocity with a 100% hard-hit rate over the past seven days, and he's still sitting at just 10% ownership — that's the single biggest market inefficiency on the wire right now. With 80 rising signals detected across the player pool this week, the mid-August waiver wire is unusually active. Pennant races are crystallizing, lineup spots are solidifying, and opportunity is creating a second wave of fantasy-relevant bats. Here's everything you need to act on before Tuesday's waivers clear.

Top 5 Adds of the Week

Trent Grisham (OF, NYY) — 50% Owned (+12% 7d)

Grisham has been the hottest bat on the wire, and his ownership surge reflects it. Over the past seven days he's slashing .417 with 4 home runs, a .602 wOBA, and a 98.9 mph average exit velocity against a 75.0% hard-hit rate. What makes this more than a heater: his strikeout rate has cratered from 16.7% over the past 30 days to just 12.0% this week, suggesting a genuine approach adjustment rather than a lucky BABIP run. With 25 plate appearances confirming consistent playing time in the Yankees lineup, Grisham is a priority add in all formats. The 50% ownership number is climbing fast — he may be rostered in your league by the time you read this.

Abimelec Ortiz (1B/OF, WSH) — 13% Owned (+12% 7d)

Ortiz is tied with Grisham for the largest ownership spike of the week, and the underlying metrics justify every bit of it. He hit .350 with 3 home runs, producing a .476 wOBA while averaging 98.8 mph exit velocity with a 66.7% hard-hit rate. His strikeout rate dropped from 23.5% over the past month to 20.0% this week. At just 13% ownership with dual 1B/OF eligibility, Ortiz represents the kind of low-cost power bat that can reshape your roster for the stretch run. The Washington lineup is giving him everyday at-bats — 20 plate appearances this week — and he's making the most of them.

Griffin Conine (OF, MIA) — 10% Owned (+5% 7d)

Conine's week was elite by any standard. A .421 batting average with 3 home runs, a .592 wOBA, and — here's the headliner — a 105.5 mph average exit velocity with a perfect 100.0% hard-hit rate. The plate discipline gains are equally encouraging: his walk rate jumped from 13.1% to 20.8% while his strikeout rate fell from 29.8% to 25.0%. He logged 24 plate appearances across five games, confirming regular playing time in Miami's outfield. At 10% ownership, Conine is still a free pickup in most leagues. The power-patience combination he's showing this week is the profile that sustains production.

Josh Bell (1B, MIN) — 19% Owned (+5% 7d)

Bell's resurgence in Minnesota has been building, and this week it became impossible to ignore. He hit .308 with 2 home runs and a .411 wOBA across a robust 32 plate appearances — the highest volume of any player on this list. The most remarkable number: a 6.2% strikeout rate, down from 18.9% over the past 30 days. He's also walking at a 15.6% clip, up from 10.5%. The 87.7 mph exit velocity is the one concern — it's well below the other top adds — but Bell has always been more of a contact-over-power bat at his best. If the elite plate discipline holds, the production will follow. Still available in over 80% of leagues.

Jeff McNeil (1B/2B/OF, ATH) — 9% Owned (+4% 7d)

McNeil is quietly putting together exactly the kind of week that made him a batting title contender in his prime. He hit .412 with a homer and a .444 wOBA, and his strikeout rate plummeted to just 5.3% — down from an already-low 10.4% over the trailing 30 days. That's elite contact ability. The triple eligibility across 1B, 2B, and OF makes him a roster construction dream, and at 9% ownership he's essentially free. McNeil won't carry your team with power, but a bat-to-ball artist posting a .444 wOBA is someone you want in your lineup every day.

Biggest Risers in Ownership

Trent Grisham (OF, NYY) jumped 12 percentage points to 50% — fully justified by the .602 wOBA and declining strikeout rate detailed above. This is the rare case where the crowd is right. Act now or miss the window.

Zack Gelof (2B/3B/OF, ATH) also surged 12 points to 43% ownership. Gelof's multi-position eligibility and Oakland's willingness to run him out every day make him a valuable commodity regardless of week-to-week stat fluctuations. The ownership rise suggests managers are betting on the second-half role.

Abimelec Ortiz (1B/OF, WSH) matched that 12-point surge from a much lower base of 13%. As covered above, the power-contact-playing time trifecta makes this one of the most justified pickups of the week.

Jacob Webb (RP, CHC) rose 7 points to 21%. In a week dominated by hitters at the top of the add board, Webb is the lone reliever generating this kind of ownership momentum. Managers in leagues that value holds and ratios should take note of the Cubs bullpen hierarchy.

Griffin Conine (OF, MIA) climbed 5 points to 10%. Given the 105.5 mph exit velocity and .592 wOBA, this ownership level still vastly undervalues what he's doing. He should be rostered everywhere.

Buy Low Candidates

These are the players the data says are breaking out before their ownership catches up. If you miss the Top 5 adds, this is your next wave.

Catchers

Tyler Stephenson (C, CIN) — 15% owned. The surface line of .312/1 HR is solid enough, but the Statcast data is screaming: 102.8 mph average exit velocity with a 100.0% hard-hit rate. His strikeout rate dipped from 27.3% to 22.2%. At the thinnest position in fantasy, a catcher producing a .385 wOBA with that kind of quality contact is a must-add.

Edgar Quero (C, CWS) — Virtually unowned. A .472 wOBA driven by a staggering 106.5 mph exit velocity and 100.0% hard-hit rate, with a 25.0% walk rate. The .250 batting average is suppressing interest, but the underlying quality of contact is undeniable. Early signal, so monitor the playing time.

Brett Sullivan (C, COL) — 0% owned. Sullivan posted a .619 wOBA with 2 home runs, an 11.1% strikeout rate, and a 66.7% hard-hit rate at 96.3 mph. Yes, it's Coors, and yes, it's an early signal — but a .619 wOBA from a catcher at 0% ownership deserves your attention.

Joe Mack (C, MIA) — 4% owned. A .446 wOBA with his strikeout rate plummeting from 29.6% to 17.6% and walks jumping from 5.6% to 17.6%. That's a dramatic plate discipline transformation. Worth a speculative add in two-catcher leagues.

Infielders

Coby Mayo (1B/3B, BAL) — 3% owned. Mayo slashed .381 with a .450 wOBA and cut his strikeout rate nearly in half, from 33.3% to 18.2%. He logged 22 plate appearances confirming regular playing time in Baltimore. The 92.2 mph exit velocity is modest, but the contact quality gains are real. In a potent Orioles lineup, opportunity creates value.

Taylor Walls (SS, TB) — 1% owned. Walls' wOBA surged from .291 to .411, he hit .316 with 2 home runs, and his strikeout rate was sliced from 24.7% to 14.3%. Shortstop is a deep position, but at 1% ownership, Walls is a free source of production if the Rays keep running him out there — and 21 plate appearances suggest they will.

Jared Young (1B/OF, NYM) — 2% owned. A quiet .350 average with a .379 wOBA, 100.3 mph exit velocity, and 75.0% hard-hit rate. The strikeout rate is a tidy 14.3%. Young won't win you a week by himself, but this is the profile of a reliable everyday bat at a near-zero acquisition cost.

José Fermín (2B/3B/OF, STL) — 0% owned. The .424 wOBA is powered by a 27.3% walk rate and a minuscule 9.1% strikeout rate. The 78.9 mph exit velocity and 50.0% hard-hit rate temper the excitement — this is a contact-and-discipline profile, not a power one. But a .424 wOBA is a .424 wOBA, and he's literally unrostered.

Outfielders

Henry Bolte (OF, ATH) — 4% owned. Bolte hit .333 with a homer, a .383 wOBA, and a 104.1 mph average exit velocity — that's premium raw power. His strikeout rate ticked down from 28.0% to 24.0%, and with 25 plate appearances he's clearly in Oakland's everyday plans. The tools and opportunity are both present.

Richie Palacios (2B/OF, TB) — 1% owned. The .478 wOBA leads all buy-low candidates with qualifying playing time. He hit .429 with a 25.0% walk rate and a 100.0% hard-hit rate at 96.2 mph. The strikeout rate dropped from 24.6% to 20.0%. With 20 plate appearances confirming his role, Palacios is a sneaky multi-position add.

Joc Pederson (1B, TEX) — 10% owned. Despite his ownership actually cooling by 2 points, Pederson's underlying numbers are screaming: .496 wOBA, 103.0 mph exit velocity, 100.0% hard-hit rate, and a walk rate that doubled from 9.1% to 21.4%. Two homers and a .273 average in a small sample. If you need power, Pederson is delivering it at a discount.

Garrett Mitchell (OF, MIL) — 11% owned. The .174 batting average is ugly and explains the 2-point ownership drop. But look underneath: 105.3 mph exit velocity, 100.0% hard-hit rate, and an improving walk rate of 17.9%. Mitchell is squaring the ball up and getting unlucky. With 28 plate appearances confirming his spot in Milwaukee's lineup, this is a textbook buy-low — the results are coming.

Position Scarcity Report

Relief Pitchers (13 signals) led all positions this week, which tracks with August bullpen shuffling as teams sort their high-leverage roles for the stretch run. Jacob Webb's ownership surge is the most actionable signal in this group.

Catchers (12 signals) produced the second-most signals — a welcome development at fantasy's shallowest position. Tyler Stephenson, Edgar Quero, Brett Sullivan, Joe Mack, Luis Campusano, and Miguel Amaya all flashed interesting metrics. If you've been punting catcher, this is the week to reconsider.

Outfielders (10 signals, plus 3 CF and several multi-position OF-eligible players) remain the deepest pool on the wire. Three of the Top 5 adds are outfielders, and buy-low options like Henry Bolte and Garrett Mitchell offer additional depth.

First basemen (5 signals) showed moderate activity, led by Josh Bell. Shortstop (2 signals) and second base (2 signals) were notably thin, making Taylor Walls and Jeff McNeil's multi-position eligibility all the more valuable. Starting pitchers generated just 1 standalone SP signal, making this the driest position on the wire. If you need pitching, you'll likely have to trade for it — the waiver wire isn't offering much.

Looking Ahead

The catcher position is the story to watch next week. With 12 signals — nearly all from sub-5% owned backstops — we could see a wave of pickups that reshuffles catcher rankings for the rest of the season. Keep a close eye on Edgar Quero's playing time with the White Sox, and whether Brett Sullivan can sustain that .619 wOBA in Colorado's lineup. Meanwhile, the outfield market is shifting rapidly: Griffin Conine and Henry Bolte both have the underlying Statcast profiles to sustain production, and if Garrett Mitchell's 105.3 mph exit velocity starts converting into hits, his ownership could double overnight. Grab these bats before the market catches up to the data.