RADIO
Anthony Volpe Worth Rostering in Everyday Role?
The expectation in New York was that when utility man Jose Caballero returned from the injured list, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe would head back to the bench. That has not happened, primarily because the Yankees are so thin in the outfield right now that the speedy Caballero has been needed in right field with Aaron Judge (ribs) on the injured list. It has allowed the 25-year-old Volpe to remain in an everyday role in the Bronx as the primary shortstop. Volpe hasn't exactly taken advantage of the regular playing time after returning from offseason shoulder surgery on May 13, as he's hitting .211 (12-for-57) with one home run, three doubles, eight RBI, five stolen bases, 10 runs scored, 10 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 17 games across 67 plate appearances. Once one of Judge, Giancarlo Stanton (calf), or Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) returns from the IL, Caballero will most likely return to the 6 as the starter for the Yankees, pushing Volpe into a bench role. In mixed leagues, Volpe hasn't done enough to warrant a ton of attention off the waiver wire, which is why he's rostered in less than 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Ryan Waldschmidt an Emerging Power/Speed Target Off the Waiver Wire
Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt has yet to hit his first major-league home run through 97 at-bats with the big-league club, but the 23-year-old prospect is still an emerging power/speed threat to target off the waiver wire if you're searching for upside at the outfield position in fantasy baseball. The former 31st overall pick by Arizona in 2024 out of the University of Kentucky is still currently listed as the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, after he hit .289/.400/.477 with an .877 OPS, three home runs, 22 RBI, 30 runs scored, and six steals in 34 games played at Triple-A Reno earlier this year. In his first 29 contests with the D-backs, Waldschmidt has gone 27-for-97 (.278) with seven doubles, a triple, eight RBI, five stolen bases, and 10 runs scored across 105 plate appearances. So far in June, he's hitting .261 (6-for-23) with two doubles and an RBI in seven games played. The numbers obviously aren't popping right now, but he should be snagged off the waiver wire in deeper leagues before he starts putting it all together. Waldschmidt is currently rostered in only 14% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Should Jung Hoo Lee be Rostered in More Fantasy Baseball Leagues?
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in the team's 2-1 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night at Wrigley Field to extend his current hitting streak to 15 games. During his hitting streak, Lee has gone 28-for-58 (.483) at the plate with a home run, four doubles, a triple, eight RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 60 plate appearances. Don't look now, but the 27-year-old Japanese native is now slashing .323/.357/.445 on the season with an .803 OPS, three home runs, 22 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 220 at-bats for the Gigantes in his third year in the big leagues. So far in seven games in June, Lee is hitting an absurd .462 (12-for-26) with two doubles, three RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. He isn't going to keep this pace up, and he's never going to be much of a power asset, but while he's feeling it at the dish, fantasy managers need to take advantage. Lee is only rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Carson Benge Should Attract More Interest Off Waiver Wire After Five-Hit Game
New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge set the table nicely in the team's 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Sunday in the series finale, going 5-for-5 at the plate out of the leadoff spot with a home run, a triple, two RBI, and three runs scored. Benge is now hitting .265/.325/.408 with a .733 OPS, seven home runs, 26 RBI, 34 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in his first 62 big-league games across 243 plate appearances as an everyday player for the last-place Mets. The 23-year-old's strong outing on Sunday in San Diego was the first five-hit game of his career, and he finished just a double short of hitting for the cycle. After his five-hit performance at Petco, Benge is now hitting .360 (9-for-25) with three home runs, a triple, five RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in six games so far in June. The young outfielder is red-hot at the plate and provides a nice power/speed profile for fantasy managers in the short and long term. Benge is only rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues and should start picking up steam as a waiver-wire pickup this week.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Rays to Promote Michael Forret to Triple-A, Can he Debut in 2026?
The Tampa Bay Rays are promoting right-handed pitching prospect Michael Forret to Triple-A Durham, according to Chase Ford of MiLB Central. Forret had a 2.15 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits to earn the call-up to the highest minor-league level. According to MLB Pipeline, Forret is the team's No. 8 prospect. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder was originally drafted in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles out of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. There's a remote chance that he'll do enough at Durham this summer to convince the Rays that he's ready for his major-league debut in the second half of the 2026 season, but Forret most likely won't be in line to make his MLB debut until next year. Despite not being overpowering on the bump, Forret had a 1.58 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 91:21 K:BB in 74 innings over 19 outings (18 starts) at High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake in Baltimore's system in 2025. What Forret lacks in velocity and high-end stuff, he makes up for with command and deception. He's in play as a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues after his promotion to Triple-A.
Source: MiLB Central - Chase Ford
Source: MiLB Central - Chase Ford
Carlos Lagrange Dominant in Move to Bullpen, Will he Compete for Early Promotion?
New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange was recently moved to the bullpen at Triple-A to have a much clearer path to reach the Bronx in the near future. This past week, Lagrange made his first appearance out of the Triple-A bullpen and did not disappoint. Facing Syracuse, the hard-throwing right-hander tossed four one-hit innings with seven punchouts and two walks. He opened the season at Triple-A but was deployed as a starter and did not enjoy much sustained success. Pitching out of the starting rotation, the 23-year-old held a 4.41 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP but continued to flash elite strikeout potential, totaling 63 over 49 innings of work. While Lagrange's fantasy upside will be limited in a setup or long relief role on the MLB roster, his elite strikeout potential makes him worth a look as a stash candidate, especially in deeper 12+ team formats.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Joshua Baez Maintaining Elite Stash Value with Five-Category Skill Set
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez remains on the verge of his MLB debut and holds a high-end stash upside among hitting prospects. Through his first 56 games at the Triple-A level, the outfielder has flashed both power and speed upside, hitting 17 home runs and stealing 11 bases. Overall, he carries a .276/.349/.587 line with a stellar .936 OPS. He has looked even more comfortable as of late, carrying a dominant 1.160 OPS with 10 of his home runs over his last 22 games. Last summer, Baez split his time at High-A and Double-A and held a .287/.384/.500 line with 20 home runs and 54 stolen bases. Even with Lars Nootbaar back in action, Baez has a path to carving out a role in the St. Louis offense in the near future, given how well he has performed at the top club in the minor leagues. His five-category upside makes him a priority target in all standard leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Karson Milbrandt Sharp in Triple-A Debut, On the Fast Track to Major Leagues?
Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt looked sharp in his Triple-A debut on Saturday and is quickly putting himself among the top pitching prospects to stash in fantasy. In this outing, Milbrandt tossed six shutout innings with two hits, three walks, and one strikeout. Earlier this season, Milbrandt logged 47 innings at the Double-A level and was near unhittable, posting an elite 1.34 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP. During this stretch, Milbrandt racked up an eye-catching 70 punchouts while walking 17 hitters. While it did not appear the 22-year-old would be in the mix to debut this summer, with both Robby Snelling and Thomas White on the injured list (and Snelling out for the season), Milbrandt's path to the majors is far clearer. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his production in Jacksonville, as he could compete for a promotion early in the second half.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Max Clark Nearing Promotion Amid Recent Power Surge?
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has begun to see his power numbers increase at the Triple-A level and is quickly approaching his MLB debut. After having a modest start to this time with the top club in the Detroit pipeline, the former third overall selection has begun to turn the corner. Over his last 11 contests, Clark has carried a .214 AVG but has hit three home runs and added a double. Prior to this two-week stretch, the young outfielder carried a .267/.335/.375 line with only one home run and 10 stolen bases. Last summer, the 21-year-old began the campaign with High-A but would end up spending most of the second half at the Double-A level. With Javier Baez still on the shelf, Clark's path to claiming the center field job in the near future remains in play. His five-category appeal makes him a top stash option in all 12-team leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
James Tibbs III Knocking on MLB Door During Power Binge
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III continues to showcase his elite raw power at the top club in the minor leagues and enters Week 11 toward the top of the stash rankings. Over his last 12 contests at Triple-A Oklahoma City, the outfielder has launched an impressive seven home runs while carrying a .333/.434/.822 line with a 1.256 OPS. Overall, Tibbs has looked just as dominant over the course of the opening months of the campaign, posting a .313/.421/.631 line with 16 doubles, 18 home runs, and three stolen bases (over 60 games). While the Dodgers outfield was crowded to begin the season, Tibbs has a path to at-bats with Teoscar Hernandez on the shelf. While the team turned to Ryan Ward first, Tibbs' power binge could push their hand, making him a priority waiver wire target in 12+ team leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Charlie Condon Enters Week 11 as Top Stash Candidate with High Power Upside
Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon remains an elite stash option among hitting prospects ahead of Week 11. Condon was under consideration to potentially break camp with the MLB roster despite not taking a single at-bat at the Triple-A level. While he was sent to the top club in the system to begin the campaign, the former Georgia superstar has continued to showcase his high-end raw talent in the minor leagues. Through 54 games at Albuquerque, Condon has held a .249/.383/.454 line with an .837 OPS, 13 doubles, nine home runs, and five stolen bases. Since May 23, Condon has taken his production even further, carrying a .277/.424/.702 line with five round-trippers. With a viable path to everyday at-bats on a rebuilding Rockies roster, Condon holds high-end stash upside in all formats.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Louis Varland Sharp in Four-Out Save, Continues to Hold High-End Value
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland continues to dominate in 2026, as he recorded his 11th save of the season on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles by working 1 1/3 innings and allowing one hit and two strikeouts in only 17 pitches. Varland has converted on all of his save opportunities on the season (11-for-11) and now owns an impressive 0.95 WHIP with a 0.26 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings pitched. While Jeff Hoffman continues to struggle, it has become clear to the Blue Jays and the fantasy community that Varland is the preferred choice for save opportunities and has worked his way into being one of the more dominant closers in all of MLB. He has become a must-start player in all formats that reward saves as a category in your leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Anthony Bender Tallies Second Save for Marlins, Emerging as Potential Saves Source?
Miami Marlins right-hander Anthony Bender recorded his second save of the season on Sunday, allowing one hit while striking out one batter in 24 pitches. Marlins' primary closer, Pete Fairbanks, has struggled so far this season, with a 7.41 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 10 walks in 17 innings pitched, and has converted on seven of his nine save opportunities, but with the struggling Fairbanks, it could open the door for Bender to get more opportunities down the stretch. Bender does have 16 career saves, so while he has not been primarily used as a closer in his five-year career, he does have some exposure to those situations. Bender has had a nice season himself, with a 0.86 WHIP and 3.04 ERA while striking out 29 batters in 26 2/3 innings pitched. Bender is worth a look in deeper formats, but for now, this situation is better viewed as a committee closer approach rather than a takeover by Bender.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dylan Smith Earns First Save on Sunday Night, Worth Monitoring in Deeper Leagues?
San Francisco Giants reliever Dylan Smith earned the save in extra innings on Sunday night as he preserved a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Chicago Cubs. Smith entered the inning with the runner on second base and proceeded to strike out Michael Conforto and get Michael Busch and Alex Bregman to pop out to shortstop. Smith has spent most of his 2026 season in Triple-A this year, and now has three appearances at the MLB level, two of which came since his call-up earlier in the week. At Triple-A, he had a 3.98 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 20 1/3 innings pitched and a 10.18 K/9. In his 15 appearances at Triple-A, he only had one save, and the save on Sunday night for Smith was the first of his career at the MLB level, so fantasy managers shouldn't be sprinting to the waiver wires to pick him up. This appeared to be more a result of having to pitch in extra innings than of Smith being the closer. Nonetheless, the Giants' closer position has been a bit of a carousel this season, so it is worth monitoring Smith's usage to see if the Giants give him more opportunities down the stretch.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Lucas Erceg Bounces Back to Earn 12th Save, Is he Back on the Fantasy Radar?
Kansas City Royals reliever Lucas Erceg bounced back on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins to earn his 12th save of the season. Unfortunately for Erceg, Alex Lange had recorded the previous three saves that week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It's entirely possible that Lange was down on Sunday due to his volume the previous handful of days, but nonetheless, Erceg entered the ninth inning with one out to protect a 6-4 lead while inheriting a baserunner who had already doubled. He allowed two hits but preserved the save. His season line is not good, evidenced by his 6.00 ERA and 1.96 WHIP, and the Royals have started to look elsewhere for save opportunities, and fantasy managers should be doing the same. All signs point to Lange as the preferred option at this point; at best, it will be a committee, and Erceg does not have good surface numbers, making it hard to justify rostering him moving forward. In deeper formats where saves remain scarce, he can continue to be rostered, though with little confidence.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
