RADIO
Is Hector Rodriguez the Priority Stash Target for Home Run Potential?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has continued to showcase high-end power at the top club in the minor leagues and is a high-end stash heading into the All-Star break. Despite carrying a modest .260 AVG over his last 14 games at Triple-A Louisville, Rodriguez has launched five home runs over this stretch with a .931 OPS. Overall on the season, the team's No. 5-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) has hit 14 doubles, 23 home runs, and swiped six bags, while carrying a .284/.364/.564 line with a .910 OPS. The corner outfielder is worth a close look in the second half, as he may not need to wait long to earn the call, with both Noelvi Marte and JJ Bleday beginning to show some inconsistencies in the majors. For now, Rodriguez is a viable stash candidate in 12+ team leagues for managers needing late-season home run potential.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Hector Rodriguez's Power Numbers Put Him in High-End Stash Territory
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez is mashing at Triple-A Louisville this season, and fantasy managers should start to take notice. The 22-year-old outfielder has 19 homers and 53 RBI while hitting .285. Rodriguez, the No. 5 prospect for the Reds, has a shot to make the big league club with current Reds outfielders Dane Myers and Blake Dunn on the 10-day IL. Now would seem to be prime time for Rodriguez to make an impact on the big-league club. He has demonstrated the power numbers at Triple-A while hitting for a good average and appears ready for the majors. Fantasy managers should take notice and add the power-hitting left-handed bat prior to his call-up. He could be a difference-maker in fantasy leagues down the stretch run, making him a worthy stash target in 12+ team, five-outfielder formats.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Hector Rodriguez Not Slowing Down at Triple-A, on the Verge of a Call-Up?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has continued his dominant play at Triple-A Louisville and is solidifying himself as a top-stash candidate among outfield prospects ahead of Week 15 of the fantasy season. Over his last 22 contests with the Bats, Rodriguez has posted a sharp .329/.396/.732 slash line with four doubles, nine home runs, two stolen bases, and a 23:7 K:BB. Prior to this impressive stretch at the dish, the 22-year-old was still very productive at the plate but was nowhere near as effective, holding a .274/.353/.465 line over his first 60 games in the regular season. Currently, the Reds do not have a clear path for Rodriguez as both JJ Bleday and Noelvi Marte occupy the corner outfield spots. However, Bleday is currently in the midst of a 7-for-53 skid, which could open the door for the team's No. 5-ranked prospect. For now, Rodríguez is a top stash target for those in 12+ team, five-outfielder leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Matt McLain Making First Career Start in Center Field
Cincinnati Reds middle infielder Matt McLain is making his first career start in center field and will bat eighth in Wednesday's contest on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Shane Drohan, per MLB.com. The Reds need a right-handed-hitting center fielder, with both Blake Dunn (elbow) and Dane Myers (shoulder) currently on the injured list. The 26-year-old former 17th overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft out of UCLA has lost out on playing time at second base to rookie Edwin Arroyo while coming into Wednesday's game with a .198 average (51-for-257) with eight home runs, 25 RBI, 11 stolen bases, 31 runs scored, and a 25.9% strikeout rate. McLain's strikeout rate is actually a career low, and he also has a career-best 11.8% walk rate, so positive regression should be coming his way in the second half. However, an everyday role in Cincy's lineup the rest of the way isn't guaranteed, which is why he's rostered in only 33% of Yahoo leagues now. He's been ice-cold at the plate in his last 11 games, going 3-for-27 (.111) with a double, two runs scored, a steal, four walks, and 14 strikeouts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hector Rodriguez Holding Steady at Triple-A, Nearing MLB Debut?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez capped off his week by reaching base three times on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a walk. The effort pushed his season-long slash line to .288/.367/.536 with 18 home runs and six steals. The Reds' fifth-ranked prospect also owns solid walk (10.6 percent) and strikeout rates (18.9 percent), and is making the case for a second-half call-up. Though there is some chase in his profile (15th percentile), the left-handed hitter doesn't have a problem making decent contact with a 68th percentile whiff rate, while hard-hit rate, barrel rate, xBA, and xwOBA are all 71st percentile or better, not to mention a 93rd percentile max exit velocity. Fantasy managers in deep 12+ team leagues looking for potential home run and RBI production should consider stashing the 22-year-old in an NA spot ahead of his eventual call-up.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
JJ Bleday Remains a Strong Waiver-Wire Add in Deeper Formats
Cincinnati Reds 28-year-old outfielder JJ Bleday has cooled off a bit at the plate of late, as he's only hitting .163 with a .628 OPS in June. However, he's still hitting .241 with a .859 OPS on the season with 13 home runs, three stolen bases, 29 runs scored, and 37 RBI. In May, Bleday was unstoppable at the plate, hitting .301 with a 1.018 OPS, but inevitably cooled off. Through 232 plate appearances, Bleday's batted ball metrics and underlying data remain rock-solid, with a .371 xwOBA (88th percentile), .264 xBA (72nd percentile), 10 percent barrel rate (51st percentile), and 45 percent hard-hit rate (71st percentile). He's accomplished all of this even while keeping his plate discipline in check, with a 23.2 percent chase rate, 25.2 percent whiff rate, and 19.3 percent strikeout rate while walking at a 13.8 percent clip. All this to say, nothing under the hood suggests that continued regression is on the horizon for Bleday. Fantasy managers who have seen Bleday dropped in their leagues after a slow June should consider adding him to their roster, especially in five-outfielder formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Noelvi Marte a High-Upside Stash Off the Waiver Wire in Deeper Formats
Cincinnati Reds 24-year-old outfielder Noelvi Marte has had a tough season thus far in 2026, slashing only .191/.258/.371 with four home runs, four stolen bases, 12 runs scored, and six RBI. On June 26, he delivered a pinch-hit, two-run go-ahead home run to help seal the win for the Reds against the Pirates, but outside of that, to this point, Marte has been fairly useless from a fantasy standpoint. It's important to note that in 2025, he hit .263 with a .748 OPS, 14 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 51 RBI. He has the talent and upside to be a five-category contributor; he's just not playing well right now. At this time, Marte is more of a speculative add in deeper, five-outfield leagues than more of a must-add player off the waiver wire. Fantasy managers can queue him up on their waiver wire and see how he does over the next week or two, because when he gets hot, it can happen quickly and with a lot of upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hector Rodriguez Stays Hot, a Must-Stash for Power?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez continued to show off the power at Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, smacking his eighth home run in his last 15 games for the Bats. In those 15 games, the left-handed slugger is hitting .351 (20-for-57), and for the season, he owns a .289/.366/.540 slash line with 18 home runs and six steals. The surge has likely put the Dominican on the verge of making his major league debut, though there is no clear path to playing time at the moment. There is some chase in his profile, ranking in the 14th percentile at 35.8 percent, which could be exploited at the major league level, but a 113 mph max exit velocity in 2026 shows the kind of power in his bat. Already being on the 40-man roster will make it easier for the team to bring the 22-year-old up when they're ready, but that may not be until after the All-Star break. Nevertheless, fantasy managers in deep 12+ team leagues scouring the wire for home runs and RBI may want to consider stashing him away in an NA spot until then.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Hector Rodriguez Showing Off Power at Triple-A, Is he Nearing a Promotion?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez provides a good stash option while at Triple-A Louisville, for fantasy managers looking to add a high-impact power bat. With the Bats, the left-handed swinging 22-year-old has 17 home runs and 49 RBI this season while hitting for a solid .292 batting average. His .909 OPS shows off his power skills, and he has even added six stolen bases this season at the top level of the system. Should the Reds decide to look his way, Rodriguez could bring some of that power to the notoriously hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Fantasy managers in deeper 12+ team, five-outfielder leagues should act now to acquire Rodriguez and reap the rewards later in the season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Is Noelvi Marte a Priority Waiver Wire Breakout Candidate?
Cincinnati Reds outfielder/third baseman Noelvi Marte has logged just 67 plate appearances at the big-league level so far this season, hitting .206/.254/.382 with three home runs, three RBI, seven runs scored, and four stolen bases. After getting off to an awful start to the year, the 24-year-old was optioned to Triple-A in mid-April and did not make his MLB return until early June. Since being recalled, Marte's playing time has been sporadic, and he's been unable to carve out an everyday role. Marte has typically posted poor defensive metrics in the outfield, which limits his real-life value. Still, Marte is an intriguing bat for fantasy managers, as he has three home runs and three stolen bases in just 36 plate appearances in June. Across 360 plate appearances with the Reds in 2025, he hit .263 with 14 homers and 10 steals. If Marte can re-emerge as a regular in Cincinnati, he offers five-category upside at the plate. Real impediments are standing in the way of a potential breakout for Marte, but he could still be worth targeting on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
JJ Bleday Still Worth Rostering Amid Cold Spell in June?
Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday, who was the fourth overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Vanderbilt University, was a first-round bust in his first four years in the big leagues with the Fish and the Athletics, but he has found a home in Cincinnati and is in the midst of the best year of his young MLB career. Through 45 contests with the Reds in 2026, Bleday is hitting .265/.367/.572 with a .940 OPS, 13 home runs, 35 RBI, 27 runs scored, and two stolen bases across his 196 plate appearances. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is well on pace to set a new career high in home runs, and his resurgence at the plate has led to him being a popular waiver-wire pickup in the first half of the season. Four of Bleday's 13 homers have come in June, but he's gone 11-for-57 (.193) during the month with two doubles, nine RBI, nine runs, a steal, nine walks, and 12 strikeouts in 15 games. While he may have cooled off a bit in June, Bleday has an expected batting average of .274 and an xwOBA of .388, with his underlying metrics backing his strong start to the 2026 campaign. If you need power off the waiver wire, Bleday is a widely available asset and is currently rostered in 56% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Spencer Steer's Stability Makes Him a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Across 275 plate appearances in 2026, Cincinnati Reds outfielder/first baseman Spencer Steer is hitting .249/.335/.436 with 11 home runs, 28 RBI, 42 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 28-year-old may no longer carry the same speed upside he did earlier in his career when he stole 25 bases in 2024. Still, Steer profiles as a balanced contributor with multi-positional eligibility. He owns a 13% barrel rate on the season and seems like a solid bet to top 20 home runs for the fourth consecutive campaign in 2026. Steer also owns a 10.5% walk rate with a manageable 21.1% strikeout rate, which keeps his production floor at the plate stable. In any fantasy league where he's not already rostered, Steer profiles as a must-add hitter to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
With Recent Home Run Binge, is Hector Rodriguez a Worthy Stash for Power?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has been on a power surge at Triple-A Louisville, belting five home runs in his last seven games. The Reds' fifth-ranked prospect now has 15 home runs on the season, along with 12 doubles and four triples, giving him a robust .526 slugging percentage for the year to go along with a .287 batting average and .360 on-base percentage. The left-handed hitter owns a 9.4 percent barrel rate with a max exit velocity this season of 113.0 mph (93rd percentile), so there is clearly plenty of pop in his bat, and it comes with a decent amount of speed, too, having recorded at least 12 steals each of the past four seasons in the minors. The 22-year-old could earn a major league debut after the All-Star break, and is a name to monitor as a potential power bat to stash in deep leagues with the ability to impact other categories as well.
Source: Prospect Savant
Source: Prospect Savant
Noelvi Marte Homers Again on Sunday, Worth a Look on the Waiver Wire
Cincinnati Reds third baseman/outfielder Noelvi Marte was sent to the minors early on in 2026, he's played in just 20 games this year, and his surface stats definitely don't raise any eyebrows with a .218/.271/.400 slash line, .671 OPS, three home runs, three RBI, four stolen bases, and seven runs scored in 59 plate appearances. But since rejoining the major-league squad on June 3, the 24-year-old Dominican has gone 8-for-26 (.308) with all three of his home runs, a double, three RBI, three steals, and five runs scored in nine games played. All three of his homers on the year have come in the last three games, and he has seen more playing time in the outfield in Cincy this time around. In a career-high 90 games with the Reds in 2025, Marte hit .263 (89-for-339) with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 360 plate appearances. With improved plate discipline since his return to the Reds, Marte is putting up better numbers. With both third base and outfield eligibility, fantasy managers need to consider adding Marte off the waiver wire. He's rostered in only 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hector Rodriguez a Power Bat to Target on the Waiver Wire?
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez is still in Triple-A, but he has emerged as an intriguing fantasy baseball stash as he gets closer to making his MLB debut. This year, Rodriguez is slashing .291/.365/.525 with 14 homers, four steals, a 10.1% walk rate, a 17.9% strikeout rate, and 128 wRC+. He has shown improved power this year, while also increasing his walk rate. The underlying metrics point to Rodriguez making an impact at the next level, too. In the minors this season, he has posted a 106.5 mph EV90 (88th percentile) with an 8.7% barrel rate, a 23% pull-air rate, and a 44% hard-hit rate. He's chasing more than we'd like, but he has kept swings and misses to a minimum with his 22.5% whiff rate and 86.2% zone contact rate. With 117 Triple-A games under his belt over the last two years, Rodriguez appears more than ready to make the leap to the major leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
