Now with High-A Wilmington, Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Eli Willits is continuing to produce in his age 18 season. Willits, a former first round pick by the Nationals is the top prospect in the Washington system. He possesses a 60-grade hit tool and a 60-grade run tool, giving him massive upside in fantasy circles. At age 18, Willits has split time between two levels of the minors this season, but has 12 homers and 53 RBI combined at both levels while hitting .274 with an .894 OPS. He also has combined for a huge 38 stolen bases to show off his speed potential. Willits has the looks of a five-tool fantasy contributor and is a must-add in dynasty leagues. He will likely need a few years to showcase his growth in the minor leagues but once he makes it up to Washington, he could be a fantasy superstar.

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New York Mets utility man Brett Baty has had a rough season overall in 2026, hitting .223/.295/.331 with six home runs, 33 RBI, 38 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 343 plate appearances. However, the 26-year-old has begun to turn it on in July, hitting .281 with three home runs, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 60 plate appearances so far this month. Baty has shown he can be a productive big-league hitter in the past, hitting .254 with 18 home runs and eight stolen bases across 432 plate appearances in 2025. The lefty swinger profiles more as a platoon bat, as he owns a .535 OPS across 297 career plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Still, Baty can be a useful streamer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire, particularly given his multi-positional eligibility.

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Houston Astros outfield prospect Kevin Alvarez is adding to his well-rounded statistics this month while in Single-A-ball with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. In 55 July at-bats, Alvarez has two homers and 11 RBI with 11 runs scored and a .327 batting average. At age 18, Alvarez is the top overall prospect for the Astros out of Cuba. The left-handed hitting outfielder is hitting .278 with eight homers and 41 RBI this season for Fayetteville. Blessed with a 60-grade hit tool, Alvarez has massive potential and is beginning to show that at Single-A. But he's just 18 years old and needs time to mature in the minor leagues. A high-priority dynasty league target, Alvarez is a ways away from producing in the major leagues. It could be two to three seasons before Alvarez is contributing to fantasy leagues, but he is someone fantasy managers won't want to forget about.

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New York Mets right-hander Luke Weaver has arguably been his team's top reliever in 2026, recording a 1.98 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with 43 strikeouts, 14 holds, two wins, and one save across 41 innings (39 games). The 32-year-old owns a stellar 20.4% K-BB rate, and opposing batters are hitting just .152 against him. Weaver's path to saves with the Mets is currently blocked off by established closer Devin Williams. However, Williams has struggled to a 4.54 ERA this season and has allowed four earned runs across his first 5 1/3 innings pitched in July. The Mets may also be looking to move Williams at the upcoming trade deadline if they can find an interested buyer. If Williams is removed from New York's closer role for either reason, Weaver profiles as a logical choice to assume the job. He has experience in the ninth inning, recording eight saves as a member of the New York Yankees in 2025. Particularly in deeper leagues, Weaver could be worth stashing off the waiver wire.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Tai Peete is on fire since returning to High-A Peoria with two homers and six RBI in four games back from injury. Peete was recovering from a concussion and has done so nicely. He has played three games on a rehab assignment with the FCL Cardinals but has spent the rest of the season at Peoria. With Peoria, Peete has racked up seven homers and 30 RBI to go with 28 runs scored while hitting .281. At age 20, Peete checks in at No. 17 on the Cardinals' top prospects list. He received a 55-grade power and 60-grade run tool, so he has the potential for fantasy production. He might need some time to progress through the minors, though, at such a young age. A dynasty prospect for sure, it is worth monitoring Peete's progress in the minors, and he could see time in St. Louis in a year or two.

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Across 243 plate appearances in 2026, San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge is hitting .265/.358/.469 with 10 home runs, 23 RBI, 30 runs scored, and one stolen base. After opening the year at Triple-A, the 21-year-old has been a rock-solid producer in his first extended run of MLB action. Eldridge's strikeout rate is elevated at 25.9%, but he also owns a stellar 12.8% walk rate. The lefty slugger has also posted excellent underlying contact metrics with a 12.8% barrel rate and a 55.0% hard-hit rate, which help keep his batting average stable despite his swing-and-miss tendencies. Playing in San Francisco's pitcher-friendly home park may hurt Eldridge's power output, but he has enough raw power to overcome the less-than-ideal environment. As he continues to settle in at the big-league level, Eldridge profiles as a must-add young hitter with significant power upside in any fantasy league where he's still on the waiver wire.

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Chicago White Sox left-hander Bryan Hudson picked up his fourth save of the season on Wednesday, throwing a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts in his team's 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers. It was Hudson's first save since June 10, as the White Sox continue to operate a closer committee between Hudson, Sean Newcomb, and Grant Taylor. Still, Hudson has been a very effective reliever in 2026, recording a 3-2 record with a 2.08 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings (44 games). The 29-year-old owns a middling 23.2% strikeout rate, but he's allowed just one home run on the year. In deeper leagues, Hudson could be worth targeting on the waiver wire as a source of solid ratios who also provides the occasional save.

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Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto picked up his 13th save of the season on Wednesday, throwing a scoreless 10th inning with a strikeout in his team's 5-3 extra-inning win over the New York Yankees. Soto had a rough month in June, allowing 11 earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. However, the 31-year-old has bounced back in July, pitching to a 1.35 ERA with six strikeouts and two saves across his first 6 2/3 innings this month. The 31-year-old's underlying metrics for the year remain strong, as he's averaging 97.2 miles per hour on his fastball and owns a 27.6% strikeout rate. With his recent rough patch now seemingly in the rearview mirror, Soto once again looks like the closer to roster in Pittsburgh.

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Toronto Blue Jays shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala has dealt with a right-hamstring strain this season, but he has been able to produce in limited at-bats across four levels of the minors. Back with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Nimmala has racked up three homers and five RBI in just seven games. The 20-year-old shortstop has been hot since rejoining New Hampshire and has found some of his 60-grade power. The Blue Jays' No. 2 overall prospect still has some development to do in the minors before he becomes fantasy relevant, but if he continues to produce at Double-A, he could be looking at a Triple-A promotion before the end of the year. More of a dynasty league play at this point, it is worth tracking Nimmala's development because he has major potential to be an eventual producer at the big league level and thus a fantasy contributor.

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) has continued his hitting progression with machine work in the batting cage and has also continued to take ground balls and run the bases. He could potentially start taking live batting practice on Saturday or Sunday, according to MLB.com. Seager was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 1 with back discomfort, and his expected return is to be determined. Ezequiel Duran should continue to fill in at the 6 for as long as Seager remains out. It's been an injury-plagued and extremely disappointing 2026 campaign for Seager, a five-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP. The 32-year-old veteran has played in only 51 games this year and is hitting .182/.292/.374 with a career-worst .667 OPS, 10 home runs, 25 RBI, 28 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 219 plate appearances. Fantasy managers definitely should not expect Seager to return until August at this point, and when he does, he could be rested often to prevent another injury down the stretch as Texas looks to get into the postseason.

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Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Mike Sirota has split time between High-A and Double-A this season and hasn't stopped hitting all year. Between the two levels, Sirota is hitting .324 with 14 homers and 54 RBI to go with 77 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Sirota, the No. 2 prospect in the Dodgers system, is graded out with a 55 hit tool, 55 power, and a 60 run tool, and was acquired in the trade that sent Gavin Lux to the Reds. He was a third round pick originally by the Reds. The right-handed hitting outfielder didn't miss a beat since joining Double-A Tulsa as his numbers are very similar to the High-A Great Lakes Loons. He has seven homers at each level and his batting average is basically the same dropping from .325 to .324. The consistency as he advances through the minors is a very good sign for his overall ability and shows he should be able to produce once he gets to Triple-A and then the majors. His high prospect grade and overall ability should make him a good fantasy name but that time in the big leagues might not come until 2027.

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Yankees' SP Gerrit Cole recorded 11 strikeouts in 7 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday, Jul. 22.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober has turned the page since making his return to the mound in July. Over his last two starts, Ober has allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out 12 batters across 10.1 innings of work. He's scheduled to take the mound against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. The right-hander doesn't offer overpowering velocity, which means his strikeout numbers will probably remain low. He has looked better lately, but he remains a deep league play at the moment. Fantasy managers should wait to see how he does against the Guardians before jumping to the waiver wire.

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Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kirby Yates is quietly putting together a strong season in 2026. Through 25 appearances, Yates owns a 3.74 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 28/8 K/BB ratio. His fantasy value has been limited because he has had only three saves on the season. The 39-year-old is likely to be on the move at the trade deadline. The Angels aren't contending and figure to flip Yates, who is a free agent after the season. A move elsewhere could provide Yates with increased save chances. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on what happens to Yates over the next few weeks.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday hasn't exactly been tearing the cover off the ball lately, but that doesn't mean he's not offering fantasy value. Over the last two weeks, Bleday has only recorded nine hits, but three of those were home runs. The 28-year-old has already surpassed last year's season total of 14 homers, and we just started the second half of the season. Through 72 games, Bleday has 16 home runs with 43 RBI and 41 walks. He's not going to hit for average, but fantasy managers looking for power or help with walks should consider adding Bleday. There is a very good chance that he sets a new career high in home runs this season.

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New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole received a no-decision in the team's 5-3 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in Game 1 of their doubleheader, but he also had his third straight quality start for his fantasy managers. Cole allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings of work to lower his ERA on the year to 3.92. The 35-year-old former Cy Young winner was dominant with his fastball on the day and now sits with a 3-5 record, 3.92 ERA and 66:12 K:BB in his 62 innings and 11 starts after getting a late start to the year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. While Cole obviously hasn't been perfect in 2026, he has yet to give up more than three earned runs in any of his 11 outings, and he's now struck out at least six batters in all four of his starts in July. He came into Wednesday's outing with just a 23.9% strikeout rate, but his career-low 5.2% walk rate has to be extremely encouraging that he can perform like a fantasy ace for the rest of the 2026 season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) threw a 31-pitch bullpen session and used all of his pitches on Wednesday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletics. Ohtani last started as a pitcher on July 3 against the San Diego Padres due to a balky left knee that he had drained just before last week's All-Star break. The Dodgers don't have a timeline for when the four-time MVP will be able to pitch in a game again, and it will probably be at least a few weeks. The good news is that the 32-year-old six-time All-Star continues to serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter. With that said, he has hit just .237 (14-for-59) with four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, six runs scored, five walks, and 16 strikeouts in 15 games in July. Fantasy managers are going to need to remain patient, as it definitely won't be until some point in August when Ohtani makes another pitching start. Remember, the Dodgers, with their big lead in the National League West, don't have any incentive to push Ohtani back. Their main priority is to have him healthy as a pitcher for the postseason.

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Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Ranger Suarez (groin, illness) isn't ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Game 2 of the team's doubleheader on Wednesday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. However, it's more due to an illness than his groin injury. Suarez is nearing his return from a groin injury that initially landed him on the IL on July 9, and with a scheduled day off for the team coming on Friday, it's possible that he could be ready to return and start in Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera will start Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader as the BoSox look for their 16th straight victory. Suarez has been a must-start fantasy pitcher in all leagues in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, as he has gone 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA (2.61 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 97 strikeouts (career-high 25.8% strikeout rate) and 26 walks in 91 1/3 innings across his 17 starts to earn his second All-Star nod in the last three years.

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Chicago White Sox infielder Colson Montgomery (shin) is starting at shortstop and is batting cleanup for the White Sox in Wednesday's contest at Globe Life Field against the Texas Rangers and left-hander Tyler Alexander, per MLB.com. Montgomery fouled a ball off his right shin in Monday's series opener in Texas, which is why he was scratched from the starting nine before Tuesday's loss. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is now back in action and should be returned to most fantasy lineups for his power. The former 22nd overall pick in 2021 has a 32.4% strikeout rate and is hitting just .222 (79-for-356) with a .304 on-base percentage, but fantasy managers can't argue with his 45 home runs in his first 166 big-league games since debuting with the Pale Hose in 2025. Montgomery has hit 24 homers, driven in 57, and scored 48 runs across 95 games and 398 plate appearances this year in his first full season in the majors. In 14 games so far in July, he's gone 13-for-57 (.228) with a .688 OPS, three homers, two doubles, eight RBI, eight runs, three walks, and 21 strikeouts.

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Seattle Mariners infield/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo earned a promotion to Triple-A back on July 7 and has looked like he belongs there, collecting a hit in eight of the 10 games he's played in, going 17-for-45 (.378) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, and a pair of stolen bases. He's struck out eight times in 51 plate appearances, which is just a 15.7 percent rate (84th percentile), so the 21-year-old does not appear overmatched in that regard either. The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect offers a solid hit tool with some power to go along with it and some speed to boot, making him an intriguing fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats. At this rate, a late-season debut in the majors looks possible, so managers in deeper leagues could consider stashing him, but if that doesn't happen, look for a productive 2027 in the majors from the 5-foot-10 Colombian.

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