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Three top fantasy baseball prospects - Colby Thomas, Joe Boyle, Daylen Liler - that can make big impacts. These MLB prospects are waiver wire pickups or stashes.
This season, fantasy managers have begun to see many highly-touted prospects make an immediate impact at the major league level. Since the start of the month, Kansas City Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, and Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer have begun to find their footing and provide on a high level.
In this piece, we will analyze two budding stars at Triple-A and one outfielder who recently earned the call at the start of the week.
Should those players be left on the waiver wire, or should fantasy managers add them before their breakout? Let's dive in!
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Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics
Current Level: AAA
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 68 G, .302/.364/.559, 17 2B, 17 HR, 6 SB, 83 SO, 21 BB
The A's have a little bit of a dilemma. They are not a good team, but they have too many good hitters (at least too many good outfielders)? Yes- weird.
With Tyler Soderstrom playing mostly in the outfield, Lawrence Butler manning right, Denzel Clarke providing great defense in center, and Brent Rooker playing DH, where can Colby Thomas play?
Following a breakout 2024 season where he had 31 HRs and 15 SBs, he's having another strong 2025 season. He has 17 HRs with a 117 WRC+ in 68 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Through 68 total games with Triple-A, their No. 2-ranked prospect has posted a stellar .302/.364/.559 line with a .923 OPS.
During his first taste of Triple-A action during the 2024 campaign, Thomas held a similar .272/.344/.559 line with 25 doubles and 17 home runs through 73 contests.
Colby Thomas belts his 17th homer of the season, one behind the Minor League lead!
The @Athletics' No. 3 prospect is now batting .301 with a .918 OPS for the @AviatorsLV this season. pic.twitter.com/LudNUuEoZT
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 18, 2025
As the A's continue to fall in the standings, the pressure for another impact call-up rises for them. If Thomas gets the call, he has a lot of power upside playing in the bandbox in Sacramento.
For now, he is worth stashing in deeper 12+ team formats as he does not have a clear path to the majors without an injury to the current Athletics outfield.
-Written by Kevin Luo
Joe Boyle, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 AAA stats: 64 IP, 1.83 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 81 SO, 25 BB
Why Boyle is still in Triple-A right now, we don't know. Regardless, it feels like a matter of days before we see Boyle make another start in a Rays uniform, and this time, he might just stick there. Boyle has tossed 64 Triple-A innings this year and has a 1.69 ERA to pair with an impressive 0.94 WHIP.
The walk rate has improved tremendously and sits at just 10.4 percent, a respectable mark in Triple-A, where the zone is tighter and the ABS Challenge system is in play.
The fastball averages 98 mph and tops north of 100 mph. Throwing from a 5-foot-8 release height, Boyle creates an average ride on the pitch but does a great job of manipulating the pitch and blowing it by hitters. In Triple-A, it has an impressive 17 percent swinging strike rate.
Boyle’s new look split-changeup runs up to 95 mph and sits 93 mph regularly. It has good depth and 15-20 inches of arm-side movement. The slider sits around 90 mph with a strong gyro-shape and misses bats at high clips.
The strike rate is way up on Boyle and is an above-average 63.5 percent. When Boyle is not missing bats, he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. Why Boyle is still in Triple-A, we don't know. But this is a strong arm ready to take a big step forward in the majors.
Boyle was given a brief taste of the majors this season and has looked just as dominant, tossing five innings with no earned runs, no hits, and seven punchouts against the Braves on April 13. This is a stark improvement as Boyle struggled during his first "full" MLB campaign in 2024, logging 47 2/3 innings to the tune of a 6.42 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP.
Boyle is worth closely monitoring as he appears to have taken a massive step forward in the Rays' system. However, like Thomas, Boyle does not have a clear path to the majors.
Currently, Taj Bradley and Zack Littell hold the back spots of the rotation. While Bradley has begun to stumble, it is unlikely that the Rays opt to move him to Triple-A. However, if the Rays remain in the Wild Card race, they could transition to a six-man rotation to preserve their starters, which would open the door for Boyle.
Joe Boyle today:
5 IP
3 H
0 ER
1 BB
9 KHis ERA is now down to a 1.69 in AAA. pic.twitter.com/P2Vk80NE3I
— Jake (@TBRaysCentral) June 1, 2025
- Written by Chris Clegg
Daylen Lile, OF, Washington Nationals
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 5% rostered
2025 MLB stats: 15 G, .151/.200/.326, 3 2B, 1 HR, 9 SO, 2 BB
Lile was up earlier this year, and then sent back down to begin June. Less than two weeks later, he is back. Lile is playing right field and batting in the lower third of the order in Washington, but it looks like he might stick around after the Robert Hassell III experiment did not go as well as hoped.
Lile homered on Monday night, his first one in the major leagues. Interestingly, his batting average is a paltry .206 in 39 plate appearances, but his xBA is .287. He doesn't strike out much (17.9% thus far) and gets the bat to the baseball. Through 15 total games in the majors, Lile sits with a modest .152/.200/.326 line, but his underlying metrics suggest the No. 9-ranked prospect is due to bounce back.
The Nationals seem inclined to give young players an opportunity right now at 30-42. Expect Lile to get some runs in both center and right fields.
Daylen Lile absolutely demolished this baseballpic.twitter.com/EOxO2kd5fr
— Alex Murphy (@AlexMurphyJour) June 17, 2025
Earlier this season, Lile spent time with both Double-A and Triple-A and performed quite well. Through 21 games with Double-A, Lile held an impressive .319/.340/.505 line. Then, during his first 26 at the Triple-A level, Lile continued to impress, posting a .337/.407/.500, which prompted the early return to the big leagues.
With Dylan Crews (oblique) still on the injured list, Lile could have a path to near-everyday at-bats, especially if he can continue to turn the corner. He is worth adding in all five-outfielder formats. Lile has shown five-category potential during his time in the minor leagues and will likely be given numerous opportunities to find a role in D.C.
- Written by Mike Carter
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