Expert League FAAB Report - Week of 5/5
A mix of exciting young prospects and boring vets comprise this week’s FAAB group.
Every Monday throughout the season, I’ll be reviewing some of the top purchases along with my own buys in the Tout Wars Mixed Draft alternate category league and the LABR Mixed league. Note that the Tout Wars season budget is $1000 with $0 bids allowed while the LABR season budget is $100 with a minimum bid of $1.
TOUT WARS MIXED DRAFT WITH IP & SAVES+HOLDS
TOP BUYS
Daulton Varsho ($127) - After opening the season on the IL as he recovered from shoulder surgery undergone last September, Varsho made his 2025 debut last Tuesday. Through five games, he’s already swatted two homers to go along with three RBI, three runs and a steal. Varsho is coming off a so-so 2024 campaign as he hit 18 homers and swiped ten bags but struggled mightily in the AVG and OBP departments. His elite outfield defense should ensure him regular playing time but spending 127 FAAB bucks to add him seems excessive despite the decent power/speed numbers. Varsho belongs on fantasy rosters in deep mixed leagues but the overall upside is limited. In addition to the $127 winner, he received a pair of $44 bids and a $31 offering.
Coby Mayo ($111) - Mayo’s brief stint in the majors last season was a disaster but the 23-year-old third baseman remains one of the top prospects in the game with the ability to serve as a strong four-category fantasy contributor. The Orioles called up Mayo on Saturday and it sounds like the club is ready to give him a legitimate opportunity to stick around in the big leagues for good. I actually drafted Mayo in this league but was forced to drop him a few weeks ago due to a roster crunch, opting to hang onto fellow top prospect Noelvi Marte instead. Hopefully, this decision doesn’t backfire. OK, OK, I’ll admit it. I’m sort of rooting against Mayo.
MY BUY
Bubba Chandler ($58) - While it might be another week or two until the Pirates call up Chandler, I figured I’d grab him now before every manager in this league bids on him and a $200+ bid is required to win him. The downside here is that Tout Wars rules require all FAAB pickups to remain in active lineups for the first week following the acquisition, so I might get no stats from one of my pitcher slots this week. But I’m willing to take the penalty as my struggling staff could really use a boost. Through six starts at Triple-A this year, Chandler boasts a 1.42 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP while striking out nearly 13 batters per nine innings.
LABR MIXED
TOP BUYS
Gunnar Hoglund ($6) - Hoglund’s big-league debut on Friday was an overwhelming success as he limited the Marlins to one run over six innings while striking out seven. The 25-year-old righty has dominated the competition at Triple-A this season, so as long as he continues to pitch well, it wouldn’t be surprising if the rebuilding A’s carve out a permanent spot for him in their rotation. For $6, he’s worth a shot.
Ryan Mountcastle ($5) - I expected a bounce-back season from Mountcastle following an underwhelming 2024 showing, but so far it hasn’t happened. It might never happen as the early results aren’t promising but for the modest price of $5, taking a chance on a player with 20-HR potential makes a lot of sense.
Hye-Seong Kim ($5) - Tommy Edman’s ankle injury has opened the door for Kim to see his first big-league action after signing with the Dodgers over the winter. He stole a base as a pinch-runner yesterday but has yet to record a plate appearance. If given consistent playing time at second base while Edman is sidelined, Kim could become a fantasy factor, particularly in the steals category. But if he’s relegated to a part-time role, there isn’t much to be optimistic about, especially since Edman’s injury is believed to be minor.
MY BUYS
Nobody. With no urgent need, I decided that this week was a good time to conserve my FAAB budget.
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