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Hagen Smith Viewed as Top Stash Option with Elite Strikeout Potential
Chicago White Sox starting pitching prospect Hagen Smith is climbing up the stash ranks among pitchers and could be in the mix to debut in the coming weeks. Throughout his time in the minor leagues, Smith has flashed elite strikeout upside and could provide immediate value for fantasy managers. Smith spent the next 2025 season with Double-A and was given the green light to open the 2026 campaign at the top club in the White Sox system, Triple-A Charlotte. With the Knights, Smith, the former fourth overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, has struck out an eye-catching 35 hitters over just 26 1/3 innings. During this stint, he has held a 4.10 ERA with a modest 1.29 WHIP. However, removing his recent five-run showing, Smith would carry a much stronger 2.82 ERA over his first 22 1/3 innings. While his command remains a weakness in his profile, given Chicago's lack of proven pitching depth, they could turn to Smith in the near future, as they were not concerned with giving another young prospect, Noah Schultz, an early call-up.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Charlie Condon Seeing Stash Upside Plummet Amid Lengthy Power Drought
Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon has seen his stash upside continue to drop as his slump at Triple-A lingers. The former Georgia superstar was enjoying a hot start to his Triple-A campaign, but has since seen his production take a steep decline. Over his first 16 games of the campaign, the former third overall pick posted a .328/.455/.574 slash line with three doubles, four home runs, three stolen bases, and a 14:13 K:BB. However, since this surge, Condon has posted a much lower .152/.296/.182 line with only two extra-base hits, with both of them being doubles. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his production, but given his declining power and overall production remaining unstable, managers in shallower leagues should not view Condon as a high-end stash option. However, those in the 12+ team formats should continue to view him as a mid-end stash target in leagues that have multiple N/A spots, as he could still debut before the end of the first half.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Elmer Rodriguez Set for Early Return to Yankees Rotation?
New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez could be in the mix to return to the MLB roster in the near future. Earlier this week, the team's ace, Max Fried, exited his start early with an elbow injury. While it is yet to be seen whether Fried will have a stint on the injured list, Rodriguez will likely be the next man called up if he misses time. The team's No. 3-ranked prospect made his MLB debut earlier this season and endured some growing pains in the Bronx. Over his first two MLB starts, Rodriguez posted a modest 5.19 ERA and showed troubling command, with a high 18.2% walk rate. However, with the top club in the minor leagues, Rodriguez has been very sharp, posting a 1.38 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 26:9 K:BB over 26 frames. Given the solid upside he has shown at Triple-A, Rodriguez is worth stashing in 12+ team leagues ahead of his potential return to the major leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Edwin Diaz Tied to Illegal Cockfighting
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (elbow), a three-time All-Star, is linked to cockfighting events in Puerto Rico, according to Josh Peter of USA Today Sports. Diaz is pictured in a Dodgers uniform in a Facebook post dated Feb. 2 and a post dated Feb. 4 advertising cockfighting tournaments. Text in one of the ads, translated into English, reads, "The Puerto Rico Cockfighting Club invites all enthusiasts to a special match and a grand tribute to one of our island's greatest sources of pride: A Tribute to the Puerto Rican Star and Cockfighter Edwin 'Sugar' Díaz." The maximum penalty for participants in a cockfight is five years in prison and a fine, and the maximum penalty for a spectator is one year in prison and a fine. The 32-year-old veteran, who is currently on the 60-day injured list after having surgery on April 22 to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, could be facing significant punishment from MLB. Stay tuned.
Source: USA Today Sports - Josh Peter
Source: USA Today Sports - Josh Peter
Braden Montgomery Emerging as Priority Hitting Prospect to Stash
Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Braden Montgomery is seeing his stash value continue to increase, and he enters Week 8 as one of the top hitting prospects to stash. Montgomery opened the campaign at the Double-A level but has since been promoted to Triple-A and is now on the verge of joining the White Sox. With Double-A, the former first-round pick swung a hot bat, which led to his early promotion. At this level, Montgomery posted a .313/.429/.606 slash line with five doubles, three triples, six home runs, and two stolen bases. Since moving up to the top level of the minor leagues, the outfielder has gone 8-for-33 with one home run and an 11:3 K:BB. If Montgomery continues to improve, he could find an easy path to join the current Chicago outfield that is currently dealing with many injuries, including to Everson Pereira and Austin Hays.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Kaelen Culpepper On the Verge of MLB Debut?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper is on the verge of his MLB debut and makes a strong case to be viewed as the overall No. 1-hitting prospect to stash ahead of Week 8. Culpepper has looked quite comfortable throughout the early going of the Triple-A campaign and could provide a much-needed spark to the Minnesota roster. Through his first 36 games against Triple-A pitching, the infielder has posted a strong .253/.345/.460 slash line with seven doubles, eight home runs, and eight stolen bases. During this stint, he has struck out 35 times but drawn a solid 20 walks. Last summer, he spent his time with High-A and Double-A and looked just as comfortable, hitting 20 home runs while swiping 25 bags. With Byron Buxton potentially in danger of missing time and the Twins not receiving consistent offense from Luke Keaschall and Royce Lewis, Culpepper could be in the mix to debut in the immediate future.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jorge Polanco Receives Injection, Return Date Unclear
New York Mets first baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco (Achilles, wrist) received a platelet-rich plasma injection around a month ago in an effort to support his recovery from an Achilles injury, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. Polanco last played on April 14, and his return date remains unclear, even though he is taking batting practice. He initially went on the 10-day injured list with a wrist injury, but his Achilles problem started first and has lingered. President of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday that Polanco's Achilles tendon needs to be "asymptomatic" before the team knows when he'll return. The 32-year-old veteran has gone just 10-for-56 (.179) with one home run in 14 games in his first season with the Mets, and he's one of cour regular missing from the lineup due to injury, including shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf), outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back), and catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee). Polanco had an .821 OPS with 26 homers last year for the Mariners in 138 games, but he's also had a history of lower-body injuries. He's currently rostered in only 26% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Will Sammon
Source: The Athletic - Will Sammon
Tyler Glasnow Won't be Ready to Return Next Weekend
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) is eligible to come off the 15-day injured list next weekend (May 22), but manager Dave Roberts told Jack Harris of The California Post that he won't be ready by then. Glasnow has been playing catch the last few days, but it's unclear when he'll throw off a mound again. Roberts said the Dodgers are taking their time with his recovery. A report on Thursday made it seem like Glasnow might be ready when eligible, but the Dodgers are pumping the brakes on that. It makes sense for the Dodgers to slow-play the oft-injured 32-year-old veteran. But barring a setback, Glasnow should return to L.A.'s starting rotation before the end of May. In the meantime, Glasnow is a must-stash fantasy pitcher in all formats for his strikeout upside when healthy. He's been solid in his seven starts for the Dodgers this year, going 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched. When Glasnow is ready to return, Roki Sasaki will likely be moved to the bullpen, unless the Dodgers move to a six-man rotation.
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Josh Jung Making Massive Improvements in 2026
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung has had a phenomenal season thus far in 2026, slashing .325/.372/.510 with five home runs, 19 runs scored, 20 RBI, and one stolen base through 151 at-bats. He is impacting the ball tremendously, with a 47.6 percent hard-hit rate, 90.4 mph average exit velocity, and also owns a .309 xBA, which is supporting his breakout. Additionally, his plate discipline has improved dramatically, as his career strikeout rate is 26.6 percent, and this year it's down to 15.9 percent. This season, Jung is looking like a new hitter, and it's paying dividends for fantasy managers that are rostering him, especially at the third base position, which is fairly thin in fantasy baseball. Over the past seven days, Jung is slashing .375/.375/.542 with a double and a home run. He is entering must-add territory in all formats based on his consistent production, and if fantasy managers see him on the waiver wire, they should consider adding him to their roster.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Ryan Waldschmidt a Priority Add With Five-Category Potential?
Arizona Diamondbacks top-ranked prospect and MLB's 51st-ranked prospect, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, was called up to the big-league club on May 8 after the team traded Alek Thomas to the Dodgers, clearing the path for Waldschmidt to take advantage of the opportunity he's been given. Through 19 plate appearances, he's collected five hits, three RBI, one walk, one run, and one walk. Waldschmidt is a solid pure hitter with five category potential, as he slashed .289/.419/.473 with 18 home runs, 114 runs scored, 78 RBI, 29 stolen bases on the minors last year, and started 2026 in Triple-A, where he had a similar slash line of .289/.400/.477 with three home runs, 30 runs scored, 22 RBI, and six stolen bases through 156 plate appearences. In other words, he has performed and done it at every stop through his minor league career, so now it's a matter of taking off with his opportunity at the majors, and if he does, he will be a solid contributor to all five categories, making him a must-add player in five outfield leagues.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
A.J. Ewing a Priority Target After Hot Start
New York Mets outfielder A.J. Ewing, who is the Mets' third-ranked prospect and MLB's 85th-ranked prospect, has been making a splash since getting called up on May 12. Ewing was called up because Luis Robert's (back) recovery is not going well, and the Mets' offense has needed a spark, and Ewing has delivered thus far, going 3-for-9 with a triple, home run, three RBI, one stolen base, and four runs scored over three games started. Ewing has delivered at every stop across the minors, hitting .339 in 2026 and .315 in 2025. His bat-to-ball skills and speed are elite, making him a strong play in points leagues, but if he can continue to showcase some power as he did on Thursday, the upside is unlimited. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to all of a sudden showcase decent to even good power now that he's at the MLB level, but he should be a solid contributor to batting average, runs, and steals, especially if he is going to be getting moved up to the top of the Mets batting order and batting around Juan Soto.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Louis Varland a Must-Add Arm for Saves
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland appears to have fully taken over the closer role for the Blue Jays. Since it was announced by the team on April 21 that they would be moving to Varland as their closer, he has now converted all five of his save opportunities, solidifying himself as the clear favorite after because of a struggling Jeff Hoffman's struggles. Varland has been outstanding this season, regardless of the situation, with a 0.42 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, along with 32 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. In addition to his five saves, he also has three holds, as he was generally used as a high-leverage arm for the Blue Jays prior to being called upon as the ninth-inning guy. In formats where you prioritize saves, Varland is a must-add, as he has worked his way into being a top-10 closer in baseball, so long as he continues to get the opportunities, which appears to be the case.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Logan Henderson a Must-Add Starting Pitcher?
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson has been solid since getting called back up to the Brewers rotation on May 3 in place of Brandon Woodruff (shoulder). Over his two starts since the callup, he has started two games, thrown 11 innings, allowed seven hits, four earned runs, one walk, and 13 strikeouts. For his career, he has now made eight starts and owns a 2.58 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 31 1/3 innings pitched. Henderson features an elite changeup and a solid fastball with an above-average induced vertical break of 17.9 inches, which compensates for his fastball velocity being on the lower end (93.1 average mph). Regardless of his arsenal, over eight MLB starts, Henderson has proved he belongs, and he's been extremely effective when he's been called up, making him a must-roster player so long as he stays in the rotation. Henderson figures to remain in the rotation as long as Woodruff remains sidelined, with the upside to stay in if he continues to pitch well.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Michael Wacha a Sell-High Candidate?
Kansas City Royals veteran right-hander Michael Wacha hit a rough patch in a two-start stretch on April 22 and April 29 against the Baltimore Orioles and Athletics, respectively, allowing a combined 10 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking six and striking out 10 in 10 1/3 innings. Outside of those two bad outings, though, Wacha has produced a quality start in each of his other six starts this year, including just two earned runs given up with three walks and nine punchouts in 14 innings in his last two outings versus the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers. The 34-year-old 14-year MLB veteran is currently 4-2 with a 2.63 ERA (3.85 FIP) and 0.99 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 17 walks in 51 1/3 innings in his third year with the Royals as he heads into his next start on Friday against his former squad, the St. Louis Cardinals. Although Wacha, who doesn't throw hard, hasn't had an ERA over 4.00 since 2021, he's a sell-high candidate in fantasy because of his lack of strikeout upside. Wacha currently sports a 20.9% strikeout rate, which ranks in the 43rd percentile, and his xwOBA ranks in the 63rd percentile through the first month and a half.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Clay Holmes has Been Rolling in Second Season With Mets
New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, who was a former reliever with the crosstown-rival New York Yankees, has been outstanding through eight starts in his second season in Queens in 2026. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star heads into his next scheduled start on Friday against the Yankees with a 4-3 record, 1.86 ERA (3.44 FIP), and 1.01 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 16 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched. Holmes hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his outings this year. In his first year in the big leagues as a full-time starter for the Mets in 2025, Holmes finished with a 12-8 record, 3.53 ERA (4.11 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, and 129:66 K:BB across 165 2/3 frames and 33 outings (31 starts). Under the hood, Holmes has been a bit fortunate to be pitching so well so far in 2026, which makes him an obvious sell-high candidate. His xwOBA sits at .308 (currently .248), and his expected ERA is almost two runs higher at 3.75. Additionally, Holmes' strikeout rate last year was well below-average at 18.2%, and it's not much better this year at 19.3%. Regression could come quickly, possibly on Friday night against his former team.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
