Sep 3, 2026, 2:52 PM ET

San Francisco Giants infield/outfield prospect Parks Harber is mired in a terrible slump, and just when it looked like there was a glimmer of hope for an MLB debut in 2026, the recent stretch of futility at the plate has likely pushed any chances for a debut to 2027. The Giants' 13th-ranked prospect has collected just one hit in his last 26 at-bats, producing a .038 average during that time with a 30.0 percent strikeout rate. The slash line at Triple-A Sacramento is still good at .266/.363/.416 with five home runs in 39 games, and the 6-foot-3 slugger's future still looks bright, but look for Harber to have a fantasy impact next season, not this year. Fantasy managers who were mulling whether or not to stash him can safely leave the 24-year-old on the waiver wire.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 2:36 PM ET

Detroit Tigers infield prospect Max Anderson is making a push for a late-season debut in the majors as he's produced a .340 average over his last 13 games for Triple-A Toledo, including three doubles and a home run, while drawing walks at a 14.8 percent clip during that time. It has pushed a slash line that was already solid even higher, to .306/.392/.492, with 14 home runs and nearly as many walks (48) as strikeouts (55). The former second-rounder boasts a low 12.9 percent strikeout rate (92nd percentile) and has enough power to barrel up extra-base hits, which would make him fantasy-relevant whenever he gets to the big leagues. He's not on the 40-man roster and won't challenge Kevin McGonigle or Gleyber Torres for playing time unless one of the two were injured, but the 2025 Arizona Fall League MVP could get a crack at third base or designated hitter. In anticipation of a late-season debut, fantasy managers in deeper 12+ team leagues could consider stashing the 24-year-old as a potential three- or four-category contributor.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 2:20 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers corner infield prospect Luke Adams returned from the injured list on August 22 and went 4-for-10 (.400) with seven walks compared to just two strikeouts during that time, leading to an amazing .667 on-base percentage in that limited sample. However, the Brewers' 13th-ranked prospect was placed on the IL again on August 30. A third and separate injured list stint earlier this season kept him out for over a month, so the right-handed hitter has been limited to just 67 games for the Sounds. In that time, he has produced a .251 average with 13 home runs along with a phenomenal .418 OBP thanks to a 14.3 percent walk rate that has seen him tally more walks (40) than strikeouts (39) thus far. With a low chase rate and plenty of hard contact, the former 12th-round draft pick could be intriguing for fantasy were he to have a minimum IL stint and earn a late-season promotion, so managers in deeper 12+ team leagues, especially those in OBP leagues, should monitor his progress.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 2:14 PM ET

Detroit Tigers pitching prospect River Ryan (hamstring) remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that has prevented him from pitching in a game since mid June. The Tigers' fourth-ranked prospect came over in the trade that sent two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers, and although Zyhir Hope may have been the "headliner" in the deal, the right-hander immediately slotted in as the organization's top pitching prospect, so he is a highly regarded talent. He's also further along in age than most prospects, so the 28-year-old came over as a player who is ready to step into the big league rotation quickly. His career was derailed by Tommy John surgery, with the 6-foot-2 hurler making a brief debut in the majors back in 2024, but he was fully recovered and looking sharp before suffering the hamstring injury (22.2 percent K-BB%). The last update a couple of weeks ago was that he was throwing bullpen sessions, so he should be nearing a rehab assignment, and for those managers with eyes on the fantasy playoffs, there aren't many who are as big-league-ready as Ryan, so despite the injury, he's a worthy stash in hopes of a late-season call-up.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 1:13 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) has not pitched in a game since July 3 against the San Diego Padres due to inflammation in his left knee and occasional flare-ups of right-biceps discomfort, but he has remained in the everyday lineup as the designated hitter. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts said he plans to talk with the four-time MVP and the team's training staff to gauge what is best for Ohtani going forward. The skipper said it is "unlikely" that the Dodgers will completely shut the Japanese superstar down and put him on the injured list, but he also left open the possibility that his stance could change. A day off could be coming for Ohtani, but Roberts does not think that an IL stint would guarantee that Ohtani can get back to 100% this season. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this week that he still thinks Ohtani can pitch in a game this season, but fantasy managers hoping he can help them in the postseason should not be as optimistic. The reality is that Ohtani's health issues are now affecting him at the plate, as he posted a .795 OPS in August, the lowest mark in any month of his first three seasons with the Dodgers, and his worst since his opening month in the big leagues in 2022. Since Aug. 15, he is hitting .203 with a .742 OPS. In the extra-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, Ohtani went hitless in six plate appearances with four strikeouts. He is clearly not himself right now due to nagging injuries, so fantasy managers should expect him to see some rest here soon.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

Sep 3, 2026, 11:59 AM ET

Across 280 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in early June, Colorado Rockies outfielder/shortstop Cole Carrigg is hitting .262/.341/.439 with six home runs, 37 RBI, 39 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 24-year-old's power upside is limited, as he's logged subpar barrel (5.3%) and hard-hit (34.0%) rates. However, Carrigg has emerged as Colorado's near-everyday center fielder and often hits in a premium spot in the team's lineup. Carrigg was also a high-end base stealer in the minor leagues, swiping 46 bags across 123 games at Double-A in 2025. While Carrigg has not been quite as aggressive early in his big-league career, six of his eight stolen bases this year have come since the All-Star break. Between his speed upside and his hitter-friendly home environment in Colorado, Carrigg carries clear waiver wire appeal.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:47 AM ET

Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte has hit the ground running. Across 376 plate appearances this year, the 23-year-old is hitting .274/.350/.389 with eight home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. Swing-and-miss is a potential red flag in his profile, as he's struck out in 27.4% of his plate appearances. However, Bolte hits the ball hard (47.2% hard-hit rate) and on the ground a ton (62.4%). When combined with his elite speed, Bolte's mix has allowed him to consistently run high batting averages on balls in play throughout his time in the A's system. After posting a .407 BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025, Bolte's BABIP in the big leagues this year is .372. If he can continue to improve his strikeout rate while also raising his launch angle just a bit, Bolte has five-category breakout potential. In leagues where he remains available, Bolte should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:37 AM ET

After winning an MLB job in Spring Training, Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield has been a revelation this season. Across 552 plate appearances, the 26-year-old is hitting .291/.384/.442 with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, and 57 runs scored. Rumfield does not profile as a typical corner infield power bat, as he's posted just a 4.7% barrel rate and a 28.1% hard-hit rate. However, he owns an elite plate approach, logging an 11.6% walk rate while striking out in just 13.9% of his plate appearances. Rumfield is also in the middle of a hot stretch, as he's riding an eight-game hitting streak entering play on Thursday. While Rumfield's production at the plate is obviously boosted by his hitter-friendly home environment in Colorado, he's also hit .290 away from Coors Field this season. For fantasy managers in need of batting average and solid run production, Rumfield carries clear waiver-wire appeal.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Detroit Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe had his 2026 season debut delayed four-plus months as he worked his way back from elbow surgery. However, the 24-year-old returned to the big-league mound in early August and has now recorded a 1-2 record with a 4.67 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts across 23 1/3 innings (five starts). Once considered one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, Jobe hasn't quite figured out how to put all the pieces together against MLB competition so far. Still, he's averaging 97.8 miles per hour on his fastball and has generated a 51.4% ground ball rate this season, which is a decent starting point for improved numbers. Jobe also dominated minor league competition during his rehab outings this year, recording a 1.76 ERA and a 26.2% strikeout rate across 15 1/3 innings. Even amidst his early struggles this year, Jobe could still be worth targeting on the waiver wire in deeper leagues for his upside.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:18 AM ET

Across 343 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof is hitting .256/.324/.453 with 15 home runs, 39 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. The 26-year-old has had his season disrupted by two separate stints on the injured list due to hand and knee injuries. However, when healthy, Gelof has been highly productive. After posting a 45.5% strikeout rate across 101 plate appearances in 2025, Gelof has lowered his strikeout rate to a much more manageable 25.4% in 2026. He's also shown the ability to play second base, third base, and all three outfield spots, which helps keep him in the A's lineup every day and provides valuable multi-positional eligibility for fantasy managers. Gelof's barrel and hard-hit rates have come down a bit this year as he focuses on making more contact, but his hitter-friendly home environment in Sacramento helps prop up his power numbers. In any league where he's not already rostered, Gelof should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 11:14 AM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) has declared himself ready to return on Friday, when he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list after missing nearly two months with a torn sagittal band on the ring finger of his left hand, according to Kevin Gorman of Pittsburgh Tribune-Live. Griffin should be back in the team's starting lineup for the series opener against the Los Angeles Angels at PNC Park on Friday, and fantasy managers still playing for something should throw him back into their starting lineups as a potential difference-maker down the stretch. The 20-year-old former ninth overall pick in 2024 was just starting to find his stride offensively before his finger injury, and he has held his own in his first 225 big-league at-bats this year, hitting .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored. Griffin brings as much power/speed upside as you can find at a premier position in fantasy, and he is only rostered in 68% of Yahoo leagues at the moment. With Griffin on the verge of a return, Jacob Gonzalez could be shifted to the hot corner in Pittsburgh to close out the 2026 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Live - Kevin Gorman

Sep 3, 2026, 11:12 AM ET

Across 88 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 7, Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper is hitting .300/.352/.463 with three home runs, nine RBI, and 12 runs scored. The 23-year-old is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in the Twins system, and he's taken over as the team's everyday shortstop since his promotion. Culpepper has now hit safely eight out of his last 10 games played, and he's hitting .316 overall in that span. Culpepper was having a massive year at Triple-A before getting called up, slashing .271/.367/.478 with 14 home runs, 46 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases across 343 plate appearances. While his power and speed have lagged behind a bit so far in the big leagues, Culpepper carries five-category potential and should be a waiver wire target for fantasy managers in any league where he's not already rostered.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 2, 2026, 10:59 PM ET

Across 86 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 5, Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao is hitting .253/.314/.367 with two home runs, five RBI, 10 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 22-year-old has played every infield position other than first base, which should help keep him in the Guardians lineup most days. Genao has also posted an excellent 53.7% hard-hit rate, although his power upside is limited by his tendency to hit the ball on the ground (67.2% ground-ball rate). With his ability to consistently hit the ball hard and his well above-average 12.8% strikeout rate, Genao could work his way into being a high-end source of batting average for fantasy managers. The young infielder even demonstrated some five-category upside during his time in the minors this season, hitting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances before being called up. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Genao could be worth targeting on the waiver wire.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 2, 2026, 10:46 PM ET

Across 596 plate appearances entering play on Wednesday, Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner was hitting .263/.319/.361 with eight home runs, 62 RBI, 56 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases. With his minuscule 1.4% barrel rate and 28.2% hard-hit rate, Hoerner's power upside for fantasy managers is extremely limited. However, the 29-year-old's production has been trending upward in the second half. Across 176 plate appearances since the All-Star break, Hoerner has slashed .331/.352/.440 with four home runs, 24 RBI, 19 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. Hoerner's high-end defense at both second base and shortstop keeps him in the Cubs lineup every day, and his elite 8.7% strikeout rate should keep his batting average floor high even if his recent power surge cools off. With his sub-standard first half now behind him, Hoerner profiles as an extremely useful source of batting average, run production, and speed for fantasy managers down the stretch.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller