Seattle Mariners prospect Lazaro Montes is having a great minor league season between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, hitting for massive power with 28 homers combined between the two levels to go with 74 RBI and 78 runs scored. He is hitting .238 between both clubs but has been better at Tacoma with a .253 average. He was called up to Tacoma on July 7 and has three homers and eight RBI in 83 at bats since. Montes is the No. 4 prospect in the Mariners' system and has 65-grade power which is a massive power upside for a prospect. At age 21, Montes might still need a bit of time to develop in the minors and we are seeing that right now with him at Triple-A. A dynasty league asset, Montes could be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues unless a fantasy manager wants to take a big gamble on a stash.

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New York Mets prospect Ryan Clifford has had a pretty good age 23 season at Triple-A Syracuse with 16 homers and 50 RBI in 356 at bats. He has added 50 runs scored and eight stolen bases but has only hit .185. Clifford has a good power profile with 60-grade power but his hit tool is graded out at 40. He struggled during the month of July hitting just .157, but did hit two homers with 10 RBI. At age 23, he could be a late-season call up to the Mets as he is their No. 8 ranked prospect and has the ability to play first base or outfield. He could just be a player that is relied on to hit for power with little attention paid to the batting average and overall hit tool. He could bring a boost of power to the Mets late in the season. Fantasy managers who are in desperate need of power could look Clifford's way but will need to be ready to take a potential hit in batting average.

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The Miami Marlins acquired first base prospect Jonathon Long from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Braxton Garrett. Long slots in as the No. 14 prospect in the Miami system and could see time in the majors for the Marlins this season. Right now, Kyle Stowers leads the depth chart at first base for the Marlins at the major league level, but Long could provide some depth this season and also could slot in at one of the outfield spots if needed. Long has a 55-grade hit tool with 50-grade power and hit .283 for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs with 12 homers and 62 RBI in 396 at bats. The 24-year-old added 67 runs scored for Iowa. He is a name to stash in fantasy following his change of scenery and he could see time in the majors in his age 24 season in he second half of this year.

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New York Yankees prospect Elmer Rodriguez had an excellent month of July at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a 4-0 record and 2.73 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 26 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings pitched. Rodriguez has seen time with the big league club this year, making four starts for the Yankees and compiling an 0-2 record with a 4.76 ERA and 1.76 WHIP with 10 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched. Rodriguez has had a very productive minor league season but has yet to see the results in the major leagues. After his productive July, however, fantasy managers may want to take a chance and roster him in case he is called back up for another opportunity. He's the Yankees' No. 3 prospect and has a 60-grade fastball with three 55-grade secondary pitches in his curveball, slider, and splitter. At age 22, Rodriguez has the pedigree to be successful. He might just need another chance in the big leagues this season.

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Cardinals' RF Alec Burleson had six RBIs going 3-for-5 with three home runs in a 13-7 win over the Yankees on Monday, Aug. 3.

The New York Mets acquired shortstop prospect Jefferson Rojas from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) and outfielder Tyrone Taylor on Monday, a person familiar with the deal told Chelsea Janes of SNY. Rojas, 21, comes to the National League East after slashing .270/.339/.461 with a .799 OPS, 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 58 runs scored in 91 games across 390 plate appearances with Double-A Knoxville this year. Per MLB Pipeline, Rojas has become New York's top prospect, and he also sits at No. 63 overall in the sport. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound Dominican infielder Rojas probably won't be an elite fantasy option at the shortstop position in the long-term, but he should offer 20-homer potential and average speed on the basepaths, which makes him a solid pickup for the disappointing Mets in exchange for a starting pitcher who could just be a rental. He probably won't be a realistic candidate for his MLB debut until next year, and he could be what the Mets have in mind as Francisco Lindor's eventual successor.

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The New York Yankees are promoting infield prospect George Lombard Jr. to the major leagues from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to Jack Curry of YES Network. Meanwhile, in a corresponding move, the Yankees are demoting current shortstop Anthony Volpe to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to the team. In addition to Volpe, former outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez is being sent to Triple-A. The time is now for Lombard, who is ranked at MLB Pipeline as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect and the No. 20 overall prospect in all of baseball, and he should immediately jump into the starting role at the 6 in New York. In 78 minor-league games with the rookie-level Florida Complex League, Double-A Somerset, and Triple-A, Lombard has hit .284/.411/.498 with a .909 OPS, 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 65 runs scored in 358 plate appearances. The 21-year-old has high expectations, but the Yankees will look to the young infielder for a spark as they search for more offense. Lombard's power/speed upside alone makes him worth a look for infield help in mixed fantasy leagues. The former first-rounder in 2023 is already rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues, and he's eligible at second base and third base, in addition to shortstop.

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St. Louis Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Alec Burleson was nearly all the offense the Cardinals needed in Monday's 13-7 win over the hosting New York Yankees in the Bronx. Burleson had a day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three home runs, six RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .288 and his OPS to .830. As a controllable young slugger, Burleson was getting calls from other teams on the trade deadline on Monday, but the Cardinals elected not to move him, and they're probably pretty happy with that decision. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger is now up to a .288/.350/.480 slash line this year with 18 home runs and 77 RBI for the Red Birds. Burleson was money in July, going 31-for-106 (.293) with two home runs, seven doubles, 14 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base in 28 games played, but the knock against him is that he's hitting just .194 (26-for-134) with three of his 18 homers against lefties and his poor defensive metrics. His advanced hitting metrics support his overall production, though, as he comes in with a .296 expected batting average and .379 xwOBA.

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Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said on Seattle Sports that left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson is "definitely in the mix" for a starting-rotation spot at the big-league level, according to Shannan Drayer. Anderson was seventh on the starting depth chart, but after the M's traded veteran right-hander Luis Castillo over the weekend, he's now sixth. Seattle will sit down this week to map out a plan "that makes the most sense for him to impact the big-league team if there is a spot for him to do so." The 22-year-old former third overall pick in 2025 from LSU is the Mariners' top prospect and the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, and the odds of him making his major-league debut in August seem increasingly likely. Anderson has looked amazing in 16 starts (82 1/3 innings) at Double-A Arkansas, going 9-1 with a 1.20 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 119:12 K:BB. He's already rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues and could help fantasy managers in mixed leagues to close out the year if he earns a rotation spot in Seattle.

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Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was a late scratch from the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Diego Padres to attend the birth of his second child, according to Jack Sommers of Sports Illustrated. Veteran James McCann got the start behind the dish to catch right-hander Brandon Pfaadt and was hitting eighth in the batting order against Padres right-hander Michael King. Fantasy managers should expect Moreno to go on the paternity list on Tuesday and miss the remainder of the series against SD. The 26-year-old Venezuelan backstop is having a fine fifth year in the big leagues in 2026, as he came into Monday's tilt with a .298/.380/.438 slash line, a career-best .818 OPS, eight home runs, 47 RBI, 46 runs scored, and four steals in 85 games and 350 plate appearances. Moreno needs just two homers to set a new career high. He's 0-for-10 to begin August, but Moreno hit .362 (34-for-94) with a .927 OPS, two homers, six doubles, 19 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 25 games in July. Moreno should be back in action for the team's weekend series against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers at home.

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Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood (side) injured his left side on a swing in the sixth inning of his team's 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, per Mark Zuckerman of Nats Journal. While Wood stayed in the game and took another at-bat after the injury, Zuckerman reports that the 23-year-old is going for an MRI on Tuesday. Wood has been one of the better hitters in baseball in 2026, slashing .265/.393/.535 with 30 home runs, 73 RBI, 100 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases across 535 plate appearances. The young slugger has posted elite contact metrics, logging a 21.1% barrel rate and a 58.2% hard-hit rate. If Wood misses time, Nationals infielders Jose Tena and Andres Chaparro could be in line for more playing time at designated hitter.

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Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall said the team is planning to promote outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez to the big leagues on Tuesday, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. Rodriguez has put together a dominant season at Triple-A Louisville so far in 2026, hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 home runs, 69 RBI, 72 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 455 plate appearances. The 22-year-old is considered one of the top prospects in the Reds system and has the potential to be a five-category fantasy contributor. He could also be in line for an everyday role in Cincinnati with Reds first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (wrist) currently on the injured list due to a wrist injury. In any league where he remains available, Rodriguez profiles as a high-upside waiver wire target.

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The Colorado Rockies and outfielder Mickey Moniak are nearing an agreement on a two-year extension, according to Thomas Harding of Rockies.com. Moniak is under team control with Colorado through the end of 2027, at which point he would have hit free agency. Now, it appears as though the Rockies are locking him in for at least an extra year. Across 278 plate appearances this season, Moniak is hitting .273/.317/.547 with 17 home runs, 47 RBI, 38 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 28-year-old has logged a double-digit barrel rate in three out of the last four years and has emerged as a quality power source for fantasy managers. The lefty-swinging Moniak is mostly deployed in a big-side platoon role in Colorado, which limits his counting stat upside. Still, remaining at the hitter-friendly Coors Field for his home games boosts Moniak's fantasy value.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. Following the Dodgers' trade deadline acquisition of superstar left-hander Tarik Skubal, it appears that Sheehan is the odd man out in the Dodgers' rotation. Sheehan has been inconsistent so far in 2026, recording a 4-8 record with a 5.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 95 1/3 innings (20 starts). The 26-year-old's underlying metrics suggest he's been hurt by some poor luck, as he's logged an above-average 18.9% K-BB rate and owns a 3.96 xERA. However, Sheehan's average fastball velocity is down one mile per hour from last season, and he's had major difficulty keeping the ball in the yard, allowing 1.89 HR/9. With Skubal in Los Angeles and Dodgers starters Tyler Glasnow (back) and Blake Snell (elbow) also nearing returns to the team's rotation, Sheehan may not see many more opportunities to contribute in the big leagues in 2026.

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The Minnesota Twins have acquired right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. In exchange for Hoffman, Minnesota sent out a trio of prospects in pitchers Dasan Hill and John Klein, as well as infielder Dameury Pena. Hoffman opened 2026 as the closer in Toronto, but early-season struggles led to him being removed from the role. However, the 33-year-old has turned it on over the last two months, allowing just three earned runs while recording 30 strikeouts across 22 1/3 innings since the start of June. For the season overall, Hoffman has posted a stellar 34.9% strikeout rate to go along with six wins, 12 holds, and five saves. In Minnesota, Hoffman could have a chance to re-emerge as a primary ninth-inning option. Particularly in deeper leagues, he profiles as a worthy waiver-wire target for fantasy managers in need of saves.

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The San Diego Padres made a move to bolster their rotation at the trade deadline, acquiring starting pitcher Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers. Across 86 2/3 innings (14 starts) this season, Mize has recorded a 4-6 record with a 2.70 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts. The 29-year-old has also logged two separate stints on the injured list due to groin strains, so health is a red flag in his profile. However, when healthy, Mize profiles as a steady innings-eater. He's posted a 19.4% K-BB rate and has limited the long ball, allowing just 0.52 HR/9. To get Mize, San Diego sent out left-handed pitching prospects Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf. With the Padres, Mize profiles as one of San Diego's top arms alongside right-hander Michael King and fellow trade deadline acquisition Robbie Ray.

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The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday in exchange for catcher Moises Ballesteros and minor-league pitcher Mason McGwire, the son of former big-league legend Mark McGwire, according to Francys Romero. Just when Zeferjahn was becoming a deep-league saves option in Anaheim, the 28-year-old was traded to a contender to help bolster the back end of their bullpen with regular closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) still on the injured list. Zeferjahn is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA (3.77 FIP), 1.20 WHIP, a career-high four saves, 75 strikeouts, and 32 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched in 2026 in his third year in the majors. With the last-place Angels, he wasn't a very convincing pickup off the waiver wire in deep fantasy leagues with save opportunities coming his way recently, but Zeferjahn should be more enticing to managers desperate for saves now that he has a shot for ninth-inning work on the North Side in Chicago. The Cubs have been using a closer-by-committee of late, consisting of Jacob Webb, Trent Thornton, and Caleb Thielbar.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks added outfield depth at Monday's Aug. 3 trade deadline by acquiring outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez. Nootbaar will head to the National League West after hitting just .234/.333/.354 with a .688 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a stolen base in 48 games and 183 plate appearances this year in his sixth season with the Cardinals. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder got a late start to the year after recovering from offseason surgery on both of his heels. Despite not really standing out offensively this year in St. Louis, Nootbaar should have a regular role in the Snakes' outfield because of injuries to all of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (thigh), Tommy Troy (shoulder), and Jordan Lawlar (hamstring). Nootbaar has always teased power/speed upside, but he has not panned out in the big leagues thanks to injuries. He's hitting only .133 (4-for-30) with one of his three homers against lefty pitchers, and Nootbaar could lose playing time as Arizona's outfield gets healthy. Nootbaar is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Houston Astros acquired center fielder Daulton Varsho from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reports that the Astros sent right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (foot) to the Blue Jays in return for Varsho. The 30-year-old Varsho has been a disappointment at the plate this year in Toronto, but he will immediately bolster the Astros' defense in the outfield. In 333 at-bats in 2026 in his seventh year in the majors (fourth with the Blue Jays), Varsho hit a very mediocre .243/.307/.375 with a .682 OPS, seven home runs, 26 RBI, 39 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 99 games across 365 plate appearances. He will be set to reach free agency at the end of the 2026 season, so he might turn out to be just a rental for Houston's playoff run. The former second-rounder by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee really struggled in July, going 17-for-83 (.205) with a .482 OPS, zero homers, three doubles, four RBI, eight runs scored, two steals, four walks, and 10 strikeouts in 24 games. Houston will be hoping that Varsho can be better than that at the plate going forward.

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The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets on Monday in exchange for infielder Jefferson Rojas, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Holmes becomes the third starting pitcher that the Cubbies acquired at this year's trade deadline, joining veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman and lefty Braxton Garrett. The 33-year-old Holmes is still on the 60-day injured list after fracturing his fibula earlier this season, but he could help bolster Chicago's rotation down the stretch, and he could make his Cubs debut sooner rather than later after making his third minor-league rehab start with High-A Brooklyn on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if the Cubs feel that Holmes will be better off working in a relief role (he has plenty of experience doing that), with right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring) also nearing his return from the IL. It's hard to gauge Holmes' rest-of-season fantasy outlook because we don't know exactly what his role will be upon joining his new club. Before injuring his leg earlier this year, the two-time All-Star had a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45:18 K:BB in just nine starts, but the underlying metrics pointed to eventual regression. Taylor, who will be a free agent after the season, will be a platoon bat in Chicago against lefties after sporting a .900 OPS against southpaws with the Mets in 2026.

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