We have two goals for this article:
1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.
The grid below allows readers to see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and what kind of bids they should command in a variety of formats. The grid, which is sortable by column (click on the header), includes a very basic "player grade" column. This is a reflection of a player's upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook, which are already factored into the recommended bid.
If you have questions on players, either those covered here or players I didn't include this week, I'm happy to provide my thoughts in the comments.
| Player | Team | Pos | Grade | 12-Team Mixed $ | 15-Team Mixed $ | 12-Team NL-Only $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Brown | Cubs | SP | B | $4 | $8 | $14 |
| Cade Cavalli | Nationals | SP | B | $5 | $9 | $15 |
| Jared Jones | Pirates | SP | A | $11 | $20 | $30 |
| Logan Henderson | Brewers | SP | A | $7 | $11 | $18 |
| Eric Lauer | Dodgers | SP | D | no | $1 | $3 |
| Trevor McDonald | Giants | SP | C | no | $2 | $4 |
| Tyler Phillips | Marlins | SP | E | no | $1 | $3 |
| Karson Milbrandt | Marlins | SP | B | no | $1 | $2 |
| Roki Sasaki | Dodgers | SP | C | $2 | $6 | $10 |
| Jonah Tong | Mets | SP | C | no | $1 | $3 |
| Jack Wenninger | Mets | SP | B | no | $1 | $4 |
| Juan Mejia | Rockies | RP | D | no | $2 | $4 |
| Antonio Senzatela | Rockies | RP |
We have two goals for this article:
1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.
The grid below allows readers to see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and what kind of bids they should command in a variety of formats. The grid, which is sortable by column (click on the header), includes a very basic "player grade" column. This is a reflection of a player's upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook, which are already factored into the recommended bid.
If you have questions on players, either those covered here or players I didn't include this week, I'm happy to provide my thoughts in the comments.
| Player | Team | Pos | Grade | 12-Team Mixed $ | 15-Team Mixed $ | 12-Team NL-Only $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Brown | Cubs | SP | B | $4 | $8 | $14 |
| Cade Cavalli | Nationals | SP | B | $5 | $9 | $15 |
| Jared Jones | Pirates | SP | A | $11 | $20 | $30 |
| Logan Henderson | Brewers | SP | A | $7 | $11 | $18 |
| Eric Lauer | Dodgers | SP | D | no | $1 | $3 |
| Trevor McDonald | Giants | SP | C | no | $2 | $4 |
| Tyler Phillips | Marlins | SP | E | no | $1 | $3 |
| Karson Milbrandt | Marlins | SP | B | no | $1 | $2 |
| Roki Sasaki | Dodgers | SP | C | $2 | $6 | $10 |
| Jonah Tong | Mets | SP | C | no | $1 | $3 |
| Jack Wenninger | Mets | SP | B | no | $1 | $4 |
| Juan Mejia | Rockies | RP | D | no | $2 | $4 |
| Antonio Senzatela | Rockies | RP | D | no | $2 | $4 |
| Tony Santillan | Reds | RP | C | $1 | $3 | $5 |
| Keibert Ruiz | Nationals | C | D | $1 | $3 | $7 |
| Daniel Susac | Giants | C | E | $0 | $2 | $5 |
| TJ Rumfield | Rockies | 1B | D | $2 | $7 | rostered |
| Gavin Sheets | Padres | 1B/OF | C | $3 | $8 | rostered |
| Nick Gonzales | Pirates | 2B/3B | D | $1 | $4 | $7 |
| Pedro Ramirez | Cubs | 2B/3B | C | no | $0 | $3 |
| Miguel Andujar | Padres | 3B/OF | D | $2 | $5 | $9 |
| Noelvi Marte | Reds | 3B/OF | C | $0 | $2 | $4 |
| Edwin Arroyo | Reds | SS | C | no | $1 | $3 |
| Ha-Seong Kim | Braves | SS | D | $1 | $4 | $9 |
| Kevin Alcantara | Cubs | OF | D | no | no | $2 |
| Michael Conforto | Cubs | OF | D | no | $1 | $4 |
| Dylan Crews | Nationals | OF | C | $3 | $8 | $14 |
| Jhostynxon Garcia | Pirates | OF | D | $1 | $3 | $6 |
| Sterlin Thompson | Rockies | OF | D | no | $1 | $4 |
| Bryan Torres | Cardinals | OF | E | no | $1 | $4 |
| Esmerlyn Valdez | Pirates | OF | B | $1 | $4 | $7 |
Starting Pitcher
Ben Brown, Cubs: Brown struggled to a 5.92 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in a swingman role last season, but a 3.56 xFIP and 3.52 SIERA suggested better things were coming. He opened this year in a multi-inning relief role and has since moved back into the rotation after injuries to multiple starters. If you were waiting until Brown was fully built up to consider picking him up, now's the time as he reached five innings last time out after throwing four in both of his first two. Across those three outings, he's allowed a combined three runs on eight hits across 13 innings while striking out 16 and walking four. Brown now holds a 2.09 ERA and 0.98 WHIP on the season. The key for him has been adding a reliable third pitch - a sinker - alongside his four-seam and knuckle curve (he also occasionally throws a changeup). The broader repertoire has helped Brown avoid hard contact having only conceded a 4.0 percent barrel rate and 38.6 percent hard-hit rate after a 11.4 and 47.3 during 2025. 12-team Mixed: $4, 15-team Mixed: $8; 12-team NL: $14
Cade Cavalli, Nationals: Cavalli had a bit of sleeper buzz heading into the campaign, yet much of the excitement wore off after he began with a 4.60 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and 13:12 K:BB from his first four starts. He's since turned things around in a big way by striking out 28.4 percent of the batters he's faced through his last seven appearances while only walking 4.1 leading to a 3.55 ERA. That mark alongside a 1.32 WHIP could be much better if not for a .385 BABIP. Cavalli was once a highly-rated prospect who peaked at No. 33 on RotoWire before a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery with multiple setbacks derailed his career for almost three years. He seems to be finally putting it all together at age 27 and worth adding wherever still available. 12-team Mixed: $5, 15-team Mixed: $9; 12-team NL: $15
Jared Jones, Pirates: Jones is expected to return next week from internal brace surgery, a procedure he underwent last May. While there are always doubts about a player's ability to immediately revert to peak form following major surgery, he's looked excellent on his rehab assignment with a 1.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 18:3 K:BB over his first four starts. Jones was electric in his first seven big-league starts back in 2024 by posting a 2.63 ERA and 33.8 percent strikeout rate, though he managed a more pedestrian 4.91/22.9 from his final 15 starts. That decline may have been due to the lat issues which popped up during the middle of that season or perhaps because of the elbow issue that would appear the following spring. At full health, Jones' ceiling here is incredibly high and worthy of a very big bid even with the risks that come with betting on a pitcher in his first year after surgery. 12-team Mixed: $11, 15-team Mixed: $20; 12-team NL: $30
Logan Henderson, Brewers: Henderson should have been snapped up several weeks ago in deeper leagues. And he should also be long gone in shallower former, but I'll include him as he's somehow still available in over half of Yahoo! leagues. Henderson didn't become an established member of the Brewers rotation until early May, though should stick around for good this time as he just keeps producing. After throwing five shutout innings with seven Ks against the Dodgers on Friday, he's now at a 2.23 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 10 career starts while fanning 33.3 percent of opposing batters and walking only 7.4. And in none of those 10 appearances has Henderson given up more than two runs. He's experienced durability concerns across his career and may run into an innings limit during the second half, yet is a great bet to deliver strong numbers until then. 12-team Mixed: $7, 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team NL: $18
Eric Lauer, Dodgers: Lauer struggled to open the year with the Jays with a 6.69 ERA and 1.49 WHIP from 36.1 innings while bristling at Toronto's decision to occasionally deploy him behind an opener. He was eventually designated for assignment and traded to the Dodgers. And while Lauer has yet to make his debut for his new club, the expectation is that he'll be used as a starter. That means he's worth a speculative pickup just in case LA manages to tweak a few things and get him back to being the pitcher who registered a 3.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP backed by a 23.9 percent strikeout rate and 6.1 percent walk rate last season. If he does indeed pitch well enough to earn an extended look in the rotation, he'll be in an ideal situation to pick up wins. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $3
Trevor McDonald, Giants: McDonald was called up in early May when Logan Webb hit the injured list with knee bursitis. His first three starts went very well as he recorded a 2.37 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB over 19 innings. With Adrian Houser (5.25 ERA) and Tyler Mahle (6.10 ERA) both struggling, it looked like McDonald had a real chance to stick in the rotation even with Webb likely to return next week with one of the two veterans moving to the bullpen. I would have recommended quite a big bid if so, as the potential to pick up someone who misses an average amount of bats while avoiding walks and contributes an elite groundball rate (62.5 percent) at a great pitchers' park is very enticing. Unfortunately, McDonald stumbled against the White Sox last time out as he gave up seven runs in 3.2 innings. That means there's a decent chance he's the one to make way when Webb returns, yet I'd still throw a small bid on him in case he stays there. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $4
Tyler Phillips/Karson Milbrandt, Marlins: The Marlins have recently seen plenty of turnover in their fifth starter spot. Chris Paddack was DFA'd in early May, then top prospect Robby Snelling got the call and made one start before going down with an injury which required internal brace surgery. Braxton Garrett, who recently returned from internal brace surgery, made two poor starts and was sent back to Triple-A Jacksonville. Phillips will get the next crack at the job with previous starting experience, though hasn't yet built up to a starter's workload topping out at three innings this season. His 1.20 ERA as a reliever suggests he could be an interesting choice if he sticks around, but that comes with a far worse 4.24 SIERA while his career splits suggest he should remain in the bullpen having produced a 2.31 ERA in relief with a 7.13 as a starter. That means that Milbrandt, RotoWire's 44th-ranked prospect with a 1.24 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 37.0 percent strikeout rate from seven Double-A starts, could be worth a speculative pickup - but there's been no indication he's about to get the call. Phillips: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $3. Milbrandt: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $2
Roki Sasaki, Dodgers: Sasaki joined the Dodgers with an incredible amount of hype prior to 2025 after a dominant career in Japan, yet he's fallen far short of that with a 4.72 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 82 regular-season innings. So high were the expectations for him prior to his debut that it's worth jumping back in at any signs of life more quickly than it would be for most disappointing pitchers. Such signs have been present of late as Sasaki holds a 3.52 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over his last four starts with a 21:5 K:BB through 23 innings. Key to that improvement seems to be the fact he's started throwing both a forkball and a splitter, two similar pitches that come in at slightly different velocities and movement profiles. Is it enough to turn Sasaki into the ace he was projected to be when he joined the Dodgers? Not yet, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction. Add Sasaki where possible and see how his development continues to progress. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $6; 12-team NL: $10
Jonah Tong/Jack Wenninger, Mets: While Wenninger is the Mets' highest-ranked prospect and the pitcher who's enjoyed the most success for Triple-A Syracuse this season, it was Zach Thornton who made the first start in place of Clay Holmes after being sidelined for an extended period due to a fractured fibula. Thornton struggled and has since been demoted. Tong was also called up and pitched in a multi-inning relief role, following both Tobias Myers and Sean Manaea on Friday against the Marlins and throwing three scoreless innings. He's set to stay there for at least one more appearance, though it's unclear in what role. Tong struggled to a 5.68 ERA from nine Triple-A starts while walking 14.3 percent of opposing batters. He does have a 32.7 percent strikeout rate, so he could earn an extended look if he continues to do well next time out. If that doesn't happen, Wenninger could get promoted. Tong: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $3. Wenninger: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4
See which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Relief Pitcher
Juan Mejia/Antonio Senzatela, Rockies: The Rockies haven't stuck to one dedicated closer this season, yet Victor Vodnik - who leads the team with four saves - hit the IL on Wednesday with right ulnar nerve irritation that will mean more available opportunities during the ninth inning for at least the next several weeks. Mejia and Senzatela are tied for second at three saves, so both are worth a look for anyone desperate enough to consider a Rockies reliever. Mejia has notched two of the last three and could have the upper hand, though his 4.07 ERA and 1.56 WHIP are much worse than Senzatela's 1.13/0.78. The gap between their SIERAs (3.59 for Mejia, 3.50 for Senzatela) is almost nonexistent as Senzatela has benefited from a .195 BABIP. Mejia: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $4. Senzatela: 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $4.
Tony Santillan, Reds: After Emilio Pagan went down with a Grade 2 hamstring strain in early May, Graham Ashcraft, Pierce Johnson and Tejay Antone all earned save chances. Santillan has been a clear second on the team in leverage index this year and was Pagan's top deputy in 2025 by recording seven saves. He likely would have been the one to step into Pagan's shoes if not for the fact he was stuck in a deep slump right before and after Pagan got hurt as he gave up runs in five straight appearances from May 3-13. Santillan has since delivered a pair of scoreless innings, with the Reds' most recent save where he struck out two in a clean inning against the Phillies on Tuesday. He's also seen his fastball velocity tick back up over his last handful of outings. If Santillan has truly turned the corner, there's a chance he settles in as the closer for at least the next month or so - and potentially longer given how poorly Pagan performed before getting injured. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team NL: $5.
Catcher
Keibert Ruiz, Nationals: The acquisition of Harry Ford from the Mariners over the winter seemingly hinted Ruiz was about to lose his grip on the Nationals' starting catcher job. But instead, Ford has been stuck in the minors all year (struggling to a .606 OPS) while Ruiz has reached new heights at the plate. After only slashing .235/.266/.345 the last two seasons, the 27-year-old has gone .260/.277/.500. It's a lopsided line and Ruiz's 2.0 percent walk rate drags down his value in OBP leagues, but an aggressive approach seems to be paying off. His 14.9 percent strikeout rate is actually a career-high, though it's quite a strong mark having combined it with personal-bests for barrel rate (7.2 percent) and hard-hit rate (41.0 percent). Ruiz has been particularly hot of late with three homers and four multi-hit efforts during his last eight contests. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team NL: $7
Daniel Susac, Giants: Jesus Rodriguez initially looked like the primary beneficiary of the Patrick Bailey trade, but that deal happened while Susac was out with an elbow issue. Susac has since returned and has started five of the last eight while looking like the team's clear primary catcher. The Rule 5 pick is nowhere near as good as the .954 OPS he produced over his first 15 games (it's taken a .500 BABIP to get him there), yet he's making a solid amount of contact (19.5 percent strikeout rate) and hitting the ball reasonably hard (36.7 percent hard-hit rate) to make him good enough in two-catcher formats. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $5
First Base
TJ Rumfield, Rockies: Rumfield wasn't a player many fans had heard of prior to thise season, but his performance through 51 outings means he should be much more widely-rostered. The lefty has filled a near-everyday role for the Rockies while starting against all but one righty they've faced as well as nine of 13 lefties. Aided by Coors Field, Rumfield produced a .279/.351/.437 line with six homers. He combined above-average contact ability with decent power the last few years in the minors while continuing that in MLB with a 15.1 percent strikeout rate and 7.8 percent barrel rate. Toss in the fact Rumfield has recently been hot with a .328/.414/.525 from his last 17 games and it's a great time to add him wherever available. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team NL: rostered
Gavin Sheets, Padres: Sheets managed a career campaign in 2025 - his first with the Padres - by slashing .252/.317/.429 (111 wRC+) with 19 homers in 145 games. He's reached another power level this season going .254/.335/.522 (144 wRC+) having already produced nine home runs through 46 appearances. Sheets has spent most of his time in a strong-side platoon, but has now started against the last two lefties the Padres have faced to extend his appeal into shallower leagues. He's worth a look as a reliable power bat who won't kill your batting average wherever he can be added. 12-team Mixed: $3, 15-team Mixed: $8; 12-team NL: rostered
Second Base
Nick Gonzales, Pirates: Gonzales slashed an unimpressive .257/.300/.375 (84 wRC+) over his first three seasons, though has broken out to a certain extent - if you can call it that when someone hasn't yet registered a homer. While he's yet to clear the fence and has a modest three steals, his .323/.381/.372 slash line (117 wRC+) easily reprsents a career-best. Gonzales should continue to post a high average as he makes a lot of contact (16.0 percent strikeout rate) and hits the ball moderately hard (40.4 percent hard-hit rate) while pounding it into the ground (51.9 percent groundball rate) to allow a reliably high BABIP as a tradeoff for killing power. For teams in need of a batting-average boost, he's a reasonable solution. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team NL: $7
Pedro Ramirez, Cubs: Ramirez, RotoWire's No. 68 prospect, was called up for the first time Friday with Matt Shaw (back) heading to the IL. With no obvious immediate path to regular playing time, he can be left alone in most leagues - yet his prospect pedigree means he's worth a speculative bid in deeper formats as he's now just one more injury away from getting a chance. The switch-hitter has been on fire for Triple-A Iowa having produced a .312/.395/.547 line with nine homers and 19 steals through 43 games. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $0; 12-team NL: $3
Check out where all the players on your fantasy baseball team fit into RotoWire's MLB Cheat Sheet!
Third Base
Miguel Andujar, Padres: Andujar is a reliable contact hitter with respectable power who deserves to be much more widely-rostered. He began the year in a part-time role by starting 17 of the Padres' first 29 contests, and has gone on to start 20 of the last 21. An everyday player who's slashing .289/.313/.500 is useful in almost any league, and that line doesn't look like a fluke next to a .318/.352/.470 from last season. Don't expect a lot of long balls, though a combined 15 in 488 plate appearances the last two seasons is a decent total and Andujar's 15.4 percent strikeout rate over that stretch means his batting average should remain elevated going forward. 12-team Mixed: $2, 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team NL: $9
Noelvi Marte, Reds: Marte was stuck in a part-time role to open the year and was optioned in mid-April after only going .138/.194/.138 in 11 games. His performances for Triple-A Louisville have been fantastic as he's produced a .374/.431/.569 line with six home runs and nine steals over 31 outings while only fanning 15.3 percent of the time. While there's no obvious spot for Marte to return to the Reds' lineup, those with roster vacancies may want to stash the 24-year-old just in case Cincinnati makes room for him soon. 12-team Mixed: $0, 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team NL: $4
Shortstop
Edwin Arroyo, Reds: Arroyo has been excellent at Triple-A Louisville with a .348/.408/.604 line alongside 10 homers and eight steals. He's been even better in the last 20 games batting .429 with seven home runs. And on the season, Arroyo is striking out 15.1 percent of the time while displaying more power than ever having already collected four less than his previous peak (14). That makes RotoWire's 118th-ranked prospect worth a stash if you have the luxury to do so, though the Reds' infield remains crowded even with Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) on the IL to make his immediate path to playing time unclear. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $3
Ha-Seong Kim, Braves: Kim has started slowly since coming back from finger surgery having only slashed .129/.229/.129 with no homers and one steal through nine matchups where he's still widely available on the wire. He might not do enough to matter in shallower formats, but those in medium-to-deep ones requiring middle infield help should look his way despite the small-sample numbers. It's possible Kim's injuries the last two seasons (shoulder surgery, back issues, torn middle finger tendon) have taken too much of a toll, but it's too early to conclude that. If he can get back to being the player between 2022 and 2024 when he hit .250 while averaging 13 home runs and 24 stolen bases, he'll make for a useful option. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team NL: $9
Outfield
Kevin Alcantara, Cubs: Alcantara, RotoWire's No. 211 prospect, was called up Saturday after contributing 15 homers in 41 games at Triple-A Iowa. He has no immediate path to playing time and can safely be ignored in most formats, yet is an interesting luxury add in deeper leagues for those with open bench slots. Alcantara is potentially one injury away from regular at-bats, which would give him the chance to show off his big power, though the 6-foot-6 center fielder needs to make a lot more contact if he's going to regularly show his pop at MLB as he's striking out at a 33.3 percent clip in the minors. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: no; 12-team NL: $2
Michael Conforto, Cubs: Conforto spent most of the early part this year as a bench bat, but has featured more regularly in recent weeks with primary DH Moises Ballesteros in a bit of a slump by starting eight of the last 14 games. That's still not quite enough action to matter outside of deeper formats, though Conforto has made the most of his chances by slashing .311/.419/.590 across 74 plate appearances. Even in 2025 when he only batted .199 with a .637 OPS, he hit the ball hard (9.7 percent barrel rate, 44.0 percent hard-hit rate) and didn't face significant contact issues (24.9 percent strikeout rate). Conforto also shouldn't be completely over the hill at 33. In leagues where a hot-hitting part-timer is worth adding, give him a look. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4
Dylan Crews, Nationals: Crews, the second-overall pick in 2023, failed to make the Nationals' Opening Day roster and initially struggled for Triple-A Rochester before earning a call-up after slashing .308/.366/.585 during his last 17 games. He slid right into an everyday role and the Nationals should want to give him a proper chance to finally prove himself despite his previous big-league issues. Crews has only managed a .210/.280/.346 (76 wRC+) career line from 120 contests, but the underlying numbers really aren't that bad. His 22.3 percent strikeout rate, 8.3 percent barrel rate and 39.5 percent hard-hit rate are all right around league-average. And if Crews can be a league-average bat with lots of speed (30 career steals), he projects to be a real fantasy contributor. He could also be right back in the minors within a month, yet is worth taking a chance on. 12-team Mixed: $3, 15-team Mixed: $8; 12-team NL: $14
Jhostynxon Garcia, Pirates: Garcia is one of two Pittsburgh outfielders who were promoted this week to feature on this list. He got the call on Tuesday right before Esmerlyn Valdez and has started four of five while featuring against two righties and two lefties. Garcia isn't as highly-rated of a prospect as Valdez at 286th on RotoWire's prospect rankings while his overall numbers at Triple-A Indianapolis aren't impressive, though that may have been due to a back issue he battled early on. Since coming back from the IL, he's gone .368/.432/.895 with six homers over 11 games. Garcia is a power-over-hit phenom like Valdez, but also athletic enough to play center field where there's room for both in the lineup if Oneil Cruz moves to DH and Marcell Ozuna (.590 OPS) drops to the bench. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team NL: $6
Sterlin Thompson, Rockies: Anyone who receives regular at-bats at Coors Field is worth a look in most fantasy leagues, and that applies to Thompson as he's set to earn some short-term playing time with Mickey Moniak (ankle), Jordan Beck (hamstring) and Brenton Doyle (oblique) all on the IL. Thompson is at best a fringe prospect at 378th on RotoWire, yet he's off to a solid start at Triple-A Albuquerque producing a .341/.485/.485 line with four homers, eight steals and more walks than strikeouts through 38 contests. His work could dry up as soon as the Rockies' outfield starts getting healthy again, but he should cover some at-bats against righties as someone to consider in deeper formats. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4
Bryan Torres, Cardinals: Torres was called up on Friday after Nathan Church hit the IL with a shoulder strain and immediately made an impact in his big-league debut by going deep in the first half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Reds. He isn't much of a prospect having only just now made his first appearance at 28. Torres did produce a strong .336/.454/.477 line (148 wRC+) in 36 games for Triple-A Memphis alongside 10 steals with more walks than strikeouts, yet offers very little power having never produced more than nine as a professional. With upcoming potential for regular action, he could be a decent pickup in deeper leagues for those searching for speed and average. 12-team Mixed: no, 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team NL: $4
Esmerlyn Valdez, Pirates: Valdez, RotoWire's 31st-ranked prospect, got his first MLB call-up Thursday and has started two straight in right field - once against a righty and the other versus a lefty. Power is his leading tool having homered eight times during 19 Arizona Fall League matchups before adding another 10 through 46 outings at Triple-A Indianapolis while slashing .253/.381/.506. Valdez previously experienced strikeout issues in the minors, but cut that to 21.1 percent. So if he makes decent contact, the power should play up even more. Valdez also boasts a good eye having walked a career 12.3 percent and 17.0 this season to provide him an added boost in OBP leagues. Playing time is currently available with Ryan O'Hearn out with a quad strain. If Valdez hits the ground running, he could be up for a while. 12-team Mixed: $1, 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team NL: $7
For the latest updates on injuries, lineups, roster changes and more, go to RotoWire's Fantasy Baseball News & Latest MLB Updates or follow @RotoWireMLB on X.
