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Owen Murphy Could be Worth Long-Term Stash in Deeper Leagues
Between two minor-league levels this season, Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Owen Murphy has a 4-7 record with a 4.80 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 75 innings pitched. Between Double-A Columbus and Triple-A Gwinnett, Murphy has shown that he has good stuff with more than a strikeout per inning. His 4.80 combined ERA is a bit high, but he has a 3.90 ERA in five June starts. The No. 20 overall pick of the Braves in the 2022 MLB Draft, Murphy has advanced through the minors in the Braves system, and his next step could be an opportunity to pitch for Atlanta at the big-league level. Murphy is a highly-touted prospect and is worth keeping an eye on in the minors, and he could be worth a long-term stash in deeper leagues. He will likely need to show the Braves and fantasy managers more consistency before he earns his shot at the major-league level.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kade Anderson Dominating at Double-A, Worth a Stash Look
Seattle Mariners left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of LSU. He is already showing off his dominant left-handed arsenal at Double-A. With the Arkansas Travelers, Anderson's numbers are sparkling, with an 8-0 record in 13 starts and a 1.22 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings pitched. He has pretty much done enough to get the call to Triple-A sooner rather than later. His record is flawless, his ERA is barely existent, but most impressive perhaps is his strikeout rate. That is what makes him the most enticing for fantasy purposes. Anderson looks like he could be impressive at the major-league level, but he does still likely need to prove himself at Triple-A before the Mariners call him up. While Anderson could hold his own right now at the big-league level, the Mariners have hinted that they most likely won't call him up until later in the second half of the regular season, and when they do, he could be used in a relief role.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Zac Veen's Steady Numbers Could Make Him Excellent Waiver-Wire Stash
Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen has steadily been hitting all year long at Triple-A Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League. In 270 at-bats, Veen is hitting a whopping .330 with 13 homers and 54 RBI to go with 14 steals. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen is pushing hard for a promotion to Colorado, but the outfield is stocked at the big-league level with the likes of Jake McCarthy, Cole Carrigg, and Mickey Moniak. Veen, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed, would be an excellent option for the big-league club to add a lefty-swinging outfielder. Now is the time to add Veen to fantasy rosters. His Triple-A numbers, while in a good hitting environment, are too good to ignore, and a chance to play half his games at hitter-friendly Coors Field is too good to pass up. Veen has the prospect pedigree, and now might be the time when the production comes.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kaelen Culpepper Stash-Worthy Now That he's Healthy?
St. Paul Saints shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (hip) was recently activated from the seven-day injured list and is ready to continue his hot hitting at the Triple-A level. Culpepper has 249 at-bats this year with St. Paul and has produced 14 homers with 43 RBI while hitting .269 and adding 15 stolen bases. Culpepper is pushing for a promotion, even with the Minnesota Twins featuring a talented infield that includes Brooks Lee, Ryan Kreidler, and Kody Clemens, among others. Culpepper, the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is a five-tool prospect who would make for a dynamic addition to fantasy rosters when he gets the promotion to Minnesota. However, coming off his left-hip strain, he might need some time to get back in the swing of things at Triple-A. Fantasy managers might want to act quickly and add him before he gets the call to beat the rush.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Joshua Baez Looking Like a Waiver-Wire Option
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has the Triple-A numbers to justify a call-up, and when the Cardinals decide to make the call from Triple-A Memphis, he should reward fantasy managers. Savvy fantasy managers may recall Baez's four-homer game, but his overall numbers are outstanding all year at Memphis. He is hitting .265 with 26 homers, 65 RBI, 58 runs, and 13 stolen bases. The second-round pick has shown off his power stroke in Memphis, but a crowded outfield exists in St. Louis with the likes of Jordan Walker, Nathan Church, and Lars Nootbaar. Expect Baez to force the Cardinals' hand soon if he keeps hitting, and fantasy managers may want to beat the rush to add the talented outfielder. The power numbers could translate and thus reward managers who take an early chance on the big-time prospect.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Carlos Estevez to be Re-Evaluated After Potential Setback With Shoulder
Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury while rehabbing his foot on May 6. He threw a bullpen session on June 27, but his right shoulder didn't feel great, so the Royals will re-evaluate him in the coming days, according to MLB.com. Estevez initially went on the 15-day injured list on April 1 with a foot injury, but he was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 15 with a right rotator-cuff strain in his shoulder. It's unclear exactly what is wrong with the 33-year-old Dominican veteran now, but he's unlikely to come off the IL to rejoin the Royals' bullpen before the All-Star break next month, and depending on what the team finds this week, Estevez could be out well into the second half of the season. Right-hander Lucas Erceg was the next man up for saves in KC with Estevez hurt early in April. Erceg has 12 saves, but he has since been booted from the closer's role in favor of Alex Lange, who has converted all seven of his save opportunities in June. It's becoming harder to justify holding Estevez in fantasy baseball leagues as we near the end of the first half. He's currently rostered in 42% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Marcus Semien has Grade 3 Flexor Strain, Out 4-6 Weeks
New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (elbow) was diagnosed with a Grade 3 hip-flexor strain, and he will be out four to six weeks at a minimum, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Semien tried to play through the injury until it severely limited his movement. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor had a Grade 1.5 to 2 flexor strain and missed 28 days. The 35-year-old Semien had been showing signs of decline offensively in recent years, but playing through injury in 2026 in his first year in New York had really tanked his numbers. In 80 games (318 plate appearances) in his 14th year in the majors, the three-time All-Star hit .214/.271/.341 with a career-worst .613 OPS, nine home runs, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored, six stolen bases, and a 21.4% strikeout rate, which is his worst mark since 2017 with the Athletics. There's no guarantee Semien will bounce back in the second half for the last-place Mets if he can return fully healthy in the second half. For the foreseeable future, Brett Baty will serve as the team's primary option at the keystone in Queens.
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Liam Hicks Likely to Come Off the Injured List on Tuesday?
Miami Marlins catcher/first baseman/designated hitter Liam Hicks (back) took part in a full day of baseball activities on June 26 and is swinging without limitations and can catch. If Hicks continues to make progress, MLB.com suggests he's likely to come off the 10-day injured list when he's first eligible on Tuesday. Hicks was put on the IL on June 21 with a lower-back strain, but it looks like fantasy managers will get him back this week. The 27-year-old left-handed-hitting Canadian backstop has had a breakout in his second season in the big leagues, slashing .278/.359/.472 with an .831 OPS, 13 home runs, 53 RBI, 40 runs scored, and a stolen base across 73 games played and 288 plate appearances in 2026. For fantasy purposes, it's the perfect time for managers to get Hicks back, with Miami in Colorado and Sacramento at Coors Field and Sutter Health Park, respectively -- two of the most hitter-friendly parks in the league. In 16 games in June before his back injury, Hicks had gone 18-for-58 (.310) with two homers, two doubles, a triple, eight RBI, and 13 runs scored. Get ready to plug him back into all starting fantasy lineups this week.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Aaron Judge Not Ready for More Testing?
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs) is still taking things slow, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Judge is coming up on four weeks on the 10-day injured list due to a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side, but it doesn't sound like he will be ready for more testing at that point. The 34-year-old former MVP was placed on the IL on June 5, and at the time, the Yankees said Judge would be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. It sounds like the Yankees don't plan on re-evaluating him for another couple of weeks, so fantasy managers definitely cannot expect the slugger to return before the All-Star break in mid-July. The former first-rounder in 2013 out of California State University, Fresno, is an obvious must-stash while he heals, but fantasy managers may not get him back until early August in a best-case scenario. We'll have a better idea on a timeline for a return once he resumes baseball activities. Judge has hit .248 (53-for-214) with 17 homers, 38 RBI, 43 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 2026 in his 11th year in the majors. With Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Trent Grisham (hamstring) still on the IL as well, Jasson Dominguez will continue to be an everyday player in the outfield in the Bronx.
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Mauricio Dubon Becoming Waiver Target With Multi-Position Eligibility
Atlanta Braves infielder/outfielder Mauricio Dubon has never had much power or speed in his seven-plus years in the big leagues with four different teams as a utility player, but he has recently become more attractive off the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues as a short-term boost during his hot streak with the Braves. Dubon has hit .267/.316/.421 with a .738 OPS in 78 games across 314 plate appearances with Atlanta so far this year, and he's only three home runs away from setting a new career high in that category. The 31-year-old veteran from Honduras has been excellent in 22 games (89 plate appearances) in June, going 26-for-84 (.310) with five long balls, five doubles, 14 RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Dubon is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-29 (.379) with a homer, four doubles, an RBI, five runs, and a stolen base. He sits in just the 11th percentile in hard-hit rate and 25th percentile in barrel rate, but he rarely strikes out (85th percentile in K rate) and should continue to play regularly with Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) on the injured list. Most importantly, Dubon is eligible at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield, and he's rostered in only 39% of Yahoo leagues. Ride the wave in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Chase Meidroth Heating Up, Becoming Infield Waiver Target?
Chicago White Sox infielder Chase Meidroth is quietly hitting .276 (83-for-301) in his second year in the major leagues for a resurgent White Sox club in 2026. Meidroth hit .253/.329/.320 with only five home runs, 23 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 54 runs scored in 122 games (505 plate appearances) in 2025 in his rookie season. He's only stolen two bases in his 80 games so far in 2026, but the 24-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2022 out of the University of San Diego already has a career-high six homers in 339 plate appearances. In 23 games and 97 plate appearances in June, Meidroth has gone 26-for-89 (.292) with a homer, three doubles, nine RBI, and 11 runs scored. The problem with adding Meidroth off the waiver is that he currently has an elevated 24.8% strikeout rate (up from 14.3% last year), and his walk rate is nearly identical to what it was last year at 8.6%. His xBA of .227 and xwOBA of .282 point to serious regression since he's not making nearly as much contact as he did in 2025. Meidroth might be in play as a short-term middle-infield boost while he's hot, but his underlying metrics say that it's not going to last. He's rostered in only 30% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Caleb Durbin a Must-Add Off the Waiver Wire as he Continues to Rake?
Boston Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball recently, and he went 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBI, a run scored, two stolen bases, and a strikeout in the team's 5-4, 10-inning win at Fenway on Sunday to help Boston complete a four-game sweep over the division-rival New York Yankees. Durbin's overall numbers in 2026 in his second year in the majors (first with the BoSox) don't look very enticing from a fantasy standpoint, as he's hitting just .230/.283/.381 with a .664 OPS, six home runs, 34 RBI, 30 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 75 games and 267 plate appearances. However, he has become a strong waiver-wire addition in fantasy leagues of late due to his hot streak at the plate, and he's eligible at both second and third base in most leagues. In his last 11 games, Durbin has gone 17-for-39 (.436) with three home runs, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. Durbin had 11 homers and 18 RBI in 136 games in his rookie campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, and he's Boston's starting third baseman. He's available in 70% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lawrence Butler's Power/Speed Profile Becoming Attractive Amid Hot Streak
Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is slashing just .204/.290/.311 with five home runs, 21 RBI, 29 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 76 games so far in 2026. His slow start to his fourth year in the big leagues with the A's has caused him to be dropped in many fantasy baseball leagues. However, he had another two-hit game in the team's loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, and he's hitting an even .300 (18-for-60) with two home runs, four doubles, seven RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 23 games across 66 plate appearances in June. Fantasy managers shouldn't forget that the 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder had his first 20-20 season in 2025 with 21 homers, 63 RBI, and 22 stolen bases in 152 games played. The year before, in his first full season in the majors, Butler came two steals shy of his first 20-20 season, so the power/speed profile is definitely there. It hasn't been the year he had hoped for through the first three months, but there is still time for Butler to turn things around, and fantasy managers could find worse power/speed gambles off the waiver wire. Butler is currently rostered in only 35% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Elvis Alvarado Still Worth Monitoring as a Source of Saves?
The Athletics have been going with a closer-by-committee approach late in games, with right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado in the mix alongside lefty Hogan Harris and right-hander Mason Barnett. However, only fantasy managers desperate for saves in deeper leagues should even consider snagging Alvarado off the waiver wire right now. The 27-year-old Dominican is currently 3-3 on the year with a 5.64 ERA (4.53 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, his first two career saves, 27 strikeouts, and seven walks in his 22 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He has tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks in his last two appearances against the last-place Los Angeles Angels, but before that, Alvarado had a stretch of allowing five runs (four earned) for an 8.44 ERA with no walks, five strikeouts, three losses, and a blown save in 5 1/3 innings pitched. After blowing his latest save chance against the San Francisco Giants on June 24, Barnett was entrusted by manager Mark Kotsay to close out the game the following day. Alvarado just hasn't been consistent enough in high-leverage situations in his second year in the big leagues, and if he continues to struggle, he could fall out of the closer committee in Sacramento entirely.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jared Jones Continues to be Inefficient, is he Worth an Add on the Waiver Wire?
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Jared Jones has struggled through six starts since returning from the UCL surgery he underwent in May of 2025, pitching to the tune of a 5.76 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and nine walks in 25 innings pitched. It's expected that one is to struggle from an injury like he suffered; however, the 24 year old second round pick in 2020 has been a highly viewed pitching prospect for the Pirates after he had a nice rookie campaign in 2024, where he had a 4.14 ERA (3.97 xERA) and really strong strikeout and swing and miss numbers (26.2 percent strikeout rate and 30.2 percent whiff rate). So far through his six starts in 2026, his fastball velocity remains elite (97th percentile); however, his strikeout rate is down (22.7 percent), and he's getting hit hard (90.3 mph average exit velocity and 40.8 percent hard-hit rate), all while demonstrating average control (8.2 percent walk rate). Additionally, Jones has only worked five innings once and is averaging only four innings per start, so he is being handcuffed a bit by pitch count and is inefficient. All this to say, Jones has tremendous upside, and while he is not necessarily a must-start at this time, he is still a strong person to roster that can be useful down the stretch as he continues to ramp up from his return from injury.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
