RADIO
Eury Perez Strikes Out Five in First Rehab Start
Miami Marlins right-hander Eury Perez (thigh) had a solid first minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, allowing just one earned run on three hits while walking none and striking out five in 3 2/3 innings against Triple-A Durham. Perez threw 37 of his 51 pitches as he works his way back from a right-thigh strain. If everything continues to go well, Perez might only need one or two more rehab starts before potentially rejoining the Marlins before the All-Star break in mid-July. In addition to throwing 51 pitches on Thursday on the farm, the 23-year-old Dominican hurler was sitting at 96-98 mph with his fastball, topping out at 99.4 mph, so he looks like he could be ready to rejoin the big-league starting rotation sooner rather than later. Before his thigh injury, Perez had gone 3-6 with a career-high 4.60 ERA (4.66 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 28 walks in 62 2/3 innings across his 12 starts in his third year in the majors. His elevated strikeout rate (27.8% in his career) makes him an arm to stash in most fantasy leagues. Perez is currently rostered in 75% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Bryce Eldridge Quickly Turning into a Must-Stash Power Bat
San Francisco Giants rookie first baseman Bryce Eldridge could easily be trending towards a second-half breakout in 2026, and he's starting to generate more attention off the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues for his elite raw power from the left side of the plate. In 33 games with the Gigantes this year, Eldridge has delivered a .319/.405/.558 slash line, .962 OPS, six home runs, 16 RBI, and 19 runs scored in a small sample size of 131 plate appearances. He debuted with San Fran in 2025, but he appeared in just 10 games. The 21-year-old former 16th overall pick in 2023 is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak in which he has gone 13-for-31 (.419) with four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and six runs scored in 37 plate appearances. Eldridge went deep in three straight games and has homered in four of his last seven contests after clearing the fences in the team's last game on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. The Giants could sell off some major pieces at this year's trade deadline, which could put Eldridge in line for a more prominent role in the Bay Area going forward. Fantasy managers in need of some pop should definitely look Eldridge's way, as he's available in more than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Paul Sewald on a Roll, an Obvious Waiver Pickup for Saves
Arizona Diamondbacks veteran right-handed closer Paul Sewald doesn't light up the radar gun, is 36 years old, and has had his fair share of struggles in a high-leverage role in the past, but you can't argue with his results this year in the desert. The 10-year veteran has a 3.29 ERA (4.08 FIP), which also isn't exactly enticing for a ninth-inning arm, but he is currently tied for third in the majors with 18 saves in 2026 and also has a 0.73 WHIP and a 30.1% strikeout rate in 27 1/3 innings. Sewald is more prone to blow-ups than other high-end fantasy closers, sure, but he hasn't blown a save since May 13 against the Texas Rangers. Since then, he has only allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out 12 in 12 innings over 12 outings with two wins and nine saves for the D-backs. In his first 18 appearances this year, Sewald had a 4.70 ERA (4.33 FIP) with an 0-4 record, nine saves, and one blown save. He's not perfect, but he should be rostered in more than the 68% mark in Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Carson Benge in the Midst of a Rookie-Year Breakout?
New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge has quickly become a lineup regular and table-setter for the Mets in 2026 in his first year in the big leagues, batting .257/.316/.385 with a .701 OPS, seven home runs, nine doubles, two triples, 26 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and 39 runs scored in his first 72 big-league games across 288 plate appearances. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick out of Oklahoma State University in the 2024 MLB draft went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base in the team's 6-4 win over the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday out of the leadoff spot, and he's now hitting .293/.338/.533 with four home runs, six RBI, and 14 runs scored in his last 18 games. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has also gone 16-for-49 (.327) with two of his seven home runs against left-handed pitchers. In what has become a lost season for New York, Benge should be a lineup regular all year, and his recent hot streak makes him a must-add off the waiver wire for his high-end upside in multiple fantasy categories. Benge is currently rostered in only 44% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Fantasy Managers Need to Jump on the Payton Tolle Bandwagon
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle took his fourth loss of the season in his most recent outing on June 16 versus the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, when he allowed three earned runs on four hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out six in just five innings of work. He gave up a season-high four earned runs in six innings for a loss in his previous outing on June 9 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, but the 23-year-old southpaw remains one of the best young left-handed arms to roster in fantasy baseball leagues in just his second year in the league. The former second-round pick in 2024 out of Texas Christian University is 3-4 in 2026 with a strong 2.93 ERA (3.08 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 16 walks in 58 1/3 innings over his 10 starts after having an ERA over 6.00 with a 1.59 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB in 16 1/3 frames in his first seven MLB appearances (three starts) in 2025. Tolle has a 25.5% strikeout rate since debuting last year and a 7.7% walk rate. He has done enough to stick around in Boston's starting rotation and is an emerging young arm with his arrow pointed up. Tolle has bounce-back potential in his next scheduled start against the banged-up Seattle Mariners.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
JJ Bleday Still Worth Rostering Amid Cold Spell in June?
Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday, who was the fourth overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Vanderbilt University, was a first-round bust in his first four years in the big leagues with the Fish and the Athletics, but he has found a home in Cincinnati and is in the midst of the best year of his young MLB career. Through 45 contests with the Reds in 2026, Bleday is hitting .265/.367/.572 with a .940 OPS, 13 home runs, 35 RBI, 27 runs scored, and two stolen bases across his 196 plate appearances. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is well on pace to set a new career high in home runs, and his resurgence at the plate has led to him being a popular waiver-wire pickup in the first half of the season. Four of Bleday's 13 homers have come in June, but he's gone 11-for-57 (.193) during the month with two doubles, nine RBI, nine runs, a steal, nine walks, and 12 strikeouts in 15 games. While he may have cooled off a bit in June, Bleday has an expected batting average of .274 and an xwOBA of .388, with his underlying metrics backing his strong start to the 2026 campaign. If you need power off the waiver wire, Bleday is a widely available asset and is currently rostered in 56% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
When Will Joshua Baez Earn the Call to St. Louis?
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has enjoyed an incredible stretch at the plate at Triple-A and is on the verge of earning the call to the big leagues. Through 64 total games with the Memphis Redbirds, the outfielder has held a dominant .275/.343/.628 line with 24 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Over his last 14 contests (since June 2), the outfielder has been even more impressive at the dish, launching eight of these home runs with a .368/.381/.877 line. On June 16, Baez made headlines across the minor leagues, slugging four long balls in a single game. However, despite this level of play, the Cardinals have yet to turn to him. Even though Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church are both back in action, Baez's current production should pave the way for him to join the MLB roster before the end of the month, especially if they remain in the Wild Card race. He remains an elite prospect to stash in all standard leagues ahead of Week 13.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Is Kade Anderson the Top Pitching Prospect to Stash?
Seattle Mariners left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson has seen his short-term fantasy stock take a hit this past week, but the budding ace remains firmly on the stash radar. The Mariners acknowledged that they will be looking to "piggyback" each of their MLB starters and do not view Anderson as part of their immediate plans. While this could change in the second half, for now it appears the former LSU superstar will remain in the minor leagues for the foreseeable future. However, during his first taste of professional baseball, the southpaw has looked nothing short of dominant, posting an elite 1.13 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and an 82:7 K:BB over 55 2/3 innings of work. While his path to the majors is not overly clear, his upside remains elite, making him a top-stash candidate in standard formats with NA spots.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Quinn Mathews Quickly Emerging as Priority Stash Target?
St. Louis Cardinals left-handed pitching prospect Quinn Mathews has begun to turn the corner at Triple-A and is quickly emerging as a top prospect to stash among pitchers. Mathews turned in a dominant debut season in the St. Louis system in 2024 but has yet to return to that level of play. In 2025, he logged only 99 innings and saw those troubles linger early in 2026. Through his first 35 2/3 innings this season, the southpaw posted a hefty 5.55 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP. During this stint, Mathews posted a rough 44:30 K:BB. However, over his last 21 innings of work (four starts), the former Stanford standout has held a stellar 1.71 ERA with a much-improved 28:9 K:BB. While he may need to show this success over a longer stretch, he has a clear path to the majors given St. Louis' weak rotation. He is a viable target in the 12+ team leagues ahead of Week 13, but can quickly enter priority stash range if he turns in a strong conclusion to June.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Lazaro Montes Flashing Elite Raw Power in Minor Leagues, Can He Debut in 2026?
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes has had a strong start to the Double-A regular season and is establishing himself as one of the top emerging power hitters in the minor leagues. Across 64 games with Double-A Arkansas, the young slugger has gone deep 20 times while holding a .237/.346/.543 line and an .889 OPS. Since the start of June, Montes has been even more dominant at the plate, launching eight of these long balls and carrying a .316/.409/.772 line. This elite play has put himself in strong contention to earn the call to Triple-A, which will open the door for a second-half debut. While fantasy managers will need to wait for him to move up to Triple-A before declaring him a top stash candidate, he is firmly on the watch list, given his elite power upside. If he maintains this pace, he could provide a major spark to a Mariners lineup as they look to clinch a spot in the postseason down the stretch.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Zack Gelof a Must-Add Player Off the Waiver Wire
Athletics infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof has been a hitting machine for the Athletics in June. Slashing .350/.409/.683 with 15 runs scored, five home runs, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases. Gelof is currently riding a 22-game hitting streak and has multiple position eligibility in fantasy baseball. In most formats, he has third base, second base, and outfield eligibility, which helps fantasy managers be flexible with their lineups to fill in vulnerable spots. On the season, Gelof is now hitting .286/.336/.508 with 11 home runs, eight stolen bases, 36 runs scored, and 29 RBI. While everything on the surface looks incredible, and he is a must-add player off the waiver wire right now, it is important to note that he has a .224 xBA and a .291 xwOBA, which are both in the bottom 25th percentile of the entire league. Most of his underlying data does suggest regression, but in situations like this, ride the hot streak until the wheels fall off. Especially for a hitter, because with hitters, you can notice the regression slowly as time goes on, instead of a pitcher that has a singular blow-up outing. For fantasy managers hurting for some immediate production due to losing someone like Jose Ramirez (hand), Gelof is a nice replacement.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Is Wei-En Lin the Next Athletics Prospect to Debut?
Athletics pitching prospect Wei-En Lin recently moved up to Triple-A and is positioning himself to compete for a second-half debut. While Gage Jump, the team's higher-ranked pitcher, earned the call earlier this season, Lin is waiting in the wings and could find himself high on the star radar in the coming weeks. Lin opened the 2026 regular season with Double-A Midland, where he was near-perfect, holding a 1.93 ERA with a stellar 0.84 WHIP. Over this 51 1/3-inning stint, Lin struck out 53 hitters while walking just 13. This strong start earned him a ticket to Triple-A, where he has encountered some growing pains. Over two outings (1 2/3 innings), Lin has allowed eight earned runs with a 1:4 K:BB. While it will take the No. 90-ranked prospect in baseball some time to adjust to the Triple-A hitters, he could climb the stash ranking in the second half, making him a top prospect to monitor in deeper leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
James Tibbs III Slugging His Way to Major-League Promotion
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III has been among the top power hitters at the Triple-A level this season and is making a strong case to join the MLB roster in the immediate future. On Thursday, Tibbs launched his 20th long ball of the campaign when he went 1-for-5 against Sacramento. Through 69 total games with Oklahoma City this season, the 23-year-old has held a .297/.413/.602 line with a dominant 1.015 OPS. This is even more impressive as Tibbs did not log a single bat at the Triple-A level prior to the 2026 campaign. Currently, the Dodgers have turned to fellow prospect Ryan Ward to replace the injured Teoscar Hernandez on the MLB roster. However, given Tibbs' current play and much higher upside, they could turn to the Florida State product to add a spark to their lineup. His path to at-bats and elite raw power upside makes him a top stash target among hitting prospects.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jacob Latz Continues to be a Top Priority Closer on the Waiver Wire
Texas Rangers left-hander Jacob Latz has been fantastic thus far in 2026, converting on 12 of his 14 save opportunities with an impressive 1.62 ERA and 0.60 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings pitched. Under the hood, he has a 2.23 xERA (99th percentile) and a .168 xBA (99th percentile) and is completely dominating the ninth inning of games. The only downfall for Latz is that the Rangers are sitting four games under .500, and have not earned him as many opportunities as some of the other top closers in the game. To put the 14 opportunities into perspective, Cade Smith of the Guardians, who leads the league, has 26 opportunities. While 14 isn't bad, it still leaves more to be desired for fantasy managers and Latz. That being said, the Rangers are still in the hunt in the AL West, as it's been one of the weaker divisions in baseball, with the Mariners leading the division at 39-37, meaning the Rangers should be motivated to make a push, considering they have guys like Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Corey Seager as a veteran core. Due to the lack of consistent closers for fantasy baseball in 2026, Latz remains a top option if available on your waiver wire.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Jac Caglianone Continues to be a Priority Target on the Waiver Wire
The Kansas City Royals' 2024 first-round pick, first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone, has been heating up at the plate in June, slashing .356/.441/.610 with four home runs, 11 RBI, 12 runs, and seven walks. While his strikeouts remain an issue on the season (29.7 percent), his underlying data on how he is impacting the ball and his quality of contact remain elite. He has a 93.4 mph average exit velocity (96th percentile), 14.5 percent barrel rate (89th percentile), 56.5 percent hard-hit rate (98th percentile), and a 76.9 mph bat speed (96th percentile). On the season, Caglianone's slash line is up to .266/.338/.439 with nine home runs, three stolen bases, 30 runs scored, and 22 RBI. While the batting average looks nice, his counting stats are still down, mostly due to a lack of a power surge in April and May, and the Royals' offense not producing at a high level. Nonetheless, he is doing what he needs to do with how he's impacting the ball, and ultimately, that is all a player can control. He may have a second half where he can hit fifteen-plus home runs and drive up those numbers for fantasy managers. Caglianone has much more value in category formats than he does in points leagues due to his poor plate discipline.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
