Cleveland Guardians first base/outfield prospect Ralphy Velazquez is an ideal fantasy prospect due to his 60-grade power and 50-grade hit tool. Between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, Velazquez has had a nice age-21 season, but he has slowed down a bit statistically at Columbus in July. In 53 July at-bats, Velazquez is hitting .208 with two homers, eight RBI, and a .333 on-base percentage. All in all, between Double and Triple-A this season, Velazquez has 11 homers and 48 RBI while hitting .282 with 45 runs scored and a .378 on-base percentage. The left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder was a former first-round pick by the Guardians in 2023, but might be looking at finishing this season in the minors. A premium dynasty prospect, Velazquez might be looking at 2027 as his time for a big league debut.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has had a nice month of July at Triple-A Toledo, posting three homers and six RBI while hitting .333 with 13 runs scored and four stolen bases. As Clark continues to hit, he continues to make his case for a big league promotion. As the top prospect in the Tigers system, Clark is the main name to watch as the Tigers roster continues to take shape as the trade deadline nears. Clark has a 60-grade hit tool and a 70-grade run tool and has racked up 21 stolen bases at Toledo this year. At just 21 years old, the Tigers will have to make a decision on how they want Clark's career to progress. He has shown the capability to hit at a high level at Triple-A and the next step could be Detroit, but do the Tigers want to bring up Clark at such a young age? It's worth taking a chance in fantasy by stashing Clark and waiting for a promotion, especially if the Tigers are active at the trade deadline.

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Free-agent left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Athletics and will report to Triple-A, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 38-year-old last appeared in the majors with Milwaukee in 2024, posting a 5.40 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings over four starts. He returned to Triple-A Omaha in 2025 and went 2-1 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts across 35 2/3 innings before being released in August. Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner, will have to pitch his way back to the majors and carries no immediate fantasy value.

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Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has flashed his potential in his age 22 season, but has struggled with his control since joining Triple-A Jacksonville. In 27 innings pitched for Jacksonville, Milbrandt has walked 24 batters and has allowed 17 earned runs. It's been a bit of a struggle for Milbrandt to find the form he showed at Double-A Pensacola, but he is still ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Marlins' system. At Pensacola, Milbrandt was 4-1 with a 1.34 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 70 strikeouts in 47 innings. The strikeout rate was a product of his potential but Milbrandt hasn't found that same rate at Jacksonville. Milbrandt is worth looking at in dynasty leagues but might be best left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues as he works through some of his struggles.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (elbow) threw a successful one-inning bullpen session on Friday as he continues to work his way back from left posterior elbow inflammation. He also threw from 120 feet and participated in pitcher fielding drills, making it a busy and productive day. The plan is for the 24-year-old southpaw to throw a two-inning bullpen session sometime next week, followed by a live batting practice session. Once those steps are completed, the Red Sox expect him to begin a short rehab assignment, putting him on track to return well before the end of the regular season. Given this positive outlook, Early is worth holding in fantasy leagues, and if he is available on the waiver wire, he is worth adding before he is activated from the Injured List.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) is set to make one more rehab start this week for Triple-A Gwinnett after throwing 86 pitches in his most recent outing on Thursday. The 23-year-old has been impressive during his rehab assignment, recording 21 strikeouts over 17.2 innings while posting a 1.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. The expectation is that this upcoming start will be his final one before being activated by the Braves, allowing fantasy managers to add him now before his value rises. Smith-Shawver has shown success in the past, posting a 3.86 ERA with a 22.0% strikeout rate in 2025 before suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in June 2025. Now that he is on the verge of returning to Atlanta, he could be a prime candidate to replace the struggling Reynaldo Lpez, who has allowed nine earned runs over his last two starts.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford (elbow) threw three scoreless innings in his latest rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Thursday. The 28-year-old increased his pitch count to 48, throwing 39 of them for strikes while displaying impressive command. Although he allowed three hits, he struck out four batters and did not issue a walk. He likely has at least two more rehab starts before being activated and returning to the Rangers' starting rotation, with building up his pitch count remaining the primary focus. That said, his rehab assignment has been a success so far, and Bradford remains a low-cost stash with some upside in the deepest fantasy leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has surprised a bit with his consistent power in his age-22 season at Triple-A Louisville. Rodriguez has tallied 24 homers in 374 at-bats with 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and a .275 batting average. Given 45-grade power by scouts, Rodriguez has surpassed expectations with his power this season. He is now the No. 3 prospect in the Reds' system. The Dominican Republic native could be a late-season addition to the Reds in the outfield. The left-handed-hitting bat could add some pop to the Cincinnati outfield, and with Blake Dunn currently on the injured list, there could be an opening for Rodriguez at the big-league level. Rodriguez should produce solid numbers if promoted and would be a good addition to fantasy teams over the second half of the season.

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Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen has had quite the consistent 2026 season at Triple-A Albuquerque, and that could result in some time up with Colorado in the second half of the season. In 333 at-bats at Albuquerque, Veen is hitting .312 with 16 homers and 63 RBI to go with 62 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. The No. 7 overall prospect for the Rockies, Veen is producing in his age-24 season, and it might be the perfect time for a call-up to the big leagues. The left-handed hitting outfielder has a 50-grade hit tool with 45-grade power and a 55-grade run tool. So Veen does not have the tools of a prolific big league home run hitter, but his speed should make him a five-tool prospect. A call-up to Colorado and the chance to play his home games at Coors Field would make Veen immediately attractive for fantasy purposes. Now might be the time to add Veen to fantasy rosters in anticipation of potential time in Colorado this season.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) threw his first live batting practice session on Friday. He tossed 23 pitches, and while that is fewer than the nearly 40 pitches he threw a week earlier, facing live hitters is a much more significant step. This marks another major milestone for the 33-year-old hurler, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery in October 2024. He is set to throw again at some point next week, and will likely need to throw multiple live batting practice sessions before being assigned to a rehab assignment. However, if he continues to check all the boxes, there is a chance he could be activated from the Injured List sometime in September. That said, it's unclear whether he will be eased back into action after such a long layoff, which caps his fantasy upside for the 2026 season.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (forearm) threw to live batters on Friday, marking a significant step forward in his recovery from a right flexor strain. The 33-year-old threw 20 pitches during the planned session, and if all goes well, the Padres expect him to face live hitters again next week. Sidelined since the middle of April, Pivetta has had little opportunity to make an impact in fantasy. With just 16.0 innings pitched, the mid-round fantasy pick has been unable to provide a return on the investment fantasy managers made during draft season. With this latest step forward, the hope is that he can begin a rehab assignment after a few more successful live batting practice sessions. If all goes well, he has a chance to return for the final month of the regular season.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) will play in a doubleheader on Saturday for Triple-A Gwinnett after Friday's minor-league game was rained out. Braves manager Walt Weiss expects the superstar to play seven innings in each game, eliminating the possibility of him being reinstated from the Injured List today. Weiss also mentioned that he is waiting to hear from the 28-year-old outfielder when he feels ready to return, though it is expected to happen sooner rather than later. Acua has hit one home run, stolen one base, and is batting .217, but those aren't the numbers that concern the Braves. Instead, the team has focused on the quality of his contact, as the former All-Star has hit 14 balls in play at 95 mph or harder. All that being said, he is close to returning and should be immediately inserted into all fantasy lineups once he is finally reinstated from the Injured List.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (glute) will throw a simulated game, consisting of two innings or 35 pitches, on Saturday, July 25, according to MLB.com. Soroka has been on the 15-day injured list since June 20 due to a left-glute strain, but he's making progress and could be ready to rejoin Arizona's starting rotation in either late July or early August. The 28-year-old is expected to need at least one minor-league rehab start before coming off the IL, though, so an early August return is more realistic. The former 28th overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2015 has had a resurgent season in 2026, his seventh in the big leagues and first in Arizona, going 8-3 for the Snakes with a career-best 3.07 ERA (2.93 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and 17 walks in 82 innings across his 15 starts. Soroka's 23.7% strikeout rate is nothing to write home about, but he's also sporting a career-low 5.1% walk rate and is inducing a lot of weak contact with a 34.1% hard-hit rate. When he returns from the IL, he could continue to be a strong streaming option in fantasy baseball leagues. Soroka is currently rostered in 67% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) will get imaging done on his nagging left calf on Saturday after he was pulled from Friday's contest early against the Los Angeles Dodgers, interim manager Andy Green told Tim Britton of The Athletic. Green isn't ruling out a trip to the injured list for Soto. "This has nagged him for a week," Green said. "Anytime you get an image, you're concerned." The Mets haven't released their lineup for Saturday's contest at Citi Field against the Dodgers, but Soto almost certainly will not be in it. The 27-year-old Dominican All-Star spent time on the IL earlier this year with a right-calf strain, and he's been dealing with issues in his left calf since the first game following the All-Star break earlier this month. Since then, he has mostly served as the Mets' designated hitter to keep him off his feet as much as possible. Fantasy managers need to prepare for the possibility that Soto will miss more time going forward. In his ninth year in the league, he's hitting .283 (83-for-293) with league highs in on-base percentage (.408) and OPS (.947) while adding 21 homers, 52 RBI, 46 runs scored, and seven steals.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is starting in right field and is batting third for the Royals in Saturday's contest against the division-rival Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize, per MLB.com. Caglianone will return to action on Saturday in Motown after missing each of the last three games with right-shoulder soreness that was the result of him diving for a ball in the outfield. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in Friday's loss to Detroit and is now ready to rejoin the starting nine. Fantasy managers will want to plug the second-year player back into their starting lineups against the right-hander on Saturday. Cags has gone hitless in each of his last three games, but before that, he was hitting .271 (16-for-59) with two homers, five doubles, seven RBI, and seven runs scored in 14 games to begin the month of July. After a slow start in 2026, his first full year in the majors, the former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida has turned things up and is currently slashing .257/.315/.462 with a .777 OPS and 16 home runs in 338 at-bats.

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New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler was absolutely brilliant on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park in a 1-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Phillies, as he becomes the favorite for the American League Cy Young in 2026. Schlittler threw 7 1/3 shutout innings with three hits allowed, no walks, and 12 strikeouts to win his 10th game of the season and lower his season ERA to 2.07. It was as dominant a performance as you can get. The 25-year-old generated 16 swings and misses while throwing 68 of his 99 pitches for strikes. He was dominant from the jump, striking out six of the first nine batters he faced on the evening. The former seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Northeastern University has become New York's ace, and he ranks second in ERA and strikeouts (157) while ranking third in WHIP (0.93) over his 130 1/3 innings in 2026. Schlittler is a no-brainer must-start in all fantasy leagues during his breakout campaign as he heads into his next scheduled start against the Chicago White Sox. He has at least eight strikeouts in three of his four outings in July.

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Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal was in Cy Young form in Friday's 2-1 narrow win over the division-rival Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park, allowing just one earned run on four hits while walking two and striking out a season-high 12 hitters in 7 1/3 innings to pick up his seventh win of the year and lower his season ERA to 2.70. It was the 29-year-old southpaw's eighth quality start of the year. Skubal now sits at 7-5 on the 2026 campaign with a 0.92 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 90 innings over his 15 starts. The former ninth-rounder in 2018 out of Seattle University has bounced back nicely after having a minimally invasive procedure to remove loose bodies from his left elbow in the first half of the season. The two-time Cy Young winner has been at his best of late with a 1.48 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 35:5 K:BB in 24 1/3 frames over his four starts in July as he bolsters his trade value with the early August deadline quickly approaching. Any MLB team that acquires Skubal is going to fork over a king's ransom for one of the most dominant arms over the last couple of seasons.

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St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews turned in another stellar effort at Triple-A on Friday evening and is on the verge of reaching the major leagues. Facing Triple-A Durham, the southpaw struck out an impressive 10 hitters over seven innings of three-hit ball. He walked only three batters and allowed one unearned run. Since May 28, the Stanford product has been among the most dominant pitchers at the top level in the minors and is making a strong case to join the Cardinals. During these noted 56 1/3 innings, the left-hander has posted a sharp 1.60 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP while holding a 67:22 K:BB. While there may not be a clear opening for the left-hander, his recent surge makes him a top prospect to stash among pitchers, as his debut could occur in early August.

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Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Andrew Fischer continued his impressive power surge on Friday evening as he launched his 30th long ball of the MiLB season against Double-A Chattanooga. While Fischer has endured a bit of a skid at the plate, his power has remained a key part of his game as he has gone deep twice over the last eight contests. The No. 8-ranked prospect in the system began the 2026 season at the High-A level, where he needed just 54 games to prove he was ready to join Double-A. With Wisconsin, Fischer hit 20 home runs with a sharp 1.118 OPS. Since moving to Double-A (29 games), Fischer has hit 10 home runs while holding a .253/.387/.636 line. While he will likely need to have a brief taste of Triple-A before being in serious contention to reach the majors, his elite power upside has kept the door open for a September call-up.

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Los Angeles Angels starting pitching prospect George Klassen is emerging as a deep-league stash target. In his most recent outing for Salt Lake, the No. 4-ranked prospect in the system tallied a season-high 11 strikeouts over six innings of one-run ball. This was a nice bounce-back outing from Klassen as he allowed four runs in his previous start against Sacramento. The former sixth-round selection made his MLB debut earlier this season but stumbled, allowing six earned runs (seven total runs) over just 4 2/3 innings. Through 78 1/3 total innings at Triple-A, Klassen has carried a modest 4.25 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP. However, seeing him begin to turn the corner is a positive sign and suggests his second stint in the majors could be far more productive. For now, he is worth monitoring in deeper 12+ team formats.

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