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Zion Rose Goes to Royals at No. 6 Overall in MLB Draft
The Kansas City Royals selected University of Louisville outfielder Zion Rose with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft on Saturday, per MLB.com. It's a bit of a surprise that Rose snuck into the top 10 picks in this year's draft, as MLB.com had him ranked as the No. 30 overall prospect in this year's draft. The 21-year-old former catcher stands at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. In his final collegiate season in 2026 with Louisville, he slashed .417/.491/.646 with a 1.137 OPS, six home runs, 47 RBI, 24 stolen bases, and 44 runs scored across 36 games and 173 plate appearances. Rose is a plus runner on the basepaths, and the Royals will surely look to get more out of his raw power by getting him to lift the ball more in the air. He produces high-end exit velocities thanks to above-average bat speed, and he also has solid bat-to-ball skills at the plate. Rose will need to improve his plate discipline as he heads to the next level, but his speed will be his calling card as an eventual dynasty stash candidate sooner rather than later.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tyler Tolbert Emerging as a Speed Threat to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across 57 plate appearances this season, Kansas City Royals utility man Tyler Tolbert is hitting .373/.411/.510 with two home runs, five RBI, 17 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. The 28-year-old has been utilized as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement for most of 2026. However, Tolbert has moved into more of an everyday role of late and has been red-hot, collecting 12 hits in his last 16 plate appearances. Tolbert has never demonstrated much power throughout his professional career, so fantasy managers should not expect his current surge to be a sign of a full-scale breakout. Still, Tolbert offers elite speed, which has helped him log a .327 batting average across 114 career MLB plate appearances. For fantasy managers in need of stolen bases and some batting average upside, Tolbert could be worth targeting on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Tolbert Ties MLB Record With 12 Consecutive Hits
Kansas City Royals shorstop/outfielder Tyler Tolbert became just the fifth player in MLB history to record hits in 12 consecutive at-bats on Tuesday in the team's wild 16-12 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field. For the second straight day, Tolbert recorded five hits while also driving in two and scoring four runs to boost his season batting average to .396 and his OPS to .976. The 28-year-old former 13th-round selection in 2019 out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham hit his second home run of the year on Tuesday night after failing to clear the fences in 49 games between Triple-A Omaha and the Royals this season. Tolbert added his 10th stolen base of the season on Tuesday night. In his rookie campaign in 2025, Tolbert hit .280/.321/.380 with a .701 OPS, one homer, six RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 19 runs scored. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't read too much into his impressive hit streak over the last couple of days, but he could be a decent source of speed in AL-only leagues if he sticks around with the Royals going into the second half of the season. Tolbert is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tyler Tolbert Collects Five Hits in Rout of Phillies on Monday
Kansas City Royals outfielder Tyler Tolbert had a day to remember while starting at shortstop for the Royals in Monday's 15-1 rout of the visiting Philadelphia Phillies at Kauffman Stadium, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with a solo home run, an RBI double, and three runs scored to boost his season batting average to .333 and his OPS to .812. It was the first time that the 28-year-old recorded five hits in a game in his career, and it was also his first home run of the 2026 season. The former 13th-rounder in 2019 out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham is in just his second year in the big leagues with KC this year. Tolbert came into the first game of the week on Monday with a .264/.316/.322 slash line, .638 OPS, only one homer, seven RBI, 30 steals, and 29 runs scored in 92 total games for the Royals since debuting in the Show last year. In a small sample size this year, Tolbert has been strong, hitting .333/.383/.429 with three RBI, nine steals, and 13 runs scored in 48 plate appearances. He's worth a bench spot in AL-only leagues for his speed.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Returns From Going Injury to Face Rays
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (groin) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting third for the Royals in Tuesday's contest at home against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Griffin Jax, according to MLB.com. Caglianone is good to go following Monday's off day. The young left-handed slugger was pulled from Sunday's game early with soreness in his left groin. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida has taken a big step in 2026 in his second year in the majors and will carry a .265/.337/.481 slash line, .818 OPS, 14 home runs, 30 RBI, 39 runs scored, and three steals in 268 at-bats into Tuesday's action. Cags' 30.3% strikeout rate isn't ideal, though, and he has gone 10-for-45 (.222) with six home runs, a triple, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, three walks, and 16 strikeouts in his last 11 games played. The power from the left side is real, but Caglianone's frequent swing-and-miss doesn't make him an ideal target for batting average or on-base percentage. He's currently rostered in 78% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Scratched from Royals Lineup on Sunday with Groin Soreness
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (groin) was scratched from the lineup for his team's game against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday due to left groin soreness, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Across 297 plate appearances in 2026, Caglianone is hitting .265/.337/.481 with 14 home runs, 30 RBI, 39 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 23-year-old has been on an absolute tear in June, hitting .322 with nine home runs and 19 RBI across 102 plate appearances this month. With a 16.8% barrel rate and a 58.4% hard-hit rate, Caglianone carries top-tier power upside when healthy. Fantasy managers will have to hope that Caglianone's injury is nothing serious and that he will be able to return to the Royals lineup for the start of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. With Caglianone out of the lineup on Sunday, Kansas City moved catcher Salvador Perez to first base and plugged outfielder Starling Marte in as the designated hitter.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Jac Caglianone Continues Power Barrage, Homers Twice on Tuesday
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone is among the hottest hitters in baseball of late, and that continued in Tuesday's 12-5 beatdown of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Caglianone went 3-for-5 at the plate with two more home runs, three RBI, three runs scored, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .277 and his OPS to .847. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger has now hit multiple home runs in two of his last three games and has cleared the fences six times in his last five games. The former sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of the University of Florida has turned a corner in June, hitting .373 (28-for-75) with nine home runs, three doubles, 19 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 20 games and 86 plate appearances. Caglianone's hot streak during the month has made him a must-add post-hype prospect off the waiver wire in all fantasy baseball leagues. He's currently rostered in 79% of Yahoo leagues and will continue to be added after another big night on Tuesday. Overall, in 253 at-bats in his first full year in the majors, Cags has 14 home runs, 30 RBI, 38 runs scored, and three stolen bases for KC.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Maikel Garcia Still Out on Friday, Injured-List Stint Coming?
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) is out of the team's starting lineup again on Friday against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, per MLB.com. Garcia's injury (just soreness) to his right hand doesn't seem serious, but this is the third straight game that he will be missing after he left early on Tuesday against the Washington Nationals. For now, he's being considered day-to-day with something that he has battled over the last month. If he cannot return to action at some point this weekend (the Royals have an off day on Sunday), it wouldn't be a surprise to see him land on the injured list next week. Nick Loftin is starting at third base again on Friday and is batting sixth versus Cardinals right-hander Michael McGreevy. The 26-year-old Garcia is primarily valuable in all fantasy leagues for his speed and multi-position eligibility (second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield). He enters Friday's action with a .266/.326/.378 slash line, .705 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 259 at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Continues to be a Priority Target on the Waiver Wire
The Kansas City Royals' 2024 first-round pick, first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone, has been heating up at the plate in June, slashing .356/.441/.610 with four home runs, 11 RBI, 12 runs, and seven walks. While his strikeouts remain an issue on the season (29.7 percent), his underlying data on how he is impacting the ball and his quality of contact remain elite. He has a 93.4 mph average exit velocity (96th percentile), 14.5 percent barrel rate (89th percentile), 56.5 percent hard-hit rate (98th percentile), and a 76.9 mph bat speed (96th percentile). On the season, Caglianone's slash line is up to .266/.338/.439 with nine home runs, three stolen bases, 30 runs scored, and 22 RBI. While the batting average looks nice, his counting stats are still down, mostly due to a lack of a power surge in April and May, and the Royals' offense not producing at a high level. Nonetheless, he is doing what he needs to do with how he's impacting the ball, and ultimately, that is all a player can control. He may have a second half where he can hit fifteen-plus home runs and drive up those numbers for fantasy managers. Caglianone has much more value in category formats than he does in points leagues due to his poor plate discipline.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Maikel Garcia Remains Out of Action With Hand Injury
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) remains sidelined for Thursday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to MLB.com. Nick Loftin will make another start at the hot corner for KC and will bat seventh against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore. Garcia is dealing with soreness in his left hand and will miss a second straight game. It's an injury that he has been dealing with for a while now, and it's unclear if it's serious enough to land him on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if Garcia is back in action. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has hit .257 (9-for-35) in 11 games in June with a double, a triple, nine RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base through 39 plate appearances. Garcia is rostered in most fantasy leagues because of his ability to contribute across all categories, although his counting stats have been lacking a bit so far in 2026. He enters Thursday's game with a .266/.326/.378 slash line, .705 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five steals in his 259 at-bats for the Royals.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Maikel Garcia Sitting Out With Hand Injury on Wednesday
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest on the road in Washington against the Nationals, according to MLB.com. Nick Loftin is starting at third base and will bat eighth for KC against Nationals right-hander Zack Littell. It's not a huge surprise that Garcia isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game after he was pulled early on Tuesday with left-hand soreness. For now, fantasy managers should consider the 26-year-old day-to-day until we know more about his condition. His next chance to suit up will come on Thursday in the series opener against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Garcia, who has eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and outfield in Yahoo leagues, has been underwhelming so far in 2026 and is currently hitting .259 (9-for-35) with a double, a triple, nine RBI, four runs scored, one steal, four walks, and nine strikeouts in 11 games in June. He's mostly valuable in fantasy for his positional versatility and his speed (he's stolen at least 23 bases in each of the last three years).
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Maikel Garcia Leaves on Tuesday With Apparent Hand Injury
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) was forced from Tuesday's game early against the Washington Nationals with an apparent hand injury, according to Royals announcer Joel Goldberg. Before being pinch-hit for by Isaac Collins, Garcia went 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Garcia's condition and the severity of his injury, either later on Tuesday night or on Wednesday morning. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has mostly been a disappointment in 2025 in his fifth year in the big leagues, as he came into Tuesday's contest with a .267/.325/.380 slash line, .705 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 66 games and 283 plate appearances. Garcia had a career year in 2025 with a .286/.351/.449 slash line, .800 OPS, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 23 stolen bases, and 81 runs scored across 160 games. With eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield, as well as at least 23 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons, Garcia is universally rostered in almost all of fantasy leagues.
Source: Joel Goldberg
Source: Joel Goldberg
Jac Caglianone Emerging as a Must-Add Power Bat to Target on the Waiver Wire
Since the calendar flipped from May to June, Kansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone has been on an absolute tear at the plate. Across 36 plate appearances this month, the 23-year-old is hitting .533/.611/.900 with three home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and two stolen bases. Swing-and-miss remains a concern in Caglianone's profile, as he's struck out in 29% of his plate appearances on the season. However, his underlying contact quality metrics are strong enough that it may not matter. Caglianone owns a 15.6% barrel rate and a 57.4% hard-hit rate and is now hitting .279 with eight home runs, 19 RBI, 26 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 231 plate appearances in 2026. The lefty-swinger has also held his own against same-handed pitching, recording a .295/.328/.492 slash line across 64 plate appearances against southpaws. In any league where he remains available, Caglianone profiles as a must-add outfielder ahead of what could be a superstar breakout.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jac Caglianone Goes Deep Twice in Return From Shoulder Injury
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone showed that his shoulder is completely healthy on Tuesday night in his team's 5-3 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers by going 3-for-3 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, a stolen base, and a walk to boost his season average to .261 and his OPS to .780. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger was pulled from Saturday's game early against the Minnesota Twins with soreness in his right shoulder, and he was held out of Sunday's series finale. Cags returned on Tuesday after a scheduled day off on Monday, and he appears to be just fine physically. Both of Caglianone's long balls were moonshots off Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi to give him eight home runs and 18 RBI on the season in his first full season in the big leagues with the Royals. The former first-round pick out of the University of Florida is slowly making adjustments at the plate with his contact and strikeout rates, and a breakout could be coming sooner rather than later.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Back in Royals Lineup After Shoulder Injury
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is starting in right field and will bat sixth for the Royals in Tuesday's tilt against the visiting Texas Rangers and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, according to MLB.com. Caglianone was pulled from Saturday's game early against the division-rival Minnesota Twins with soreness in his right shoulder, and he missed Sunday's series finale as a result. But after a scheduled day off on Monday, the 23-year-old left-handed slugger is back in action as he looks to get going at the plate in his first full year in the majors. The former sixth overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida is striking out at a 29.8% clip and is slashing a very modest .250/.326/.403 with a .729 OPS, six home runs, 15 RBI, 21 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 60 games and 218 plate appearances. Cags has gone 14-for-54 (.259) with a homer, double, five RBI, three runs scored, and two steals in his last 16 games, dating back to May 20. He has never faced Eovaldi in his young MLB career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
