RADIO
Is Kade Anderson Entering Must-Stash Territory?
Seattle Mariners top pitching prospect Kade Anderson has fully put himself in must-stash territory, given his incredible start to his first professional campaign. Last year's No. 3 overall pick was sent to Double-A to begin his professional career and has been nothing short of incredible. With Arkansas, the southpaw has flashed incredible upside, logging 34 innings to the tune of a 1.85 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. During this dominant start to his career, the left-hander has struck out 51 hitters while walking just five total batters. Over his first 30 frames, Anderson held a near-perfect 0.60 ERA before surrendering a season-high five runs in his most recent outing on May 15. The lone concern for Anderson is that the current MLB roster has a full rotation without a clear opening for Anderson. However, in the event of an injury, the former LSU superstar could get the call and become a must-start option for fantasy. For now, he is an elite stash option in all 12-team leagues ahead of Week 8.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Joshua Baez Soaring in the Stash Rankings Amid Power Binge
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has enjoyed an impressive power surge over the past week at Triple-A Memphis and is quickly climbing to the top of the stash rankings among both hitters and pitchers. Over his last six contests, the outfielder has launched four home runs while swiping one base. Overall, Baz has shown high-end power and speed upside during his first look at the Triple-A level, going deep 11 times and swiping seven bags over a short 39-game stint. However, the No. 76-ranked prospect in the sport on MLB.com has struggled to produce consistently, posting a low .232/.304/.497 slash line. While Baez was under consideration to break camp with the MLB roster, his recent power surge could push their hand in the immediate future. Given his recent surge at the dish, managers should view Baez as a priority stash option in all category formats ahead of Week 8 of the fantasy season.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
River Ryan a Must-Stash Candidate with Clear Path to Starting Role?
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect River Ryan has seen his stash value skyrocket over the past week. Not only has Ryan returned from a lengthy stint on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A, but he now has a clear path to a role on the MLB roster. Blake Snell recently joined Tyler Glasnow on the injured list, leaving a clear role for Ryan on the big-league roster. In his first start at Triple-A in nearly a month, the right-hander looked quite comfortable, logging four innings of one-run ball with two hits, one walk, and four punchouts. He made his MLB debut during the 2024 campaign and posted a stellar 1.33 ERA over 20 1/3 innings. However, after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Ryan was on the shelf for the entirety of the 2025 season. With him back to full strength and two open spots in the rotation, Ryan has quickly entered must-stash territory in all standard leagues, as a return to Los Angeles could come in the immediate future.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Luis Lara Knocking on MLB Door Ahead of Week 8
Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has enjoyed a dominant start to the Triple-A campaign and is quickly knocking on the MLB door. Lara is considered the team's No. 11-ranked prospect on MLB.com and was not given much consideration to begin the regular season with the MLB roster during spring training. In 2025, he spent his entire campaign with Double-A, but his production soared during his first stint with Triple-A Nashville. With the Sounds, the outfielder has posted a dominant .335/.449/.510 slash line with a .919 OPS. During this 42-game stint, Lara has launched seven home runs and swiped 16 bags. His seven long balls have already set a career high. With his raw power slowly growing, Lara could be in the mix to debut in the majors in the coming weeks and holds solid stash upside in all 12+ team formats.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Colt Emerson Holds Must-Add Value Ahead of Full-Time Role in Seattle
Seattle Mariners infield prospect Colt Emerson was recently promoted to the MLB roster ahead of Sunday night's contest and is set to become the primary third baseman with Brendan Donovan on the shelf. In his MLB debut on Sunday night, Emerson was placed in the nine-hole and scored one run and drew a walk while going 0-for-2 at the dish. Emerson was in contention to break camp with the MLB roster but was instead optioned to the top club in the Seattle system to put the finishing touches on his development. Through his first 38 games with Tacoma this summer, Emerson has posted a strong .255/.347/.469 slash line with eight doubles, seven home runs, and 10 stolen bases. However, since the start of May, Emerson has seen his production soar, posting a .288 AVG and .840 OPS. While it may take the team's No. 1-ranked prospect time to adjust to MLB pitching, he should be given nearly an everyday role, which makes him a priority target in all standard leagues ahead of Week 8, given his five-category skill set.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Gus Varland the Preferred Option For Saves in Washington?
Washington Nationals 29-year-old right-hander Gus Varland is having a decent 2026 season with a 4.32 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with four saves in six save opportunities to go along with five holds on the season. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Varland is not always used late in games solely to close; at times, he has been deployed in higher-leverage situations in the eighth or seventh inning rather than guaranteed the ninth inning with the lead on the line. Varland has never been in situations where he has closed out games in his three-year MLB career, and if he hopes to keep the role, he needs to pitch a bit better and allow fewer base runners, evident by his high WHIP. All that said, during a season when Riley O'Brien is leading MLB in save opportunities, injuries, and underperforming closers, saves have been hard to come by in category leagues. In deeper fantasy leagues, Varland should be viewed as the top option in Washington and an add in deeper formats.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Anthony Volpe Back in the Yankees Lineup, Worth a Waiver Wire Add?
New York Yankees 25-year-old shortstop Anthony Volpe returned to the Yankees lineup on May 13 after Jose Caballero (finger) landed on the 10-day injured list on May 12. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has come out and stated that Caballero is expected to reclaim the team's starting shortstop job when he returns, making Volpe a fill-in shortstop for the time being, and probably not someone fantasy managers should be spending a ton of FAAB on. Volpe has had his opportunities to be the Yankees' shortstop, and has underwhelmed overall with a .222/.285/.378 slash line with 52 home runs, 195 RBI, and 218 runs scored through four MLB seasons. Additionally, Volpe is considered one of the worst shortstops in the game with a negative six Range (OAA) fielding, which ranks in the 8th percentile. That said, Volpe is a former first-round pick and, at one point, did have the prospect pedigree, but unless he flips a switch quickly, it appears his time in the Bronx may be coming to an end. From a fantasy standpoint, he does not appear to be the team's preferred shortstop option in 2026 when everyone is healthy.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Hunter Greene a Priority Add as a Top Injured Player to Stash
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on May 26, and if all goes well, he is tentatively slated to return to the Reds' rotation in July, most likely after the All-Star break. Greene underwent surgery in mid-March to remove bone chips in his right elbow. From a fantasy standpoint, Greene could be a potential league winner down the stretch, as he was being drafted (prior to the injury in March) as a top-20 starting pitcher in most fantasy formats. Through four MLB seasons, he has a career 3.65 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, and has improved every season since his first call-up in 2022. Greene profiles with one of, if not the best, four-seamers in the game, a 99.5 mph average fastball velocity (99th percentile), and elite swing and miss stuff. His four-seamer is right up there with Jacob Misiorowski as one of the best in the game. Fantasy managers with an open IL spot who see Hunter Greene on their waiver wire should look to add him now, before his hype increases through July. Additionally, fantasy teams that are comfortably at the top of their leagues may want to look to buy low on Greene now if the team that has him is struggling or needs production immediately.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Sean Burke Worth a Waiver-Wire Add in Week 9 in Seattle?
Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Sean Burke has a 4.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts through 48 1/3 innings pitched on the season. While the strikeout rate per nine is not all that impressive, his ratios in the ERA and WHIP categories can be useful in deeper leagues, especially when he has matchups that aren't all that daunting. In Week 9, he lines up to pitch in Seattle to take on the Mariners on Wednesday, which is a solid matchup, especially with the Mariners missing two of their top four hitters in the lineup, Cal Raleigh (oblique) and Brendan Donovan (groin). Burke has made up for his lack of strikeouts with elite control (5.4 percent, 91st percentile), which has helped keep his WHIP ratio serviceable in fantasy. With a lot of pitching injuries happening, it never hurts to have depth at the position, and Burke is a name worth adding to give you decent ratios.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Jhostynxon Garcia Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Sports Columnist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Noah Hiles, reported on Monday morning that Jhostynxon Garcia is expected to join the Pirates on Tuesday in St. Louis. "The Password" is heading to the major leagues. Garcia is a 23-year-old right-handed hitter and the Pirates' No. 5-ranked prospect in their organization. The Pirates acquired him via trade in December of 2025 from Boston. So far in 2026, Garcia is slashing .242/.291/.463 with six home runs, 15 runs scored, 13 RBI, and no stolen bases. His BB/K ratio sits at 0.25. Last season, which spanned Double-A and Triple-A, Garcia slashed .267/.340/.470. Garcia projects well within the Pirates organization; however, from a fantasy standpoint, he is more of a wait-and-see prospect than a must-add. Garcia figures to work in right field to replace Jared Triolo or Jake Mangum from time to time. Garcia profiles elite raw power and high exit velocities to go with a strong arm in the outfield.
Source: Noah Hiles
Source: Noah Hiles
Connor Prielipp's Fantasy Stock Rising Despite Weekend Loss
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Connor Prielipp was handed the loss on Saturday, but he still looked like a fantasy star in the making. In his fifth MLB start, Prielipp went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned), three hits, two walks, and striking out eight. The rookie now has a 1-2 record with 29 strikeouts, a 2.88 ERA, and 0.96 WHIP. With starters Mick Abel (elbow/triceps) and Taj Bradley (pectoral) still on the injured list, Prielipp's spot in Minnesota's rotation is secure for the time being. The Twins are going to be careful with their fifth-ranked prospect, as the 25-year-old peaked at 82.2 IP in the minors last season, and his May 16 start was only the second time he has lasted six innings. Still, the youngster offers plenty of strikeout potential on a slider-fastball combo that generated a 13.0% swinging strike rate in Triple-A this season before his promotion.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ryan Zeferjahn Rising In Angels Bullpen?
Los Angeles Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn is looking like the favorite for ninth-inning duties as of late. The 28-year-old locked up the Halos' most recent save back on May 5, and has been one of the team's only effective arms out of the bullpen this season. Zeferjahn has taken his share of lumps already this season and currently sports a 4.15 ERA, but in his last four appearances has allowed zero runs, one hit, and three walks to eight strikeouts. The hard-throwing righty is striking out batters at a 32.2% clip, and he has excelled at limiting hard contact. Save opportunities for the Angels will come few and far between, but Zeferjahn could be of use for fantasy managers needing help in the category.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
J.P. Crawford Leaves Early After Hit-by-Pitch
Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (arm) left Sunday's contest against the Padres early after getting hit by a pitch in the third inning. San Diego pitcher Lucas Giolito caught Crawford with a 92 MPH fastball on the right tricep. Crawford stayed in the game but was pulled ahead of the fifth inning and replaced at shortstop by Leo Rivas. Per Daniel Kramer, Crawford was left with a contusion that made extending his arm difficult. So far this season, Crawford has been lagging behind his expected stats, hitting just .216 compared to his xBA of .263. If he misses time, Rivas doesn't have much more to offer fantasy managers, as he is slashing a meager .131/.263/.172.
Source: Daniel Kramer
Source: Daniel Kramer
Brendan Donovan Returns To Injured List With Groin Strain
Seattle Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan (groin) was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 17 due to a left groin strain. Donovan only recently returned from a stint on the injured list, also due to a groin strain, that lasted from April 20 to May 5. Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Donovan will be receiving two PRP injections, one in his groin and one in his adductor muscle, to aid in his recovery, and the Mariners hope to see him back in two to three weeks. Donovan's presence in the lineup will be missed. In 24 games played this season, he has a healthy triple-slash of .274/.386/.452 with three home runs. His absence clears the way for star prospect Colt Emerson to operate as Seattle's primary third baseman. Emerson was promoted and made his MLB debut on Sunday, going 0-for-2 with a walk and one run scored.
Source: Ryan Divish
Source: Ryan Divish
Corey Seager Heading to See Back Specialist
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) was absent from the starting lineup for the third straight game on Sunday. The team is still calling the injury minor, but Seager did undergo an MRI over the weekend. Seager is now heading back to Arlington to see a back specialist about his injury. With that being said, Seager won't be available for the first game of the series in Colorado, starting on Monday. Ezequiel Duran has made multiple starts at shortstop and figures to continue holding down the fort until Seager is ready to return. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on Seager, but he'll likely still miss a few more games.
Source: Jeff Wilson
Source: Jeff Wilson
