5 days agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher
Felix Bautista (elbow) began playing catch on Friday. This marks the first time that Bautista has thrown since having Tommy John surgery in October and an additional surgery in February. Bautista injured his elbow in a relief appearance against the Colorado Rockies last August. As of now a return in the 2024 season has not been ruled out, though it's highly unlikely the 28-year-old will return this year. Bautista was one of the Orioles' most effective relievers in 2023, posting a 1.48 ERA in 61 innings in 2023. Fantasy managers need not worry about his status this season and instead focus on his return in the 2025 season.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Danielle Allentuck
5 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher
Cade Cavalli (elbow) is ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League. Cavalli has been recovering from Tommy John surgery that was performed in March 2023 and has been progressing after throwing multiple bullpen sessions over the past few weeks. Once Cavalli makes his first start, then that will start his 30-day rehab block. Only dynasty managers should be concerned with Cavalli's status as he works to return to the big leagues.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Mark Zuckerman
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles first base prospect
Angel Tejada has begun to settle in at Single-A and has been swinging a hot bat through May. This month, Tejada has slashed a .362/.367/.596 line with two home runs, eleven RBI, and eight stolen bases. On the season, the 20-year-old has posted a .283/.313/.425 line with 19 swiped bags. Tejada just had his best performance of the season on Thursday as he went 3-3 at the dish with a long ball and two RBI. Tejada played 85 games at the Single-A level last season and is beginning to make a case to be promoted to High-A. The young first baseman remains a name to monitor in dynasty leagues especially if he can carry this momentum into High-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoCincinnati Reds outfield prospect
Yerlin Confidan has been on fire throughout the first half of May with a dominant .317/.396/.610 slash line with three long balls, one swiped bag, nine RBI, and a 5:6 BB:K. Overall, through 27 total games with Single-A Daytona this season, the 21-year-old has posted a .235/.327/.429 line with four home runs. Confidan has logged 123 games at the Single-A level, but with his recent hot stretch, he could finally have earned the opportunity to move up to High-A. Confidan should remain on your waiver wire in dynasty leagues for the foreseeable future, as he seems to be several seasons away from a major-league debut. However, it does look like the 21-year-old is beginning to find his footing in the minor leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Emmanuel Rodriguez broke out of a 19-game home run drought on Thursday evening. Through his first 28 games at Double-A this season, the 21-year-old has posted a strong .271/.466/.563 slash line with five home runs, nine stolen bases, and a 34:39 BB:K ratio. Last season, Rodriguez posted a pedestrian .240/.400/.463 line with 16 home runs. This is a great sign, as the number three prospect in the Minnesota system has been performing better against tougher competition. MLB Pipeline projects him to reach the major leagues sometime next season. However, as the 33rd-best prospect in all of baseball, he is worth paying close attention to and could even be worth stashing once he is prompted to Triple-A later this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoMiami Marlins outfield prospect
Jakob Marsee posted his first three-hit game of the season on Thursday evening as he tallied one double and two singles to lead Double-A Pensacola to a victory. Since being traded to Miami as part of the
Luis Arraez package, Marsee has posted a strong .259/.500/.444 slash line with one long ball and a 12:6 BB:K ratio. This is a significant improvement as he posted a mere .176/.336/.318 line through 24 games with Double-A San Antonio to open the season. Marsee could push for a promotion to Triple-A if he continues this hot stretch, which could open the door for a late-season major league debut. For now, he should remain on your waiver wire in dynasty leagues, but is worth monitoring as the season progresses.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoTexas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect
Kumar Rocker (elbow), who is just past his one-year anniversary of elbow surgery, is throwing at Globe Life Field on Friday and could face live hitters shortly. The 24-year-old was reportedly throwing from 120 feet in late February in his throwing program while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last May. Once Rocker starts throwing off a mound to live hitters, he may not be that far off from going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Rangers surely aren't going to rush the third overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft out of Vanderbilt, but Rocker is hoping to be pitching in live games around midseason. He only made six minor-league starts for High-A Hickory last year and went 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with seven walks and 42 K's in 28 innings. The team's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, probably won't be an option to make his big-league debut until 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Brennen Davis has launched a home run in each of his past four games entering Friday evening. Through 20 games with Triple-A Iowa, the 24-year-old has posted a .241/.411/.574 line with six long balls and a 13:18 BB:K ratio. Davis was once considered one of the top prospects in the Chicago system but has suffered numerous injuries that have kept him off the field. However, now that he is healthy, he is once again showcasing his elite talent and quickly making headlines. Davis could make a case to join the major league roster later in the summer and is worth keeping an eye on in deeper dynasty formats and can become a stash-candidate if he continues this incredible power surge.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell (finger) is scheduled to start swinging a bat on the team's current road trip, likely in Boston next weekend from May 24-26, according to manager Pat Murphy. The Brewers have said that Mitchell could return around June 1, so the 25-year-old has from now until then to progress in his rehab and go out on a minor-league rehab assignment. The former first-rounder out of UCLA suffered a fractured finger in spring training action and has been unable to play at all in 2024 to this point. He played in just 19 major-league games last year due to a season-ending shoulder injury, too, so Mitchell has had some bad luck with injuries early in his career. In 47 major-league games since 2022 with the Brew Crew, Mitchell has hit .278/.343/.452 with five homers, 16 RBI and nine stolen bases. Milwaukee has a crowded outfield picture as things stand now, so Mitchell's role is to be determined once he makes his 2024 debut.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot (leg) could come off the injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation on either Tuesday or Wednesday for a matchup at home against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Pepiot threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and will likely throw another one before the Rays clear him to come off the 15-day injured list early next week. The 26-year-old was put on the shelf after taking a line drive off his leg in his last outing on May 5 against the New York Mets, when he allowed three earned runs in two innings before being pulled early. Since giving up a season-high six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in his first start of the year to the Texas Rangers, Pepiot has cleaned things up and currently sports a 3.68 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings over seven starts. He's valuable at least as a back-end starter in most fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe (oblique) is restarting a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Saturday and could return from the injured list to rejoin the Rays on Monday against the Boston Red Sox. Lowe played in four rehab games with Durham before suffering a setback, but he's back on track and should be back in the big leagues unless he suffers another setback this weekend. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter originally landed on the injured list on April 12 with a strained right oblique. At least against right-handed pitching, Lowe will return to second base duties for the Rays when he's ready to be reinstated. The former third-round selection in 2015 out of Maryland was an All-Star in 2019 and had a career-high 39 dingers in 2021, but he's had trouble staying healthy and has played in over 100 games in two of his six MLB seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
5 days agoChicago Cubs middle infielder
Nico Hoerner (hamstring) was still feeling his hamstring issue on Thursday and was held out of the lineup again in Friday's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He's still being considered day-to-day and is hoping to avoid a stint on
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5 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers optioned outfielder
James Outman to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday to make room on the active roster for outfielder
Jason Heyward (back), who was activated from the 10-day injured list. Outman impressed with 23 home runs, 70 RBI and 16 stolen bases in his first full big-league season in 2023 with the Blue, but he hasn't been able to replicate that so far in 2024, slashing .147/.250/.266 with three homers, 10 RBI and two stolen bases in 36 games. Rookie sensation
Andy Pages basically took over the strong side of a platoon with Outman in center field before Outman's demotion on Friday. The demotion is good news for fantasy managers that swooped on Pages quickly. The 27-year-old Outman will now need to make some adjustments in the minors before he'll get another opportunity against right-handed pitching in the big leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
5 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers activated outfielder
Jason Heyward (back) from the injured list on Friday and optioned outfielder
James Outman to the minors in a corresponding move. Heyward is right back in the starting lineup on Friday, playing in right field and batting eighth against Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Frankie Montas. The 34-year-old left-handed hitter landed on the injured list all the way back on April 3 with lower-back tightness and had some setbacks during his recovery. He was hitless in six at-bats with Triple-A Oklahoma City on a two-game minor-league rehab assignment and had gone just 3-for-14 with two RBI for the Dodgers to open the season before landing on the shelf. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect Heyward to be on the strong side of a platoon in right field now that he's healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
5 days agoBoston Red Sox rookie outfielder/infielder
Ceddanne Rafaela is sitting out on Friday on the road in St. Louis against the Cardinals. Rafaela has played as the team's center fielder and shortstop so far in just his second year in the big leagues, showing just how athletic he is on the diamond. He's not as advanced at the plate, though, and is hitting just .201 (30-for-149) with four home runs, 23 RBI, four stolen bases and 18 runs scored. Rafaela has been a bit better in May with a .234 average (11-for-47) with two homers and six RBI in 14 games played. With Rafaela getting a day of rest in the series opener at Busch Stadium,
David Hamilton is getting the start at shortstop and will hit in the nine-hole against Cardinals right-hander
Kyle Gibson. Hamilton isn't a recommended DFS play at the position.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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