Fantasy Baseball: Week 8 Waiver Wire Outfielders
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The free agent pool in 12-team formats with 30 roster slots leaves fantasy managers with weaker options. Picking up on player trends can lead to finding surprising results, but a fantasy manager must believe in their long-term ceiling.
Outfielders
Carson McCusker, Minnesota Twins
6'8, 250. This one is the 5th hardest hit ball in franchise history at an even 115.0 mph. An absolute missile by @carson_mccusker a.k.a. McCrusher clubs his 10th homer of the season. This solo shot makes it 2-0. His 10 HR's are tied for the most in the Minors pic.twitter.com/KKHP40OiAT
— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) May 11, 2025
McCusker played at a high level over the past month at AAA, leading to a .379 batting average over 17 runs, eight home runs, 33 RBIs, and two stolen bases over 103 at-bats. Over his last 159 games between AA and AAA, he hit .302 with 93 runs, 30 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases over 593 at-bats. McCusker struck out 28.6% of the time. He’ll turn 25 in a week while waiting for his first major league at-bat.
The Twins placed Byron Buxton on the injured list with a concussion issue, giving McCusker his first shot in the majors. His starting window may only last until Matt Wallner returns (starting upping his rehab work over the past week).
Will Benson, Cincinnati Reds
The Reds lost Jake Fraley over the past week, creating a starting window for Benson. Over his last seven games, he went 8-for-22 with four runs, three home runs, eight RBIs, and one stolen base. Despite his short-term success, Benson tends to have a massive strikeout rate (39.7 in 2024 with the Reds and 29.0 at AAA this season), inviting job loss risk. Ride him while he’s hot, but have a quick release when the strikeouts start piling up.
Ramon Laureano, Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles gave Laureano an uptick in playing time since May 6th. He has 11 hits over his last 30 at-bats with eight runs, two home runs, four RBIs, and one stolen base. His playing time is helped by Tyler O’Neill battling some injuries.
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles
Orioles Homer Swings, Episode 7!
— Kenny K (@KennyKotwas) July 5, 2024
Every time an @Orioles player reaches a 10 HR milestone, I'll post a video of every homer swing they've had this season. With accompanying walk-up music.
Next up...
Colton Cowser! - 12 Home Run Swings!
Check out my profile for Gunnar,… pic.twitter.com/tWps5WgQ3U
After missing the last six weeks with a broken left thumb, Cowser started his road back to Baltimore by taking batting practice on Saturday. His bat was productive after the All-Star break in 2024, leading to a .268 batting average over 250 at-bats with 45 runs, 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, and four stolen bases. On the downside, he struck out 31.7% of the time. The Orioles should have him back in their lineup in a couple of weeks, making him a viable buy-and-hold in shallow formats.
Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks’ outfield remains cloudy, leaving a minimal opportunity even if they recall McCarthy. Over 20 games at AAA, he’s hitting .346 with 22 runs, eight RBIs, and five stolen bases over 81 at-bats. More of a follow for fantasy teams looking for potential steals.
Michael Conforto, Los Angeles Dodgers
Conforto was a complete dog over his first 112 at-bats with the Dodgers (.134/17/2/6/1) while striking out 29.6% of the time. Over the past week, he has had eight hits over 23 at-bats with two runs, hinting at more production at the plate.
Joc Pederson, Texas Rangers
Joc Pederson hits a Texas-sized home run to put the @Rangers ahead! #RivalryWeekend pic.twitter.com/3nAFwwfnue
— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025
The fantasy market kicked Pederson to the curb over the last two weeks due to an unbelievably poor start to the year (.124 over 113 at-bats with seven runs, one home run, and four RBIs). On the positive side, his walk rate (12.2) remained intact while posting a favorable strikeout rate (19.8). On Saturday night, Pederson finally made enough contact for a ball to land in the seats. He has streaky power, and his major resume says a correction is coming.
More Fantasy Baseball News:
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Aaron Judge's Scorching Start Sparks Comparisons To Historic MLB Seasons
Fantasy Baseball: Logan Henderson Shines In MLB Debut
Fantasy Baseball Prospect Watch: Jac Cagianone Highlights Top Infielders
Fantasy Baseball Prospect Watch: Roman Anthony, Colby Thomas Headline Top Outfielders
Fantasy Baseball: Week 8 Closer Depth Charts & Bullpen Report
With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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