The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting outfielder/first baseman Esmerlyn Valdez from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, a source told Pirates insider Jason Mackey. In a corresponding move, the team optioned outfielder Billy Cook to Indy. The 22-year-old is considered Pittsburgh's No. 9 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the Dominican should have an opportunity to play alongside fellow outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia in right field with Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) currently on the injured list. Valdez will receive his first major-league call-up after hitting .253/.381/.506 with an .888 OPS, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, and 25 runs scored in 46 games across 194 plate appearances at Triple-A. The 6-foot-2, 234-pound right-handed hitter has intriguing raw power and has matured as a hitter this year on the farm to lower his swing-and-miss and chase rate. Because Valdez will most likely be in a platoon against left-handed pitchers, fantasy managers shouldn't overspend to roster him in mixed leagues in his first taste of the major leagues.

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New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (knee) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale in the Bronx against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, according to MLB.com. Rookie Spencer Jones will make the start in center field and will hit sixth against Blue Jays right-hander Braydon Fisher. Grisham injured his knee early in Wednesday's game against Toronto while running out a double, and he'll take a seat a day later in the series finale. It's unclear how serious the left-handed-hitting outfielder's injury is, but apparently, he's optimistic that he won't need to go on the injured list. The 29-year-old former first-rounder in 2015 by the Milwaukee Brewers had the best year of his career in 2025 in his second year with the Yankees, slashing .235/.348/.464 with an .811 OPS, 34 home runs, and 74 RBI in 143 regular-season games, but that's looking more like an outlier. Grisham currently has a .174 average (27-for-155) with six homers and 27 RBI, although he's sporting a nice 30:35 BB:K in 187 plate appearances.UPDATE: Imaging on Grisham's left knee came back clean on Thursday.

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The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery after consulting with Dr. Keith Meister, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. It's the worst-case scenario after the Marlins placed Snelling on the injured list with a sprained UCL following his first big-league start on May 8 against the Washington Nationals, when he allowed three earned runs while walking four and striking out two in five innings to take a loss. The club's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will now miss the remainder of the 2026 season and most likely the first half of next year as well. He can obviously be dropped by any fantasy managers who had scooped him up in redraft leagues after he was promoted to the majors. In long-term dynasty/keeper leagues, it's a big-time blow for his development, and could make him an interesting buy-low candidate.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (back), who is on the 15-day injured list with lumbar-spine inflammation, will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Single-A St. Lucie, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Senga figures to have a lengthy rehab assignment after allowing 21 runs (20 earned) on 26 hits (five home runs) while walking 13 and striking out 23 in 20 innings across his first five starts with the Mets this year. He lost four of those five starts. The 33-year-old Japanese native was an All-Star in 2023 in his first year in the big leagues, but he made just one start the following season due to an injury, and he struggled late in 2025 and was eventually optioned to the minors to work on his mechanics. Things haven't started well for him in 2026 in his fourth year with the Mets, but if he can get past his back injury, he should have a spot in the Mets' banged-up rotation at some point in June. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should be taking a wait-and-see approach. Senga is rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

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The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that they transferred left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Snelling was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a sprained UCL in his left elbow, and now he's looking at an extended absence that will almost certainly stretch into the second half of the 2026 season. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was scheduled to visit with Dr. Keith Meister on Thursday to determine if he'll need to have surgery on his elbow, which could cause him to miss the rest of the year. Snelling was a popular waiver-wire pickup for his upside when the Marlins initially called him up from Triple-A Jacksonville, but he made just one start for the Fish before suffering an elbow injury. He's now rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues, and his redraft stock continues to plummet because of his injury. Left-hander Braxton Garrett was next in line for a rotation shot in Miami, but he has since been demoted to Triple-A after two rough starts in the majors.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller (back) is beginning to make some progress in his return from a lower back issue that has kept him out of all regular-season games so far this year. The Phils' top-ranked prospect dealt with the issue late in 2025, and it has lingered into 2026, but he's finally begun to resume "light baseball activities" per interim manager Don Mattingly. The former first-rounder finished the 2025 campaign strong, hitting .356 with a 1.088 OPS from July 27 on (39 games), culminating in a .264/.392/.433 slash line for the season, with 14 home runs and 59 steals. Unfortunately, no clear timetable has been given for his return, and he'll likely need to show he's kicked the rust off at Triple-A for a while before the team decides to call him up for a big league debut. Trea Turner also stands in his way at short, so perhaps the team will look to get him some experience elsewhere on the diamond. Regardless, few can match his power-speed combo, so fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress as the 21-year-old could eventually become the top hitter to stash in all leagues later this year.

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Chicago Cubs infield/outfield prospect Pedro Ramirez has methodically climbed the team's minor league ladder, finally landing at Triple-A this season and showing that the steady progress has paid off. The Cubs' second-ranked prospect is hitting .312 through 43 games so far this season, and a 10.7 percent walk rate has helped him to a strong .395 OBP. The switch-hitter is also slugging .547 thanks to a plethora of extra-base hits, including 11 doubles, a triple, and nine home runs. Not only can he hit for power, but the Venezuelan has some speed, too, swiping 19 bags already this year. A low 16.3 percent strikeout rate and 6.2 percent swinging-strike rate show he's not overmatched by Triple-A pitching, and he could be ready for a shot in the majors in the coming weeks. The combination of contact, power, and speed, with the potential to be hitting in a Cubs lineup that is top 10 in the majors in runs scored per game, pushes the 22-year-old into stash consideration for fantasy.

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Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has struggled at the plate since being activated from the injured list 10 days ago, but he broke out of a hitless skid by going 1-for-4 with an RBI single and a walk on Wednesday. Kim is now 2-for-23 with three walks and five strikeouts this year, and his .225 xwOBA suggests that he's been only a little unlucky. Kim isn't a major power or speed threat, but the 2023 season was proof that he's capable of slugging 15+ homers and swiping 35+ bags. We don't see him returning to that level of production this year, but perhaps Wednesday's RBI base knock is a sign of him tapping into a little more offensive upside. He's worth monitoring in fantasy baseball leagues so far, especially since he has eligibility at both shortstop and second base in some formats. With that said, it's a bit too early to add him off the waiver wire, especially since he's still available in 98% of leagues. He ranks as the #33 shortstop in RotoBaller's rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings.

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Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara continues to show intriguing power potential for the Iowa Cubs, belting his Triple-A-leading 15th home run on Wednesday. The 6-foot-6 slugger has reached base safely via hit or walk in 20 straight games, during which time he's gone 22-for-80 (.275), pushing his season average to .245 with a .909 OPS. Swing-and-miss has long been his bugaboo, and this year is no different, carrying a 33.0 percent K% and 15.0 percent swinging-strike rate, but it is offset by the prodigious power and strong walk rate of 11.4 percent. The Dominican is already on the 40-man roster, having briefly spent time with the big league club in both 2024 and 2025, so with the way he's hitting, the right-handed hitter should be next in line when the team needs an outfielder. The 23-year-old carries batting average risk for fantasy, but the power is undeniable, making him one of the top hitters to stash for his home run upside.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been hitting the ball well lately, and he's worth adding off the waiver wire in many fantasy baseball leagues. Over his last six games, Gurriel is 10-for-25 with one home run, two doubles, four RBI, one walk, five strikeouts, and one stolen base. This year, he owns a .230/.292/.310 slash line. While those marks aren't ideal, they're several points better than they were last week. He also has an 8.3% walk rate and a 18.8% strikeout rate. With just one homer and one steal this year, we haven't seen a whole ton of power or speed from Gurriel. However, he's started to deliver more extra-base hits, and he could be turning the corner as a fantasy-relevant outfielder. He's available in 97% of leagues, representing a solid mid-season waiver wire addition for managers in deeper leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez is having a solid season at the plate, and his power surge is enough to justify adding him off the waiver wire in fantasy baseball. Martinez homered 11 times across 139 games last year, and he's already up to nine homers through just 48 games this year. He also has 18 stolen bases, as well as a career-high eight stolen bases. So far, he's slashing .263/.305/.500 with a 4% walk rate, 19% strikeout rate, and 124 wRC+. We'd like to see the K/BB ratio improve, but we're certainly impressed by his power and speed. He also has the ability to play all three outfield spots, which helps get him in the lineup on an everyday basis. Martinez currently ranks as RotoBaller's #61 outfielder, and he is available in approximately 50% of fantasy baseball leagues.

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Milwaukee Brewers infield/outfield prospect Jett Williams is heating up again at Triple-A Nashville, going 10-for-28 (.357) over his last eight games, with three doubles, two triples, two home runs, and a stolen base, along with an 8:9 BB:K over that span. The Brewers' third-ranked prospect is now slashing .254/.380/.420, with a strong 15.1 percent walk rate (21.0 percent K%) and 11 steals, while his 38 runs scored is third-most in Triple-A's International League. The former first-rounder is making his case at the plate for a call-up to the majors, and with the ability to play 2B, 3B, SS, and center field, the 22-year-old's versatility should give him multiple paths to the majors and added appeal for the organization when it comes time to decide who to bring up from the farm in the coming weeks. The right-handed hitter has shown decent pop and speed, and along with his multi-position eligibility (2B, SS, OF) on Yahoo!, he makes for a worthy stash in deep leagues.

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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin has hit a bit of a skid lately, but the underlying metrics suggest that he's a bounce-back candidate, which bodes well for his rest-of-season fantasy outlook. Griffin has allowed 14 earned runs over his last 9.1 innings of work, but he has still maintained a solid 4.02 ERA across 10 starts. More importantly, he has a 3.84 xFIP with 8.68 K/9 and 2.89 BB/9 so far. Home runs have been his kryptonite to this point; allowing 1.61 HR/9 is a primary reason why he's been roughed up lately. He allowed just 0.12 HR/9 in the NPB last year, so fantasy managers should be optimistic that he'll crack down on loud contact sooner rather than later. He has hung around as the #76 starter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings, and he's a solid waiver wire option as he remains available in 60% of leagues.

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San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts is an intriguing waiver wire option for fantasy baseball managers as he shows off increased power. Bogaerts hit just 11 homers in each of his last two seasons, but he's already up to seven homers through just 48 games this year. Although he has hit a bit of a lull lately (.160/.192/.160 slash line over his last seven games), the power surge is enough to justify adding Bogaerts off waivers. Outside of the recent skid, he's having a solid season with a .247/.318/.385 slash line, seven homers, seven steals, a 9% walk rate, an 18% strikeout rate, and 104 wRC+. He is still available in 48% of leagues, and he ranks #19 among shortstops in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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New York Mets pitching prospect Jack Wenninger could be next in line the next time the team needs to fill a rotation spot. The organization went with Zach Thornton on Wednesday to fill the void left by the injury to Clay Holmes (fibula), with the southpaw lasting just 4 1/3 innings after piling up 80 pitches, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three in the outing. Wenninger has been impressive at limiting damage at Triple-A, allowing just one home run in eight starts and stranding 87.7 percent of runners, leading to a 1.51 ERA. However, the right-hander owns a gaudy 14.6 percent walk rate (11.3 percent K-BB%), has hit four batters, and a 3.88 FIP suggests the results have been better than expected. Still, averaging more than a strikeout per inning (9.84 K/9) gets our attention in fantasy, and if he can find similar success in the majors, then the 24-year-old would be a viable fantasy asset. View the 6-foot-4 hurler as one of the top pitching prospects to stash given his likelihood of a call-up in the not-too-distant future.

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The Miami Marlins are calling up third baseman Graham Pauley from Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday after they placed infielder Leo Jimenez (neck) on the 10-day injured list after he was injured on Wednesday night, according to Kevin Barral of Fish on First. The 25-year-old Pauley was demoted to the minors after going 13-for-75 (.173) with a homer, six doubles, nine RBI, eight runs scored, a stolen base, five walks, and 19 strikeouts in his first 28 games for the Fish in 2026. At Jacksonville, Pauley wasn't a whole lot better, batting .222 (8-for-36), but with three home runs, two doubles, six RBI, six runs scored, a steal, five walks, and nine strikeouts across nine games and 41 plate appearances. At best, Pauley will be on the strong side of a platoon at the hot corner in South Beach for the Marlins now that he's back in the big leagues. Only fantasy managers in NL-only leagues should be considering picking Pauley up as corner-infield depth. In 103 major-league games, Pauley has slashed .198/.268/.340 with a .607 OPS, seven home runs, and 25 RBI.

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The Miami Marlins acquired outfielder Rece Hinds from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Zach McCambley, according to Isaac Azout of Fish on First. The 25-year-old Hinds will now head to the National League East after the Reds designated him for assignment last week. The former second-rounder in 2019 will report to Triple-A Jacksonville. He offers elite power/exit velocity, but also swings and misses quite often. He hit only 121 (4-for-33) with one walk and 18 strikeouts in 12 games this season in Cincy and also batted .116 (5-for-43) with a walk and 21 strikeouts in 15 games for the Reds in 2025. Hinds has seven home runs and 19 RBI in his 51 big-league games, but he's also sporting a 42% strikeout rate and 4.6% walk rate, which isn't conducive to long-term success. In 23 games for Triple-A Louisville in 2026, Hinds has hit .306/.423/.635 with seven homers. In NL-only leagues, Hinds is worth a look off the waiver wire for his raw power, but in mixed leagues, he can continue to be ignored. He's currently not rostered at all in any Yahoo leagues.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitching prospect Robert Gasser has been rewarded with another start in the big leagues and will pitch on Friday in an NLCS rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Gasser, 26, made his season debut on May 17 against the Minnesota Twins and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking two and striking out three in four innings for a no-decision. He also hit three batters. For at least one more start through the rotation, right-hander Chad Patrick will remain in the bullpen. Gasser can probably be left on the waiver wire for now in most fantasy leagues. Even if he pitches well in a very difficult matchup this weekend -- the Dodgers lead baseball with a .776 OPS -- Gasser could be ticketed for a trip back to Triple-A Nashville with veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) inching closer to a return from the injured list. Gasser has impressed in his eight MLB starts, dating back to 2024, though, posting a 2.87 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 24:7 K:BB across 37 2/3 innings.

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Colorado Rockies right-handed reliever Juan Mejia blew his first save opportunity of the season in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the visiting Texas Rangers at Coors Field, allowing a hit and striking out one in two-thirds of an inning. The two runs that scored were charged to lefty Brennan Bernardino, who started the inning. It wasn't exactly the 25-year-old Dominican's fault, as he entered the contest in Denver with the bases loaded and one out. Mejia hasn't allowed an earned run in his last seven appearances since May 5, a span in which he has thrown 8 1/3 scoreless innings with three hits allowed, four walks, 11 strikeouts, two saves, one blown save, and a hold. Right-hander Antonio Senzatela should remain in the mix for saves in Colorado going forward, but Mejia's first blown save of the year on Tuesday shouldn't negatively impact his save chances in Colorado, and he's probably still the best option for saves with the Rockies for fantasy managers. In his second year with the Rockies, Mejia has a 3.80 ERA (3.36 FIP), 1.48 WHIP, a career-high three saves, 28 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 23 2/3 innings.

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Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman has not looked his age (38) at all in 2026 in his second year with the team. The veteran southpaw threw a scoreless inning with one hit allowed and one strikeout to close out the Kansas City Royals in a 4-3 victory, and he now has 12 saves, a minuscule 0.51 ERA (1.86 FIP) and 0.85 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and seven walks in 17 2/3 innings of relief in his 17th year in the big leagues. Surprisingly, Chapman has been one of the best relievers in baseball so far through the quarter mark of the 2026 season, and he's currently on a scoreless streak of 13 2/3 innings, a span in which he has allowed six hits, walked six, struck out 20, and recorded 10 saves for the BoSox. He currently ranks fifth in the majors with his 12 saves, but how much longer can he continue to outduel Father Time? With an xwOBA in the 68th percentile and a hard-hit rate in the 10th percentile, regression will most certainly come for the Cuban hurler eventually. His expected ERA also sits at 3.09 despite being in the 96th percentile in strikeout rate. Chapman still has enough swing-and-miss stuff to be a strong closing option for fantasy managers, but he's also a clear sell-high candidate.

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