Hitter Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Risers to Watch and Waiver Wire Outlooks (Week 2)

Welcome back to my first Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters article for Week 2 of the 2026 MLB regular 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, stolen bases, and isolated power (ISO). […]

Orion Kerkering to Make One More Appearance at Triple-A Before Rejoining Phils

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering (hamstring) will make one more appearance at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this Saturday and is expected to rejoin the club during their series in San Francisco that starts on Monday, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The right-hander could be activated either Monday or Tuesday. The 24-year-old is working his […]

Zach Eflin to Seek Second Opinion on Ailing Elbow

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (elbow) is seeking a second opinion on his right elbow and will fly to Dallas to consult Dr. Keith Meister, per Jake Rill of MLB.com. Eflin was removed from his first start of the season with elbow discomfort, and apparently, the results of initial tests were not encouraging. The […]

Ryan Pepiot to Throw Bullpen on Friday, on Track to Return Next Week

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (hip) is throwing a bullpen session on Friday as he continues to work his way back from right hip inflammation that sidelined him to begin the season. The right-hander is eligible to come off the injured list on Monday when the team has its first home game of […]

Josh Hader Showing Good Velocity in Latest Bullpen Session

Houston Astros closer Josh Hader (biceps) touched 90 mph in his latest bullpen session, something the 31-year-old said he's never done before in a bullpen. It's definitely an encouraging sign as the southpaw works his way back from a bicep injury. The Astros are taking it slow with him, but the 6-foot-3 hurler remains on […]

Can Jhostynxon Garcia Find a Role in the Majors?

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia surged through the top two levels of the minors last season before a brief debut with Boston in August. The Venezuelan made a case for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster this spring, going 15-for-37 (.405) with a double, two home runs, and three steals in 17 […]

Samuel Basallo Belts First Home Run of 2026 on Wednesday

Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo went 2-for-5 in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Rangers, with one of his hits being his first home run of 2026. It was a 437-foot solo blast to center that came off the bat at 109.5 mph. The left-handed slugger has reached base safely via hit or walk in four […]

Ryan Waldschmidt Nearing MLB Debut?

Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt could be nearing his MLB debut as the 2026 campaign gets underway. The D-backs' top-ranked prospect excelled at High-A and Double-A last season, putting together a .289/.419/.473 slash line with 18 home runs and 29 steals in 134 games, and appeared to be on the verge of making the […]

Sam Antonacci Becoming a Top Stash Candidate Early in 2026

Chicago White Sox infield prospect Sam Antonacci is a prospect to keep an eye on in deeper season-long fantasy leagues, as the 23-year-old has been riding a hot bat ever since he broke into professional baseball. After being drafted in 2024, he hit .333 and walked (17) more than he struck out (13) in 23 […]

Is Travis Bazzana a Top Stash Option in Deeper Leagues?

Cleveland Guardians second base prospect Travis Bazzana is off to a slow start at Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign, going 3-for-18 (.167) with no home runs in his first five games, but that doesn't mean his MLB debut isn't just over the horizon. The former first-overall draft pick had a strong spring, going 8-for-21 […]

Emmanuel Rodriguez Worth a Deep-League Stash?

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez had a nice showing with the big league club this spring, going 8-for-19 (.421) with two doubles and a pair of home runs in Grapefruit League action. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect is 5-for-21 (.238) with a home run to begin his 2026 Triple-A campaign, and has displayed tantalizing power […]

Willy Adames Staying in Leadoff Spot After Four-Hit Effort

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames will hit leadoff for a third straight game on Wednesday following his four-hit performance at the top of the order on Tuesday. The right-handed slugger is now riding a three-game hit streak and is 6-for-20 (.300) through five games, including a double, a home run, two RBI, and two […]

Zack Wheeler to Make Second Rehab Start on Friday

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will make his second start of his rehab assignment on Friday in Durham, and is expected to throw about four innings or 50 to 55 pitches total. While that was expected, his third start was originally scheduled to be in Reading, but that has now been changed to […]

Gavin Lux to Begin Rehab Assignment at Triple-A Durham

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman/outfielder Gavin Lux (shoulder) will head to Triple-A Durham to begin a rehab assignment. The left-handed hitter has been on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder impingement since the beginning of the season. Per manager Kevin Cash, the former first-round draft pick will make a few consecutive starts with Durham […]

Thursday's Game Between White Sox and Blue Jays Postponed to Friday

Thursday's game between the White Sox and Blue Jays was proactively postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. The matchup was supposed to be Chicago's home opener, but it will now be played on Friday, April 3, at 1:10 PM CST, and a doubleheader will not be necessary since the club was originally scheduled […]

Triston Casas Suffers Setback During Rehab

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee) has encountered a setback in his recovery from a ruptured left patellar tendon that he suffered back in 2025. The former first-rounder is now dealing with sore ribs, per manager Alex Cora. At least the setback is not related to his knee, but Cora stated that they […]

Astros Continue to Monitor Jeremy Pena's Usage, Remains Out on Wednesday

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena is out of the lineup on Wednesday as the team continues to ease him back into action following a fractured finger that he suffered this spring. The right-handed slugger went 1-for-5 in Tuesday's contest, and although he is out of the lineup Wednesday, Pena could play in back-to-back games this […]

Max Clark Showing Patience, Speed in First Taste of Triple-A

Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark is getting his first taste of Triple-A this year, and although he's just 2-for-10 (.200) to begin the season, the Tigers' second-ranked prospect has walked four times compared to just one strikeout, and has stolen one base in each of his first three games played for Toledo thus far. […]

Carlos Lagrange Sharp in Triple-A Debut, Emerging as Sneaky Stash Candidate

New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange made his season debut at Triple-A on Sunday, allowing one earned run on four hits and no walks while striking out three in four innings of work. The Yankees' top pitching prospect began 2025 at High-A and moved up to Double-A after just eight starts, where his ERA […]

Ryan Sloan Beginning Campaign with Double-A Arkansas

Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Ryan Sloan will begin the year at Double-A Arkansas. The Mariners' third-ranked prospect spent most of 2025 at Single-A, where he pitched to a 3.44 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 21.8 percent K-BB%, which earned him three starts at High-A late in the season before an eye procedure ended his campaign […]

James Tibbs III Emerging as High-End Bat in Dodgers System

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III is off to a great start to the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 8-for-13 (.615) with six of his eight hits going for extra bases (three doubles, one triple, two home runs). The Dodgers' 11th-ranked prospect looked good in the Cactus League as well, hitting […]

Kade Anderson Starting Season at Double-A

Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson will begin the 2026 campaign at Double-A Arkansas. Seattle's selection at third overall in last year's Draft did not pitch in regular-season games last year, but did get an invite to big league camp this spring, striking out nine batters in seven innings pitched. If all goes well, the […]

Brice Matthews Goes Deep on Monday, Worth a Deep-League Pickup?

Houston Astros infield/outfield prospect Brice Matthews went 1-for-4 in Monday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox. His lone hit was a 434-foot solo blast off of left-hander Ranger Suarez that came off the bat at 111.1 mph. The right-handed hitter is now 2-for-9 (.222) on the young season, his other hit being a double, so […]

Jonah Tong to Contend for Early Call-Up?

New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong could be an early-season call-up for the team whenever they find themselves in need of pitching. Although the right-hander struggled to a 7.71 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, and a 14.9 percent K-BB% in his five starts with the Mets last year, he was one of the most dominant arms […]

Harry Ford Emerging as a Top Catcher to Stash

Washington Nationals catching prospect Harry Ford was optioned to Triple-A Rochester earlier this month after an underwhelming spring, but that doesn't mean he won't be back in the big leagues soon. The Nats' third-ranked prospect is a former 12th-overall draft pick and had a strong 2025 at Triple-A, hitting .283 with 16 home runs while […]

Robby Snelling Nearing MLB Debut?

Miami Marlins pitching prospect Robby Snelling did not earn a spot in the team's starting rotation to begin the season, but will likely be one of the first names called when Miami needs pitching reinforcements. The Marlins' second-ranked prospect made the top two levels of the minors look easy in 2025, recording a 2.51 ERA, […]

Bryce Eldridge a Top Stash Candidate in Week 1?

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge should remain on the fantasy radar in the early part of 2026, as the Giants' top-ranked prospect has some of the biggest power potential in the minors. The 6-foot-7 slugger blasted 25 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last year in just 100 games, and although he […]

Logan Henderson a Stash Candidate in Deeper Leagues?

Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Logan Henderson should be a name for fantasy managers to keep an eye on in the early going of the 2026 season. Although the right-hander was optioned to Triple-A earlier this month, he'll surely be one of the first names considered when Milwaukee needs pitching help. The former fourth-round draft pick […]

Brandon Sproat a Sneaky Waiver-Wire Pickup

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Sproat had a solid spring showing, posting a 3.46 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 21.2 percent K-BB% in 13 innings pitched, earning himself a spot in the Brewers' rotation to begin the year. The right-hander began last season at Triple-A, and although the season-long numbers don't jump off the page, […]

Lars Nootbaar Will Begin the Season on 60-Day Injured List

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (heels) was placed on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. This means the left-handed hitter will be out until at least late May as he recovers from offseason surgery to both of his heels. The team was hoping to avoid a 60-day IL stint, but instead, Nathan Church, Thomas […]