Make these fantasy baseball pickups before the MLB trade deadline

With the trade deadline coming later today, we will soon see some wild fluctuations in player values. Here are some potential gems who can be added right now, some of whom were completely off the radar prior to a flurry of Major League trades in the past two days.

Keibert Ruiz (C, 3 percent rostered)

Those who are looking for a high-upside catcher need to keep a close watch on Ruiz in the coming days. The outstanding prospect was blocked by the Dodgers catching depth but should soon find a consistent Major League role now that he is part of the Nats organization. Having posted a 1.012 OPS in Triple-A this season, Ruiz has shown that his bat is ready for the next level.

Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, 16 percent)

I try to recommend at least one triple-position player each week, so it's Flores’ turn. The infielder has been playing regularly in the absence of Evan Longoria and Tommy La Stella, and that situation should continue for a while. Flores posted an .876 OPS in June and an .807 mark in July, making him a great option to cycle through the lineup in daily leagues.

Andres Gimenez (2B/3B/SS, 18 percent)

This pick is a speculative one for those who need steals. Gimenez was expected to make a major fantasy impact this season and at one point in March was being selected in the middle rounds of drafts. He got off to a slow start with the Indians but has fared well in Triple-A (.847 OPS) and still has the wheels that can help in a tight steals race. Now that the Indians have traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez, they have room to soon give Gimenez another chance.

Brian Anderson (3B, 15 percent)

Anderson is among the most under-rostered player in Yahoo! leagues. He seems to have become a forgotten man following a long IL stint, but he owns a solid lifetime .777 OPS and should hit in the heart of a shallow Marlins lineup for the remainder of the season. Anderson should be rostered in all 12-team leagues.

Abraham Toro (3B, 7 percent)

Widely available in Yahoo! leagues, Toro might be Seattle’s long-term answer at third base. The 24-year-old has shown respectable pop in his Minor League career and still has room for growth in that area. Fantasy managers may avoid Toro on the basis of his lifetime .197 average, but the infielder has dealt with terrible luck (.205 BABIP) and owns a remarkable .392/.497/.600 slash line in 147 career plate appearance at the Triple-A level.

Justin Upton (OF, 25 percent)

Upton recently returning from an IL stint, Upton's extended absence combined with the league-wide trade deadline buzz has kept him under the radar. The veteran still has a significant power stroke (15 HR in 255 AB) and regularly hits high in a lineup that should eventually include all three of Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon.

Jake Fraley (OF, 6 percent)

Thanks to a bout of COVID, Fraley quickly went from waiver-wire gem to forgotten man. But the outfielder is on a rehab assignment right now, and could soon resume showing the form that has resulted in seven homers, seven steals, and an .848 OPS through 149 plate appearances this year.

Patrick Sandoval (SP, 47 percent)

This is starting to get exciting. Sandoval put an exclamation point on his breakout season when he struck out 13 over 8.2 innings of one-run ball last time out. The right-hander owns an impressive 19 percent K-BB ratio and has tossed at least seven innings in each of his past three starts. Overall, Sandoval is bordering on must-roster territory.

Tylor Megill (SP, 40 percent)

Megill finally picked up his first Major League win when he held the Blue Jays to two hits across six scoreless innings on July 23. The rookie has been very consistent, allowing no more than one run in any of his past five starts. After feasting on a fairly favorable schedule, Megill really showed some promise by shutting down a high-scoring Toronto lineup and he followed up that effort by dominating the Braves on Wednesday.

Logan Webb (SP, 24 percent)

Can y’all please pick up Logan Webb, so that I can stop writing about him? The 24-year-old has been effective overall this year (3.36 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) and terrific since returning from the IL in early July (2.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP). He pitches for one of the best teams in baseball and enjoys the benefits of a pitcher-friendly home park. This one is a no-brainer.

Josiah Gray (SP, 20 percent)

One of baseball’s best pitching prospects, Gray should have a more consistent rotation role now that he is a member of the Nationals. The 23-year-old has thus far struck out 13 batters over eight innings, although he has shown some concerning tendencies by surrendering four homers and five walks. Still, the sample size is incredibly small and Gray oozes upside now that he is part of a pitching staff that desperately needs him.

Paul Sewald (RP, 40 percent)

Sewald has been outstanding this season, posting a 2.30 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and a 15.5 K/9 rate while working enough high-leverage innings to also accumulate six wins and four saves. The Mariners recently dealt co-closer Kendall Graveman and added Diego Castillo to likely serve the same role. Still, I expect Sewald to continue racking up wins and saves down the stretch.

Kyle Finnegan (RP, 7 percent)

For all the big names that moved in Washington’s trading flurry Thursday, the little-known Finnegan could be the big winner. Washington has stripped its bullpen of veteran options, making Finnegan and his career 3.15 ERA arguably their best option to work the ninth inning. And right on cue, the right-hander needed just 12 pitches to close out a 3-1 win over the Phillies yesterday.