Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn is off to a blazing start, helping the young Pirates team to a 6-3 start to the 2026 season. O'Hearn is batting in the middle of their lineup, and slashing .367/.459/.700 with three home runs, five runs scored, and 11 RBI to go along with six walks. O'Hearn has a clear path to everyday playing time and is a must-add in all formats. Throughout most of his time in Baltimore with the Orioles, he was splitting time at first base, and with the Pirates this year, his path to everyday playing time is more secure than it ever has been, which should only benefit fantasy managers who picked him up in their drafts, especially in the counting stats department. Under the hood, most of his metrics support the early-season breakout, with his xWOBA, xBA, and xSLG all in the 87th percentile or better. O'Hearn has always had average-to-above-average plate discipline, which should only help him in points leagues or formats that prioritize OBP. Regardless of the league scoring format, O'Hearn should be rostered and started across the board.

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The Tampa Bay Rays sideline reports and MLB.TV host Ryan Bass reported Monday morning that the Rays have activated 29-year-old shortstop Taylor Walls (oblique) off the 10-day IL and optioned SS Carson Williams to Triple-A Durham. Walls started the 2026 season on the injured list, and his activation should provide some stability for the Rays at the shortstop position moving forward. Walls slashed .220./.280/.319 in 2025 with four home runs, 36 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 317 plate appearances. His career numbers in five combined MLB seasons aren't any better (.195/.286/.298). From a fantasy perspective, Walls is at best a stolen base specialist, but should not be rostered in any formats or depended on for anything outside stolen bases in category leagues.

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Minnesota Twins' right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley has been fantastic through two starts this season, throwing 10 1/3 scoreless innings in two starts, allowing eight hits, one earned run, four walks, 12 strikeouts, and posting a 0.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Bradley has shown significant upside throughout his first couple of seasons at the big-league level with the Tampa Bay Rays before being dealt to the Twins this past offseason. The issue with Bradley has been the lack of consistency in stringing multiple outings together and providing any level of consistency over a long-period of time. Heading into Week 3 of the fantasy season, Bradley is lined up for a two-start week against much stiffer competition, Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers and Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Because he has a two-start week, he works his way into the fantasy radar for Week 3. Fantasy managers should understand that with Bradley, there is some risk involved, but the upside you could get with strikeouts should be worth it during a two-start week.

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The Miami Marlins left-handed hitting catcher and first baseman, Liam Hicks, is off to a blazing hot start to his 2026 campaign. Through 29 plate appearances, he's slashing .333/.414/.750 with three home runs, seven runs scored, and an NL-leading 12 RBI. Most of his underlying metrics support his early breakout, with xBA, xWOBA, and xSLG all ranking in the 97th percentile or better. More impressively, his plate discipline has also been fantastic, only striking out at a four percent clip and whiffing 5.7 percent of the time. While the 26-year-old out of Arkansas State doesn't have the career longevity to back up his early breakout, Hicks has become a must-add option in all formats. In some leagues, such as ESPN, he even has first-base eligibility, making his value even more significant. The one thing fantasy managers should be cautious of is whether Hicks starts against left-handed pitchers or becomes a strict platoon bat against right-handers. Regardless, his production so far this season is too good to pass up. Fantasy managers should look to roster him to see if he can continue this hot start.

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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.

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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.

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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 Ovideo (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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Las Vegas' DH Brent Rooker had six RBIs going 2-for-4 with two home runs in a 12-10 win over the Astros on Sunday, Apr. 5.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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