3 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers infield prospect Tyler Black is starting at first base and is batting cleanup in just his second major-league game on Wednesday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Zach Eflin. In his big-league debut on Tuesday, the 23-year-old went 2-for-4 and scored a run in the eventful win over the Rays at home. Black wasn't initially in the team's starting lineup, but he entered the contest in the first inning when catcher Gary Sanchez (hamstring) was hurt. His power/speed combination, coupled with his defensive versatility, makes him a prospect worth looking into in deep-mixed fantasy leagues, and he should see plenty of at-bats against right-handed pitchers. Black got the promotion to Milwaukee by hitting .303 (30-for-99) with five home runs, 18 RBI and three stolen bases in 25 games for Triple-A Nashville this year.Source: Milwaukee Brewers
3 hours agoTampa Bay Rays infielder Isaac Paredes and outfielder/designated hitter Harold Ramirez are not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the hosting Milwaukee Brewers. Curtis Mead is starting at third base andread more...
3 hours agoTampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that outfielder Jose Siri (thigh) is out of Wednesday's starting lineup due to soreness in his left thigh that stems from him being hit by a pitch in Tuesday's game. It was an eventful day forread more...
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles infield prospect Jackson Holliday went 3-for-6 with two singles and a double during his Triple-A appearance on April 30. The top prospect in baseball also drove in one run, scored twice, and logged two strikeouts. Holliday put together an elite start to the minor league season and earned a promotion to the majors in the middle of April. However, he struggled tremendously in Baltimore, going 2-for-34 with 18 strikeouts over his first 10 games. The Orioles sent him back to Triple-A Norfolk, and he's gone 4-for-14 in three games since his demotion. Even if Holliday goes on another tear, the Orioles may decide to be extra patient before calling him back up to the majors given how he struggled during his first taste of big-league action. Plus, it's not like the Orioles have a shortage of minor-league talent. Third baseman Coby Mayo has arguably been even more productive than Holliday, so he could be the next prospect to get the call.Source: FanGraphs
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo went 2-for-4 with a single and three-run homer at the Triple-A level on April 30. He also struck out once and drew a pair of walks. Baltimore seems to have a surplus of hot-hitting prospects and Mayo might be the next to make his MLB debut. He's making a strong push for a promotion with his .330/.400/.652 slash line, nine home runs, and 25 RBI through 28 games this year. He has now homered in back-to-back games and also owns a four-game hitting streak.Source: FanGraphs
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians first base prospect Kyle Manzardo went 2-for-5 with a double and solo homer on April 30. He currently owns a three-game hitting streak and has ultimately got on base in five consecutive contests. The 23-year-old left-hander has already launched seven homers this year, and he owns a strong .991 OPS. Furthermore, he's maintained a 12.7 BB% and 17.3 K%, both impressive marks for someone with significant power. Manzardo was dealt from Tampa Bay to Cleveland last summer and is now pushing hard to make his MLB debut this May.Source: FanGraphs
4 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in last year's MLB Draft, spun another gem during his sixth minor league appearance of the season on April 30. The 21-year-old right-hander tossed six shutout innings, recording seven strikeouts along the way. He surrendered just one walk and four hits. 2024 has certainly treated Skenes well; the former LSU standout has allowed just one earned run through 23 innings of work, dropping his FIP to 0.91. He has also forced plenty of weak contact (52.5 GB%) and hasn't allowed a homer since he was in college. No team ever wants to rush their prospects to the majors, but there may be no better time than the present for Pittsburgh to promote Skenes. He has proven that he can mow down Triple-A batters, so he should get his shot in the majors sooner rather than later.Source: FanGraphs
4 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews is a former fourth-round pick just one month removed from his pro debut. The southpaw has a low-90s fastball and rounds out his repertoire with a curveball, slider, and changeup. Of those secondary options, the changeup is the best, though all three can be effective. Mathews flashed decent control in college and has racked up strikeouts so far this year. He also struggled with walks in his pro debut but has seemed to harness his control since then. Last week, Mathews delivered six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out 13 batters along the way. He's averaging more than two strikeouts per inning this season, and he also hasn't allowed an earned run since his pro debut back on April 5 (two runs, one earned). Keep an eye on Mathews, who could push to make his MLB debut sometime next year.Source: FanGraphs
4 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks third base prospect Deyvison De Los Santos was snatched by the Guardians in December's Rule 5 draft but returned to Arizona this spring. He has seen his prospect stock drop lately (he was MLB Pipeline's No. 5 Diamondbacks prospectread more...
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson's total minor-league appearances can be counted on one hand, but that doesn't detract from his excellence ever since the club selected him in the 10th round of last year's draft. He gets plenty of spin on his fastball, which he commands quite well. He can also locate his slider and changeup, both of which are effective secondary offerings. Wilkinson's big run in the minors technically started with a scoreless relief appearance last season when he struck out all three batters he faced. However, he's already seen much more action in 2024, remaining nearly unhittable through four phenomenal starts. In his latest outing last week, Wilkinson tossed six hitless innings, surrendering just one walk while striking out 15 batters. The 270-pound southpaw nicknamed "Tugboat" might ride the wave to High-A sooner rather than later.Source: FanGraphs
4 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ryan Ward is a power-first player whose claim to fame is that he hits a lot of home runs. The former eight-round pick went yard 76 times from 2021 through 2023 and is hitting homers at an evenread more...
4 hours agoAtlanta Braves pitching prospect Owen Murphy was the club's first-round pick in 2022 and has flashed significant upside ever since making his pro debut. The right-hander gets good spin behind his offerings, making up for a lack of velocity likely caused by his relatively undersized 6-foot-1 frame. His fastball registers in the low 90s. He also throws a slider with good break and a slow, loopy curveball that misses enough bats. Finally, he's working on improving his changeup. Murphy was quite effective in his outing last week, striking out 10 batters and allowing just one hit over seven scoreless innings. He has looked brilliant at the High-A level this year, never allowing more than two runs in a single outing. If he continues to pitch well, he could earn a promotion to Double-A by the end of May.Source: FanGraphs
5 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker played hero for the club in Tuesday's victory against the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The slugger went 3-for-5 with two homers, including a walk-off, two-run homer off Nabil Crismatt in the bottom of the 10th inning. Walker is now hitting .283 with seven homers and 22 RBI over his first 113 at-bats. Even at age 33, Walker continues to remain an underrated player with his ability to hit for plenty of power without sinking ones batting average. He should be rostered in most formats and will look to keep it going on Wednesday when the Diamondbacks finish their series against the Dodgers and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.Source: MLB.com
5 hours agoSeattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz recorded his fifth save of the season versus the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday evening. Munoz was summoned to get the final five outs of the ballgame and he did so with three strikeouts. He also allowed a hit and a walk. Munoz has a fantastic swing-and-miss arsenal and now has a 2.25 ERA to go along with 12 K/9. If there has been one blemish for Munoz, it has been that he has walked seven batters in 12 innings of work, but his ability to rack up strikeouts has helped him get out of any jams. He should be rostered in all formats moving as one of the better closers in the league.Source: MLB.com
5 hours agoReturning from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish did not miss a beat. Darvish tossed five innings and allowed three hits with no runs or walks and three strikeouts against the Cincinnati Reds. It was Darvish's first start since April 14 as he dealt with neck stiffness. Darvish had a bit of a down season in 2023, but he has bounced back so far in 2023 with a 3.45 ERA over his first 28 2/3 innings. His strikeouts are down at the moment versus his career numbers, but there is still plenty of time for that to improve. Darvish is worth rostering in all formats and will face the Chicago Cubs early next week.Source: MLB.com