April 3, 2026
Minnesota Twins' right-handed reliever,
Cole Sands, appeared in his second game of the 2026 season on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals and allowed his first run of the season, and more concerningly from a fantasy standpoint, was deployed in a non-save situation. He was brought in to start the eighth inning with the Twins up 2-0 in that contest.
Justin Topa ended up getting the save for the Twins in the ninth, while
Taylor Rogers came in to record the last out of the eighth inning, as Sands was only able to record the first two outs of the inning after allowing two hits and the earned run on 11 pitches, nine of which were strikes. From a fantasy standpoint, this opens up the possibility that the Twins will not deploy this bullpen conventionally, where Sands will be guaranteed to pick up most, if not all, ninth-inning opportunities after recording a save in the Twins' first win in Baltimore, and they will be deployed depending on matchup and where the opponents are in their lineup, which hinders Sands' fantasy value as a true closer. Sands' fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on this situation as the season progresses.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Minnesota Twins' right-handed pitcher
Taj Bradley has performed well through two starts this season, throwing 10 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing eight hits, one earned run, four walks, 12 strikeouts, and posting a 0.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Bradley has shown flashes in the pan throughout his first couple of seasons at the big league level with the Tampa Bay Rays before being dealt to Minnesota this past offseason, but has not been able to consistently string starts together throughout his four-year MLB career. So much so that it resulted in a trip to Triple-A last season with the Rays organization. Pitching for the Twins, who are currently 2-4 to start the season, likely aren't going to be serious contenders in 2026, which will likely give Bradley a longer leash to see what he can really do, considering he's 25-years young, making him worth a waiver-wire add because of his potential strikeout upside. In his first season in MLB back in 2023, Bradley posted a 28.3 percent strike rate. Bradley's next turn in the rotation is lining up to be a much tougher matchup against their other AL Central opponent, the Detroit Tigers, early next week.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: RotoBaller
April 3, 2026
Chicago White Sox left-handed pitching prospect
Noah Schultz has looked sharp to begin the campaign at Triple-A and could contend for his MLB debut much sooner than expected this season. The southpaw has appeared in two Triple-A games (one start) and logged nine innings while allowing just one run. He has walked only two hitters and racked up 10 punchouts. This is an excellent sign for his development as the budding ace struggled in his first taste of Triple-A in 2025, logging a hefty 9.37 ERA with a 1.96 WHIP over a short 16 1/3-inning stint. He spent most of the 2025 season with Double-A Birmingham, where he held a 3.34 ERA with a modest 1.59 WHIP over 56 2/3 innings. If Schultz can continue to improve his command and enjoy steady production, he should debut in the coming months.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 3, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect
Jett Williams fell just short of making the Opening Day roster out of camp, but should be in the mix to earn the call to Milwaukee in the near future. Williams was the centerpiece of one of the prominent trades this offseason that sent
Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets. Williams was competing alongside
Joey Ortiz,
Luis Rengifo, and
David Hamilton for a role at either the hot corner or shortstop on the MLB roster, but was unable to find a role. Williams enjoyed a hot start with Triple-A Nashville, tallying at least one hit in each of his first three games, but he has gone hitless over his last two. Last summer, he looked quite comfortable at Double-A, posting a .281/.390/.477 line with a .867 OPS, before posting a low .718 OPS at Triple-A Syracuse. Given that Ortiz held a low .230 AVG over 149 games last season and Hamilton has opened the campaign going 2-for-12, Williams should make his MLB debut sooner, rather than later.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 3, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect
Joshua Baez was in the mix to break camp with the MLB roster but ultimately fell short in the competition. He was instead optioned to Triple-A Memphis to begin the 2026 regular season. Over his first five games at the top level of the minor leagues, the former 54th overall selection has gone 6-for-22 with two doubles and a stolen base. Last summer, Baez held his own over 117 games shared between High-A and Double-A. During this combined stretch, the No. 87-ranked prospect in the sport (per MLB.com), held a strong .287/.384/.500 line with 20 home runs and an impressive 54 stolen bases. Currently, St. Louis is relying on
Nathan Church and
Jordan Walker in their corner outfield spots while
Lars Nootbaar (heel) remains on the 60-day IL. If either struggles for a longer period, Baez will likely get the call. He is worth stashing in deeper five-outfielder leagues given his high-end five-category skill set.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 3, 2026
Chicago White Sox left-handed pitching prospect
Hagen Smith has looked sharp to begin the season at Triple-A and is quickly approaching his MLB debut. The White Sox opted to send their former fifth overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft to Triple-A Charlotte to open the 2026 regular season. Over his first two outings (logging three innings in both), Smith has allowed just three runs (only two earned) while striking out nine with just one walk. His command was a blemish on his production last season as he allowed a hefty 56 free passes over a 75 2/3-inning stint with Double-A Birmingham. However, during this stint, Smith flashed his elite strikeout upside, totaling 108. If the young southpaw can continue to lower his walk rate, he should claim a spot in the rotation over
Erick Fedde or
Davis Martin in the near future.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 3, 2026
San Francisco Giants first base prospect
Bryce Eldridge continues to make a strong case to return to the major leagues in the near future. After a modest showing in spring training where the former 16th overall pick posted a low .225 AVG, the Giants opted to send him to Triple-A Sacramento to further his development. However, over his first five contests, Eldridge has posted a strong .278/.500/.333 line with a double and a 6:5 K:BB. The young slugger made his MLB debut in the second half of the 2025 campaign but held a low .107 AVG with a .476 OPS over a brief 10-game stint. Additionally, Eldridge carries high-end stash value as the Giants have not had consistent production at first base, especially when
Rafael Devers serves as the DH. Currently,
Casey Schmitt has taken on first base duties and has gone hitless in four of his seven starts. Given his high-end raw power and clear path to playing time, Eldridge carries high-end stash priority in all leagues ahead of Week 2.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 3, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitching prospect
Brody Hopkins is worth viewing as a deep-league stash candidate early in the 2026 regular season. Hopkins is considered the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay system and the No. 85-ranked overall in the sport, per MLB.com. The 24-year-old spent the entire 2025 campaign with Double-A Montgomery and logged 116 innings to the tune of a 2.72 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. During this stint, Hopkins struck out 141 hitters while walking 60. Given this steady production, the Rays moved Hopkins to Triple-A Durham at the start of the 2026 regular season. In his first outing, Hopkins logged four innings and allowed one run, two hits, and posted a 5:3 K:BB. If he can continue to improve his command, Hopkins may compete for an MLB debut before the All-Star break. His strikeout upside makes him an intriguing target for those in deeper formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 2, 2026
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher
Jose Quintana (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Thursday, retroactive to Monday. The veteran southpaw allowed two earned runs across 4.1 innings of work during his season debut on Sunday. He appears to have suffered a right hamstring strain during that start, which will knock him out for a few weeks. The severity of the injury is unknown right now, so it's unclear if Quintana will need any longer than the 15 days on the IL. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Valente Bellozo has been recalled to take Quintana's spot in the starting rotation. Neither pitcher figures to offer much upside in terms of fantasy value, so Quintana can likely be dropped for a healthy arm.
--Andy WebbSource: Patrick Lyons
April 2, 2026
Colorado Rockies outfielder
Mickey Moniak (finger) is expected to be activated from the Injured List ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rockies made some moves on Thursday, but still have an open roster spot ahead of this contest. With that being said, it seems likely the Rockies are keeping that open to activate Moniak before game-time. The 27-year-old has missed the first six games of the season due to a sprained finger. He'll hopefully be ready to go for the home series opener, but fantasy managers should check back ahead of first pitch. Last season, Moniak slashed .270/.306/.518 with a career-high 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 135 games with the Rockies. He could offer value in mixed leagues, but Moniak isn't a must-have player.
--Andy WebbSource: Patrick Lyons
April 2, 2026
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher
Michael Wacha (illness) has been scratched from his scheduled start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. It appears the veteran right-hander is feeling under the weather, so he'll be pulled from this start, but shouldn't need to be placed on the Injured List.
Luinder Avila has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make the start on Friday night. Avila registered a 1.29 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 16:6 K/BB ratio across 13 relief appearances with the Royals last season. The 24-year-old has been mainly working as a starter in the minors, but he still might not pitch deep into this game. The rest of the Royals' starters will remain the same, with
Seth Lugo on Saturday and
Kris Bubic on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: Anne Rogers
April 2, 2026
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher
Spencer Strider (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday in Phoenix. Strider is currently working his way back from an oblique issue that has kept him sidelined since the end of Spring Training. If everything goes well, Strider should be cleared to face live hitters next. He'll likely need a few weeks to ramp up activities and build up stamina before rejoining the Braves rotation. There's a chance that Strider is ready to rejoin the Braves' rotation by the end of April, but there's no exact timetable at the moment. The right-hander should be stashed on the IL in most fantasy formats right now.
--Andy WebbSource: Chad Bishop
April 2, 2026
Atlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (hip) was able to catch three innings of a simulated game on Wednesday without any issues. Murphy is currently with High-A Rome while he works his way back from right hip surgery. He has been sidelined since the beginning of Spring Training, but Murphy is now heading in the right direction. He'll likely need to work his way up to catching full games before he's activated from the 10-day Injured List. The expectation is that he'll start a rehab assignment soon and appears to be on track to return around late April or early May.
Drake Baldwin should continue doing most of the catching while Murphy is out.
--Andy WebbSource: Chad Bishop
April 2, 2026
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Nick Lodolo (finger) exited his rehab outing early with Low-A Daytona on Thursday evening. The southpaw was expected to throw around 60-65 pitches in this outing, but managed to throw only 40 before leaving the bump early. Lodolo completed 2 2/3 shutout frames with no hits or walks and struck out four hitters. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as the 28-year-old could be sidelined for a longer period if he is unable to make any steady progress in his recovery. Lodolo was not expected to have a long stint on the injured list, but will now likely require several more rehab outings to build up his workload. For the time being, managers should continue to view Lodolo as a priority stash option in all standard leagues. When active, he will likely replace
Brandon Williamson in the starting rotation.
--Andy SmithSource: Charlie Goldsmith
April 2, 2026
Cincinnati Reds second baseman
Matt McLain has struggled early in the 2026 season, slashing .190 AVG, .370 OBP, and .238 SLG with four hits in six games. McLain broke out in his 2023 rookie year but has faced challenges since missing the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury. Despite the slow start, his expected slugging percentage sits at .469, which suggests better results could follow. The 26-year-old may be dealing with poor early luck, and if his underlying metrics hold, McLain could begin to trend back toward his previous form in the coming weeks.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
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