RADIO
James Tibbs III Remains a Priority Stash Despite Unclear Path to the Majors
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III has done plenty to earn a promotion at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 23-year-old is batting .289/.413/.571 with 21 home runs, 68 RBI, 70 runs, and three stolen bases across 301 at-bats. His power has held up over a full first half, while the strong on-base percentage gives him more fantasy appeal than a one-dimensional slugger. The problem is finding him regular at-bats in Los Angeles. RotoBaller ranks Tibbs 13th among its current redraft prospect stashes and now projects an August arrival so that managers may need patience. His Yahoo roster rate is 5%, making him widely available in leagues. Tibbs is worth stashing in leagues with an NA spot or deep-league formats, especially those using five outfielders. Shallower mixed leagues can wait for a clearer path to promotion.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joe Mack's Back-to-Back Homers Spark Deep-League Waiver Appeal?
Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack has homered in back-to-back games, following a two-run shot on Tuesday, with a pinch-hit inside-the-park homer against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. The two-game burst gives him six homers in 133 at-bats. Mack is slashing .256/.313/.429 with 22 RBI and 22 runs, and five of those long balls came during a strong June. Liam Hicks returned from the injured list Wednesday, but Mack is still expected to handle most of the work behind the plate, especially against right-handed pitching, where he is slashing .260/.325/.442 vs. righties in 114 plate appearances. Hicks will also see time at first base and designated hitter, while Brian Navarreto serves as the third catcher. Mack is not listed among RotoBaller's current Week 14 catcher pickups, so he should not be treated as a priority in standard one-catcher leagues. Yahoo currently puts him at a 4% roster rate, making him a sensible add in two-catcher formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Charlie Condon's Recent Power Surge Puts him on the Priority Stash List?
Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon is forcing his way into the promotion conversation. The 23-year-old ripped two home runs and a triple for Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday, giving him five homers over his last three games. Condon is now slashing .293/.418/.612 with 20 home runs, 59 RBI, 71 runs, and five steals across 273 at-bats. He has also walked 49 times, so the recent power binge is not the result of an all-or-nothing approach. Colorado has not announced a call-up, but RotoBaller ranks Condon third among its current redraft prospect stashes and projects a July arrival. Yahoo managers have pushed his roster rate to 7%, leaving him available in most leagues despite the growing buzz. Condon is a priority stash in 15-team formats and should be considered in shallower leagues with an NA spot. The uncertain timeline keeps him from being a universal must-add.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Max Clark Emerging as a Must-Stash Prospect
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark is holding his own in his first Triple-A season. MLB Pipeline's No. 7 overall prospect is hitting .261 with six home runs, 32 RBI, 50 runs, and 17 stolen bases through 295 at-bats for Toledo. Clark has also kept his strikeout rate below 15%, which matters for a 21-year-old whose speed could make an immediate fantasy difference once Detroit calls him up. The only real question is timing. RotoBaller's latest redraft stash rankings place Clark fifth with an August ETA, and the Tigers do not have an obvious everyday opening waiting for him. Clark has reached 8% rostered on Yahoo, but he remains a must-stash in most formats for now, especially leagues with an NA spot.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carlos Estevez Receives Injection, Shut Down the Rest of the Week
Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (shoulder) suffered a setback with his shoulder after throwing a bullpen session on June 27. He received an injection on Wednesday and will be shut down for the rest of the week before being re-evaluated, according to MLB.com. Estevez initially went on the 15-day injured list on April 1 with a left-foot contusion, but he suffered a right rotator-cuff strain while rehabbing and was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 15. The 33-year-old veteran Dominican hurler only made one appearance this year for the Royals before getting injured, and he allowed six earned runs in just one-third of an inning. Estevez had a career- and league-high 42 saves in his first season with the Royals in 2025, but in addition to his injuries this year, his velocity was noticeably down in spring training. He easily has the most closing experience of anyone in KC's bullpen, but it could be a choppy ride for fantasy managers who are stashing him whenever he returns in the second half of 2026. Estevez is rostered in only 39% of Yahoo leagues now.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Munetaka Murakami "Day-to-Day," No Timetable for a Rehab Assignment
Chicago White Sox corner infielder Munetaka Murakami (hamstring) is on the road trip with the team and is considered "day-to-day," but there is no timetable for him to begin a minor-league rehab assignment, according to manager Will Venable. Murakami landed on the 10-day injured list on May 30 with a strained right hamstring, and with no rehab assignment on the horizon, fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect him to return before the mid-July All-Star break. He's making progress, though, with Venable saying last week that Murakami was sprinting around "85 percent" intensity. In his first year in the States, the 26-year-old left-handed slugger has been a major value for fantasy managers, clubbing 20 home runs, driving in 41 runs, and scoring 43 bases in 200 at-bats while slashing .240/.378/.560 with a .938 OPS. Until he's able to return, Jacob Gonzalez should continue to see most of the playing time at first base for the Pale Hose.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kaelen Culpepper Day-to-Day With Hand Injury at Triple-A
Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hand) is likely day-to-day at Triple-A St. Paul while he awaits X-ray results on his left hand, according to Theodore Tollefson. Culpepper, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was held out of the Saints' lineup on Wednesday with a left-hand injury after he was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat on Tuesday. The 23-year-old former 21st overall pick in 2024 out of Kansas State University recently missed over two weeks with a strained left hip as well, so he's been banged up quite a bit of late. Despite the recent injuries, Culpepper is one of the top infield prospects to stash in fantasy baseball, as his first MLB call-up could be coming sooner rather than later. In 63 games and 295 plate appearances at St. Paul in 2026, Culpepper is slashing .272/.376/.492 with an .868 OPS, 14 home runs, 43 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 54 runs scored. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder makes a lot of contact and has intriguing power/speed upside, but he does tend to chase out of the zone.
Source: Theodore Tollefson
Source: Theodore Tollefson
Javier Assad to Start on Sunday Against Cardinals
Chicago Cubs right-hander Javier Assad will rejoin the team's starting rotation on Sunday in the series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Assad has been a valuable swing man for Chicago's banged-up starting rotation this year, going 6-1 with a 4.53 ERA (5.24 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 31 strikeouts and 13 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched across 13 appearances (six starts). The 28-year-old Mexican native has been slightly better in a starting role with a 4.18 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 20:7 K:BB in 32 1/3 frames. Assad was hit around a bit in his last outing on June 30 against the San Diego Padres, allowing four earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out just one in 2 2/3 innings out of the 'pen. And in his last three outings, he has given up nine earned runs on 15 hits (six homers) while walking four and fanning seven in 13 1/3 innings. Assad could continue to make starts for the Cubbies going into the second half, but once the rotation gets healthier, he's likely ticketed for more of a long-relief role in Chicago.
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
David Bednar Returns From Paternity List on Thursday
The New York Yankees announced on Thursday that they reinstated right-handed closer David Bednar from the paternity list. Bednar will return to the back end of New York's bullpen after he missed the entire three-game series against the Detroit Tigers to begin the week as he welcomed his child into the world. The Yankees have a scheduled day off on Thursday, but Bednar will be available if a save situation arises in Friday's series opener against the visiting Minnesota Twins. The 31-year-old veteran is in his first full season with the Yankees in 2026 and has gone 2-3 with a 3.09 ERA (2.68 FIP), 1.23 WHIP, 16 saves, 40 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 35 innings out of the bullpen. Bednar is currently tied with Aroldis Chapman and Raisel Iglesias for ninth among relievers in MLB in saves this season. He didn't allow a single run in nine appearances in June, with his last earned run coming in a save against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays on May 18. Bednar needs to be returned to all starting fantasy lineups with the holiday weekend approaching.
Source: Yankees PR Department
Source: Yankees PR Department
Rockies Call Up Gabriel Hughes, Worth a Look in Deep Leagues?
The Colorado Rockies are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Gabriel Hughes from Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday in a surprising move, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The Rockies' top pick in 2022 and their No. 16 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has allowed zero runs and only four hits while walking five and striking out 16 in 15 2/3 innings in three starts since rejoining the Isotopes' starting rotation following a left-oblique injury. The 24-year-old is 2-1 overall with a 5.31 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 48:11 K:BB in 40 2/3 innings over nine outings (seven starts) at Triple-A this year. The 6-foot-4, 238-pounder out of Gonzaga University had Tommy John surgery in 2023 and also dealt with a shoulder injury last year, but his stuff is starting to come back now that he's healthy again. Hughes doesn't overpower hitters, but his ground-ball tendencies and solid offspeed stuff could play well at hitter-friendly Coors Field. At least initially, Hughes is expected to pitch out of the bullpen, so fantasy managers in single-year leagues can likely hold off for now.
Source: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
Source: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
Grant Holmes to Make Another Start on Friday
Atlanta Braves right-hander Grant Holmes will return to the starting rotation for Friday's series opener to take on the division-rival New York Mets, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The Braves skipped Holmes' last turn through the starting rotation, and he tossed four scoreless innings with no walks and four strikeouts out of the bullpen on June 27 against the San Francisco Giants in his most recent outing. The 30-year-old will make another start against the last-place Mets in an enticing matchup this weekend, but after that, it seems the Braves prefer to move him to the bullpen on a more permanent basis for the second half of the season now that right-hander Hurston Waldrep is back in the picture. Holmes will be a pretty intriguing fantasy streamer against the Mets on Friday, but length could be an issue. He's gone 4-4 this year with a 3.96 ERA (5.19 FIP) and 1.36 WHIP with 69 strikeouts and 37 walks in 77 1/3 innings pitched across 16 appearances (15 starts). Holmes has a career-low 20.7% strikeout rate in 2026 in his third year in the league and a career-high 11.1% walk rate.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Hurston Waldrep to Start on Thursday Against Cardinals
Atlanta Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep will make his first start for the Braves this year in Thursday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals at Truist Park, according to MLB.com. Waldrep had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow in February and didn't make his 2026 debut in the majors until last weekend out of the bullpen in Atlanta. The 24-year-old former 24th overall pick in 2023 out of the University of Florida will now temporarily take the rotation spot of the struggling Bryce Elder, but there's a good chance Waldrep will become a rotation staple for the Braves in the second half. In his lone appearance over the weekend in relief, Waldrep threw two scoreless innings with four walks and three strikeouts. He went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA (3.21 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and 22 walks in 56 1/3 innings across his 10 appearances (nine starts) in 2025, making him an intriguing upside pickup off the waiver wire in all fantasy baseball leagues. For DFS purposes, Waldrep won't be ideal on Thursday, though, and will likely be on a pitch count as he continues to get stretched out. The Georgia native is rostered in only 9% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
J.T. Realmuto a Positive Regression Candidate?
Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is showing his age (35) in his 13th year in the big leagues in 2026. The three-time All-Star is currently hitting .201/.286/.319 with a career-worst .604 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 22 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 61 games played across 231 plate appearances. He hit just .176 (13-for-74) with eight walks and 20 strikeouts in 21 games in June, but he also had three of his five home runs, five doubles, 16 RBI, 11 runs scored, and two of his three steals in 85 plate appearances. Realmuto is no longer in his prime and has been showing signs of decline at the plate for the last several seasons, but is he really as bad as his current surface stats suggest? Under the hood, Realmuto's expected batting average of .248 and xwOBA of .316 (wOBA of .274) point to a second-half resurgence. But still, he's ranked in the 38th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 22nd percentile in barrel rate, and the 34th percentile in chase rate. There's very little upside here, which is why Realmuto is now rostered in less than 20% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Denzer Guzman Worth a Look in Deeper Leagues for Raw Power Potential
Los Angeles Angels infield prospect Denzer Guzman was called up in early June to give the Halos some infield reinforcements, and the 22-year-old Dominican has hit .268/.325/.437 with a .761 OPS, three home runs, 13 RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 18 games and 77 plate appearances. He appeared in 13 games in his major-league debut in 2025 and went 8-for-42 (.190) with two long balls, three RBI, and four runs scored. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-handed hitter has mostly been serving as the Angels' third baseman when he finds his way into the starting lineup, but he also has experience at shortstop and is eligible at both positions in fantasy leagues. Guzman got the call to the Angels this year after hitting .336/.403/.571 with a .974 OPS, 12 homers, 57 RBI, 45 runs, and nine steals in 58 games at Triple-A Salt Lake in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His raw power from the right side makes him intriguing in deeper fantasy leagues, but the Angels' No. 7-ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline) has had issues making consistent contact at the plate. Guzman is worth a look off the waiver wire in deep fantasy leagues for infield depth. He's rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kirby Yates Still an Option for Fantasy Managers Desperate for Saves
The Los Angeles Angels are near the bottom of the league in the standings and aren't the ideal place to search for saves, but veteran right-handed reliever Kirby Yates remains in the mix for saves in Anaheim and is an option off the waiver wire for desperate fantasy managers. The struggling Angels are currently employing a closer-by-committee that involves Yates, Sam Bachman, and Ryan Zeferjahn. Left-hander Samy Natera Jr. picked up the team's most recent save on Sunday, but Yates had his second save of the year before that on Saturday, June 27. The 39-year-old is a two-time All-Star and is by far the Angels' most experienced reliever when it comes to saves, with an even 100 saves in his 11-plus years in the big leagues. He's gone 0-3 in 2026 with a 3.06 ERA (3.28 FIP), 0.96 WHIP, two saves, 25 strikeouts, and seven walks in 17 2/3 innings. Yates' numbers are pretty solid, but save opportunities in Anaheim have been few and far between. In 10 1/3 innings in June, Yates allowed just four runs (three earned) while walking three and fanning 15 with three losses, a save, and a blown save. He's rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available if you're scrounging for saves near the halfway point in 2026.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
