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Braves Recall Top Prospect JR Ritchie, Worth Adding in Standard Leagues?
The Atlanta Braves recalled right-handed pitching prospect JR Ritchie to the majors on Wednesday, according to Milb Central. It will be the second time that Ritchie has been in the big leagues in 2026 in his rookie season, having posted a 4.56 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 16 walks and 21 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings over his first five starts in Atlanta in his first go-around. The team's No. 2 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has been much better in his eight starts (39 1/3 innings) with Triple-A Gwinnett this year, going 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 36:20 K:BB. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder throws in the high-90s and gets plenty of swing and miss with his fastball, making him an intriguing arm in dynasty/keeper leagues. It appears that Ritchie will be used in more of a relief role this time around in Atlanta, though, so fantasy managers in redraft leagues can hold off on adding him for now. Ritchie is currently rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
Can Joshua Baez Slug His Way to a Major-League Debut?
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez continued his power surge on Tuesday, slugging his 18th home run of the season. Over his last 12 games, the Cards' third-ranked prospect is 23-for-58 (.397) with five doubles, two triples, and seven home runs. The former second-round draft pick hasn't shown off his wheels during this hot stretch, but perhaps that is because many of his hits are going for extra bases, and he isn't drawing many walks (three). For the season, the 6-foot-3 slugger is slashing .274/.346/.591, and on top of his 18 home runs, he has 11 steals. With the power comes a high strikeout rate of 32.1 percent, but it was better during the recent 12-game span, down to 25.9 percent. The power and ability to steal bases (he had 54 steals in 2025) are enticing for fantasy, and it is what should earn him a debut by the All-Star break. With multi-category upside, the 22-year-old remains a must-stash in most leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Kris Bubic Hit Hard in Tuesday's Rehab Start
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) didn't exactly have the best minor-league rehab start on Tuesday for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits while walking one and striking out zero in just 1 1/3 innings of work to take the loss against Triple-A Las Vegas. The 28-year-old southpaw required 49 pitches to get just four outs. He's attempting to return from soreness in his left elbow and general arm fatigue, but he'll require at least one more rehab start in the minors before the Royals feel comfortable reinserting him into their starting rotation at the big-league level. Before going on the 15-day injured list, Bubic went 3-2 for KC this year with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 innings pitched across his nine starts. Bubic was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his sixth year in the big leagues, and he's currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Brandon Woodruff Strikes Out Five in Rehab Start in Arizona Complex League
In his first minor-league rehab start in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) gave up three runs on five hits while walking two and striking out five in 3 2/3 innings of work, according to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic. Woodruff continued to experiment with a lower arm slot during the outing and leaned heavily on changeups and cutters, with his fastballs averaging under 91 mph. The 33-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star is essentially having to reinvent himself as a pitcher mechanically after more shoulder issues cropped up this season. Woodruff wasn't bad in his six starts, going 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 25:7 K:BB in 30 innings, but he developed dead arm because of his mechanics. Remember, he had right-shoulder surgery and missed all of the 2024 season before making just 12 starts last year. It's unclear when he might return to Milwaukee's starting rotation, but when he does, he could be a much different pitcher, and fantasy managers shouldn't expect a ton of swing-and-miss stuff.
Source: Brewer Fanatic - Jack Stern
Source: Brewer Fanatic - Jack Stern
Dillon Dingler Heating Up in June, has Monster Game on Tuesday
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler went 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, and a strikeout in the team's 10-4 win over the division-rival Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old third-year player is now hitting .248/.329/.528 with an .857 OPS, 16 home runs, 13 doubles, 48 RBI, and 32 runs scored in 60 games across 248 plate appearances in what has quickly become a breakout campaign for the former second-round pick in 2020 out of The Ohio State University. After stumbling late in May with just six hits in 51 plate appearances in 12 games to close out the month, Dingler has come alive since the calendar flipped to June, going 11-for-28 (.393) with five home runs, two doubles, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored in 32 plate appearances across seven games. He has two four-hit performances in that span. Dingler has quickly become one of the best offensive producers at catcher in 2026, and he's still available in 20% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Charlie Condon Homers Again, Major-League Debut Coming?
Colorado Rockies corner infield/outfield prospect Charlie Condon homered on Tuesday for the second straight game, and after going 31 games without a home run from April 14 through May 22, the 6-foot-5 slugger has now homered six times in his last 14 games, with five doubles to boot. Not only that, during this stretch he is hitting .280 and reaching base at a .422 clip thanks to a strong 16.9 percent walk rate, while keeping the strikeouts at a palatable 18.6 percent rate. For the season, the Rockies' second-ranked prospect is slashing .250/.385/.466 with 10 home runs and five steals through 55 games. Though it was fellow outfield prospect Cole Carrigg who was recently promoted to Colorado, Condon's turn shouldn't be too far off, and with the ability to play both corner infield spots, both corner outfield spots, or simply be the designated hitter, there are multiple paths to the majors. With multiple players slumping and the team already firmly in the basement of the NL West, the 23-year-old should be up by midseason and should be considered a top bat to stash for home runs.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Matt Olson Nearly Hits Three Homers in Loss to White Sox
Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson was seeing the ball well in the 6-5 walk-off loss in Chicago on Tuesday night to the White Sox, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and a walk to raise his average to .271 on the year and his OPS to .903. Both of Olson's home runs came in his first two at-bats of the game, and it was his first multi-homer performance of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old left-handed slugger nearly had a third round-tripper in the game, but it was brought back. Olson remains one of the most consistent power hitters in the game, and he's been especially hot lately, going 17-for-57 (.298) with five home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base in his last 14 games since May 24. He's now hitting .271/.342/.561 on the season with a .903 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI, 49 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 262 at-bats. The three-time All-Star leads the league with 147 total bases and trails only Kyle Schwarber for the home run lead in the National League.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Chase Meidroth a Priority Target Off the Waiver Wire
Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth has quietly put together a solid season thus far, slashing .274/.344/.390 with five home runs, two stolen bases, 40 runs, and 21 RBI. He is in the top 16 overall in MLB in hits and runs and has demonstrated strong plate discipline metrics, as evidenced by his 26.4 percent chase rate (69th percentile), 19.8 percent whiff rate (74th percentile), and 22.2 percent strikeout rate (42nd percentile). While none of those numbers pop off the charts, they are consistent, and he is seeing every day playing time for the White Sox, who are competing this year (34-31), and Meidroth is batting in the middle of the lineup (fifth), which should continue to produce run-scoring opportunities. Meidroth, who was a former fourth-round pick in 2022, doesn't profile as a player with incredible upside, but his situation and plate discipline have made him into a reliable fantasy asset that fantasy managers should consider at the middle infield position.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Hagen Smith Making Strides at Triple-A, Nearing MLB Debut?
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Hagen Smith is starting to settle in at Triple-A Charlotte, recording a 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .180 opponent batting average, and an elite 32.8 percent K-BB% over his last three starts. The high strikeout totals have always been there, but it is the command that has been the problem. Last season, he walked a sky-high 17.6 percent of batters faced, and this season his walk rate stands at 16.0 percent even with the aforementioned improvements made over the last three starts (10.3 percent BB%). The former fifth-overall draft pick threw 92 pitches in his latest outing, so he's fully stretched out. If the southpaw can keep up the momentum, he could find himself in the majors by midseason, and with that being the case, he should be considered one of the top arms to stash in most fantasy leagues for his strikeout potential.
Source: Hagen Smith
Source: Hagen Smith
Dustin May Has Another Solid Outing on Tuesday, Priority Target Off the Waiver Wire
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May continued his hot stretch on Tuesday, as he went six innings, allowing four hits, no runs, one walk, and struck out six. Over two starts in June, he has a 2.31 ERA, and has lowered his season ERA down to 4.21 with a 1.25 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings pitched. The 4.21 ERA doesn't tell the whole story for May, as he allowed 13 earned runs in his first two starts of the season, and since then, has been rock solid, which is evident by his 3.63 xERA, which is closer aligned to his career ERA (3.93) compared to his surface line stats. May has been leaning on his four-seamer and cutter more this year and less on his sweeper and sinker, and it has generated strong results for him. His fastball velocity is up 1.3 mph on the season, and his walk rate is down compared to his career 8.0 percent mark (6.6 percent in 2026). Additionally, he is still generating a healthy groundball rate (45.5 percent). May is a much stronger candidate in points and quality start leagues, as he has demonstrated the ability to work deeper into games, while he is averaging under a strikeout per inning with an average WHIP. Regardless, May has put together a nice stretch over his past 11 starts, and fantasy managers should target him if he is available.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Alex Lange Earns Another Save for Royals, Quickly Entering Must-Roster Territory
Kansas City Royals' reliever Alex Lange picked up his fourth save on Tuesday, working one inning, allowing one walk, and recording two strikeouts. The save was Lange's fourth in the past week, as he appears to be the front-runner as the Royals' preferred closer at this time. Lucas Erceg, who has been closing games out for the majority of the year, is struggling immensely with a 6.00 ERA and 1.96 WHIP, and has six blown saves. Lange, on the other hand, is now a perfect 4-for-4 in save chances and has a 1.37 WHIP, 3.90 ERA, and 33 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched. Lange has some experience closing out games, dating back to 2023 with the Tigers, where he converted 26 saves and posted a 3.68 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Considering Lange has recorded four of the last five saves for the Royals and four in the past week, he is becoming a must-add player in all formats where saves are scarce. Carlos Estevez (shoulder), who was the Royals' projected closer coming into the season, has been rehabbing a shoulder and foot injury and doesn't appear to be progressing as the Royals had hoped, which should further solidify Lange as the Royals' reliever to have for the time being.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Luis Lara Displays Multi-Category Potential, Remains a High-End Stash
Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara played in his first game on Tuesday since signing a seven-year, $31 million contract extension and went 1-for-3 with two walks, a run scored, and a stolen base. The Brewers' fifth-ranked prospect has been impressive at Triple-A Nashville this season, slashing .338/.450/.498 and belting seven home runs (last season he hit just two in 136 games) while swiping 19 bags. While the development in the power department has been a welcome sight, the 5-foot-7 Venezuelan is in the midst of a power outage, having not hit a home run in 23 consecutive games now, with his last coming on May 6. Regardless, the team clearly sees him as part of their future after rewarding him with a new contract, and with the way he's hitting, a call-up to the majors could happen by the end of the month. With excellent contact ability and speed, along with some newfound power, the switch-hitter remains a high-end hitter to stash for his multi-category potential.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Spencer Jones Blasts First Homer, Worth Adding Ahead of Potential Breakout?
New York Yankees left-handed slugger Spencer Jones went 2-for-4 on Tuesday and blasted his first career MLB home run, and it was a monster shot, traveling 443 feet at an exit velocity of 112.2 mph with an 83.3 mph bat speed. This is the type of raw power that Jonest has shown in his time through the Minors, with his 35 homeruns in 2025 and 13 so far in 2026. Jones has been called upon due to injuries in the Yankees' outfield with Aaron Judge (rib), Giancarlo Stanton (calf), and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) on the injured list. It's unclear what the Yankees' plans are once Dominguez and Stanton return; however, Jones has an opportunity to establish himself at the Major League level in the meantime. In his first stint with the Yankees in May, he slashed .167/.259/.167 with zero home runs, two RBI, and a 3/12 BB/K ratio in 27 plate appearances. However, so far in June, since being called up again, he has six hits in 12 at-bats, including a home run, and four strikeouts. Jones' profile is no secret; he is a high-upside power slugger with poor plate discipline skills. If your team needs some power and upside, Jones is your guy. He's a high-risk, high-reward type of player, and if fantasy managers can catch him while he's hot, the breakout is possible.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Braden Montgomery Hits Walk-Off Home Run in Debut, is he a Must-Add Player?
Chicago White-Sox 2024 first-round pick, MLB's No. 23 prospect, and the organization's No. 2 prospect, Braden Montgomery, had an MLB debut to remember, as he went 2-for-5 with three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk-off home run to help the White Sox beat the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday by a score of 6-5. Since playing Single-A ball in 2025, Montgomery has had a very successful path through the Minors, hitting .260 or higher at every level. In Triple-A this season, he slashed .314/.422/.548 with 10 homeruns, 52 runs scored, 41 RBI, and five stolen bases with a 15.1 percent walk rate and 24.8 percent strikeout rate. Montgomery was a part of the blockbuster deal with the Red Sox for Garrett Crochet, and with his call-up to the Majors, he should see a lot of playing time in the outfield, and as for fantasy baseball, he has the power and speed combination tto provide a lot of upside, and for the most part, has held his walk to strikeout rate in the Minors in check, making him a solid waiver-wire pickup and a young star on the rise. Fantasy managers will want to find a way to add him to their rosters in most 12-plus team formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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
