June 30, 2025
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has been selected to play in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game on July 12. The 2024 first-rounder was recently promoted to Double-A Wichita after slashing .293/.385/.479 with nine home runs and 15 stolen bases. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect has hit the ground running at Double-A, reaching base in each of the first eight games he played at that level either via hit or walk. The 22-year-old is 9-for-33 (.273) with a pair of home runs, a stolen base, and a 5:8 BB:K for the Wind Surge. With a good showing, the product out of Kansas State should spend time at Triple-A next year and could be knocking on the door to the majors in the second half. He's got good pop to go along with some speed and a first-round pedigree, so he's a prospect worth keeping an eye on in dynasty formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-handed reliever
Trevor Stephan (elbow) has made six minor-league rehab appearances with Triple-A Columbus, Double-A Akron and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and most recently threw a scoreless inning with a hit and a strikeout at Akron on Friday, according to MLB.com. In 7 1/3 innings on his rehab assignment, Stephan has allowed five earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out nine. The 29-year-old reliever is recovering from UCL reconstruction and has yet to make his 2025 season debut, but MLB.com expects him to return to Cleveland's bullpen at some point in July. When he does finally come off the 60-day injured list, the former third-round pick by the New York Yankees could eventually become a late-inning setup option for the Guards after saving six games in his first three MLB seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates first base/outfield prospect
Esmerlyn Valdez is headed to Double-A Altoona. The right-handed hitter was leading the South Atlantic League in hits (84), doubles (18), home runs (20), RBI (57), batting average (.303), slugging (.592), and OPS (.977) before his promotion, and leading some by a wide margin. The 21-year-old is coming off a 22-homer campaign in 2024 at Single-A, but it came with a 30.6 percent strikeout rate. The 6-foot-2 Dominican will blow past that home run total from a season ago, and thus far, he's been able to do it with a reduced strikeout rate of 24.5 percent despite the increase in level. Although he is currently not ranked within the Pirates' top 30 prospects, he could be by the time the list is refreshed, and at this rate, he could be pushing for a major league promotion sometime later next year.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
June
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Miami
Marlins
catching
prospect
Joe
Mack
homered
on
Sunday
in
a
2-for-4
day
at
the
plate
for
Triple-A
Jacksonville.
It
was
the
third
home
run
in
his
last
four
games,
and
the hits
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June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
John Means (elbow) has progressed to throwing live batting practice, per MLB.com. According to president Chris Antonetti, Means' timetable for a return in 2025 is in the late-August to early-September range. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw began throwing off a mound in late June as he attempts to return from a second Tommy John surgery. The former 11th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 out of West Virginia made his lone All-Star team in his second year in the big leagues in 2019, but he has only made 25-plus starts in the majors twice in his seven years in the league. Since 2022, Means has managed to make only 10 starts, although he did have a nice 2.75 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 33:8 K:BB in 52 1/3 innings. Given the fact that Means may not make his big-league return until late this season, fantasy managers can continue to ignore him in most formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Shane Bieber (elbow) is expected to progress to throwing live batting practice this week, according to MLB.com. Bieber threw bullpen sessions featuring all of his pitches on June 24, 26 and 27 as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old veteran is currently on the 60-day injured list but could be activated to make his 2025 season debut by mid-to-late July. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Bieber doesn't make it back until August, but barring a setback, he's fully expected to rejoin the Guardians' starting rotation at some point in the second half. While Bieber could be useful as a back-of-the-rotation arm in mixed fantasy leagues, expectations should be tempered for a pitcher who looked like he was on the decline before his elbow issues. The former Cy Young winner's velocity and strikeout rates had dropped noticeably in 2023.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Cade Smith (back) is feeling better after back spasms cropped up during pre-game batting practice on June 25, according to MLB.com. The Guardians will re-evaluate Smith during their scheduled day off on Monday, which means he could be available out of the bullpen for the series opener on Tuesday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. The 26-year-old Canadian reliever also had an injury scare earlier in June when he took a comebacker off his forehead, but he remained in the game after being checked by the medical staff. Smith has been a valuable member of Cleveland's bullpen in his second year in the major leagues, posting a 2.36 ERA (1.31 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP, a career-high three saves, 53 strikeouts and 13 walks in 34 1/3 innings pitched in 36 appearances out of the bullpen.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Yu Darvish (elbow) recovered well from a three-inning, 51-pitch simulated game against Single-A Lake Elsinore on June 25 and then threw a 31-pitch bullpen session on Saturday in Cincinnati, according to MLB.com. Manager Mike Shildt said that Darvish "felt great" afterwards, and the next step could be another simulated game. Darvish is currently on the 60-day injured list and hasn't pitched yet in 2025 for the Padres, but if he continues to progress, he could come off the IL to make his season debut before the mid-July All-Star break. The Friars could surely use the 38-year-old veteran Japanese hurler back with
Michael King (shoulder) and
Ryan Bergert (forearm) also on the IL. Darvish is no longer in his prime and had a career-low 23.6% strikeout rate last year, but he can still be useful in mixed fantasy leagues in the right matchups.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (triceps) got a positive report from Dr. Gregory J. Paul in Texas on June 17 and threw off a mound on June 25. McClanahan is now scheduled to move to a full-intensity bullpen session on Tuesday, July 1, per MLB.com. The 28-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched all year to this point while recovering from nerve irritation in his left triceps. He's currently on the 60-day injured list but could be able to make his 2025 season debut for the Rays at some point in August if he can avoid any further setbacks as he ramps up his throwing program. Although McClanahan still has a ways to go before potentially returning to the big-league rotation, he's worth stashing in all fantasy leagues because of his high-end strikeout upside when he's healthy. He missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (ankle, elbow, shoulder) wasn't at his best in his minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Nashville, but it's expected to be his last one before making his 2025 debut with the Brewers. Woodruff allowed four earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out one in 3 2/3 innings against Triple-A Jacksonville. The 32-year-old veteran was making his 10th rehab start after multiple setbacks with his ankle and elbow. Woodruff had right-shoulder surgery in the fall of 2023 and missed all of last season, but he's on the cusp of being activated from the injured list to rejoin Milwaukee's starting rotation. He threw 53 of his 82 pitches for strikes and should make his first start of the year this weekend against the Miami Marlins in a great matchup for fantasy purposes. Scoop Woodruff up now off the waiver wire if he's available.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
June 30, 2025
Texas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter went 3-for-4 with a double and two steals in his team's 6-4 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners. He also singled twice, scored a run, and drew a walk. Carter has heated up to close out the month, notching a hit in seven straight appearances with three multi-hit efforts in that span. He's chipped in three steals during the streak, too, and has been much more productive in June with a .333/.421/.530 through 66 at-bats. The former top prospect's strikeout rate has significantly improved so far, posting a near-ten-point drop from the undesirable 26.5% he sported in 2024 (15.9%).
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
June 30, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker (appendix) appears to be on track to come off the 10-day injured list on Friday before the series opener at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Chicago Cubs, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Daniel Guerrero. Walker landed on the IL last week due to appendicitis, but he didn't need surgery and has already played in two minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Memphis. The 23-year-old former first-rounder could see his playing time continue to dip upon his return since he's hit just .210/.267/.295 with a career-worst .562 OPS, three home runs, 23 RBI and 63 strikeouts in 191 plate appearances over 55 games in his third year in the big leagues. Walker is currently in the second percentile in strikeout rate and the 16th percentile in chase rate, which doesn't bode well for a rebound in the second half.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero
June 30, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (intercostal) will likely be out of the lineup until at least Tuesday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates due to a left intercostal injury that he's been dealing with of late. Nootbaar aggravated the injury during a swing on Saturday in the win over the Cleveland Guardians and did not start in the series finale on Sunday. The Cardinals open a series in Pittsburgh on Monday, but fantasy managers should expect the 27-year-old left-handed hitter to be out of the lineup for a second straight game against left-hander
Andrew Heaney. If Nootbaar is unable to return by Tuesday or later this week, he could land on the 10-day injured list heading into the All-Star break. Nootbaar is a starting outfielder for St. Louis when healthy and is batting just .227 (68-for-299) with 11 home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs and four stolen bases.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero
June 30, 2025
The Athletic's Chandler Rome reports that the Houston Astros have placed shortstop
Jeremy Pena (ribs) on the 10-day injured list with a fracture in his ribs. Oof. Pena was plunked by a pitch in the ribs a few days ago, and while initial X-rays returned negative for the Dominican Republic native, new findings have him facing an IL stint. It's unfortunate news for the Astros and fantasy managers, as Pena was a stud from the leadoff spot in 2025. It's unclear precisely how severe the injury is, and there's been no word on a timetable for his return. Teammate
Mauricio Dubon has gotten the start at shortstop in his stead over the last two contests, and figures to do so primarily while he's out. However, it's worth noting Dubon hasn't been that effective against right-handed pitching thus far (.227).
--Alex CiullaSource: Chandler Rome
June 30, 2025
MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports that Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (shoulder) recently received a cortisone shot to help him play through a torn labrum. Fraley suffered the injury attempting a diving catch a week ago against the Yankees and has since sought three opinions on his ailing shoulder. This isn't the first time that the 30-year-old has dealt with shoulder issues (subluxation), who also noted he's looking for a protective brace to aid him on tough catches at the wall, or ones similar to how he sustained the issue. With the team in Boston on a road trip, Fraley will hang back in Cincinnati to continue rehab and strengthening work. If the cortisone does its job, he should return when he's eligible in a few weeks (Jul. 18).
--Alex CiullaSource: Mark Sheldon
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