8 Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers - Jake Bauers, Bryce Miller, Parker Messick, More

June 15, 2026

Kipp's fantasy baseball risers, fallers, breakouts for Week 12 of 2026. He analyzes hitters and pitchers performing well and poorly to determine future values.

Welcome, everyone, to another edition of RotoBaller’s Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers article series for Week 12 of the 2026 season! Today, I'll check in on players like Jake Bauers, Bryce Miller, Parker Messick, and more.

Keeping up with the latest hitter and pitcher trends is a key component of a successful season, and RotoBaller is here to help fantasy managers! Each week, I will select a few players who have performed well recently and a few who have not, and I will analyze their performances to determine how their future outcomes may be affected.

Following along here every week will give you an edge over your league mates and keep you up to date on who is firing on all cylinders and who is struggling to make ends meet. Every game matters, and there is no time to wait for regression. Let's get into some Fantasy Risers and Fallers who may force some tough decisions.

Fantasy Baseball Hitter Risers

Jake Bauers, 1B/OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Bauers has been on an absolute tear, slashing .256/.453/.692 with five home runs, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored, and 14 walks over the last two weeks. This performance is good enough to rank him in the top five overall in Yahoo! leagues during this stretch, which is quite remarkable for him.

The metrics also look very good overall. He currently ranks in the 82nd percentile with a .363 xwOBA and a .480 xSLG. Additionally, the other power metrics indicate that he is currently posting a 14% barrel rate, a 92.6 mph average exit velocity, and a 55.3% hard-hit rate, all of which rank in the 87th percentile or better.

Bauers derives a ton of value against right-handed pitching, as he has a .930 OPS against them this season compared to a .784 versus left-handed pitchers. Bauers is also still available in 28% of Yahoo! leagues, so make sure he is not available in yours.

Matt Chapman, 3B, San Francisco Giants

Matt Chapman is another hitter who has been extremely hot lately. He is slashing .386/.473/.795 with five home runs, 19 RBI, eight runs scored, and seven walks over the previous two weeks. This ranks him ninth overall in Yahoo! leagues over that span after beginning the season ranked 103rd overall.

The metrics for Chapman are another story, however. Overall, he does not rank above the 50th percentile in any real, meaningful category. He sits below average in terms of xwOBA, xSLG, hard-hit rate, average exit velocity, and more. While the previous two weeks are encouraging, I would not expect him to sustain this level of performance.

I want to point out that his overall stat line for the season is pretty solid. He ranks 171st overall in Yahoo! leagues, but those metrics tell us there is quite a bit of good fortune working in his favor, especially when you consider his home ballpark. Ride this wave while it lasts.

Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Risers

Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays

Drew Rasmussen has looked sharp over the previous two weeks, having posted a 0.00 ERA, 0.29 WHIP, and racking up 22 strikeouts across 14 innings pitched. Additionally, he has collected two wins over this span. This overall stat line is good enough to rank him sixth overall in Yahoo! leagues across those two weeks.

Rasmussen's metrics also look fantastic. He ranks in the 70th percentile or better in almost every meaningful category. What really stands out is his 86.6 mph average exit velocity allowed, which ranks in the 89th percentile, and his 2.89 xERA, ranking him in the 87th percentile.

While the strikeouts will not blow anyone away, as he has recorded 77 across 73 innings pitched, they are still pretty relevant. He should continue rolling for the Rays and fantasy managers alike.

Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners

Miller returned from injury and has been on absolute fire ever since. Over the previous two weeks, he has posted a 0.95 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts across 19 IP. He has also collected two wins over this span. All of this together has been good enough to rank him 11th overall in Yahoo! leagues over those two weeks.

Miller's metrics have looked good as well, as he ranks in the 80th percentile or better in several categories. He currently ranks in the 97th percentile with a 2.34 xERA, 92nd percentile with a 36% chase rate, and 93rd percentile with an 86.2 mph average exit velocity allowed.

Miller is looking more and more like the guy we saw in 2024, when he posted a 2.94 ERA with 171 Ks across 180 1/3 IP. It is quite the sight to see.

Fantasy Baseball Hitter Fallers

Colson Montgomery, 3B/SS, Chicago White Sox

Colson Montgomery started the season hot, but has cooled off a bit recently. That being said, he is a young talent, so some ups and downs are expected. He is slashing just .121/.237/.333 with two HR, three RBI, five runs scored, and four walks over the previous two weeks. This ranks him just 557th in Yahoo! leagues over that span.

The underlying metrics remain strong, as he ranks in the 75th percentile or better in both barrel rate and hard-hit rate. Thus far in 2026, Montgomery has hit 16 home runs across 278 plate appearances, and this comes on the heels of a 2025 campaign in which he mashed 21 homers across just 284 PA.

Montgomery is locked in on my high-stakes roster, and I fully expect that the previous two weeks will just be a blip on the radar come season's end.

Nico Hoerner, 2B/SS, Chicago Cubs

Next up on this list, we have a North Sider in Nico Hoerner, who has struggled quite a bit over the previous two weeks. Across that span, he is slashing just .178/.224/.222 with zero HR, one RBI, two runs, and just three walks. While he does have just one strikeout over the encompassing 49 plate appearances, the counting stats just do not exist.

This stretch has him ranked an ugly 765th in Yahoo! leagues. He should eventually snap out of this funk, as his current xBA of .294 ranks in the 94th percentile, suggesting he could just be a bit unfortunate recently. He will never be a huge power guy, but the hits and runs should start racking up soon.

If you drafted Hoerner, I would not panic just yet. He still has plenty of time to turn it around, as we currently sit a full month away from the All-Star break.

Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Fallers

Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians

It pains me to have to list Messick here, but he has been struggling a bit recently. Over the previous two weeks, he has posted a 5.56 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and just eight strikeouts across 11 1/3 IP. Furthermore, he has not collected any wins over this stretch and ranks 592nd in Yahoo! leagues.

The metrics are obviously still good, as a two-week stretch will not derail a starting pitcher, and he currently ranks in the 70th percentile or better in xERA, average exit velocity allowed, chase rate, K rate, and hard-hit rate. He was firmly entrenched in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation and should find his way back in the coming weeks.

George Kirby, Seattle Mariners

While Miller is rising for the Mariners, George Kirby is falling. Over the previous two weeks, he has posted a 6.30 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts across 10 IP. He also has zero wins and ranks 676th in Yahoo! leagues over this span.

Kirby is typically a steady pitcher, so this stretch should hopefully be temporary. Overall, he ranks in the 84th percentile with a 6% walk rate. Additionally, his 34.7% chase rate and 51.8% groundball rate rank north of the 85th percentile. Kirby has a strong track record and should rebound from these struggles.

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