RADIO
Brooks Lee a Waiver-Wire Priority Amid Power Outburst
Minnesota Twins infielder Brooks Lee is suddenly up to a career-high 22 home runs entering play on Thursday after homering again in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics. In his last 11 games, the switch-hitting infielder has hit .319 (15-for-47) with a .930 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and eight runs scored to boost his overall 2026 slash line to .250/.299/.435 with a .734 OPS, 77 RBI, 62 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his second full season in the big leagues. The 25-year-old former eighth overall pick from Cal Poly in 2022 has been much better as a lefty against right-handed pitchers, going 91-for-345 (.264) with 19 of his 22 homers, as opposed to a .218 average (34-for-156) with just three long balls as a right-handed hitter against southpaws. With eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop, Lee is also valuable for his infield versatility in fantasy baseball, and he's available in 40% of Yahoo leagues with the playoffs approaching quickly.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Brooks Lee is a Reliable Producer to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across 512 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins third baseman/shortstop Brooks Lee is hitting .247/.299/.437 with 21 home runs, 70 RBI, 59 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. The 25-year-old has outperformed his underlying batted-ball metrics, as he's posted subpar barrel (4.1%) and hard-hit (32.8%) rates. However, Lee consistently puts the ball in play. He's struck out in just 16.2% of his plate appearances and hits the ball in the air a ton, which gives him opportunities to put it over the fence. Perhaps most importantly for fantasy managers, Lee is locked into everyday playing time in Minnesota and has been both consistent and durable so far this season. With his balanced production profile, Lee can easily fly under the radar but should be a priority waiver wire target in any league where he is available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Twins to Promote Top Infield Prospect Kaelen Culpepper to Major Leagues
The Minnesota Twins are promoting top infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper to the major leagues, according to Aaron Gleeman. Culpepper is currently viewed as the team's No. 2 prospect (behind only Walker Jenkins) and the overall No. 32 prospect in the sport on MLB.com. The budding infielder has battled injuries this season, but when on the field at Triple-A St. Paul, he has been nothing short of dominant. Through 74 games at the top club in the system, the former 21st overall selection has posted a .271/.367/.478 line with a .845 OPS. He has gone deep 14 times, added 15 doubles, and even swiped 17 bags. During the 2025 season, Culpepper hit 20 home runs and stole 25 bags over a 113-game stint. Managers should expect the infielder to see an everyday role at shortstop going forward. He is a priority target on the waiver wire in all formats given his elite five-category potential.
Source: Aaron Gleeman
Source: Aaron Gleeman
Emmanuel Rodriguez Dealing With Thumb Soreness, Remains Day-To-Day
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez was scratched from a High-A Cedar Rapids rehab game on Tuesday due to apparent thumb soreness and is now considered day-to-day, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune. The 23-year-old is the No. 52 prospect in Major League Baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, as he continues working his way through the Twins' farm system. Across 29 games at multiple levels this season, Rodriguez is hitting .253 with a .902 OPS and six home runs in 95 at-bats before the injury. He owns a .911 OPS with a .254 batting average throughout his minor league career and will look to avoid any further setbacks during his recovery.
Source: Bobby Nightengale
Source: Bobby Nightengale
Royce Lewis Returns From Hamstring Injury on Sunday
Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is starting at second base and is batting cleanup for the Twins in Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, per MLB.com. The Twins held the oft-injured Lewis out of Saturday's lineup due to soreness in his left hamstring, but it turned out to be a minor issue, and he's back in the lineup the following day. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 will take a weak .216/.292/.392 slash line into Sunday's contest in Chicago, but he has been better since returning from a minor-league demotion on June 6, going 33-for-128 (.258) with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 33 games for the Twins since rejoining the big-league roster. Strikeouts are always going to be part of Lewis' game, but he can provide decent power from the right side and is eligible at third and second base in fantasy leagues. Lewis is currently rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues. In just five career at-bats against Cubs lefty starter Shota Imanaga, he has a homer and three RBI.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kaelen Culpepper Seeing Stash Value Drop While on Injured List
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (finger) continues to see his stash value fall and his potential for a late-season call-up decline due to his stint on the injured list. Culpepper has been on the shelf since the end of June due to a finger injury. This is the second injury he has suffered this season, as he also missed time due to a hip injury. However, when on the diamond for St. Paul, Culpepper has been quite productive, which kept him high on stash rankings during the first half. Across 63 games with the top club in Minnesota, Culpepper has held a .272/.376/.492 slash line with 14 home runs and 15 stolen bases. While his MLB debut could be delayed, his five-category potential keeps him on the watch list, as he could still provide fantasy value later in the second half.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Royce Lewis Out on Saturday With Sore Hamstring
Minnesota Twins corner infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is out of Saturday's starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs with soreness in his left hamstring, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Manager Derek Shelton said Lewis reported to the field on Saturday feeling better, but the Twins will be cautious and hold the oft-injured slugger out. Josh Bell will start at first base and bat third, while catcher Ryan Jeffers will serve as the designated hitter and bat second against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. We'll consider Lewis day-to-day for now, but given his lengthy injury history, this could easily turn into an injured-list situation before long. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 got off to a rough start to 2026 before being sent to the minors to work on his approach at the plate. Since returning on June 6, Lewis has been better, slashing .258/.319/.484 with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs, three steals, 12 walks, and 33 K's in 33 games played to raise his season line to .216/.292/.392 with a .685 OPS. Strikeouts and swing-and-miss are always going to be part of the package with Lewis, but the streaky hitter can definitely still be a power asset for fantasy managers lacking in the department. Check back on Sunday to see if Lewis is ready for the series finale.
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Does Injury Diminish Kaelen Culpepper's Stash Worthiness?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (glute) hasn't played in a game since June 30 after dealing with hand and glute injuries, but played well enough in the first half to earn a nomination to the All-Star Futures Game anyway. The Twins' second-ranked prospect slashed .272/.376/.492 with 14 home runs and 15 steals through 63 games at St. Paul, and appeared to be on the verge of a debut in the majors before going down with injuries. The former first-rounder is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .289 with 20 home runs and 25 steals in 113 games across two levels, so there is a history of multi-category production with Culpepper. As such, the 23-year-old makes for an appealing stash candidate in most 12-team leagues and deeper, assuming the glute injury doesn't linger into the second half.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Royce Lewis Re-Emerging as a Power/Speed Threat on the Waiver Wire
Across 256 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis is hitting .219/.297/.399 with 10 home runs, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored, and six stolen bases. The 27-year-old's overall line is held down by his brutal start to the year, as he hit .164 with three home runs across 119 plate appearances through the end of May. However, Lewis has been much better of late, hitting .266 with seven home runs across 137 plate appearances since the start of June. Lewis owns a 13% barrel rate on the season and has demonstrated significant power upside at earlier points in his career, hitting 31 home runs across 564 plate appearances from 2023 through 2024. Health remains a major concern for Lewis, as he's reached 400 plate appearances in a season just once in his career and has already missed time in 2026 due to a knee injury. Still, Lewis carries notable power/speed potential when healthy and could be worth targeting on the waiver wire in leagues where he remains available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Kaelen Culpepper Still a Must-Stash Candidate While Injured?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hand) was recently placed back on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul due to a hand injury. Culpepper has battled a few injuries over the past month, which has delayed his MLB debut. However, before dealing with a string of injuries, the top infielder in the Minnesota system appeared to be on the doorstep of the big leagues. From May 23 through June 12, Culpepper carried a sharp .348/.451/.623 line with a stellar 1.074 OPS, five home runs and five stolen bases. Overall on the season, Culpepper holds a .272/.376/.492 line over his first 63 contests at St Paul. Fantasy managers in deeper redraft leagues should continue to closely monitor his status, as he would re-emerge as a must-stash candidate upon his return from the injured list, given that Minnesota lacks a proven option at shortstop.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Brooks Lee Can Help Win Your League
Minnesota Twins shortstop/third baseman Brooks Lee has been a key contributor for the Twins this season and has climbed from the bottom of the lineup to the second spot in the batting order. Through 89 games, the 25-year-old switch-hitter is hitting .252 with 14 homers, 13 doubles, and 55 RBI. Last season, he had 16 homers, but needed 139 games to get there with a .286 wOBA. This season, his wOBA is up to .323, and he has hit eight homers in his last 34 games with a .340 wOBA since May 31. He's added five stolen bases as well, and his solid overall counting stats can be a big boost to your roster if you need help on the left side of the infield. While his contact metrics won't blow anyone away, his consistent, solid production and premium spot near the top of the batting order make him a well-rounded addition from the waiver wire or via trade to fortify your infield.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelen Culpepper Still a Top Stash Option Despite Injury?
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hand) will hopefully return to the lineup at Triple-A St. Paul this week. The Twins' second-ranked prospect was hit in the hand by a pitch back on June 30 and has yet to play in any games since then, but has been considered day-to-day. He had also missed a couple of weeks just before that with a hip injury, but had been making a strong push for a major league debut before those injuries. The former first-rounder was 19-for-50 (.380) in his last 14 games, with five extra-base hits (two home runs), three steals, and an impressive 9:5 BB:K over that span. For the season, the right-handed hitter is slashing .272/.376/.492 with 14 home runs and 15 steals, along with above-average walk (12.6 percent) and strikeout rates (17.3 percent). Look for the 23-year-old to get back on track this week, and if he does, a debut shortly after the All-Star break could be in the cards. With his all-around skillset, Culpepper makes for one of the top bats to stash in most standard 12-team leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Royce Lewis a Must-Add Waiver Target With Power-Speed Upside?
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis still carries an ugly .212 average, which is probably why he remains available in so many leagues. The season line does not reflect the hitter Minnesota has seen since recalling him on June 6. Lewis batted .279/.330/.512 in June with five home runs, 12 runs, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases. The Twins have also found him regular playing time, primarily at first base but with the flexibility to move around the infield. The strikeouts are still a problem. Lewis has fanned in 27.9% of his plate appearances, so the batting average could remain volatile. His 12.3% barrel rate is a much better reason to buy in, and he has already paired eight homers with six steals across 198 at-bats. At 36% rostered on Yahoo, Lewis is a must-add in 10-team formats and an easy claim in standard mixed leagues. There is enough power-speed upside here to live with the average risk.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Royce Lewis a Power Bat to Target Off the Waiver Wire?
Minnesota Twins corner infielder Royce Lewis' fantasy stock hit a low point this year when he was sent to Triple-A St. Paul to work on his approach at the plate. Before being demoted to the minors, Lewis was slashing .163/.261/.279 with a .539 OPS, three home runs, three doubles, 13 RBI, 11 runs, three steals, 12 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 31 games and 119 plate appearances. Since returning to the Twins on June 6, Lewis has slashed .273/.329/.500 with an .829 OPS, four home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, eight runs scored, two steals, six walks, and 16 strikeouts in 17 games and 73 plate appearances. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft caught fire initially upon his promotion back to the bigs, but he has slowed down a bit of late, going 6-for-29 (.207) with a homer, double, RBI, two runs, one steal, two walks, and nine K's in his last seven games. Overall, Lewis is hitting just over the Mendoza Line with seven homers, 21 RBI, 19 runs, five steals, and a career-high 27.6% strikeout rate in 48 games for the Twins. There is still pop in his bat, but fantasy managers seeking power are going to have to live with the swing and miss. Lewis is rostered in 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
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
