New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) will face live pitching on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Stanton, who has been slow to recover from a strained right calf, is making good progress of late and was also cleared to run last weekend. Still, a minor-league rehab assignment could be on tap next because of all the time he's missed. The 36-year-old former MVP and five-time All-Star has been sidelined since late April, and fantasy managers have grown tired of rostering him because of his persistent durability issues. When healthy, though, Stanton can still provide decent power production in a strong Yankees lineup. Before his calf strain, Stanton was hitting .256/.302/.422 with a .724 OPS, three long balls, 14 RBI, eight runs scored, and a stolen base in his 90 at-bats. A return around mid-June is possible, barring a setback.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez is enjoying a remarkable power surge at the Triple-A level and is now firmly on the radar for an immediate promotion to the major leagues. Over his last 18 games with Triple-A Memphis, the outfielder has launched nine home runs while carrying a .320/.400/.787 slash line with a 1.187 OPS. Prior to this surge at the dish, Baez carried a .229/.308/.450 line with seven home runs and six stolen bases over his first 33 games of the campaign. During this 2025 season, the No. 67-ranked prospect in the sport (per MLB.com) hit 20 home runs, stole 54 bases, and held a stellar .884 OPS through 117 games shared between High-A and Double-A. With the St. Louis Cardinals dealing with many injuries in their current outfield, Baez's name could be called before the end of June, making him a must-stash prospect in all standard leagues.

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The Cincinnati Reds announced on Wednesday that they have called up third baseman/outfielder Noelvi Marte from Triple-A Louisville after a hot stretch at the plate in the minors. Marte was sent to the minors early this season after going 4-for-29 (.138) with two walks and 10 strikeouts. The 24-year-old Dominican has earned his way back to the big leagues after slashing .369/.409/.575 with a .984 OPS, eight home runs, 27 RBI, 31 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 40 games played for the Bats. It's unclear how much Marte will play for the Reds now that he's back in the majors, but he's certainly worth a look off the waiver wire in at least deep-mixed leagues for his power/speed abilities, and he has eligibility at both third base and the outfield. As of right now, Marte is rostered in just 30% of Yahoo leagues. In a career-high 90 games for Cincy in 2025, Marte hit .263/.300/.448 with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 45 runs scored across his 360 plate appearances.

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Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (back) is starting at first base and will bat third for Wednesday's contest against the visiting New York Mets and right-hander Freddy Peralta at T-Mobile Park, according to MLB.com. Naylor was held out of Tuesday's game against New York after he was pulled from Monday's series opener early due to back spasms. The left-handed slugger is feeling better now, though, and will be back on the diamond in the series finale. Fantasy managers in traditional leagues will want to get Naylor back into their starting lineups now that he's recovered from his back spasms. He's hitting only .254 (57-for-224) on the season with a .317 on-base percentage and .357 slugging percentage, but the Canadian native has been seeing the ball well of late, going 13-for-47 (.277) with a homer, four RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in 12 games since May 18. Naylor is hitting .222 in nine career at-bats against Peralta with an .856 OPS and a solo home run.

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Washington Nationals first base prospect Yohandy Morales has enjoyed a very productive start to the Triple-A regular season and is now in serious consideration to earn his MLB debut. Through 53 games with the Rochester Red Wings, Morales has posted a .344/.416/.600 line with a stellar 1.016 OPS. During this stretch, Morales has hit 11 doubles with 13 home runs while holding a 54:22 K:BB. Last summer, Morales had a brief stint with Double-A before spending most of the second half with Triple-A, where he carried a much lower .249/.330/.401 line over a 95-game stint. Seeing Morales make steady progress at this level is a very promising sign. Currently, the Nationals have shifted Luis Garcia Jr. to first base, but he has held a modest .676 OPS since May 18. Given Morales's dominant play, the young infielder could join one of the game's most productive lineups in the coming weeks, making him a solid stash target in 12+ team leagues.

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Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins has been on the 7-day injured list wth an elbow injury since the start of April. However, the young right-hander has begun throwing bullpens, and he is slowly approaching a return to action, which has put him back on the stash radar. Prior to the injury, Wiggins was already on a clear path to make his debut, given Chicago's numerous starting pitcher injuries. Currently, the team is without Justin Steele, Cade Horton, and Edward Cabrera, leaving a clear path for the top prospect to contribute at some point this summer. Last season, Wiggins spent most of his time with High-A and Double-A and posted a stellar 1.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, with an 83:30 K:BB over 68 1/3 innings. While he may have to wait until July to be in serious consideration, Wiggins has a path to make an impact for fantasy this season.

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Philadelphia Phillies infield prospect Aidan Miller appeared to be in serious consideration to potentially break camp with the major league roster or compete for an early MLB debut. However, Miller sustained a back injury in February and has yet to take the field this season. While it appeared the team's No. 1-ranked prospect was making steady progress, the team announced last week that he would be shut down due to a setback. Earlier on Wednesday, the team announced that Miller will undergo a back procedure to address the issue. Given his current status, Miller is unlikely to be cleared to participate in live games before the end of the first half, which puts his chances of an MLB debut this season in serious question. When on the field in the upper minors, Miller has showcased elite upside, especially in the speed department, swiping 59 bags in 116 MiLB last summer. However, given his current status, Miller is only worth stashing in deeper 15+ team redraft leagues with several N/A spots.

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The Cincinnati Reds announced on Wednesday that they optioned outfielder TJ Friedl to Triple-A Louisville. Friedl has really struggled at the plate in 2026 in his sixth year in the big leagues with the Reds, slashing .179/.259/.256 with a career-worst .515 OPS, two home runs, six doubles, eight RBI, five steals, 15 runs scored, 13 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 47 games and 178 plate appearances. His struggles led to a drop in the batting order this year after Friedl mostly served as the Reds' leadoff man a year ago. For now, he'll go down to the farm to work on his approach at the plate before most likely rejoining the big-league squad at some point down the road in 2026. Fantasy managers looking for upgrades to their outfield room may want to consider Noelvi Marte, who is also eligible at third base. He has been raking at Louisville since his demotion to the minors back in April and has more power/speed upside than Friedl. Friedl is only rostered in 12% of Yahoo leagues and should be on the waiver wire in mixed formats, especially now that he's on his way to Triple-A.

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New York Yankees top-ranked prospect George Lombard Jr. has begun to find his footing at Triple-A and is emerging as a top prospect to stash given the current state of the MLB roster. Even with Anthony Volpe back in action, the team's current starting shortstop, Jose Caballero, has posted a modest .250/.300/.286 line since returning from injury in mid-May. While Lombard endured some growing pains at Triple-A earlier this season, the team's No. 1 prospect has since turned the corner, showing his elite raw talent. Over his last 14 games with the RailRiaders, Lombard has posted .273/.397/.473 line with five doubles, two home runs, three stolen bases, and an 18:23 K:BB. With a clear path to an everyday role, Lombard is quickly climbing the stash ranks and could be in the mix to debut much sooner than anticipated.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has continued to hold his own during his first taste of Triple-A action. Over his last 18 contests with Toledo, the team's No. 1-ranked prospect has posted a strong .260/.365/.425 slash line with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, three stolen bases, and a 13:10 K:BB. Over his first 33 games of the campaign, the outfielder held a slightly lower .265/.340/.371 slash line, suggesting he is continuing to make steady improvements against the top pitching in the minor leagues. Last summer, Clark split his time between High-A and Double-A and held a .271/.403/.432 line with 14 home runs and 19 stolen bases. With current starting center fielder Matt Vierling holding a .237 AVG with a .595 OPS over his last 12 games in Detroit, Clark's path to the majors remains fairly clear. Given his elite on-base skills and high-end power/speed skill set, Clark remains a priority stash target for those in standard leagues.

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Houston Astros left-handed reliever Bryan King became fantasy relevant early in the 2026 season with left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) on the injured list and righty Bryan Abreu struggling early on in the closer's role for the team. King, a 30th-round pick by the Chicago Cubs back in 2019 out of McNeese State University, has been solid for Houston with a 2.84 ERA (3.64 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, a team-high six saves, 19 strikeouts, and 10 walks in his 25 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in just his third year in the majors. King, Abreu, Enyel De Los Santos, and Steven Okert will still have valuable roles in the back end of Houston's bullpen while the team eases Hader back into the fold. However, King will now lose a lot of his fantasy value moving forward as long as Hader remains healthy as the team's primary option in the ninth inning. King is currently rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues and might not see many save opportunities the rest of the way.

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Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (shoulder) threw a bullpen on Tuesday at Daikin Park and will make his next minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land at El Paso on Thursday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Depending on how Brown fares this week, it could be the 27-year-old's final rehab tune-up before he is reinstated from the 60-day injured list. He has been recovering from a strained right shoulder that has limited him to just two starts in 2026. Brown allowed one run with five strikeouts and no walks in his most recent rehab start with Sugar Land last Friday over just three innings. He will be looking to build his pitch count and get stretched out on Thursday. Brown, a former fifth-rounder in 2019 out of Wayne State University, broke out for the Astros in 2025 and had allowed only one earned run with six walks and 17 punchouts in 10 2/3 innings in his first two starts this season before his shoulder ailment sidelined him. Brown is a fantasy ace when healthy and should not be available in any leagues.

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Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (oblique) is expected to take live batting practice in the next day or two, manager Joe Espada told Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Once Altuve begins facing live pitching, he could return from the 10-day injured list rather quickly, as the 36-year-old Venezuelan veteran isn't expected to require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the team. The former MVP and nine-time All-Star has been sidelined for three weeks with an oblique strain, but when he's cleared to return, he will be back as Houston's primary second baseman. The three-time batting champion has shown signs of decline so far in 2026 before his injury, slashing a very modest .245/.326/.380 with a .706 OPS, only four home runs, 12 RBI, 27 runs scored, and one stolen base across 163 at-bats for the 'Stros. Even so, Altuve deserves to be rostered in nearly all fantasy leagues. He's available in just 15% of Yahoo leagues despite missing nearly a month at this point with his oblique ailment.

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Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) could start a minor-league rehab assignment later this week, according to MLB.com's Martin Gallegos. Wilson is getting closer to a return to the A's after they put him on the 10-day injured list in the middle of May with a left-shoulder injury. Barring a setback once the 24-year-old starts playing in games down on the farm, he could return to the big-league roster at some point next week as the club's starting shortstop. The former sixth overall pick in 2023 out of Grand Canyon University doesn't have much power or speed, but he rarely strikes out, makes a lot of contact, and can provide fantasy managers with a high average. Before his shoulder injury, Wilson was slashing .292/.311/.398, and he's hit .299 in his first 192 big-league games since debuting with the A's in 2024. He has only three home runs in 39 games in 2026 and has added 19 RBI, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 168 plate appearances. Wilson is currently rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues.

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The New York Mets are optioning starting pitcher Jonah Tong to Triple-A Syracuse, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. Tong followed opener Huascar Brazoban on Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners and struggled, allowing five hits, five runs (four earned), and two walks while striking out four across 3 1/3 innings of work. The 22-year-old has showcased huge strikeout stuff in the minor leagues, recording a 40.5% strikeout rate across 113 2/3 innings in 2025 and a 32.7% strikeout rate across 38 Triple-A innings this season. However, he hasn't been able to put it together at the big-league level in his limited opportunities, recording a 6.28 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 28 2/3 career MLB innings. Tong remains a pitching prospect worth monitoring, but he's probably safe to drop in most fantasy formats for the time being.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin on Wednesday and will serve as the designated hitter initially. After having surgery to fix a fractured thumb and missing two months, Kirk is nearing a return and could rejoin the major-league roster as early as next week. Manager John Schneider said Kirk will need around 20 at-bats in the minors before coming back. In the meantime, the Blue Jays must decide whether to keep Tyler Heineman or Brandon Valenzuela as the backup after Kirk returns. Kirk started 118 games behind the dish, and the hope is that he gets "right back into pretty regular playing time," according to Schneider. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop was hitting just .150 (3-for-20) to begin the 2026 regular season, but when healthy, he can be a key offensive cog in the middle of the Blue Jays' batting order while providing some decent pop for fantasy managers. The two-time All-Star hit a career-high 15 homers last year and drove in 76 runs in 130 regular-season games. Kirk is currently rostered in only 23% of Yahoo leagues.

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Athletics right-hander Luis Severino (shoulder) is dealing with a strain of his shoulder capsule and subscapularis muscle in his right arm and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Severino injured his arm last Friday in his start against his former team, the New York Yankees, and subsequently landed on the 15-day injured list. The 32-year-old veteran will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection on Thursday and will not be back in the A's starting rotation anytime soon. There's a possibility that the two-time All-Star doesn't return to the big leagues until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Before his injury, Severino went 2-6 with a 4.16 ERA (4.46 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 31 walks in 62 2/3 frames across his first 12 starts in his second season with the team. The Dominican hurler isn't a must-hold in mixed fantasy leagues at this point in his career with a lengthy absence on tap. Severino is rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (forearm) is scheduled to make another minor-league rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. Scherzer will be looking to build on what was a successful first rehab start on Sunday at Buffalo, when he threw three scoreless innings on 41 total pitches. Depending on how the 41-year-old future Hall of Fame hurler fares this Friday, it could be his last minor-league tune-up before coming off the 15-day injured list to rejoin the big-league squad. Even though the three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star will return to a starting role with the Jays when he's activated, fantasy managers in mixed leagues should have better options to choose from. Scherzer went 1-3 in his first five starts this year before getting hurt, and he's also dealt with ankle and thumb issues during his rehab. He currently has a 9.64 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in his 18 2/3 innings pitched and is no longer the dominant pitcher of the past. Scherzer is rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) could make his next minor-league rehab start this Saturday at Triple-A Buffalo, and he will require at least two more rehab outings before rejoining the big-league roster, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Bieber didn't exactly have a great rehab outing on Sunday with Single-A Dunedin, allowing five earned runs on six hits while walking none and striking out two in 2 1/3 innings of work. It came after the 31-year-old veteran threw two scoreless innings in his first rehab appearance last Monday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. He threw 35 of his 49 pitches for strikes on Sunday while averaging 92.1 mph with his fastball. Bieber will be looking to increase his workload this weekend, and he has a few more boxes to check before he's cleared to make his 2026 season debut in the majors. Since he's on the 60-day injured list, he will not be eligible to return until later in June, but he's a worthwhile deep-league stash for pitching depth in the meantime. Bieber is currently rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues.

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Across 164 plate appearances so far this season, Washington Nationals infielder Curtis Mead is hitting .243/.354/.479 with eight home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 25-year-old appears to have emerged as Washington's everyday third baseman and has batted either second or third in the Nationals' batting order in every one of his starts since early April. A former top prospect with the Tampa Bay Rays, Mead's career never quite got off the ground in Tampa. However, there have been notable changes in his underlying metrics this season with the Nationals, supporting his emerging production. Mead's walk rate (13.4%) and strikeout rate (17.7%) are both career bests. He's also posting the best barrel (10.8%) and hard-hit (45%) rates of his career to this point. Heading into the summer months, Mead profiles as a breakout candidate to target on the waiver wire for fantasy managers across most league formats.

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