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Can Cooper Pratt Make his MLB Debut in 2026?
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Cooper Pratt is currently ranked as MLB.com's No. 66 overall prospect and could make his MLB debut in the second half. Even though he will likely have to compete with fellow Triple-A prospect Jett Williams for a role on the MLB roster, Pratt could be called upon to reach the major leagues first. Pratt joined the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft and has quickly progressed through their system. During the 2025 campaign, the infielder spent his entire season with Double-A and posted a .238/.343/.348 line with a .691 OPS. During these 120 games, Pratt had 22 doubles, eight home runs, and swiped 31 bases. So far, during his first 39 games at Triple-A, Pratt has held a similar .228 AVG but has continued to show high-end speed, stealing 11 bags and adding another five long balls. If Pratt can continue to make consistent contact at the plate, he could surpass Williams and debut first. For now, he is a viable stash target in deeper 12+ team leagues looking for speed upside.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Kaelen Culpepper Enters Week 9 as No. 1 Prospect to Stash?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has continued to swing a hot bat at Triple-A St. Paul and enters Week 9 as one of the top overall prospects to stash in fantasy. With Royce Lewis now in the minor leagues, Culpepper stands as one of the top options in the system to join the MLB roster. Through the first 42 games with Triple-A this summer, Culpepper has held a .250/.355/.459 line with an .814 OPS. During this stretch, Culpepper has launched nine home runs and swiped nine bags. However, over his last 16 games (since May 1), the former Kansas State standout has been even more impressive at the plate, posting a .277 AVG and a stellar .953 OPS. If he maintains this pace, Culpepper should be poised to earn the call to the majors in the near future. His five-category potential and clear path to MLB at-bats push him to the top of the stash rankings ahead of Week 9.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Hunter Greene Holds Priority Stash Value Ahead of Impending Return
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen on May 26, which will be the first time throwing off the mound since he underwent elbow surgery in mid-March to remove bone chips from his right elbow. Although the timeline to return in July is speculative based on his throwing progression, Greene has so much upside that, if your roster configuration can afford to grab him now, he could be a league-winner down the stretch, especially for teams comfortably at the top of their standings. Coming into the season, Greene was a consensus top-20 starting pitcher, and is coming off back-to-back seasons with a sub-3 ERA and north of 27.7 percent strikeout rate. Greene, who is 26 years old, should be entering his prime, but has been repeatedly slowed by injuries throughout his career. Once he returns, he will immediately be slotted at the top of the Reds' rotation to go along with young star Chase Burns and Nick Lodolo.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Bryan Baker Picks Up his 13th Save, a Must-Add Off Waiver Wire
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Bryan Baker has been great in 2026, with a 2.66 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings pitched. He picked up his 13th save of the season on Tuesday against Baltimore and is now third in MLB with 16 save opportunities and 13 saves on the season, trailing only Mason Miller and Cade Smith in both. Not only has Baker looked solid on the surface, but his 2.53 xERA, .187 xBA, and 85.9 mph average exit velo all rank in the 90th percentile or better, and he has great swing and miss stuff, which is evident by his 29.3 percent strikeout rate. He has proven to be Kevin Cash's top option to close out games. Because it is the Rays, fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Baker, every so often, is used in the 7th or 8th inning in a high-leverage situation, but overall, they should feel comfortable knowing they have a top 5 closer given the current state of closers in 2026.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Logan Henderson Remains Top Starting Pitcher to Target Off the Waiver Wire
Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Logan Henderson continues to prove to the fantasy community and to the Brewers that he belongs in the Brewers' rotation after another strong outing on May 16 against the Twins, where he threw five innings, allowed one earned run, six hits, one walk, and struck out seven batters. In his MLB career, which has been the last two seasons, Henderson now owns a 2.49 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with a 56/11 K/BB ratio in 43 1/3 innings pitched (nine starts). His control is elite (4.2 percent walk rate), he limits hard contact (28.9 percent), and has a good strikeout rate (32.4 percent). He is a must-add off the waiver wire if he's still out there, as even with the return of Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) and Quinn Priester (shoulder) nearing, he should remain in the rotation.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Mark Leiter Jr. Extends Scoreless Streak, Converting his Fourth Save
Athletics' right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. picked up his fourth save of the season on Friday in extras, as the Athletics went on to win 3-2 in the 10th inning. Leiter got off to a rocky start, as Jo Adell hit a leadoff single and first, which resulted in first and third with no outs, but proceeded to strike out Josh Lowe and get Jorge Soler to ground into a double play. With his now fourth save, Leiter is tied with Joel Kuhnel and Hogan Harris for the most saves on the team. Jack Perkins has also been involved, as he has three saves of his own. The closer timeshare for the Athletics continues to evolve; however, Leiter has now thrown five consecutive scoreless outings and, during that same stretch, has allowed only three hits and punched out seven batters. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues desperate for saves may want to take a look at Leiter.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Spencer Jones Demoted to Triple-A on Thursday
Following Thursday night's game, the New York Yankees optioned their No. 6 overall prospect Spencer Jones to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. No corresponding move has been named yet, but it's possible the move was made to make room for Gerrit Cole (elbow) or Jose Caballero (finger), who are expected to be reinstated from the IL on Friday. Jones was called up to the Yankees on May 7 after Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) was injured. Jones went 4-for-24 with no extra base hits, two RBI, zero runs scored, and one stolen base over 10 contests since his debut, making his first stint fairly underwhelming. Most of his underlying data supported the struggle, as his plate discipline was very poor, with a 37.7 percent chase rate, 41.7 percent whiff rate, and 45.8 percent strikeout rate. The 25-year-old will look to improve on his game in Triple-A and will likely be called up again if not later this year, in the next year or two.
Source: New York Yankees
Source: New York Yankees
Bryan Torres Gets Called up to the Big Leagues
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Bryan Torres is expected to get the call to the big leagues ahead of Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Torres is set to join the Major League roster, with Nathan Church (lower body) heading to the Injured List. Torres is well deserving of a call-up after crushing the ball in Triple-A. The 28-year-old is slashing .336/.454/.477 with two home runs and 16 RBI this season in Triple-A. He has also stolen 10 bases, so he can do a little bit of everything. Torres is someone to keep an eye on in deep leagues, assuming he can translate the skills from Triple-A to The Show.
Source: Jeff Jones
Source: Jeff Jones
Brenton Doyle Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Contusion
Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Thursday, retroactive to May 20. Doyle suffered a left oblique contusion while attempting to make a diving play during Tuesday's game. The Rockies tried to take it day-to-day, but Doyle will need an extended period of time to recover. In a corresponding move, infielder Chad Stevens has been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take his place on the active roster. The expectation is that Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy will see increased playing time in center field while Doyle is sidelined.
Source: Rockies PR
Source: Rockies PR
Gage Wood to Make Double-A Debut on Friday, Could See Late-Season Call-Up
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Gage Wood has received the call-up to Double-A Reading. The right-hander is set to make his debut with Double-A on Friday. He earned the promotion after posting a 3.42 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 40:12 K:BB ratio across eight starts in Low-A Clearwater this season. Wood was the Phillies' first-round pick from the 2025 Draft and could be on the fast track to Philly. Given the Phillies' lack of viable pitching depth, Wood making his MLB debut this season shouldn't be ruled out. Fantasy managers in deep leagues should keep an eye on Wood as the season goes on. He could be a possible call-up candidate if he continues having this kind of success going forward.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
Jeff Hoffman Earns Fourth Save, Worth Picking up?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman was tasked with shutting down the New York Yankees on Thursday. The right-hander was handed the ball with a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Hoffman has been working in a setup role since being pulled from the closer gig earlier in the season. The Jays gave him a chance to prove himself on Thursday, and Hoffman delivered. Hoffman tossed a scoreless inning, while striking out two batters to earn his fourth save of the season. The right-hander could slowly be earning his way back into the closer role going forward. He could be worth an add in deep leagues as he gains more trust in the Jays pen.
Source: mlb
Source: mlb
Tarik Skubal Trade Likelihood is on the Rise
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (elbow) could be on his way out of town sooner rather than later. It's almost certain at this point that Skubal is going to test free agency this winter. The chances of the southpaw getting moved are rising with the Tigers falling in the standings. The Tigers have lost 14 of their last 16 games and are currently five games out of the Wild Card, while sitting in last place in their division. Skubal appears to be making good progress and could return to the mound sooner than expected. The southpaw is currently recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. His eventual return is good for the Tigers, but is unlikely to shift the direction of this team, with Detroit having a handful of pitchers on the Injured List. It could be in the best interest of the organization to trade Skubal for whatever they can get before he leaves in free agency after the season.
Source: Jon Heyman
Source: Jon Heyman
Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (thumb) was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins. Acuna exited the game in the sixth inning due to a bone bruise on his left thumb. He suffered the injury while making a catch earlier in the contest. Before leaving the game, Acuna went 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles and two RBI. He already underwent X-rays, which came back negative. Acuna has been pushing to return to the lineup for Friday's game against the Washington Nationals. Fantasy managers should consider Acuna day-to-day. There's a chance that the superstar outfielder is back in the lineup on Friday, so fantasy managers should check back ahead of that contest.
Source: Grant McAuley
Source: Grant McAuley
Pirates Promoting Esmerlyn Valdez, Viewed as Priority Waiver-Wire Target?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting outfielder/first baseman Esmerlyn Valdez from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, a source told Pirates insider Jason Mackey. In a corresponding move, the team optioned outfielder Billy Cook to Indy. The 22-year-old is considered Pittsburgh's No. 9 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the Dominican should have an opportunity to play alongside fellow outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia in right field with Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) currently on the injured list. Valdez will receive his first major-league call-up after hitting .253/.381/.506 with an .888 OPS, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, and 25 runs scored in 46 games across 194 plate appearances at Triple-A. The 6-foot-2, 234-pound right-handed hitter has intriguing raw power and has matured as a hitter this year on the farm to lower his swing-and-miss and chase rate. Because Valdez will most likely be in a platoon against left-handed pitchers, fantasy managers shouldn't overspend to roster him in mixed leagues in his first taste of the major leagues.
Source: Jason Mackey
Source: Jason Mackey
Trent Grisham Out on Thursday With Knee Injury
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (knee) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale in the Bronx against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, according to MLB.com. Rookie Spencer Jones will make the start in center field and will hit sixth against Blue Jays right-hander Braydon Fisher. Grisham injured his knee early in Wednesday's game against Toronto while running out a double, and he'll take a seat a day later in the series finale. It's unclear how serious the left-handed-hitting outfielder's injury is, but apparently, he's optimistic that he won't need to go on the injured list. The 29-year-old former first-rounder in 2015 by the Milwaukee Brewers had the best year of his career in 2025 in his second year with the Yankees, slashing .235/.348/.464 with an .811 OPS, 34 home runs, and 74 RBI in 143 regular-season games, but that's looking more like an outlier. Grisham currently has a .174 average (27-for-155) with six homers and 27 RBI, although he's sporting a nice 30:35 BB:K in 187 plate appearances. UPDATE: Imaging on Grisham's left knee came back clean on Thursday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
