Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 17)

Welcome back to my Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 17 of the 2025 MLB season. The focus of this article is to highlight players who could be on the verge of a breakout, citing current active hitting streaks along with recent leaders in batting average and isolated power (ISO). You will also find […]

Carlos Lagrange Displaying Strikeout Potential

New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange has tallied the second-most strikeouts in the minors over the first half of the season with 113. Tallying 77 1/3 innings pitched and 315 total batters faced, it works out to a 13.15 K/9 and 35.9 percent strikeout rate for the Yanks' 17th-ranked prospect. The 6-foot-7 hurler features […]

Mitch Bratt Impressing at Double-A in 2025

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Mitch Bratt has turned in an impressive first half for Double-A Frisco, recording a 2.73 ERA (2.86 FIP), 1.13 WHIP, and a phenomenal 26.4 percent K-BB% in 15 starts (79 innings pitched). The Rangers' 18th-ranked prospect has always displayed better-than-average control, posting a 6.8 percent walk rate during his minor-league career from 2021-24, […]

Carson Whisenhunt Underperforming Expectations

San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt has underwhelmed at Triple-A this year, posting a 4.50 ERA (4.92 xFIP), a 1.33 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. The Giants' second-ranked prospect has greatly improved his year-over-year walk rate, from 11.1 percent to 7.1 percent, but it appears to be at the expense of his […]

Griffin Herring Performing Well Through First 15 Starts

New York Yankees pitching prospect Griffin Herring owns the lowest ERA of any minor-league starting pitcher (10 starts minimum) now that the first half is in the books, boasting a 1.69 ERA (2.91 FIP), a 1.02 WHIP and an 18.8 percent K-BB% through 15 starts (85 1/3 innings pitched), with eight of them coming at […]

Bo Davidson Promoted to Double-A Richmond

San Francisco Giants outfield prospect Bo Davidson has been promoted to Double-A Richmond on the back of a strong first half at High-A. The Giants' eighth-ranked prospect hit .309 with 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases, while a strong 14.6 percent walk rate buoyed an impressive .412 OBP. His 56 RBI were the second-most […]

Mike Sirota Transferred to 60-Day Injured List

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Mike Sirota (knee) was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Sunday, an unfortunate turn of events after a strong first half of the season. The Dodgers' sixth-ranked prospect was slashing .333/.452/.616 between Single-A and High-A this season, belting 16 doubles, three triples, and 13 home runs in 59 games. […]

Gabriel Gonzalez Surging at Double-A Wichita

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez is currently tied for the minor league lead in total hits with 108, including 29 doubles, which are the third-most in the minors. On the back of a 12.0 percent strikeout rate and minuscule 7.7 percent swinging-strike rate, the Twins' 17th-ranked prospect has helped himself to a robust .347/.420/.527 slash […]

Christopher Suero Headed to Double-A Binghamton

New York Mets catching prospect Christopher Suero is headed to Double-A Binghamton after 161 games at High-A between 2024 and 2025. The Mets' 20th-ranked prospect hit just .240 this year, but his home runs (13), RBI (51), and runs scored (53) were all top six in the South Atlantic League. The 21-year-old was striking out […]

Tommy Hawke Leads All Minor-Leaguers With 65 Steals

Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Tommy Hawke is the current minor league stolen base leader, pacing the field with 65 steals on the season. The 2023 sixth-round draft pick recently earned a promotion to High-A after slashing .309/.453/.382 with 63 steals and walking (53) more than he was striking out (44). With just four games at High-A […]

Ching-Hsien Ko Cruising Through Arizona Complex League

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ching-Hsien Ko is currently leading all minor-leaguers (150 at-bat minimum) in batting average and on-base percentage at this point in the season, hitting .370 with a .488 on-base percentage for the ACL Dodgers. The Dodgers' 13th-ranked prospect has reached base via hit or walk in 46 of the 47 games […]

Twins Take Quentin Young in the Second Round of MLB Draft

The Minnesota Twins selected third base/outfield prospect Quentin Young out of Oaks Christian High School in California in the second round (pick No. 54) of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday. The nephew of former major leaguers Dmitri and Delmon Young, he has baseball in his blood and big-time power that goes with his 6-foot-6 frame. […]

Braylon Payne Earns Carolina League Player of the Week Honors

Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Braylon Payne was named Carolina League Player of the Week for his performance from July 7-13. The Brewers' ninth-ranked prospect went 6-for-14 (.429) with a double, two home runs, four RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base in four games for Single-A Carolina. The 2024 first-rounder is riding a 10-game hit […]

Carson Roccaforte Named Midwest League Player of the Week

Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Carson Roccaforte was named Midwest League Player of the Week for the week of July 7-13. The Royals' 21st-ranked prospect went 11-for-23 (.478) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in six games for High-A Quad Cities. The left-handed slugger has […]

Bryce Eldridge Collects Two Hits in First Rehab Game

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge (hamstring) went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored on Monday in his first rehab game with the ACL Giants. The Giants' top prospect is working his way back from a hamstring strain that has kept him out since June 21. It's not clear how long the […]

Jhonny Level Homers in Three-Hit Day on Monday

San Francisco Giants infield prospect Jhonny Level homered in a 3-for-5 day at the plate on Monday, driving in two runs and scoring twice for the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Giants. He was also caught stealing one time. The Giants' fourth-ranked prospect is faring well in his first stateside professional baseball action, hitting .298 with […]

Adrian Del Castillo Homers Twice, Drives in Six

Arizona Diamondbacks catching prospect Adrian Del Castillo had a big day at the plate on Sunday for Triple-A Reno, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs, and six RBI. The D-backs' sixth-ranked prospect came off of the IL at the beginning of July after missing a couple of weeks with a back injury, but […]

Andrew Painter Allows Two Home Runs, Strikes Out Four in Latest Start

Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Andrew Painter allowed three earned runs on six hits, including two home runs, but did not walk a batter and struck out four in five innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. The Phils' top prospect (MLB No. 9) began the year with a 3.18 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, a 20.5 percent […]

Ryan Ward Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ryan Ward earned Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honors for the week of July 7-13. The 27-year-old went 9-for-21 (.429) with four doubles, a triple, and one home run, along with six RBI, four runs scored, and a 6:3 BB:K in six games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. The […]

Bryce Eldridge Sent on Rehab Assignment with ACL Giants

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge (hamstring) was sent on a minor league rehab assignment on Monday with the team's Arizona Complex League affiliate. The Giants' top-ranked prospect suffered a moderate right hamstring strain and hasn't played in a game since June 21. The 6-foot-7 slugger began the year at Double-A and hit […]

Spencer Jones Belts Seventh Triple-A Home Run

New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones belted his seventh Triple-A home run for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a 1-for-4 day at the plate on Sunday. The Yankees' second-ranked prospect has flourished since being promoted in late June, slashing .362/.426/.776 through 14 games at Triple-A. The 24-year-old is slashing .296/.399/.639 with 23 home runs and 16 steals on […]

Michael Arroyo Belts Home Run No. 17 on Sunday

Seattle Mariners infield prospect Michael Arroyo went 1-for-5 on Sunday for Double-A Arkansas, belting his second home run since joining the Travelers in late June. The Mariners' sixth-ranked prospect hit the ground running when he joined Double-A, collecting a hit in 11 of his first 12 games, but Sunday's homer was his only hit in […]

Jaison Chourio Turning the Corner Since Return From Injured List

Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Jaison Chourio returned from the High-A injured list in early June, and after going 3-for-37 (.081) in his first 11 games back, he's begun to regain form, going 7-for-22 (.318), albeit with zero extra-base hits. The 20-year-old continued to display an excellent eye at the plate, though, walking 22 times compared […]

Travis Bazzana Continues Rehab with Complex League Affiliate

Cleveland Guardians second base prospect Travis Bazzana (oblique) has continued his rehab assignment with the team's Arizona Complex League affiliate and is now 3-for-11 (.273) with one double, a steal, and a 6:2 BB:K through five games. Before going down with the injury, the No. 1 overall pick from last year's draft was slashing .252/.362/.433 […]

Cam Collier Gets on Base Five Times on Sunday

Cincinnati Reds third base prospect Cam Collier went 3-for-3 with three singles, two walks, and an RBI for Double-A Chattanooga on Sunday. The Reds' fourth-ranked prospect was promoted to Double-A back in mid-June, and since then, he's held his own, batting .293 (24-for-82) with five doubles and a 17.8 percent walk rate, but has yet […]

Samuel Basallo Cranks 19th Home Run on Sunday

Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, and four RBI on Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 10) had been in a bit of a slump from late June to early July, going 3-for-24 (.125) with one home run over a nine-game stretch, but is […]

Twins Select Marek Houston with 16th Overall Pick

The Minnesota Twins selected shortstop Marek Houston out of Wake Forest with the 16th overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old has a solid hit tool, but might be more known for his defense than his bat. This past season, the 6-foot-3 slugger hit .354 with 15 home runs while walking as much […]

Red Sox Select Kyson Witherspoon with 15th Overall Pick

The Boston Red Sox selected right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon out of the University of Oklahoma with the 15th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. A "powerful athlete who can pitch," Witherspoon went 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 25.9 percent K-BB% for the Sooners this past season. The 6-foot-2 hurler brings […]

Rays Select Daniel Pierce with 14th Overall Pick

The Tampa Bay Rays selected shortstop Daniel Pierce out of Mill Creek High School in Georgia with the 14th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Known for a quick bat that can hit to all fields, Pierce has solid all around tools that give him comps to Dansby Swanson, but with more speed. At 18 […]

Giants Select Gavin Kilen with 13th Overall Pick

The San Francisco Giants selected shortstop Gavin Kilen out of the University of Tennessee with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The left-handed slugger has a good reputation for making contact, with a 60-grade hit tool and hit .357 this past season for the Volunteers with a low 11.0 percent strikeout rate. […]