RADIO
Zyhir Hope Has All the Tools To Be a Future Fantasy Stud
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Zyhir Hope is off to an excellent start to his career in the Tigers system after a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Hope has been off to a red-hot start with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, with five homers and 20 RBI in 25 games in Erie to go with a .263 batting average and 16 runs with six stolen bases. The 20-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 2 prospect in the Tigers system behind only Max Clark and was the headliner coming back in the Skubal trade. Prior to the trade, Hope had 23 homers and 87 RBI for Double-A Tulsa in the Dodgers' system with 18 stolen bases and a .283 batting average. Hope has elite five-category skills and is graded out with a 50-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 55-grade speed. While he might be a year or two away from the big leagues, Hope looks like a future fantasy stud.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Sebastian Walcott Showing Fantasy Superstar Potential
Texas Rangers top shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott has hit three homers in his last five games with Double-A Frisco and is off to a red-hot start to September in what has largely been an injury-plagued season. The 20-year-old has recovered from a right elbow UCL tear and was activated from the 60-day IL in July. In 136 at-bats between two levels of the minors this season, Walcott is hitting .324 with nine homers and 19 RBI to go with 43 runs scored and nine stolen bases. The right-handed hitter is one of the best prospects in baseball and profiles as an elite shortstop in the future with a 55-grade hit tool, 65-grade power, and 50-grade speed. Look for Walcott to reach the Rangers' big-league club in 2027, with a start out of the gate in the majors not out of the question. This is a future fantasy superstar with five-category statistical skills to boot.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Max Anderson Hitting Well in Minors, Hopes For Promotion
Detroit Tigers infield prospect Max Anderson has had a very consistent 2026 season in the minors, hitting .303 between Triple-A Toledo and Single-A Lakeland. Anderson missed some time in April with an undisclosed injury but has combined between the two minor league levels to hit 16 homers with 56 RBI with 64 runs scored in 389 at bats. The 24-year-old is the No. 11 prospect in the Tigers system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power. The Tigers recently called up infielder John Peck ahead of Anderson so it is still a question mark whether Detroit will turn to Anderson prior to the end of this season. He has largely proven himself in the minors this year and would be a good addition to fantasy teams in terms of batting average and runs scored plus a little bit of pop in his bat.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
River Ryan Could Make Tigers Debut Late This Season
Detroit Tigers pitching prospect River Ryan (hamstring) continues his rehab process with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and has yet to pitch for the Tigers organization since his trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Ryan continues to work his way back from a right hamstring injury and hopes to join the Tigers big league club once fully healthy. The 28-year-old pitched to a 3-1 record with Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to the trade, with a 4.46 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched. Ryan checks in as the No. 4 prospect in the Tigers system and features a 65-grade fastball with a 60-grade slider and a 55-grade curveball. Ryan has brief major league experience with the Dodgers back in 2024 but has not pitched in the majors since then. Look for Ryan to be a decent stash candidate in hopes that he makes a start or two with Detroit this season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jonathon Long Makes For Stash Play in Deeper Leagues
Miami Marlins first base prospect Jonathon Long is coming off a two-homer game on Friday night and has had a pretty good statistical spell with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp since he was traded to the Marlins from the Chicago Cubs. In 24 games in Jacksonville, Long has three homers and 16 RBI to go with 23 runs scored and a .259 batting average. Long, who mostly plays first base, is the No. 19 prospect for the Marlins with a 50-grade hit tool and 50-grade power. Long had a nice season in the Cubs farm system prior to the trade with 12 homers and 62 RBI for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs with a .283 batting average. The 24-year-old could see a promotion in Miami late in the season with more likelihood than he had in the Chicago system. Long could be a sneaky stash play down the stretch in deep fantasy leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Joe Ryan Reinstated and Starting on Monday
The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday that they reinstated right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Garrett Acton to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Ryan is making his return to Minnesota's starting rotation for Monday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. The 30-year-old will be a pretty risky fantasy starter in his first game back in the big leagues after he threw only 42 pitches in his only minor-league rehab start. Ryan has been solid for fantasy managers in 2026, though, going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA (3.42 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 138 strikeouts and 27 walks in 125 2/3 innings pitched across his 23 starts in his sixth big-league season with the team. In his lone start this year against the Tigers, Ryan picked up his first win of the year on April 6, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking three and striking out seven in five innings of work. Now that Ryan is back and recovered from his glute injury, he could be a key asset for fantasy managers seeking a championship.
Source: Minnesota Twins
Source: Minnesota Twins
Nick Pivetta to Start on Monday Against Nationals
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) will come off the 60-day injured list to start Monday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals at Petco Park, manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It will be Pivetta's first major-league outing since April 12. The 33-year-old veteran has been cleared to return to San Diego's starting rotation for the stretch run after throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a minor-league rehab start on Aug. 30 with Triple-A El Paso. He was able to throw 64 pitches in that outing, and while Pivetta will be a part of the Friars' rotation as they seek a playoff spot in the National League, he will most likely be on a short leash in his return on Monday and therefore will not be a recommended streaming option for fantasy managers. Pivetta is currently rostered in 75% of Yahoo leagues despite having made only four starts in 2026. In those four starts, the Canadian hurler went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. The 10-year MLB veteran had a career year in 2025 in his first year in SD, going 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA (3.49 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with a career-high 190 strikeouts and 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings across his 31 regular-season starts.
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Angel Genao Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire in Deeper Leagues
Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao's underlying metrics make him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire, especially in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. On the surface, Genao's stats look mediocre at best. In 27 games since his promotion to the majors on August 5, he is slashing .255/.314/.362 with two homers, six RBI, 12 runs, a 6.9% walk rate, a 12.7% strikeout rate, and 92 wRC+. However, a few things stand out as reasons why managers should be optimistic about Genao going forward. First of all, the 92 wRC+ is slightly below league average, but not by much. That could very easily trend upward as he gets more games under his belt. Additionally, his 12.7% strikeout rate reveals that he's seeing the zone well and putting the ball in play. That strikeout rate ranks in the 93rd percentile among MLB batters. Finally, what the box score won't show is that Genao has been producing a very high quality of contact. His 91.0 mph average exit velocity, 52% hard-hit rate, and 33% squared-up rate all rank within the upper echelon of hitters. All of these factors help solidify Genao's case as a late-season waiver wire pickup. He's available in 96% of leagues and has eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bryce Eldridge Showing Improvement at the Plate
San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge has been quite productive at the plate recently. He currently owns a 15-game on-base streak, and during that streak, he has posted a .345/.456/.491 slash line with one home run, 12 RBI, 12 walks, and 16 strikeouts. The power has tailed off a bit, but he's getting more hits, accruing more total bases, and posting a much better K/BB ratio. These latest results have put him back on the fantasy baseball radar as a very intriguing waiver wire target. His streak has also helped his season-long numbers, as he now owns a .810 OPS and 127 wRC+ across 97 games. Eldridge, who has split time at first base and designated hitter, is available to be added in 84% of leagues. He ranks as the #24 first baseman in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jeff McNeil an Everyday Option with Positional Versatility
Athletics infielder Jeff McNeil has delivered an uptick in production lately, making him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Since the start of August, he's 38-for-112 (.339) with four homers, seven doubles, 19 RBI, four walks, 12 strikeouts, and five steals. Those numbers are substantially better than his season-long statistics, although his "back of the baseball card" numbers aren't necessarily concerning. This year, he owns a .271/.321/.378 slash line with eight homers, eight steals, 52 RBI, a 6.0% walk rate, an 11.3% strikeout rate, and 89 wRC+. Since the start of August, his slash line and home run total have increased while his strikeout rate has remained relatively constant. Because of his recent improvements at the plate, McNeil is an intriguing fantasy baseball waiver wire target in deeper leagues. He has played mostly first base and second base for the A's, but he also has fantasy eligibility in all three outfield spots. The 34-year-old is currently available to be picked up in 80% of leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joshua Baez a Slugger to Target on the Waiver Wire
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez continues to show off his power tool at the major league level. In 22 games since being called up for his MLB debut, Baez is slashing .229/.286/.586 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, a 3.9% walk rate, a 35.1% strikeout rate, and 133 wRC+. The discipline and ball-in-play metrics are worrisome, but his absurd power output has made up for it, especially in fantasy baseball leagues. The only thing to consider is that Baez's 9.1% home run rate is not sustainable long-term, so he'll likely cool off eventually. He had a 7.4% home run rate in Triple-A, and even that proportion was absolutely insane. With that being said, Baez hasn't shown any signs of slowing down lately, so he continues to be a worthwhile waiver wire target. He is available in 73% of leagues and ranks as the #65 outfielder in RotoBaller's rest-of-season rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mason Montgomery Excelling in Closer Role Lately
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Mason Montgomery has been excellent lately, solidifying himself as the team's closer and getting onto the fantasy radar as a very intriguing waiver wire target late in the season. Montgomery hadn't logged a save situation this year until June 13, and he didn't pick up his first save until July 11. However, the saves have started to occur en masse, as Montgomery has eight saves since the start of August and four saves over his last five appearances. He has also strung together 18 consecutive scoreless outings dating back to July 27. During that window, he has 14.0 K/9 and just 2.1 BB/9. Simply put, Montgomery has been absolutely phenomenal since the end of July. Fantasy managers are starting to take notice, but he's still available in 73% of leagues, which feels like way too many. He should be a top relief pitching target for fantasy managers on the waiver wire. Montgomery ranks as the #37 reliever in RotoBaller's latest rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Andrew Painter a Late-Season Waiver-Wire Target Amid Hot Stretch
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter has turned things around lately, and he's back on the fantasy radar as an appealing waiver wire target for the month of September. Painter owns a 5.55 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP over 21 outings this year. However, over just his last seven starts, he has a 3.12 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and just 2.9 BB/9. Two of his last three outings have gone seven innings with one or fewer runs. In his most recent start on Wednesday, he went seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, two hits, and no walks. Painter isn't currently a top-85 starter in RotoBaller's rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings, but that will change if he continues to pitch at such a high level. There's a real opportunity for fantasy managers to pick up Painter off the waiver wire and reap the rewards going forward. As it stands, he's rostered in just 24% of leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mariners Top Infield Prospect Michael Arroyo to Join Major Leagues
The Seattle Mariners are promoting top infield prospect Michael Arroyo to the major leagues prior to Sunday's game against the Athletics, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Arroyo ranked as the Mariners' No. 3 prospect in the latest MLB Pipeline farm system rankings. He was originally signed as an international free agent out of Colombia in 2022. He was promoted from Double-A to Triple-A in the middle of the 2026 season, slashing .283/.359/.471 with 18 home runs, 81 RBI, 17 steals, and 117 wRC+ between the two affiliates. He also racked up an 8.1% walk rate and a 16.4% strikeout rate in the minors. Arroyo played the left side of the infield early in his minor league career, but he has only played second base and left field in 2026. He'll make his MLB debut on Sunday afternoon, batting eighth and playing second base.
Source: Daniel Kramer
Source: Daniel Kramer
Kaelen Culpepper Remains Available in Most Leagues Amid Fantastic Start
Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has been fantastic at the plate ever since being called up for his MLB debut less than one month ago. Culpepper has played in 24 games (all at shortstop), and he's had no trouble living up to the hype that he possessed as a top prospect. So far, he owns a .307/.361/.466 slash line with three home runs, 10 RBI, a 6.2% walk rate, a 19.6% strikeout rate, and 133 wRC+. He's slugged eight extra-base hits, and although he's walking less than he did in the minors, his strikeout rate hasn't increased by much since his promotion. Culpepper's near-everyday role and impressive offensive contributions have helped him emerge as a top waiver wire option in fantasy baseball. He's still available in 89% of fantasy leagues, and he ranks as the #24 shortstop in RotoBaller's rest-of-season rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
