5 days agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Zac Veen (back, thumb) is doing baseball activities and hitting against live pitching on the fields at the team's spring complex in Scottsdale, Ariz. The 22-year-old No. 6 prospect for the team, according to MLB Pipeline, was off to a solid start for Double-A Hartford this year until suffering back soreness on May 18. In addition to his lower-back strain, Veen was been working through a left-thumb injury. It should be a few days before he starts a rehab assignment that will be designed to get him back into the Hartford lineup. Veen should start playing in games in the Arizona Complex League before he eventually rejoins the Yard Goats. Before his injury, he was hitting an impressive .326/.418/.568 with five home runs and nine stolen bases. The No. 90 overall prospect in MLB should be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that first baseman/designated hitter
Kris Bryant (rib) was "doing better, progressing," but there is no immediate timetable for his return. Bryant has made seven trips to the injured list since signing with the Rockies in spring training of 2022 and wants to return as soon as possible. The Rockies hoped he would return before the current road trip. By keeping him home for treatment and strengthening, the hope is he can return when the team returns home this Friday for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 32-year-old former MVP was put on the 10-day injured list last Thursday with a left-rib contusion, and it wouldn't be unrealistic to expect that Bryant might not make it back before the All-Star break in mid-July. His injuries continue to mount, and on top of it, he's not producing when he's on the field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers shortstop prospect Luis Pena made his Rookie League debut on June 5 and has already begun to make headlines. Through his first five games, the 17-year-old has tallied at least one hit and swiped one bag in every game. In addition, he stole at least two bases in four of them. He holds an overall .529/.636/.765 line with one long ball, six RBI, a 4:3 BB:K ratio, and 11 stolen bases through his first five games in the minor leagues. While this sample size is very small, it is worth noting the incredible start Pena has had. Currently, he is not ranked on MLB Pipeline, but if he continues to produce at this level, that is sure to change throughout the summer. He could become a name to monitor if he reaches Single-A in the coming months.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said on Monday that second baseman
Brendan Rodgers' (hamstring) injury is a "mild strain," and while he doesn't think Rodgers will spend the minimum time on the 10-day injured list, he doesn't expect his return to be delayed much further. Rodgers and the team believe he avoided extensive damage by slowing down as soon as he felt his left hamstring grab while running to first on a sacrifice bunt attempt on June 7. Barring a setback in his recovery, the 27-year-old should be able to return to Colorado and fantasy managers before the All-Star break in mid-July. Rodgers hasn't impressed with his counting stats in 2024, but he is hitting .275 overall (60-for-218) as Colorado's primary second baseman. Prospect
Adael Amador is going to keep the keystone occupied until Rodgers can make it back.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies catcher
Elias Diaz (calf) strained his left calf in the first inning on Monday against the Minnesota Twins while running out a ground ball, and manager Bud Black said Diaz will miss at least a few games. "He's been feeling it for a couple weeks. He's been able to manage it and today I think just on that particular ground ball, out of the box, it got him. We'll see in a couple of days. Keith [Duggar, the team's head athletic trainer] wants to treat it for a day or two and see where we are. But it's a blow. He's been obviously one of our better hitters," Black said. The 33-year-old backstop will likely miss the rest of the series in Minnesota, but it remains to be seen if he'll be available for a series against the Pirates that starts on Friday in Colorado.
Jacob Stallings, who replaced Diaz on Monday, will be the Rockies' primary catcher for however long Diaz is sidelined.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitching prospect
Hayden Birdsong was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on Monday, June 10. The former sixth-round pick has looked sharp through his second extended at Double-A this season as he posted a 2.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 20:61 BB:K ratio through 48 ⅓ innings. This is a significant improvement compared to the high 5.48 ERA and 1.48 WHIP he held through 23 innings at Double-A last summer. The right-hander has been dominant lately with a 1.61 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 9:32 BB:K ratio in his past 28 innings. MLB Pipeline projects Birdsong to reach the majors next season, but if he carries this momentum into Triple-A, he could make his major league debut sometime in the second half of the season. He is worth adding in dynasty leagues and could be an interesting redraft league stash candidate later this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
5
days
agoMilwaukee
Brewers
right-hander
Joe
Ross
(back)
recently
had
a
setback
in
his
recovery
from
a
lower-back
strain.
Manager
Pat
Murphy
said
the
team
was
hoping
Ross
could
return
from
the
15-day
injured
list
by
June
17,
but
that
won't
happen
now.
The
Brewers
read more...
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers left-hander
DL Hall (knee) was sent out on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Monday. Hall is recovering from a sprained left knee and had a setback in his second rehab appearance on May 23. The 25-year-old southpaw has been cleared to pitch again in games, but he's ultimately expected to need a platelet-rich plasma injection or surgery on his knee down the road. It's nice to see that Hall is back on a rehab assignment, but he's going to need plenty of time to recover after having been on the injured list since April 20. Hall should have a spot in Milwaukee's injury-riddled starting rotation when he's healthy, but that probably won't come until the second half of the season. He struggled in his first four starts this year, posting a 7.71 ERA and 2.26 WHIP with 10 walks and 13 K's in 16 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press - Steve Megargee
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said right-hander
Jakob Junis (shoulder) will throw four innings in a controlled scrimmage on Wednesday and "should be ready anytime after that" if all goes well. Junis' velocity wasn't good in his minor-league rehab start that went 2 1/3 innings on Saturday for Triple-A Nashville, so the Brewers want to see him throw again in Arizona so that he can make some fixes. If they are pleased with how that session goes, it sounds like he'll be reinserted into an injury-plagued starting rotation. Junis is currently on the 60-day injured list and has been out since early April with a right-shoulder impingement. He was later hit in the head with a ball during batting practice and missed more time. The 31-year-old could be a deep-league streaming option when he's back, but he could be eased back in. Junis gave up an earned run while fanning four in four innings in his only start back on April 2 against the Twins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press - Steve Megargee
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe is being promoted to Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, June 11, according to MiLB Central. Hjerpe has pitched 78 ⅔ innings at the High-A level since 2023 after being drafted with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft from Oregon State. Last summer with High-A, the 23-year-old posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 25:51 BB:K ratio in 41 innings. This season, through a similar 37 ⅔ innings with High-A Peoria, the southpaw held a 3.55 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and an improved 20:56 BB:K ratio. MLB Pipeline ranks Hjerpe as the number six prospect in the St. Louis system and projects him to reach the majors sometime next season. He is on track to meet this ETA and should be closely monitored by dynasty managers, as he could be an interesting stash candidate if he performs well at Double-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Central
5 days agoIn eight games in June, Houston Astros outfield prospect
Pedro Leon has at least a hit in seven of those games and has multi-hit efforts in two. Leon has two homers and four RBI in the month. The Cuban has shown off plus power all year with 12 homers and 55 RBI in 58 games at Triple-A. The strikeouts are a bit of a concern (he has 12 strikeouts in June and has yet to draw a walk this month). The No. 26 prospect in the Astros system, Leon has put together a nice season at Sugar Land and could be knocking on the door for a chance to help Houston at the big-league level. The power potential alone could make him a helpful waiver wire add if he does get the call, and if he can improve the plate discipline a bit, he could be a big-time fantasy contributor at some point this season.
--Brian BuckeySource: MILB.com
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy isn't expecting left-handed pitching prospect
Robert Gasser (elbow) to be able to return this year as he prepares to receive a third opinion on his left flexor strain. It's a tough break for a team that has already lost
Brandon Woodruff and
Wade Miley to season-ending injuries. Gasser, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, had gone 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his first five major-league starts after missing the end of spring training with bone spurs in his throwing elbow. The 25-year-old southpaw last pitched on June 1 and reported tightness and soreness the next day. One doctor has already recommended reconstruction surgery, which would keep Gasser out the rest of this year and most likely at least half of the 2025 campaign. Gasser deserves to be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues, but managers in redraft formats can probably cut bait at this point.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press - Steve Megargee
5 days agoHouston Astros shortstop prospect
Brice Matthews has recently returned to the diamond after recovering from a back injury that kept him sidelined for a month. Since returning on May 25, the Nebraska product has tallied at least one hit in every game and has been especially dominant as of late. Since June 1, the young shortstop has launched six long balls with nine RBI and five stolen bases and is riding a stellar .483/.559/.1.138 slash line. This is highlighted by a two-home run game on June 5. The number three-ranked prospect in the Houston system has clearly put his injury behind him and is proving that he is more than ready to move up to Double-A. Matthews has played just 17 games at the High-A level this summer, but with his current production, he should be joining Double-A Corpus Christi fairly soon. The former 28th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is developing into one of the best shortstop prospects in baseball and should be closely monitored by dynasty managers all summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoChicago Cubs infield prospect
Matt Shaw started off June with a hit in each of the first five games of the month but is hitless over the last three contests. The 22-year-old has a homer and three RBI in June with three stolen bases. The No. 3 prospect in the Cubs system has turned in a solid season so far in his second campaign of professional ball. The first-round pick out of Maryland has six home runs, 24 RBI, and 15 stolen bases at Double-A this season. His .225 average and .711 OPS leaves a bit to be desired, but he has shown plus speed as he adjusts to Double-A pitching. It will be worth monitoring Shaw the rest of the way this season. A promotion to Triple-A by the end of the year could signify that he could reach the majors by 2025. Shaw offers plenty of upside and should factor into the Cubs' big-league plans in the near future.
--Brian BuckeySource: MILB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics first baseman
Tyler Soderstrom's second homer of the season was the sole highlight of Monday's 6-1 loss at the San Diego Padres. Soderstrom went deep off of
Dylan Cease in the top of the second inning, his first since he homered against the Texas Rangers on May 8 in his first game after being called up. The rookie is hitting .200/.324/.350, however, Soderstrom is hitting .250/.368/.438 with an .806 OPS in 16 at-bats this month. Soderstrom is a promising source of power, and if the A's continue to be patient, he is capable of production that fantasy managers should keep an eye on as the season goes on in deeper leagues.
--Brandon Williams - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
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