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
April 2, 2026
Boston Red Sox third baseman
Caleb Durbin has yet to record a hit this season as he looks to find consistency early. Durbin is in his first year with Boston after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that sent
Kyle Harrison,
Shane Drohan, and
David Hamilton the other way. The 26-year-old earned an everyday role last season and posted a .256 AVG, .334 OBP, and .387 SLG. He is working through early struggles but will look to turn things around quickly as the Red Sox search for production.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 2, 2026
Kansas City Royals catcher
Carter Jensen was scratched from the lineup in Wednesday's 5-1 loss against the Minnesota Twins after reportedly oversleeping.
Salvador Perez started in his place. Jensen took full responsibility for the mistake, saying, "Felt like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and know it won't happen again." The 22-year-old is off to a slow start, slashing .125 AVG, .167 OBP, and .313 SLG through six games. He showed promise in a 20-game sample last season, but is still working to find consistency early this year. Jensen will look to move past the setback and take advantage of his next opportunity.
--Julian BrookeSource: Anne Rogers
April 2, 2026
Texas Rangers left-hander
Cody Bradford (elbow) has been sent to Triple-A Round Rock on an injury rehab assignment as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Bradford has progressed well and is expected to return in May if his rehab continues without setbacks. The 28-year-old did not appear in a game last season and owns a 4.28 ERA across 34 career appearances, including 21 starts. Bradford, the 175th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft is working to establish consistency at the Major League level and could compete for a role in the Rangers rotation upon his return.
--Julian BrookeSource: Texas Rangers PR
April 2, 2026
Seattle Mariners shortstop
J.P. Crawford (shoulder) has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing the start of the season with right shoulder inflammation. Crawford is expected to return to his everyday role as a steady presence in the lineup. The 31-year-old is entering his eighth season with Seattle and appeared in 157 games in 2025, posting a .265 AVG, .352 OBP, and .370 SLG. He has reached at least 145 games played in four of the last five seasons. If he stays healthy, Crawford should provide consistency on both sides of the ball as the Mariners look to build on last season's success.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 2, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect
Konnor Griffin has agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract, setting a new benchmark for a player who has yet to make his Major League debut. Konnor Griffin, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and the No. 1 ranked prospect in baseball, is on the verge of reaching the majors after being called up by the Pirates on Thursday. He has appeared in five games with Triple-A Indianapolis, recording seven hits in 16 at-bats with a .438 AVG, .571 OBP, and 1.196 OPS. The Pirates are making a clear long-term investment in their young star, who could emerge as a key piece in their push for contention in the National League.
--Julian BrookeSource: Buster Olney
April 2, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect
Jhostynxon Garcia surged through the top two levels of the minors last season before a brief debut with Boston in August. The Venezuelan made a case for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster this spring, going 15-for-37 (.405) with a double, two home runs, and three steals in 17 Grapefruit League games, but was ultimately reassigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Things have not gone so well in Indy, with Garcia getting off to a 1-for-19 (.053) start with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate (21 plate appearances). Nevertheless, Pittsburgh's sixth-ranked prospect could find himself back on the doorstep to the majors if he can get going. A high strikeout rate could limit his batting average, but his power and ability to drive in runs would probably put him near the middle of the Bucs' lineup whenever he gets the call, which would make him an intriguing waiver wire consideration. For now, he's not a priority waiver stash, but that could change quickly, so interested managers should keep an eye out for any developments.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 2, 2026
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Samuel Basallo went 2-for-5 in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Rangers, with one of his hits being his first home run of 2026. It was a 437-foot solo blast to center that came off the bat at 109.5 mph. The left-handed slugger has reached base safely via hit or walk in four of the first five games, and there should be plenty more home runs on the way over the course of the season. The 21-year-old is getting regular at-bats to begin the year, making three starts at designated hitter, two at catcher, and one at first base, so with consistent playing time, there should be upwards of 25 home runs (or more) in his bat in 2026. The Dominican is available in more than 60 percent of Yahoo! leagues, but that number will probably start to creep up, especially when he gains eligibility at first base.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
April 2, 2026
Texas Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi was excellent in 2025, posting an 11-3 record with a 1.73 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts across 130 innings (22 starts). However, the 36-year-old right-hander has been unable to repeat his stellar performance early in the 2026 season. Across his first two starts of the year, Eovaldi has allowed 16 hits, 11 earned runs, and three walks across 8 2/3 innings of work. Still, there may not be a reason for fantasy managers to panic just yet. Eovaldi is suffering from a 3.12 HR/9 and a 54.1% strand rate, both of which should regress closer to his career norms of 1.00 and 72.9% over a larger sample size. Additionally, Eovaldi's average fastball velocity has actually increased from 94.4 mph in 2025 to 94.8 mph in 2026, and he has posted a stellar 26.7% strikeout rate amidst his larger struggles. Eovaldi's age makes his early-season decline a bit more concerning, but the veteran could easily return to form with some improved luck going forward.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 2, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Ryan Waldschmidt could be nearing his MLB debut as the 2026 campaign gets underway. The D-backs' top-ranked prospect excelled at High-A and Double-A last season, putting together a .289/.419/.473 slash line with 18 home runs and 29 steals in 134 games, and appeared to be on the verge of making the team's Opening Day roster before being sent to Triple-A to begin the year. The former first-rounder slashed .302/.348/.488 in 14 spring games, and although he is just 4-for-18 (.222) at Triple-A to begin the year, the right-handed slugger has also drawn six walks compared to seven strikeouts. If his bat gets hot and there is an opportunity on the big league roster, either due to injury or underperformance, the 23-year-old could be on his way to Arizona. With a solid combination of contact, power, and speed, Waldschmidt is a name to consider stashing away in deeper leagues ahead of his eventual call-up.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 2, 2026
Chicago White Sox infield prospect
Sam Antonacci is a prospect to keep an eye on in deeper season-long fantasy leagues, as the 23-year-old has been riding a hot bat ever since he broke into professional baseball. After being drafted in 2024, he hit .333 and walked (17) more than he struck out (13) in 23 games at Single-A. The former fourth-rounder proceeded to hit well at High-A in 2025, earning a promotion to Double-A, where the same contact skills and patient approach were on display, putting together a .292/.435/.381 slash line there with a 28:32 BB:K in 49 games, with 48 steals between the two levels to boot. Chicago's ninth-ranked prospect went on to collect the most hits in the 2025 Arizona Fall League (28) and has not slowed down one bit in 2026. The left-handed slugger hit .368 in the Cactus League with a pair of home runs, and has hit the ground running at Triple-A, going 7-for-20 (.350) with two home runs, three steals, and a 6:1 BB:K in his first five games. There's a good shot he's called up by midseason, and with eligibility at both 2B and 3B on Yahoo!, his fantasy appeal is even more robust. The Coastal Carolina product is quickly becoming one of the top stash candidates this season.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 2, 2026
Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Noelvi Marte is off to a slow start to the 2026 season, as he's logged zero hits and five strikeouts through his first 10 plate appearances of the year. Perhaps most worryingly for Marte's fantasy profile, he has been out of the Reds' starting lineup in three out of their first five contests and could be stuck on the short side of a platoon with lefty-swinging Cincinnati outfielder
Will Benson. A former top prospect, Marte posted a strong .263/.300/.448 slash line with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 360 plate appearances in 2025. However, the 24-year-old is a converted infielder who is not known for his defensive prowess in the outfield, which could be impacting his playing time. Marte's combination of power and speed provides him with plenty of upside, but he will need to start hitting and earning more playing time quickly to merit a roster spot in most fantasy formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 2, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
Joey Wiemer is absolutely on fire to open the 2026 campaign. Across 22 plate appearances, the 27-year-old is hitting .588/.682/1.059 with two home runs, four RBI, and seven runs scored. The righty-swinging Wiemer did not start Washington's season opener against a right-handed starter, but he's been in the lineup for each of the Nationals' last two matchups against righties. Wiemer logged just MLB 61 plate appearances with the Miami Marlins in 2025, spending most of the year in Triple-A. Swing-and-miss has been a major issue for him to this point in his big league career, as he's struck out in 29.2% of his 521 career plate appearances in the Majors. However, Wiemer logged a 61.8% hard-hit rate in a small sample with Miami last season, so this early-season breakout is not entirely out of the blue. While his numbers are sure to regress over a larger amount of playing time, Wiemer currently profiles as a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 2, 2026
Cleveland Guardians second base prospect
Travis Bazzana is off to a slow start at Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign, going 3-for-18 (.167) with no home runs in his first five games, but that doesn't mean his MLB debut isn't just over the horizon. The former first-overall draft pick had a strong spring, going 8-for-21 (.381) with three home runs during the Cactus League, and also belted a homer for Team Australia during the World Baseball Classic. Also, despite the slow start with the bat at Triple-A, the Guardians' top-ranked prospect has five walks compared to four strikeouts. A patient approach is something he's displayed throughout his time in the minors, with a career walk rate of 17.0 percent (MLB average is 8.4 percent) in 116 games. Add in above-average speed, and the left-handed slugger has the makings of a potential multi-category fantasy producer whenever he gets the call to the majors. An early-season debut is well within reach if his bat gets hot, so fantasy managers in redraft leagues will want to keep an eye on his performance these first few weeks at Columbus.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 2, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays reliever
Griffin Jax has gotten off to a nightmare start to the 2026 season. Across two innings (four games), the 31-year-old has allowed five hits, five earned runs, and two walks while recording just one strikeout. With fellow Rays right-hander
Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the injured list, Jax opened the year with a chance to emerge as Tampa Bay's preferred ninth-inning option. However, Jax has already blown two saves and may have pitched his way out of high-leverage opportunities. Jax has posted K-BB rates north of 27% in each of the last two seasons, so he has upside if he can settle in and find his prior form. Still, fantasy managers should be aggressive in search for other relief options off the waiver wire, given Jax's poor performance thus far. Rays relievers
Bryan Baker and
Garrett Cleavinger look like the favorites for saves in Tampa Bay until Uceta returns.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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