Fantasy Baseball: Dan Vogelbach, Jose De Leon worth a look

Major league rosters expand on Sept. 1. While the majority of the players promoted from the minor leagues won’t make an impact for fantasy owners, there are some names worth monitoring. These players could be key contributors to your quest for a championship. For even more analysis on potential difference makers, be sure to check out RotoBaller’s Waiver Wire Rankings Wizard tool, updated daily.

Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Seattle Mariners

Acquired from the Cubs last month for reliever Mike Montgomery, Vogelbach initially struggled with Triple-A Tacoma but has come on strong of late. Overall, he’s hitting .293/.417/.502 with 21 home runs and 90 RBI in the minors. The Mariners are currently three games out of the second wild-card spot in the American League and will need to leapfrog four other teams to get there. They’ve received little production from the first base platoon of Adam Lind and Dae-Ho Lee. Vogelbach could provide a serious boost to the M’s and fantasy teams alike.

Roman Quinn, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Quinn was just placed on the 7-day DL with a concussion last weekend, but if he can recover quickly, he should have a chance to log everyday at-bats for the Phillies down the stretch. Of course, injuries have been a constant theme in Quinn’s career to this point, which is why he’s yet to play above Double-A. Even if he struggles to hit big-league pitching, Quinn’s 80-grade speed makes him an attractive addition for those owners with a need for speed. The Phillies are rebuilding and have been living with abysmal offense from their corner outfield spots all season, so they should be fine with giving Quinn a bit of trial by fire.

Jose De Leon, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Given the cascade of injuries they’ve sustained in the starting rotation, you might be surprised that De Leon hasn’t already been promoted. It’s certainly not for lack of talent, as De Leon has dominated Triple-A. The problem is that De Leon is not on the 40-man roster, and the Dodgers would have to expose a player currently on 40-man to waivers in order to purchase De Leon’s contract. The number of injured players they have only complicates matters. If they can find a way to get him to the City of Angels, though, De Leon could be a boon to owners in need of pitching help.

Josh Hader, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Hader posted a ridiculous 0.95 ERA at Double-A to open the season, earning a quick promotion to Triple-A. His results there have been much less spectacular, as he’s pitched to a 5.18 ERA in 13 starts. While he’s walked a few more batters, for the most part the disparity seems attributable to lousy luck and a notoriously hitter-friendly home park in Colorado Springs. Hader is still piling up strikeouts, which is encouraging. The rebuilding Brewers have had one of the worst rotations in baseball by both ERA and FIP, so the young lefty should get a chance down the stretch. Kyle Bishop is a lead MLB columnist at RotoBaller.com. His articles are your secret weapon for winning fantasy leagues.

Kyle Bishop is a lead MLB columnist at RotoBaller.com. His articles are your secret weapon for winning fantasy leagues.