April 6, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever,
Riley O'Brien, picked up his second save on Sunday night, helping the Cardinals secure the 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers and avoid getting swept over the weekend. The Cardinals' bullpen has been a bit of a mystery box to start the season, with O'Brien,
JoJo Romero,
Ryne Stanek, and
Matt Svanson all rumored at one point either during Spring Training or to start the season to be the Cardinals' most likely closer. O'Brien appears to have taken the front seat in that race, with two saves on the season and 5 1/3 shutout innings, a 0.75 WHIP, and five strikeouts. The 31-year-old pitcher closed six games for the Cardinals in 2025, but outside of that, he has not had much experience closing, so if he truly has taken over, fantasy managers should expect the leash to be fairly short. For leagues that prioritize saves, O'Brien would be a strong pickup to see if he retains the closer job and earns some more opportunities in the meantime.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: ESPN
April 6, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers top prospect
Jesus Made is looking quite comfortable during his second taste of Double-A action. On Sunday, he posted an impressive four-hit effort with one home run, one walk, and a stolen base. He made a brief debut at Double-A during the final week of the 2025 season and posted a .261/.292/.348 line over a short five-game stint. He would spend most of the 2025 campaign with Low-A and High-A, where he carried an overall .290/.368/.421 slash line with 28 doubles, six home runs, and 45 stolen bases. Even at just 18 years old, the top prospect has continued to showcase his immense raw upside. While a 2026 MLB debut is unlikely, Made continues to bolster his dynasty value and remains on track for a 2027 promotion to Milwaukee.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 6, 2026
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect
Payton Tolle enjoyed a dominant outing at Triple-A on Sunday and is emerging as the top pitching prospect to stash. Facing Saint Paul, Tolle logged six frames of two-run ball (one earned run) with four hits, one walk, and seven punchouts. This was a major improvement over the six runs (four earned) he allowed in his season debut back on March 29 against Triple-A Syracuse. Tolle was in contention to break camp with the MLB roster, but eventually fell short in the competition as fellow prospect
Connelly Early claimed the final role. However, with
Johan Oviedo (elbow) hitting the 15-day IL, Tolle now has a clear path to return to Boston much sooner than expected. In 2025, Tolle progressed through the system very quickly, striking out 133 hitters over 91 2/3 innings. He is a top stash candidate in all formats as he could return to Boston in the coming weeks.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 6, 2026
Minnesota Twins infield prospect
Kaelen Culpepper launched two home runs across St. Paul's doubleheader on Sunday and is emerging as a top hitter stash candidate. Over his first eight games at the Triple-A level, Culpepper has posted a .294/.368/.559 slash line with three round-trippers, six runs, eight RBI, and a 7:3 K:BB. Last summer, the former 21st overall selection for the 2024 MLB Draft quickly progressed through the Minnesota system and is now just one stop away from the majors. In 2025, he spent time at both High-A and Double-A and carried an overall .289/.375/.469 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases, over a 113-game stint. If Culpepper can continue this trajectory, he could make a strong case to debut in the majors in the first half. For now, he is a viable stash candidate in deeper formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 6, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-handed pitching prospect
George Klassen showed some upside in his MLB debut on Sunday, but struggled to enjoy much consistency. Over a brief 2 2/3-inning outing facing the Mariners, Klassen would allow three hits, two earned runs, and allow a hefty five free passes. However, he would strike out four hitters. Much of his trouble came in the second frame when
Leo Rivas hit a two-run single that scored outfielder
Randy Arozarena and second baseman
Cole Young. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in the upcoming week, as the Angels may provide him another turn in the MLB rotation. Last summer, he spent most of his time at Double-A, logging 102 2/3 innings to the tune of a 5.35 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Given his shaky debut, managers should only consider adding Klassen in deeper 15-team leagues.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
April 6, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect
Andrew Painter looked sharp in his MLB debut last week and is emerging as a high-end target for upside on the waiver wire ahead of his second career outing. In his debut, Painter tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Washington Nationals. In this outing, Painter allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out eight batters. After an inconsistent stint in Triple-A in 2025, Painter showed signs of progress in spring training and has carried that momentum into the early season. In camp, Painter logged 11 2/3 innings with just three earned runs and an 8:2 K:BB. Last summer, Painter would post a rough 5.40 ERA with a 111:46 K:BB over 106 2/3 innings at Triple-A. Given his strikeout potential, Painter is a strong waiver-wire target when looking for upside in standard leagues.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Cleveland Guardians left-handed pitching prospect
Parker Messick turned in another strong outing in his second outing of the campaign and is emerging as a must-roster pitcher in standard 12-team leagues. Messick was given the starting nod in the second game of the doubleheader against the Cubs on Sunday and logged five innings of one-run ball with two hits and three walks. He struck out six. His lone mistake came in the third frame when former top prospect
Matt Shaw hit a solo shot. In his season debut, Messick looked quite comfortable as well, logging six shutout frames against the game's most potent lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last summer in his first stint in the big leagues, the southpaw posted a 2.72 ERA over his first 39 2/3 innings. Given his impressive start to the season, Messick is a priority target for those needing pitching depth.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman
Andres Gimenez has established himself as an intriguing waiver wire option for fantasy managers with his hot start to the 2026 season. The 27-year-old is in his second year with Toronto and owns an .848 OPS with two home runs in nine games. Known for his defense, Gimenez has taken a step forward with the bat this season and is worth adding as he continues to produce. It is worth noting that he has also shown a positive trend in reducing strikeouts over his career, something for fantasy managers to keep an eye on as he looks to continue this production from the bottom end of the Jays lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman
Kazuma Okamoto struggled again Sunday in a 3-0 loss vs. the Chicago White Sox, finishing 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk. This marks the 29-year-old's sixth game with multiple strikeouts, as he continues to have trouble limiting swing-and-miss. Okamoto is in his first MLB season and was known for an elite contact tool in Japan before coming overseas. He may still be adjusting to increased velocity at the major league level, with his strikeout rate at 42.9 percent. He has shown positive signs, however, with two home runs while slashing .235/.333/.412 in eight games. He will look to make adjustments quickly as he works to settle into Major League pitching.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell is off to a hot start this season and has become a priority waiver wire target as he continues his early success. The 27-year-old is hitting .318 with a 1.014 OPS in eight games, showing an increase in power numbers early. Four of Mitchell's seven hits have gone for extra bases, and his average exit velocity sits at 98.4 mph, which ranks in the 99th percentile league-wide. This uptick in power has led to 11 RBI, and his strong production early is expected to create more opportunities moving forward.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker has enjoyed an early breakout in the 2026 season, emerging as a must-add waiver wire target with significant upside. The 23-year-old has already recorded two three-hit games along with two home runs, and is slashing .300/.382/.567 in nine games. Walker has always been a power threat, but he has displayed a major uptick in barrel percentage from 6.6% last year to 13.3% this year. He has cut down on strikeouts and taken more walks, all positive signs for the young talent in a limited sample size. These early underlying metrics point to extremely high potential for a breakout year, and fantasy managers should add Walker as soon as possible.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever
Gregory Soto is emerging as a key waiver wire opportunity, showing strong upside early in the 2026 season. The left-hander has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, while relying heavily on swing-and-miss stuff with 11 strikeouts. His 52.4 K% ranks in the 99th percentile, highlighting his dominance in a small sample. Soto has already recorded his first save of the season and owns a 0.75 WHIP with a .111 opponents average. If the 31-year-old maintains control and limits walks, he can continue to thrive in the back end of the Pirates bullpen and push for more save opportunities.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (knee) is expected to continue his rehab assignment Tuesday and Wednesday before rejoining the team Friday for a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list March 25 with a right knee injury and has spent the last few days playing with Double-A Knoxville. The 31-year-old has not played a game this season and will look to return to his everyday role upon activation. Suzuki is in his fifth season with Chicago and posted a .245 AVG, .326 OBP, and .478 SLG last year, providing a steady and productive bat in the lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: Taylor McGregor
April 5, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout (hand) was removed early during Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Trout was taken out of the contest after getting hit by a pitch during the eighth inning. According to Rhett Bollinger, it sounded like it hit Trout's hand pad, but he was pulled from the contest anyway. Before leaving, Trout went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a double. The expectation is that Trout will undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status.
Bryce Teodosio took over in center field and could see an expanded role if Trout misses time.
--Andy WebbSource: Rhett Bollinger
April 5, 2026
New York Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga saw his velocity drop during Sunday's start against the San Francisco Giants. Senga was averaging 97.4 mph during his last start. He began Sunday's outing sitting at 96 mph on his fastball. The right-hander was averaging 93-94 mph during his final inning of work. Outside of the decreased velocity, Senga was sharp during Sunday's victory. He tossed 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out seven batters in the no-decision. Senga has pitched well over his first two starts of the season, but the dip in velocity is concerning. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation during his next outing against the Athletics on April 11.
--Andy WebbSource: Anthony DiComo
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