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Vinnie Pasquantino Back From Injured List, Starting on Monday
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) from the 10-day injured list, and he is starting at first base and batting fifth in the series opener at Kauffman Stadium against the Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has only six home runs and 33 RBI in 79 games so far in 2026 after hitting 32 home runs and driving in 113 runs in 160 games played a year ago. Pasquantino had surgery back on June 14 to fix a broken hamate bone in his right hand, and he had to go back on the IL due to soreness in his right wrist that kept him out for almost three more weeks. The Pasquatch's hand/wrist issues this year have sapped him of his power, but he is worth picking back up to see if he can help in the power department the rest of the way. Although he has disappointed in his fifth year in the majors with the Royals, Pasquantino has only struck out 17.9% of the time and has walked 11% of the time in his 336 plate appearances. He has gone hitless in just three career at-bats against Barnett.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Cooper Ingle Slowing Down at Triple-A in August
Cleveland Guardians catcher and outfield prospect Cooper Ingle is having a bit of a slow August in his return to Triple-A Columbus. He is hitting just 9-for-41 (.220) and has two homers to go with nine RBI in 11 games this month. Ingle saw some time with the Guardians, getting 21 at bats with the big-league club and failing to produce with only two hits and two RBI. Ingle had a productive July at Columbus to try to make the case for another shot in Cleveland but his momentum has slowed a bit. Ingle is the No. 5 prospect in the Guardians' system and has a 55-grade hit tool with just 45-grade power. The Guardians are playing Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges at catcher right now so it's not looking like Ingle will get another shot at catcher. Right now it's best to leave Ingle on the waiver wire in redraft leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Maikel Garcia Reinstated From Injured List and Starting on Monday
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) from the 10-day injured list, and he will start at third base and bat cleanup in his return in the series opener at home against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett. Fantasy managers in need of stolen bases should look to scoop Garcia up right away if he is available in your league. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been injured for much of the year and has not lived up to expectations after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 23 bases in 2025, but he could do some damage for fantasy managers the rest of the way. Garcia will return to a .261/.320/.373 slash line with a .693 OPS, three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 69 games and 294 plate appearances. He racked up 83 stolen bases from 2023 to 2025 with the Royals and is eligible at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. Garcia went 4-for-10 at the plate with a double and a steal in three minor-league rehab games last week with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
River Ryan Nearing Injury Return and Could Be a Candidate for MLB Roster
Detroit Tigers pitching prospect River Ryan is recovering from a right hamstring strain that he suffered before he was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Tigers in the Tarik Skubal trade. He has been on the IL and rehabbing with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Ryan could make a return and potentially pitch for the Tigers. Or the Tigers could leave him at Toledo and give him more work in the minors. It is a little bit of a risky dilemma for fantasy managers. Should they take a chance on Ryan who already made his major league debut with the Dodgers? With Oklahoma City, in the Pacific Coast League, Ryan was 3-1 this year with a 4.46 ERA and 1.29 WHIP to go with 43 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched. Ryan is 28 years old and has brief MLB experience back in 2024. The Tigers could give him another look at the end of this year. Fantasy managers will want to pay attention.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Grade 2 Oblique Strain for Dansby Swanson, Could Miss 4-6 Weeks
ESPN's Jesse Rogers is hearing that Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (oblique) suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain, which carries a normal timetable of four to six weeks. It would leave him ready for the postseason, but fantasy managers might be without him for the rest of the 2026 regular season. The 32-year-old veteran is expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list before Monday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox after he injured himself on his first swing of the day in Sunday's series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should not feel the need to keep Swanson stashed, as he might not be back until mid-September in a best-case scenario. In the meantime, the Cubs will slide Nico Hoerner from second base to shortstop, with Pedro Ramirez most likely to see most of the playing time at the keystone going forward. In his fourth year with the Cubs, Swanson has hit a career-low .216 (87-for-403) but has 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 78 runs scored in his 119 games played and 458 plate appearances.
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
Parks Harber Making Case For MLB Promotion at Age 24
San Francisco Giants third base prospect Parks Harber is having a solid age 24 season in the minors but could need some more seasoning before getting an MLB debut. After starting the season in Double-A, Harber was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on July 17. With Sacramento, Harber totaled 104 at bats and hit .317 with five homers and 22 RBI along with a .917 OPS showing off his on-base skills. In all, between two teams, Harber hit .294 with 17 homers and 69 RBI. The right-handed hitter is the No. 13 prospect for the Giants and has 55-grade power and a 45-grade hit tool. The 6-foot-3, 217 pounder has the looks of a future major league regular but it is unknown if the Giants will decide to call him up before the end of this season or wait until next year to have him debut at the beginning of the 2027 season. Redraft managers will have to make a similar decision whether to take a risk on Harber.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Trea Turner Back for Monday's Series Opener
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (knee) is back at shortstop and is batting second for Monday's series opener at home against the division-rival Miami Marlins and right-hander Janson Junk, per MLB.com. Turner fouled a ball off his right knee on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins and was held out of the series finale on Sunday at Target Field as a precaution. The veteran shortstop is ready to begin a new week and should be returned to starting lineups in traditional fantasy formats. The 33-year-old three-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger winner is hitting only .247 (122-for-493) after batting a league-high .304 last year, but he's three home runs and three stolen bases away from the fourth 20-20 season of his MLB career in his 12th year in the majors. Turner has gone 13-for-53 (.245) with a .675 OPS, only one home run, three doubles, four RBI, and seven runs scored so far in 13 games in August. He is searching for his first hit against Junk but has only had three career at-bats against him going into Monday's contest.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Oneil Cruz Activated From the 60-Day Injured List
The Pittsburgh Pirates are activating outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) from the 60-day injured list on Monday and are optioning outfielder Ronny Simon to Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move, according to Danny Demilio of PGH Sports Now. Cruz will not be in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at home against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander Framber Valdez, but he will be the team's starting center fielder the rest of the way. The 27-year-old Dominican left-handed hitter should immediately be reinserted into all starting fantasy lineups as he returns from a fractured left hand that kept him out since June 7. Before his injury, Cruz was slashing .264/.350/.472 with an .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 45 runs scored across 64 games and 283 plate appearances. In six minor-league rehab games with Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona, Cruz went 3-for-22 at the plate with a stolen base. Cruz is rostered in 95% of Yahoo leagues for his ability to contribute across all categories when he is healthy.
Source: PGH Baseball Now - Danny Demilio
Source: PGH Baseball Now - Danny Demilio
Lazaro Montes Continuing to Show Power at Triple-A
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes has three homers in his last five games after going on a three-game homer streak on Wednesday at Triple-A Tacoma. That brought Montes' homer total on the season to 35 between Double-A Arkansas and Tacoma. He has 87 combined RBI with 92 runs scored while hitting .251. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners system and has an elite power profile with 65-grade power. His hit tool is graded at 45, so his overall hitting and batting average could be a question mark for fantasy purposes, but his power display this season should leave fantasy managers anticipating his promotion to Seattle for an MLB debut. The Mariners could certainly use Montes' powerful bat in their lineup and he looks like a good end-of-season stash just in case he gets the call up.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Cam Cannarella Surging Through Minors at Age 22
Miami Marlins outfield prospect Cam Cannarella is on his third minor-league team of the season after his second promotion of the year on July 17 to the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Cannarella has played 21 games for Jacksonville and is hitting 21-for-74 (.284) with one homer and four RBI to go with six stolen bases. Between his three teams this season at age 22, Cannarella is hitting .341 with 13 homers and 49 RBI to go with 16 stolen bases. The No. 6 prospect in the Marlins system, Cannarella has a 60-grade run tool along with a 55-grade hit tool. The left-handed hitter still likely needs development time in the minors given that he started the season at High-A ball. He is best left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues and is more of a future asset in dynasty leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Ralphy Velazquez Making Case For Call-Up With Red-Hot Month
Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is doing everything in his power to prove himself MLB-ready with a power surge at Triple-A Columbus in August. This month, Velazquez is hitting .341 with eight homers and 14 RBI in 44 at bats. Velazquez, the No. 2 prospect for the Guardians, is a nice pickup in fantasy leagues in anticipation of a call-up. Redraft managers will hope for a promotion soon as the Guardians could use some extra power in their lineup despite making a trade-deadline move and acquiring first baseman Nate Lowe. At age 21, Velazquez is having a stellar season at Columbus with 21 homers and 68 RBI while hitting .284 with 60 runs scored. Cleveland already called up top prospect Angel Genao, but the power profile of Velazquez is still appealing and he has the ability to potentially play in the outfield. He is looking like a priority addition to fantasy teams.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Brewers Shortstop Prospect Luis Pena Promoted to Double-A
The Milwaukee Brewers announced that shortstop prospect Luis Pena is being promoted to Double-A Biloxi this week. Pena earned the promotion to the Shuckers after hitting .298/.384/.420 with an .804 OPS, two home runs, 23 RBI, 27 stolen bases, and 40 runs scored in 51 games and 219 plate appearances at High-A Wisconsin this year. The Brewers dangled the 19-year-old Dominican infielder as the centerpiece in their offer to the Detroit Tigers for ace left-hander Tarik Skubal, who was eventually dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this month. Pena had a scary incident in late April when he collapsed in the dugout due to being overheated, but he's fine now and will be looking to finish off his 2026 campaign strong at Biloxi. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder swings from the right side of the plate and brings plenty of bat speed and high exit velocities, although he will need to improve his plate discipline and approach against offspeed pitches. Pena also brings plus speed and aggressiveness on the base paths. With top prospect Jesus Made ahead of him in the Brewers' pipeline, Pena will most likely move to second or third base in the long term if he sticks in Milwaukee.
Source: Milwaukee Brewers
Source: Milwaukee Brewers
Nationals are "Reluctant" to Move Seaver King to the Majors
Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues who have been stashing Washington Nationals middle-infield prospect Seaver King all year shouldn't necessarily be expecting him to make his major-league debut late this year now that the Nats are moving CJ Abrams to second base, according to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. King, who is a top-100 prospect in MLB and Washington's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has had a breakout 2026 campaign at Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester, slashing a combined .316/.398/.529 with a .928 OPS, 14 home runs, 59 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and 66 runs scored across 82 games played and 375 plate appearances. According to people familiar with the team's thinking, the Nationals are "reluctant" to rush King to the majors, and he can still benefit from more at-bats and defensive reps at Rochester. Nationals officials are also interested to see whether Abrams and Nasim Nunez can thrive in their flipped roles up the middle. Nunez offers more defensive upside and stability at the 6, but he's hitting just .228 with a .578 OPS in 408 plate appearances. In theory, Nusbaum writes that the Nationals could keep King at Triple-A for the rest of the season. There are multiple things to consider here for the Nats, but the optics of moving an All-Star (Abrams) off his primary position, and then having a rookie take his spot, "could have awkward consequences," especially if King is eventually moved off shortstop in the coming years.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Giants Promote Pitching Prospect Matt Wilkinson to the Big Leagues
The San Francisco Giants are calling up left-handed pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson to the majors on Monday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Wilkinson was acquired in the trade that sent catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians. The 23-year-old Canadian southpaw was taken by Cleveland in the 10th round in 2023 from Central Arizona College. Wilkinson will receive his first taste in the big leagues with San Fran after going 6-6 with a 3.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 96:31 K:BB in 90 innings pitched over 20 starts across four minor-league stops this year in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and at Double-A Richmond, Double-A Akron, and Triple-A Sacramento. MLB Pipeline doesn't currently have Wilkinson ranked among the Giants' top-30 prospects, but he could be getting a shot in the team's big-league starting rotation if veteran right-hander Logan Webb (back, shoulder) is forced to the injured list this week. At Sacramento, Wilkinson went 3-4 with a 5.15 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 43:17 K:BB in his 10 starts (43 2/3 frames). Only fantasy managers in NL-only leagues should be considering Wilkinson off the waiver wire if he enters San Francisco's starting rotation.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Max Clark Could be a Difference-Maker Off the Waiver Wire
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark is the team's top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and is also ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect in baseball. Since the Tigers brought Clark up for his major-league debut on July 31, he's gone 15-for-58 (.259) with a home run, two doubles, two triples, eight RBI, and seven runs scored in 15 games played and 63 plate appearances. The 21-year-old former third overall pick in 2023 got the call to the Show after slashing .276/.368/.434 with an .802 OPS, 11 home runs, 42 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 65 runs scored in 90 games and 418 plate appearances at Triple-A Toledo. Clark is mostly intriguing for fantasy managers in single-year leagues the rest of the 2026 season for his plus-plus speed on the basepaths, but he also has enough pop from the left side to produce average power from his 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame. He's obviously still young, and although he's not going to make an immediate impact from a power standpoint, he can hit for average and steal plenty of bases in the final month and a half of the season. Clark is rostered in just over 30% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
