June 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Hunter Barco spun another gem for Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday, allowing one earned run on one hit (a home run), one hit batsman, and no walks while striking out seven batters. This comes after six shutout innings last week in which he walked just one and struck out six. After not allowing a single run in his first six starts at Double-A, the former second-round draft pick was promoted to Triple-A, now with a 3.69 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 16.1 percent K-BB% for the Indians. With a few more starts like the last two, Barco could earn himself a major league debut this season, however, the southpaw isn't a stash candidate at this time.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
June 30, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado (finger) is at the hot corner and is batting fifth for Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the division-rival Pirates and left-hander
Andrew Heaney at PNC Park. Arenado was lifted early as a precaution in Sunday's series finale against the Cleveland Guardians after he jammed his right index finger while running to first base. The injury wasn't a serious one, but it will be worth watching to see if it affects the 34-year-old veteran at the plate to close out the first half of the season. Arenado has gone hitless in nine career at-bats against Heaney and is in just the 26th percentile in expected slugging percentage. The eight-time All-Star's power is down for a second straight season (10 homers in 79 games), but he has been better at the plate in June, slashing .283/.317/.434 with four homers, three doubles, 14 RBI and 14 runs in 26 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies activated first baseman
Bryce Harper (wrist) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and designated third baseman
Buddy Kennedy for assignment in a corresponding move, according to MLB.com's Paul Casella. Harper is back at first base and is hitting third for Monday's series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres and right-hander
Matt Waldron. The 32-year-old two-time MVP will skip a minor-league rehab assignment despite missing over three weeks with inflammation in his right wrist. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups immediately against a pitcher who he has a solo home run against in five career at-bats. Harper will be returning to a .258/.368/.446 slash line with an .814 OPS, nine home runs, 34 RBI, 32 runs scored and eight stolen bases in his 213 at-bats.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Paul Casella
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-handed reliever
Paul Sewald (shoulder) has made two minor-league rehab appearances with Double-A Akron on June 24 and June 27 and could come off the 15-day injured list by mid-July, according to MLB.com. Sewald is working his way back from a right posterior deltoid strain and was originally placed on the IL on April 29. In his three innings of work at Akron on his rehab assignment, the 35-year-old veteran has allowed two earned runs while walking none and striking out three. Despite the fact that Sewald had a 6.17 ERA in 11 2/3 innings of relief for the Guardians before his injury this year, he did have a save, only two walks and 15 strikeouts. He has 85 career saves in the big leagues in his nine seasons and should return to a late-inning setup role in Cleveland in front of closer
Emmanuel Clase when he's back.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Washington Nationals pitching prospect
Travis Sykora made his Double-A debut on Sunday with mixed results. Impressively, the right-hander struck out five of the first six batters he faced, however, eight of the next 13 batters reached base via hit or walk. All told, the Nats' top prospect allowed four earned runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Command wasn't an issue before this latest start, registering an 8.0 percent walk rate in the previous 30 starts in his minor league career, which is right around average. Perhaps the 6-foot-6 hurler was working on some things, so look for him to take a step forward in his next start, which should come later this week.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
June 30, 2025
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has been selected to play in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game on July 12. The 2024 first-rounder was recently promoted to Double-A Wichita after slashing .293/.385/.479 with nine home runs and 15 stolen bases. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect has hit the ground running at Double-A, reaching base in each of the first eight games he played at that level either via hit or walk. The 22-year-old is 9-for-33 (.273) with a pair of home runs, a stolen base, and a 5:8 BB:K for the Wind Surge. With a good showing, the product out of Kansas State should spend time at Triple-A next year and could be knocking on the door to the majors in the second half. He's got good pop to go along with some speed and a first-round pedigree, so he's a prospect worth keeping an eye on in dynasty formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-handed reliever
Trevor Stephan (elbow) has made six minor-league rehab appearances with Triple-A Columbus, Double-A Akron and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and most recently threw a scoreless inning with a hit and a strikeout at Akron on Friday, according to MLB.com. In 7 1/3 innings on his rehab assignment, Stephan has allowed five earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out nine. The 29-year-old reliever is recovering from UCL reconstruction and has yet to make his 2025 season debut, but MLB.com expects him to return to Cleveland's bullpen at some point in July. When he does finally come off the 60-day injured list, the former third-round pick by the New York Yankees could eventually become a late-inning setup option for the Guards after saving six games in his first three MLB seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates first base/outfield prospect
Esmerlyn Valdez is headed to Double-A Altoona. The right-handed hitter was leading the South Atlantic League in hits (84), doubles (18), home runs (20), RBI (57), batting average (.303), slugging (.592), and OPS (.977) before his promotion, and leading some by a wide margin. The 21-year-old is coming off a 22-homer campaign in 2024 at Single-A, but it came with a 30.6 percent strikeout rate. The 6-foot-2 Dominican will blow past that home run total from a season ago, and thus far, he's been able to do it with a reduced strikeout rate of 24.5 percent despite the increase in level. Although he is currently not ranked within the Pirates' top 30 prospects, he could be by the time the list is refreshed, and at this rate, he could be pushing for a major league promotion sometime later next year.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
June
30,
2025
Miami
Marlins
catching
prospect
Joe
Mack
homered
on
Sunday
in
a
2-for-4
day
at
the
plate
for
Triple-A
Jacksonville.
It
was
the
third
home
run
in
his
last
four
games,
and
the hits
extended
his
current
hit
read more...
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
John Means (elbow) has progressed to throwing live batting practice, per MLB.com. According to president Chris Antonetti, Means' timetable for a return in 2025 is in the late-August to early-September range. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw began throwing off a mound in late June as he attempts to return from a second Tommy John surgery. The former 11th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 out of West Virginia made his lone All-Star team in his second year in the big leagues in 2019, but he has only made 25-plus starts in the majors twice in his seven years in the league. Since 2022, Means has managed to make only 10 starts, although he did have a nice 2.75 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 33:8 K:BB in 52 1/3 innings. Given the fact that Means may not make his big-league return until late this season, fantasy managers can continue to ignore him in most formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Shane Bieber (elbow) is expected to progress to throwing live batting practice this week, according to MLB.com. Bieber threw bullpen sessions featuring all of his pitches on June 24, 26 and 27 as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old veteran is currently on the 60-day injured list but could be activated to make his 2025 season debut by mid-to-late July. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Bieber doesn't make it back until August, but barring a setback, he's fully expected to rejoin the Guardians' starting rotation at some point in the second half. While Bieber could be useful as a back-of-the-rotation arm in mixed fantasy leagues, expectations should be tempered for a pitcher who looked like he was on the decline before his elbow issues. The former Cy Young winner's velocity and strikeout rates had dropped noticeably in 2023.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Cade Smith (back) is feeling better after back spasms cropped up during pre-game batting practice on June 25, according to MLB.com. The Guardians will re-evaluate Smith during their scheduled day off on Monday, which means he could be available out of the bullpen for the series opener on Tuesday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. The 26-year-old Canadian reliever also had an injury scare earlier in June when he took a comebacker off his forehead, but he remained in the game after being checked by the medical staff. Smith has been a valuable member of Cleveland's bullpen in his second year in the major leagues, posting a 2.36 ERA (1.31 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP, a career-high three saves, 53 strikeouts and 13 walks in 34 1/3 innings pitched in 36 appearances out of the bullpen.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Yu Darvish (elbow) recovered well from a three-inning, 51-pitch simulated game against Single-A Lake Elsinore on June 25 and then threw a 31-pitch bullpen session on Saturday in Cincinnati, according to MLB.com. Manager Mike Shildt said that Darvish "felt great" afterwards, and the next step could be another simulated game. Darvish is currently on the 60-day injured list and hasn't pitched yet in 2025 for the Padres, but if he continues to progress, he could come off the IL to make his season debut before the mid-July All-Star break. The Friars could surely use the 38-year-old veteran Japanese hurler back with
Michael King (shoulder) and
Ryan Bergert (forearm) also on the IL. Darvish is no longer in his prime and had a career-low 23.6% strikeout rate last year, but he can still be useful in mixed fantasy leagues in the right matchups.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (triceps) got a positive report from Dr. Gregory J. Paul in Texas on June 17 and threw off a mound on June 25. McClanahan is now scheduled to move to a full-intensity bullpen session on Tuesday, July 1, per MLB.com. The 28-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched all year to this point while recovering from nerve irritation in his left triceps. He's currently on the 60-day injured list but could be able to make his 2025 season debut for the Rays at some point in August if he can avoid any further setbacks as he ramps up his throwing program. Although McClanahan still has a ways to go before potentially returning to the big-league rotation, he's worth stashing in all fantasy leagues because of his high-end strikeout upside when he's healthy. He missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 30, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (ankle, elbow, shoulder) wasn't at his best in his minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Nashville, but it's expected to be his last one before making his 2025 debut with the Brewers. Woodruff allowed four earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out one in 3 2/3 innings against Triple-A Jacksonville. The 32-year-old veteran was making his 10th rehab start after multiple setbacks with his ankle and elbow. Woodruff had right-shoulder surgery in the fall of 2023 and missed all of last season, but he's on the cusp of being activated from the injured list to rejoin Milwaukee's starting rotation. He threw 53 of his 82 pitches for strikes and should make his first start of the year this weekend against the Miami Marlins in a great matchup for fantasy purposes. Scoop Woodruff up now off the waiver wire if he's available.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
RADIO
