Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Top 10 Pickups for Week 12

A new week, another batch of waiver-wire additions, just the way you like 'em: hot and fresh out of the oven.

From now until the end of the fantasy season, you'll find a rundown of the top waiver-wire pickups right here every Monday as you get set to face another week of lineup decisions and roster additions.

Some players mentioned last week—including Kendrys Morales, Kevin Gausman, Dexter Fowler, Corey Dickerson, Tanner Roark, Nick Castellanos and Neil Ramirez—are already owned in many leagues by now, but they remain quality pickups if they're still available.

In the interest of keeping the names new, though, let's avoid any repeats. Here are the top-10 waiver-wire pickups for Week 12.

Unless otherwise noted, statistics are accurate of June 15 and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and Fan Graphs.

Just Missed

Charlie Morton, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (16.5 Percent Owned)

Derek Norris, C, Oakland Athletics (20.2 Percent Owned)

Matt Dominguez, 3B, Houston Astros (6.4 Percent Owned)

Scooter Gennett, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers (4.2 Percent Owned)

Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals (4.4 Percent Owned)

Chris Carter, 1B/OF, Houston Astros (15.6 Percent Owned)

Jake Arrieta, SP, Chicago Cubs (6.4 Percent Owned)

Luis Valbuena, 2B/3B, Chicago Cubs (1.6 Percent Owned)

Chase Whitley, SP, New York Yankees (4.0 Percent Owned)

Jason Vargas, SP, Kansas City Royals (34.3 Percent Owned)

Closer Circle

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

With three saves in the past 10 days, Neil Ramirez appears to have gained a ninth-inning foothold for the Cubs.

Because there's so much ninth-inning volatility, the overlooked/new/replacement/interim/potential closers who are available in the majority of leagues are ranked on this slide as follows:

• Jenrry Mejia, SP/RP, New York Mets (42.1 percent owned)
• Ronald Belisario, RP, Chicago White Sox (43.8 percent owned)
• Neil Ramirez, RP, Chicago Cubs (5.0 percent owned)
• Joe Smith, RP, Los Angeles Angels (13.4 percent owned)
• Mark Melancon, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates (37.2 percent owned)
• Joba Chamberlain, RP, Detroit Tigers (2.4 percent owned)
• Brad Ziegler, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks (2.4 percent owned)
• Jake McGee, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (9.9 percent owned)
• Juan Carlos Oviedo, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (0.6 percent owned)
• Joel Peralta, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (1.8 percent owned)
• Brad Boxberger, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (0.1 percent owned)
• Darren O'Day, RP, Baltimore Orioles (3.5 percent owned)
• Daniel Webb, RP, Chicago White Sox (0.1 percent owned)
• Bryan Shaw, RP, Cleveland Indians (2.4 percent owned)
• Jeurys Familia, RP, New York Mets (2.4 percent owned)
• Vic Black, RP, New York Mets (0.2 percent owned)
• John Axford, RP, Cleveland Indians (43.2 percent owned)
• Rex Brothers, RP, Colorado Rockies (24.2 percent owned)
• Josh Fields, RP, Houston Astros (. percent owned)
• Tommy Hunter, RP, Baltimore Orioles (46.2 percent owned)
• Joel Hanrahan, RP, Detroit Tigers (. percent owned)

No. 10: Tommy La Stella, 2B, Atlanta Braves (10.2 Percent Owned)

Did you watch the above video? Good, because that right there is quintessential Tommy La Stella: slapping the ball hard, finding a hole and, at the most basic level, making contact.

The 25-year-old made his debut in late May, and all he's done since then is hit. On Sunday, the lefty swinger went 3-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI to raise his season line to 23-for-56 over 16 games, which works out to a .411 batting average. Oh, and he's walked (seven) more than he's whiffed (five).

Now, before you go and get too excited, realize that's pretty much what La Stella is good for. He's not fast, and he doesn't hit for much power. But if you need help in the batting average category and/or could use a better option at your middle infield position, you certainly could do worse than picking up La Stella, plugging him in as a starter in deep leagues (or as a fill-in in shallower formats) and watching him pile up 1-for-3 and 2-for-4 performances.

If that continues, at some point the Braves might stop using B.J. Upton and his .284 OBP in the two-hole, where La Stella could be utilized, thus upping his runs scored. One imagines this scenario, but whether manager Fredi Gonzalez will, too, is another matter.

No. 9: Eugenio Suarez, SS, Detroit Tigers (3.6 Percent Owned)

For a little known prospect who barely spent any time at all at Triple-A, Eugenio Suarez has gotten his big league career off to quite the start.

A 22-year-old rookie who showed a nice mix of skills in the minors—from plate discipline to some pop and even a little speed—Suarez is now 9-for-24 (.375) with eight runs, five extra-base hits (including three homers) and six RBI through nine games (only seven starts). His 5/4 K/BB shows that he's not overwhelmed.

That's good, because the starting shortstop job in Detroit is there for the taking, and if Suarez can keep playing and hitting even close to this level, he'll continue to get playing time.

No. 8: Wei-Yin Chen, SP, Baltimore Orioles (10.0 Percent Owned)

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Look, Wei-Yin Chen isn't some promising rookie like either of the first two, nor is he the kind of readily available player whose addition to your roster actually might bring some significant impact to help you climb the standings going forward.

What the 28-year-old Chen is, however, is pretty darn consistent. He's picked up seven wins and currently sports a 3.76 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 6.7 K/9—all respectable numbers in the traditional fantasy categories.

And as long as he maintains his improved walk rate, which sits at a career-best 1.3 after not having issued a single free pass for the fourth time in five starts, Chen will remain the type of useful arm that almost never hurts owners.

With a two-start week on tap against a pair of struggling offenses in the Tampa Bay Rays (Monday) and New York Yankees (Friday or Saturday), Chen is worth the add.

No. 7: Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis Cardinals (23.2 Percent Owned)

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

After years of shoulder injuries and soreness, Jaime Garcia appears to be back—at least for now.

The 27-year-old southpaw has looked nearly as good as ever by throwing well in five of his first six outings of 2014. In all, Garcia has allowed 16 runs on just 32 hits and five walks in his 38.2 innings while striking out 32. That makes for a solid 3.72 ERA and a very nice 0.96 WHIP.

So, if he's still available in your league, go ahead and grab Garcia, who goes again on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies at home. Then enjoy what he's doing—while it lasts, anyway.

No. 6: Kole Calhoun, OF, Los Angeles Angels (9.5 Percent Owned)

After spending more than a month on the disabled list with an early-season ankle injury, it took Kole Calhoun a while to find his rhythm this year. But he has found it.

The 26-year-old, who is only in his first full season in the majors, saw his average drop to .203 in late May shortly after his return. Since then, though, the lefty has gone 16-for-45 (.356) with 10 runs scored while splitting time in right field with Collin Cowgill. Calhoun is the better player of the two and should win the lion's share of the gig.

Plus, he's also been utilized as the leadoff hitter in the potent Angels lineup more often than not, which isn't a bad place to be. Calhoun's skill set includes the ability to get on base, provide some power and supply speed, which makes him an intriguing fourth or fifth outfielder when he's going well (like he is now).

No. 5: Bartolo Colon, SP, New York Mets (36.0 Percent Owned)

Even at age 41, Bartolo Colon remains an effective, roster-worthy fantasy pitcher. For real.

OK, so his 4.15 ERA might suggest otherwise, but consider that number stands where it is despite three brutal outings this year in which Colon gave up 22 earned runs on 32 hits in 15.1 innings. All of those came between April 13 and May 12.

Otherwise, the roly-poly righty has surrendered only 17 earned runs on 58 hits across 69.1 frames. That, friends, is a 2.20 ERA—not to mention a sub-1.00 WHIP and 7.5 K/9.

While we can't just wipe away those three awful starts, it's clear that Colon still has it. Provided he's finished with the blowups, he should be a very useful low-ERA, low-WHIP starter.

No. 4: Danny Duffy, SP/RP, Kansas City Royals (4.3 Percent Owned)

With his dad in attendance for his day-before-Father's-Day start (see video), Danny Duffy tied a pair of career highs by making it through 7.0 innings and striking out nine batters. He did so, by the way, while allowing nary a run and only six baserunners. His game score of 75 also tied a career-high, one he set almost exactly a month ago on May 17.

In other words, Duffy has been pitching rather well since rejoining the Royals rotation at the start of May. Sure, he had a couple blips at the end of last month, but his ERA and WHIP over that time frame are 2.96 and 1.14, respectively.

Duffy, 25, has always had good stuff, including a mid-90s fastball that occasionally gets up to 96 to go along with a sharp curveball (see video). But his control and command tend to waver, and his development wasn't helped by missing a year due to Tommy John surgery. So while it feels like he's been around for a while because he's pitched in parts of four seasons, he's only made 39 starts.

Growing pains likely will continue, but the upside is there—and it is worth taking a gamble on.

No. 3: Shane Victorino, OF, Boston Red Sox (45.5 Percent Owned)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

If Shane Victorino's right hamstring would cooperate, he might return to fantasy relevance very soon. The 11-year veteran is currently on DL stint No. 2 this season due to a strained hammy after missing the first three weeks of the season for the same reason.

The good news is that Victorino's rehab has progressed to the point where he's playing in games—and in right field—for Triple-A Pawtucket. If all goes well over the next few days of action, he could return to the Red Sox by week's end, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal.

"The ability to get him on the field consecutively in right field on back-to-back days is part of the plan," said manager John Farrell, per MacPherson.

Granted, Victorino wasn't doing a ton when healthy from late April to late May, posting a line of .242/.276/.352, and his stolen-base attempts could be curtailed until he's fully confident in his hamstring. But he's always been a solid third or fourth fantasy outfielder, and that seems like a good possibility for him once again—assuming his hammy doesn't act up again, of course.

No. 2: Billy Butler, UTIL, Kansas City Royals (38.8 Percent Owned)

Don't look now, but the Kansas City Royals offense is starting to wake up—and so is Billy Butler.

The Royals are on a seven-game winning streak, during which they've totaled 45 runs, which translates to 6.4 runs per game. That's a pretty nice improvement over their 4.1 overall mark that is just below the MLB average.

Meanwhile, Butler has gone 9-for-24 (.375) with six runs, seven RBI and a home run over that same period. That has raised his average to a season-high .263. That's not great, but hey, at least it's something.

Besides, if Butler is on the waiver wire in your league, that's because he was so bad his owner had enough and felt the need to ditch him. Chances are, the worst is behind Butler, so why not give him a shot?

He's clearly not going to become the big-time power bat that many expected (or at least hoped) he would become a year or two ago, but a hot Butler is plenty capable of being a starter at the utility spot (and a fill-in at first base, if he is eligible there based on your league settings). His ability to hit for average (.296 career) and do enough in the home run and RBI categories should satisfy most owners.

If you need more convincing, then there's this: Butler has proven to be a much better batter in the second half over his career, sporting a .309 average and .853 OPS after the break, compared to .285 and .779 before it.

No. 1: Wily Peralta, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (43.7 Percent Owned)

Boy, fantasy folks were quick to cut Wily Peralta, huh?

The hard-throwing 25-year-old right-hander has been mostly very good all year long, but after he gave up six earned and then another four in his two outings prior to his most recent one, they ditched him. This, despite those turns being the first instances in which Peralta allowed more than three earned runs in any start.

Well, the third-year pitcher got back on track—as if he ever really got off of it in the first place—with six innings of four-hit, one-run ball last Wednesday. That brought his ERA back under 3.00 to 2.90, and his WHIP of 1.23 is very respectable as well.

Sure, his strikeout rate (6.8 K/9) could be a little higher, especially for someone who regularly sits at 95 mph, but Peralta needs to be added and owned in more leagues, if not all of them. He gets the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Monday, and that's not a bad matchup.

Even if it doesn't go well, though, don't just dismiss Peralta off your roster when his talent is deserving of a better fate.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11