RADIO
Travis Bazzana Heating Up, an Emerging Rookie to Target on Waiver Wire
Cleveland Guardians rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana went through a cold spell early in June for the first time in his major-league career, but he has snapped out of his funk of late and is attracting interest again on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter from Australia is batting .261/.357/.446 overall with an .802 OPS, seven home runs, 24 RBI, 24 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in just 50 games and 213 plate appearances as Cleveland's starting second baseman. The former first overall pick in 2024 out of Oregon State is not known for his power, but rather his speed and mature approach at the plate. He's as patient a young hitter as you'll find, and he rarely chases outside of the strike zone early in counts, making him a solid asset in on-base-percentage leagues. After slumping earlier in the month, Bazzana has gone 10-for-30 (.333) with three home runs, two doubles, seven RBI, eight runs scored, and a steal in his last eight games. You could do much worse in fantasy at the second base position, and Bazzana is only rostered in half of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Henry Bolte a Breakout Prospect to Target on the Waiver Wire?
Athletics rookie outfielder Henry Bolte, who is considered the team's No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has delivered since being called up in early May. Through his first 39 games played for the A's, the former second-rounder in 2022 has gone 39-for-122 (.320) with two home runs, six doubles, 10 RBI, 12 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 143 plate appearances. The Bay Area native is mostly intriguing for his speed, and he could see more run near the top of the A's batting order going forward with infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (hand) on the injured list. Bolte has been even better in his second month in the big leagues, going 24-for-70 (.343) with two homers, four doubles, six RBI, five stolen bases, and eight runs scored in 22 games played. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-handed hitter has an exciting combination of power, speed, and defense, but his swing-and-miss issues (27.3% strikeout rate) likely mean regression is coming in his rookie campaign. But for now, Bolte is still worth considering off the waiver wire for speed, at the very least. He's rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Carson Benge a Bright Spot in Mets' Dismal Season
New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge has been one of the few bright spots in 2026 for a Mets team that has been downright awful. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State University has more than held his own since his early-season call-up, and he should play regularly the rest of the way as the Mets play out the string in a lost season. In his first 289 big-league at-bats, the left-handed-hitting outfielder is slashing .256/.320/.398 with a .718 OPS, nine home runs, 30 RBI, 43 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 78 games played and 316 plate appearances. Benge homered twice last weekend and has hit .294 (10-for-34) with two homers, a double, a triple, four RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in his last eight games atop the Mets' batting order. Even more impressive so far this year is that Benge has gone 18-for-62 (.290) with two of his nine home runs against lefties. He's an emerging power/speed threat with regular playing time, which means he should be rostered in more fantasy leagues. Right now, Benge is still rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Hunter Greene the Top Pitcher to Stash With Debut Nearing
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) remains on the 60-day injured list and has not pitched at all for the Reds in 2026 after having surgery back in March to remove bone chips from his right elbow, but he will make one final minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Louisville before making his 2026 big-league debut next weekend. This is your cue to run to the waiver wire and add the hard-throwing 26-year-old immediately. Greene is currently rostered in 70% of Yahoo leagues. The former second overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft is no stranger to injuries -- he has never reached 30 starts in any of his four MLB seasons -- but when healthy, he can be a fantasy ace. Greene has a 3.65 ERA (3.83 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with a 30% strikeout rate in his four major-league seasons, and he recorded ERAs under 3.00 in each of his last two seasons in Cincy. In his two rehab starts, he hasn't allowed a run in eight innings while walking two and striking out nine.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kris Bubic Tosses Scoreless Inning in Rehab Outing
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) made a minor-league rehab appearance with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday and tossed a clean inning with no walks and one strikeout against Triple-A Columbus. He threw six of his eight pitches for strikes during the outing. Bubic had his first rehab assignment stopped after he experienced shoulder discomfort following an outing on June 9, but he has since restarted a rehab assignment, and he could be an option to rejoin KC's starting rotation before the All-Star break next month. He is next scheduled to go two innings for Omaha on Saturday as he continues to build up his left arm. The 28-year-old southpaw was a first-time All-Star in 2025 and went 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 innings across his nine starts this year before going on the shelf. Bubic is rostered in almost half of Yahoo leagues, and the Royals will welcome him back with open arms when he's ready, with fellow lefty Cole Ragans potentially needing season-ending surgery on his elbow.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Trent Grisham Takes Batting Practice, Likely to Need Rehab Assignment
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) is with the team this weekend in Boston for their series against the division-rival Red Sox, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. He took batting practice on the field on Thursday before the series opener, and manager Aaron Boone said he will likely need a minor-league rehab assignment before he returns from the 10-day injured list. Grisham has been on the shelf since June 12 with a strained right hamstring, but he's making progress and looks to be on track to return before the mid-July All-Star break, barring a setback on his rehab assignment. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting center fielder broke out for the Yanks in 2025 with a career-best 34 homers and 74 RBI in 143 regular-season games. He hasn't been quite as good this year, slashing .232/.341/.406 with eight homers, 35 RBI, 40 runs, and six steals across 66 games played. However, Grisham is the team's starting center fielder against righties, and he can still provide valuable pop and modest speed in the outfield in deep-mixed leagues. He's rostered in 44% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Mike Trout Does on-Field Exercises
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (hamstring) did some on-field exercises earlier this week, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. "He's progressing. We still don't know the timetable, but I think the activity level is ramping up a little bit, and I know he's starting to feel better, so that's a good thing," manager Kurt Suzuki said. It's unclear if Trout is close to embarking on what he expects to be a short minor-league rehab assignment, and it's unknown if he actually has a shot to make it back from the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break in mid-July. The 34-year-old three-time MVP and future Hall of Famer has been on the IL since June 17. The 16-year veteran has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, but the good news is that his latest injury doesn't appear to be all that serious. Before getting hurt, Trout was having a resurgent season in 2026 with 17 home runs, 36 RBI, 54 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 74 games played. Trout is no longer the five-category stud he once was -- he hasn't hit over .240 since 2023 -- but he deserves to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy formats until he returns.
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Tatsuya Imai a Priority Waiver-Wire Pickup After 10-K Outing
Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai's surface stats still look pretty shaky in his first year in the big leagues, but after a rough start to his first season in the States, the 28-year-old has looked more dominant of late and needs to attract interest on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues. Imai was extremely hard to hit for the second straight outing in Thursday night's 2-1 win over the hosting Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, tossing six shutout innings with only two hits allowed, one walk, and 10 strikeouts to drop his season ERA to 5.36. It was his fifth victory of the year. The Japanese native gave up five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning on June 12 to the Kansas City Royals, but he has now fanned 21 hitters with only three runs allowed and one walk in 12 innings in his last two starts. Imai was sent to the injured list early in his MLB debut due to a dead arm, and while it hasn't been perfect since his return, he is definitely looking much more like the pitcher the Astros invested in over the offseason. He should be a popular waiver-wire pickup heading into his next scheduled start against the Minnesota Twins. Imai is rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ryan Clifford Worth Monitoring as Deep-League Stash Candidate in Mets System?
New York Mets first base/outfield prospect Ryan Clifford has spent the entire first half of the season with Triple-A Syracuse and is expected to compete for a second-half debut, especially if the Mets look to sell off some of their current starters. Through 74 games at Syracuse this season, Clifford, the former 11th-round selection, has held a .197/.282/.401 line with a .683 OPS, 11 doubles, and 14 home runs. While his hefty 36.3% K% is a glaring weakness, Clifford has shown high power upside at times. During the 2025 season, Clifford split his time between Double-A and Triple-A, where he hit a total of 29 home runs (over 139 games) with a .237/.356/.470 line. Managers should continue to monitor his progress at Syracuse, as he should emerge as a viable deep-league stash for power later in the summer.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Will Karson Milbrandt Debut Early in the Second Half?
Miami Marlins starting pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has seen his redraft fantasy stock increase substantially over the past few weeks. Milbrandt began the 2026 season in Double-A and was not on the stash radar, as he was behind both Robby Snelling and Thomas White in the system. However, with both of those pitchers now out for the remainder of the season, Milbrandt has a clear path to the MLB roster. After logging 47 innings to the tune of an elite 1.34 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 70:17 K:BB at Double-A, Milbrandt was quickly bumped up to Triple-A. At Jacksonville, Milbrandt has continued to produce, posting a 1.20 ERA with a high 1.27 WHIP over his first three starts. While his command has been an issue at Triple-A, the 22-year-old has been able to limit the damage. While he will likely need a few more starts at Triple-A, Milbrandt has put himself in a great position to debut early in the second half of the season, making him a prime pitching prospect to stash in 12+ team leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Kaelen Culpepper Quickly Nearing Return to Action, Still the Top Prospect to Stash?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper was placed on the 7-day injured list earlier in June with a left hip strain. However, since hitting the injured list on June 16, the top-ranked prospect has resumed baseball activity and could return to game action as early as this weekend, according to Theodore Tollefson of Twins Daily. Before hitting the injured list for this minor injury, Culpepper was enjoying a dominant stretch at Triple-A, where he posted a .400/.509/.622 line with two doubles, two home runs, and three stolen bases over his last 12 contests. Overall on the season, the former first-round pick holds a .273/.377/.498 line with 14 home runs and 15 stolen bases. Once he returns to action, Culpepper will have a clear path to at-bats at the MLB level, given Minnesota's lack of success, especially at shortstop. Heading into Week 14, Culpepper continues to carry high-end stash value in all standard leagues as he remains on the doorstep of the major leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Kade Anderson Poised for Second-Half MLB Debut?
Seattle Mariners top pitching prospect Kade Anderson has been nothing short of dominant in his first taste of professional action. Since joining the Mariners with the third overall pick in last year's MLB Draft, the former LSU standout was sent to Double-A to begin his professional career at the start of the 2026 campaign. With Double-A, the southpaw has looked incredible, logging 61 2/3 innings (12 starts) with a stellar 1.02 ERA and a 0.65 WHIP. During this stretch, Anderson has struck out 90 hitters while walking just eight. However, Seattle currently has a surplus of starting pitchers, which leaves Anderson without a clear path to debut in the near future. With the team opting to use a "piggyback" schedule to keep all six starters engaged, Anderson appears set to debut later in the second half. While his timeline remains undetermined, his upside on a per-start basis remains the highest out of any of the top prospect pitchers. Managers in leagues with N/A spots should still view the former third overall pick as a must-stash option heading into the first week of July.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Seaver King Entering High-End Stash Territory Amid Impressive Showing at Triple-A?
Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Seaver King was recently promoted to Triple-A and is now firmly on the stash radar. King, the team's 6th-ranked prospect (and No. 99 in the sport) according to MLB.com, began the 2026 season with Double-A, where he posted a stellar .336/.427/.562 line over 35 contests. During this short stint, King hit five home runs and swiped five bags while holding a 31:22 K:BB. This prompted a promotion to Triple-A Rochester, where King has continued to look sharp, holding a similar .296/.344/.487 line with five doubles and three home runs. Even though the Washington infield is crowded at the moment, if King maintains this pace, he should join them in the second half. For now, the former 10th overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft is a worthy stash target in deep 12+ team leagues, but his value should continue to rise over the coming weeks.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Joshua Baez Slugging his Way to Major Leagues, On the Verge of a Call-Up?
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has been among the top power hitters in the minor leagues over the month of June and has put himself on the doorstep of a promotion. Since June 1, the top outfield prospect in the St. Louis pipeline has launched 10 home runs over just 19 contests while holding a .329/.365/.803 line while chipping in an additional two stolen bases. On the season, the No. 65-ranked prospect in baseball according to MLB.com has posted a .273/.343/.626 line with a strong 949 OPS. Even though the Cardinals recently saw Lars Nootbaar return from his lengthy stint on the IL and Nathan Church return to center field, Baez's elite production has put him in must-stash territory. If he maintains this pace, he should debut shortly after the All-Star break and hold high-end five-category potential as soon as he receives the big leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Mets Fire Manager Carlos Mendoza
The New York Mets have decided to fire manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday morning. This comes on the heels of a four-game sweep at home by the Chicago Cubs. After Thursday's loss, the Mets dropped to 34-47 and are 15.0 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Mendoza won nearly 90 games during his first year with the Mets, but wasn't able to replicate the same success. The Mets missed the playoffs after some disastrous play down the stretch last season. Mendoza was given the benefit of the doubt, but the team needed to make a move at some point. Andy Green has been appointed as the interim manager. Green spent four years as the San Diego Padres manager from 2016-2019. He probably can't save the Mets' season, but ultimately, the team needed to make a change in the dugout.
Source: Jon Heyman
Source: Jon Heyman
